Can You Help With A Couple Of Orlando Questions Please?
May 20th, 2005, 03:55 PM
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Can You Help With A Couple Of Orlando Questions Please?
Hi All,
I've been a regular poster on the Europe board for the last 18 months or so but this is my first "serious" post on the US Board.
We're from Scotland & have just booked a (virtually) last minute trip to Orlando, leaving 16 June. There will be 6 people in the party - myself & my wife, our two teenage boys & my wife's mother & sister. We've been a couple of times before so we're fairly comfortable with finding our way around but there are a couple of things we'd appreciate some advice on.
Firstly, our previous trips were both in early April & so I realise that we're going to find the weather very different this time around. Hopefully we will be sensible enough not to overdo things - particularly at the theme parks. One weather related question does arise, however. We will be renting a private villa and in the past we had to pay extra for pool heating. Will we need this in mid to late June? The pool will be a very important part of the holiday (particularly for the boys) and I'd rather pay for the heating if it's going to make the water more welcoming. Of course, on the other hand, I don't want to fork out around £100 a week extra for pool heating if it's not required.
My second question concerns a possible day trip outside Orlando. Last time we travelled down to Bonita Beach on the Gulf Coast and stayed overnight, which made a welcome break from Orlando, especially for the adults. I'm thinking of heading for St. Augustine this year but our budget probably won't allow us to stay overnight so I was wondering - is St. Augustine a realistic day trip from Orlando? If not, we will probably head for Daytona, but St. Augustine seems to have more appeal - for the adults at any rate.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Jim
I've been a regular poster on the Europe board for the last 18 months or so but this is my first "serious" post on the US Board.
We're from Scotland & have just booked a (virtually) last minute trip to Orlando, leaving 16 June. There will be 6 people in the party - myself & my wife, our two teenage boys & my wife's mother & sister. We've been a couple of times before so we're fairly comfortable with finding our way around but there are a couple of things we'd appreciate some advice on.
Firstly, our previous trips were both in early April & so I realise that we're going to find the weather very different this time around. Hopefully we will be sensible enough not to overdo things - particularly at the theme parks. One weather related question does arise, however. We will be renting a private villa and in the past we had to pay extra for pool heating. Will we need this in mid to late June? The pool will be a very important part of the holiday (particularly for the boys) and I'd rather pay for the heating if it's going to make the water more welcoming. Of course, on the other hand, I don't want to fork out around £100 a week extra for pool heating if it's not required.
My second question concerns a possible day trip outside Orlando. Last time we travelled down to Bonita Beach on the Gulf Coast and stayed overnight, which made a welcome break from Orlando, especially for the adults. I'm thinking of heading for St. Augustine this year but our budget probably won't allow us to stay overnight so I was wondering - is St. Augustine a realistic day trip from Orlando? If not, we will probably head for Daytona, but St. Augustine seems to have more appeal - for the adults at any rate.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Jim
May 20th, 2005, 04:10 PM
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You will be close to my neck of the woods 
It is exactly 2 hours from my house to Orlando.
St Augustine is 30 minutes from my house.
If you left really early in the morning, you could do all you want in St Aug, go to the fort, walk the little charming streets, stay and have dinner then drive back while it is still light, say around 8.
You would be in your hotel and in bed by 10:30-11:00.
We went Christmas shopping in Orlando, off in the am, back by 4:00..
By June I cannot imagine needing pool heating..it is so hot by then, but we don't have a pool so I am just offering a thought
It is exactly 2 hours from my house to Orlando.
St Augustine is 30 minutes from my house.
If you left really early in the morning, you could do all you want in St Aug, go to the fort, walk the little charming streets, stay and have dinner then drive back while it is still light, say around 8.
You would be in your hotel and in bed by 10:30-11:00.
We went Christmas shopping in Orlando, off in the am, back by 4:00..
By June I cannot imagine needing pool heating..it is so hot by then, but we don't have a pool so I am just offering a thought
May 20th, 2005, 04:18 PM
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Well - it depends on how hot you want the water to be. Cannot imagine you would want it any warmer than it is naturally though - unless you're going to use it to boil lobsters.
But then I grew up in New York - and we used the (unheated) pool from the middle of May on - but then we also swam in the ocean (North Atlantic) then too.
But then I grew up in New York - and we used the (unheated) pool from the middle of May on - but then we also swam in the ocean (North Atlantic) then too.
May 20th, 2005, 04:23 PM
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I just cannot imagine any pool in FL needing to be heated in June!! But some FL residents should chime in to give you the info you need. Here is a link to the average temps for the month. Presumably, the pool water would have to be somewhere in the middle of the daily high and low??
http://www.weather.com/activities/ot...2&climoMonth=6
http://www.weather.com/activities/ot...2&climoMonth=6
May 20th, 2005, 05:08 PM
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NO! Do not pay to heat the pool.
Central Florida in mid to late June will be extremely hot and extremly humid. Average daytime highs will be in the low nineties with humidity hovering around the 100 percent mark. Prepare for heat indices to hover around the 100+ area.
Central Florida in mid to late June will be extremely hot and extremly humid. Average daytime highs will be in the low nineties with humidity hovering around the 100 percent mark. Prepare for heat indices to hover around the 100+ area.
May 20th, 2005, 05:34 PM
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While St.Augustine is a beautiful little town, my I suggest something cooler (as in tempurature wise) than a city trip?
If you are asking about heating a pool, I don't think you realize the heat you are in for in Orlando in mid to late June nor the crowds that will be in Central Florida.
I would either head out for a day at the beach or save St. Augustine for a day trip another time.
The reason I say that is because coming from Scotland, you have no idea what are summers can be like.
Hit the parks early morning as soon as they open. Head back home around noon. Spend the day by your pool or relaxing indoors. Go back to the parks around 4PM and enjoy them as it starts to cool off. Don't expect temps to drop out of the 80s until after midnight. It doesn't cool off much until way after the sun sets and that will be after 9PM (the official time is probably around 8:30 but the sun lingers for a while).
Get good sunblock.
Stay hydrated. Sunstroke is serious and can kill.
Most of all, be aware of the heat and know that it can be dangerous.
If you are asking about heating a pool, I don't think you realize the heat you are in for in Orlando in mid to late June nor the crowds that will be in Central Florida.
I would either head out for a day at the beach or save St. Augustine for a day trip another time.
The reason I say that is because coming from Scotland, you have no idea what are summers can be like.
Hit the parks early morning as soon as they open. Head back home around noon. Spend the day by your pool or relaxing indoors. Go back to the parks around 4PM and enjoy them as it starts to cool off. Don't expect temps to drop out of the 80s until after midnight. It doesn't cool off much until way after the sun sets and that will be after 9PM (the official time is probably around 8:30 but the sun lingers for a while).
Get good sunblock.
Stay hydrated. Sunstroke is serious and can kill.
Most of all, be aware of the heat and know that it can be dangerous.
May 21st, 2005, 07:08 AM
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Ok I have a pool in Sarasota Florida, right now the temp is 82 degrees, without heating it, mine however is not caged a caged pool will be a bit cooler, but by June will be a bit warmer. Just to give you a big hint, in the summer we do "not" heat our hot tub.
I agree with previous post, do the theme parks early morning, spend the afternoon barbecueing and playing the pool and then go back to the theme parks late afternoon.
I agree with previous post, do the theme parks early morning, spend the afternoon barbecueing and playing the pool and then go back to the theme parks late afternoon.
May 21st, 2005, 07:39 AM
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I have a pool which gets direct sunlight and is not screened. By August, we really could use an ice machine to cool the thing down, that's literally how hot the water gets. On the other hand, it is still nice enough to sit in it in a partly shaded section and escape the heat of summer. June pool temperature will be perfect, I imagine.
So, no, don't bother to pay for the heat. A screened pool is only 5 degrees cooler. You will be fine. Invest in a couple of blow-up rafts. That is a wonderful way to wile away your time. It is highly recommended to have a drink in one hand with a tiny umbrella over it, to keep it cool as well! And I bet you thought those little umbrellas were just for show.
St. Augustine -- yes! It is a magical place. Sometimes I've stayed at a hotel just across the bridge on your way to St. Augustine's beaches. It is two-story with balconies, very low budget, spartan but clean, about $50/nite. Oddly, it was a favorite for the Tampa owners of the Columbia, which has a restaurant in St. Augustine too. It has a really great view of St. Augustine from across the bridge, and the bridge itself is a historic structure. Sorry but I don't know the name of the hotel -- it always seems to have availability so we have stayed there just by showing up. I never plan to stay in St. Augustine but somehow manage to fit it in a night if I am near there (I live in Tampa). Definitely go to SA.
So, no, don't bother to pay for the heat. A screened pool is only 5 degrees cooler. You will be fine. Invest in a couple of blow-up rafts. That is a wonderful way to wile away your time. It is highly recommended to have a drink in one hand with a tiny umbrella over it, to keep it cool as well! And I bet you thought those little umbrellas were just for show.
St. Augustine -- yes! It is a magical place. Sometimes I've stayed at a hotel just across the bridge on your way to St. Augustine's beaches. It is two-story with balconies, very low budget, spartan but clean, about $50/nite. Oddly, it was a favorite for the Tampa owners of the Columbia, which has a restaurant in St. Augustine too. It has a really great view of St. Augustine from across the bridge, and the bridge itself is a historic structure. Sorry but I don't know the name of the hotel -- it always seems to have availability so we have stayed there just by showing up. I never plan to stay in St. Augustine but somehow manage to fit it in a night if I am near there (I live in Tampa). Definitely go to SA.
May 21st, 2005, 08:04 AM
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Thanks for all your replies - I knew you wouldn't let me down!
Sometimes, when I'm reading the Europe board, I see what strikes me as a pretty dumb question & I wonder what on earth the poster was thinking of. After my "will I need to heat the pool?" question, however, I will be more tolerant in future
I was thinking back to one of our previous April trips when the heating didn't work for the first couple of days & it did make the pool a lot less appealing.
We have visited mainland Spain, the Balearics & the Canaries in summer before so we have experienced very hot weather, but the humidity will be something new to us. The advice you have given is much appreciated & we will take it on board.
I think we will keep the trip to St. Augustine on our possibles list & see how we react to the conditions after we have been in Florida for week or so.
Thanks again for all your help.
Jim
Sometimes, when I'm reading the Europe board, I see what strikes me as a pretty dumb question & I wonder what on earth the poster was thinking of. After my "will I need to heat the pool?" question, however, I will be more tolerant in future
I was thinking back to one of our previous April trips when the heating didn't work for the first couple of days & it did make the pool a lot less appealing.
We have visited mainland Spain, the Balearics & the Canaries in summer before so we have experienced very hot weather, but the humidity will be something new to us. The advice you have given is much appreciated & we will take it on board.
I think we will keep the trip to St. Augustine on our possibles list & see how we react to the conditions after we have been in Florida for week or so.
Thanks again for all your help.
Jim
May 21st, 2005, 08:04 AM
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Oh boy oh boy,
I would do anything, absolutely *ANYTHING* to avoid Orlando in the summer.
I would even forfeit purchased airfares, yes I would, as there is nothing more uncomfortable than valiantly attempting, even feigning enjoyment, when one is melting from heat and humidity.
I would do anything, absolutely *ANYTHING* to avoid Orlando in the summer.
I would even forfeit purchased airfares, yes I would, as there is nothing more uncomfortable than valiantly attempting, even feigning enjoyment, when one is melting from heat and humidity.
May 21st, 2005, 08:17 AM
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St. Augustine is delightful -- defintely a great excursion. And you can easily go to the beach too if you want to cool off. If I remember, they offer historic tram/trolley tours with on/off prvileges.
It'll be hot alright. May I suggest wearing a hat? Helps with both glare and heat and sunburn.
B/
It'll be hot alright. May I suggest wearing a hat? Helps with both glare and heat and sunburn.
B/
May 21st, 2005, 09:44 AM
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There's a water park at Disney, not my favorite one (I LOVE Adventure Island at Tampa) but those are great things to do when it's hot and humid in Florida. Floating on a lazy river with misters cooling you down is tops on my list. Disney's is some dumb snow theme -- Blizzard Beach maybe? Not so bad though if you've not had better. And certainly not worth making a trip to Tampa on I-4 (I hate that darned road).
Lots of hats, sunscreen, bug spray if the skeeters are bad. Citronella candles by the pool will barely do the trick. You will have to adapt to whatever demise the weather throws at you -- but I'm sure you will have a grand time.
Lots of hats, sunscreen, bug spray if the skeeters are bad. Citronella candles by the pool will barely do the trick. You will have to adapt to whatever demise the weather throws at you -- but I'm sure you will have a grand time.
May 21st, 2005, 04:41 PM
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I live in Central Florida, and if there's no traffic, you can easily be in St. Augustine in two hours. Traffic on I-4 and I-95 can add an hour to that, but if you leave early in the morning I think you'd be fine. Don't go on a weekend!
