We're going to Tampa with our 4 year old for Gasparilla the last weekend of January. Looking to extend the trip a few days for a vacation. We looked into Disney but wonder if we'd be better off in South FLorida at a beachfront resort because the park closes relatively early and weather may be too cold for pools. What do you think? Any resorts in south FLorida you'd recommend?

I wouldn't discount Disney based on the early closing times. I don't think a 4 yr old would be up to 12 hour days at Disney anyway.

moomoo, I guess you know all about Gasparilla, the deafening canons and guns booming and crackling, the lovely young ladies showing their wares for the drunken pirates that are throwing up on the sidewalk. It sounds like something your 4-year-old will never forget.

As for a few days afterwards (Gasparilla is always Saturday) I think you should let the poor kid have his day at Disney. He will need it.

TGirl- You soooooo funny! Thanks for the chuckles. What picture you paint. Sounds like the fourth turn at the Indy 500 until they cleaned it up a little.

It keeps getting raunchier, amwosu. I guess the 4-y.o. will be OK but there's areas of the parade where I won't let my teen son go because now he knows what ta-tas are REALLY for and I like to keep him focused (college! honor roll!). The teen drinking is also getting out of hand. But it is about the oldest outdoor party in Florida, for sure. Gotta give the old boys credit for it.

Did you know that the pirates start their day with milk and rum? The parade leaves from the Tampa Yacht and Country Club and boats to downtown. All along the route there are boats full of women showing off their latest cosmetic re-constructuring. I didn't know this when I took my then-ten-year-old son on a friends boat. Jeez. Believe me, some of these women should keep it under wraps!