I need everyone's input on Orlando
 

Hey there everyone, my family of and I (5 ppl total) will be leaving NY Mar. 12 for Florida, and I just wanted some advice. Me and my two sisters, 12 and 13, will be going to one of the Disney theme parks, I'm not sure which one yet.
1.What places to eat in Disney's 4 parks would you recommend for cheap eats? We're vegetarian, by the way.
2.Since we will be feeding 5 ppl and will be in Orlando for a while, what restaurants do you recommend in the area? We should eat out at at least one 'classy' place while we're down there, but mostly we just need a meal with nice atmosphere, and great food.
3.Will the weather be warm enough for us to be in the pool/beach?
4.And on that subject,my mother mostly wants to lie on the beach while she's down there, and we're used to Barbados beaches, so we need a pretty high quality beach close by.
5.What kind of clothes are appropriate? For the weather, and style in general in Orlando.
6.I would also like to know where is a nice place to shop, and anything besides theme parks that is a must-see. For example my mother was talking about a wildlife preserve?

Anyone with info, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Fanah - the answers to all your questions about Disney and Orlando can be found at wdwig.com and disboards.com. Hope you have a nice trip.

For shopping in Orlando my teen daughter LOVES Millenium Mall - great stores! There are some outlet malls too. The New York China Buffet is not far from Downtown Disney, they have a huge buffet that should have plenty to satisfy vegetarians. I second the recommendation for wdwig.com Have fun!

I'm sorry if I was misunderstood, I don't plan to plan my trip in Orlando around Disney, in fact I want to stay away from Disney attractions as much as possible, so these websites may be helpful for others, but not for me.

Fanah, the closest beach to Orlando is Cocoa Beach, which is about a one hour ride east. I think the nicest beaches are on the west coast of Florida. Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater area. That should take a little over an hour. According to the Farmer's Almanac, rain is predicted from March 9th thru 14th and sunny days are predicted from the 15th thru the 21st. Temperature predictions are high 70's, low 80's during the day and high 50's in the evenings. Of course, there's no guarantee. Just use it as a guide. In case of rain, if you live in an area with one of those $1.00 stores pick up 5 adult size plastic ponchos so you can keep going until it stops. It's not unusual to see people in the parks wearing them when it's raining. They're more expensive to buy in the parks though. I recommend light cotton clothing and pack a light jacket. There's a Goodings Supermarket in the CrossRoads shopping center on I-4 where you can pick up fresh salads, fruit, cheese, snacks, and water. Buy water outside of the park. Shoney's breakfast buffet is a bargain and it keeps you going most of the day. There's eggs, pancakes, waffles, hash browns, hot and cold cereals, fruit and juice.

Fanah, FYI www.disboards.com has a great forum section with categories related to all things Orlando, not just Disney (ie: attractions aside from WDW, restaurants, golf, accomodations, shopping). I suggest you take a peek. It might be able to provide all the answers you're looking for!

We were in Orlando last month and we found The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World to be VERY helpful. Even if your trip isn't Disney focussed, it gives detailed information about dining in the parks--and out of the parks, with ratings. There's a section on shopping. It also advises on climate and appropriate dress.

Shoney's breakfast is a bargain only if you manage to stave off death by cholesterol. This is not only not good food - but I query whether it qualifies for food at all!

Orlando is pretty much a wasteland as far as food is concerned - decent restarants are few and far between - mostly it is chain restaurants - either fast food or those "family" restaurants 1/2 step above them. One place we found to be pleasant was Hemingway's in the Hyatt Grand Cypress. Tea at the Grand Floridian - hyped by many - was edible but not much more. Perhaps the best answer is to rent a villa and do you own cooking.

The Orlando Sentinel is the local newspaper. Their website requires registration but is free and will give you lots of local info and restaurant reviews www.orlandosentinel.com

I have found very good food in Orlando, both at Epcot (esp. the French cafe, have had some very memorable meals there; I don't know if you can eat at Epcot without going to the park) , at California Grill (crowded but had very good food there) and at City Walk at Emeril's original place (a very good meal). I travel alot on an expense account so I generally eat very well when I travel all over the states, and I have not found those places to be anything like a wasteland. I think there is good food, you just have to find it because as nytraveler said, most places are chains or are geared towards crowded family dining (not neccessarily budget-minded either.) This spring we are staying in a rental villa w/a pool for the first time so we can hopefully avoid some of those types of places and save our money to spend on the better dining.
fanah, if you decide on which park you are goign to and post abck, i will respond on your ? regarding where to eat in the parks.

Try visiting www.orlandotripplanner.com

I probably will be going to Disney MGM Studios

Ok, and what area re you staying in so we can give you recommendations for dining close to that area? At your ages, a trip to City Walk or Disneymarketplace might be fun.

We'll be staying at Westgate Lakes. I'm not sure what you mean by 'your ages' though. My sisters are 12 and 13 and my parents, of course, are older. I myself am a college student.

MGM is a good choice. There's a lot to see and do but you can do it in a day. There's a diner on the main street there - abc diner? - that serves a pretty good breakfast and lunch. I love the Star Tours ride and the Great Movie Ride. Fantasmic at night is such a great show. You can take the ferry over to the Beach Club resort and then walk over the International Gateway Bridge and have tons of dining choices in EPCOT.

If you want to stay away from Disney, as you state, then here's some ideas:

Take one of the boat rides in Orlando on the inter-connecting lakes. These are in the Winter Park area. And be sure to go to Winter Park, which is Orlando's original gentrified area. Visit the Morse museum there which has a huge collection of Tiffany glass -- literally entire walls of glass, a really great museum. There is a great bookstore in Winter Park, lots of shops, a nice park (picnic lunch would be good), some interesting restaurants. In this vicinity, there is also an Art Center from the 1930s that has a great Florida feel to it. Very unusual buildings interconnected, it's located on a lake, maybe somebody knows the name.

You're probably an hours drive from Bok Tower -- this is a cocina and coral tower that sits on the highest point in central Florida -- you can see the orange groves for miles. This is a great place for the nature lover -- take a picnic lunch. You will want to stay at least half a day, there's an old house that you can tour but make sure it's open ahead of time. Charge is by the carload to get in, cheap.

Head north to DeLeon Springs. Eat breakfast there at the old mill where you sit at grill tables, cook your own pancakes and bacon. Rent some tubes and float around the damned-up lake. After you've spent the morning there, head to Blue Spring, a wonderful park and spring. If it's still a little cool (and it has been cooler than usual), you might see some manatees in the shallows. I don't know if you can swim here.

There is also, in Orlando, a spring and little river called Rock Springs. You'll have to look it up, I can't remember much about it but it's beautiful.

My favorite beach in that area is Melbourne. This is a prime sea turtle nesting area so they have kept development low, very few hotels but the ones there are reasonable. Unfortunately, you're not visiting during turtle season.

I hope this helps. Have fun.

Sorry to ask another question, but I read that the Disney price of admission does not include all of the attractions. Is this true? Does anyone know anything about this? If so, what do I have to pay extra for?

What's included in price depends on what type of ticket you buy. Go to www.disney.com and look under the part where you buy tickets. It will tell you what is included in each. Unless you want to go the the water parks or Pleasure Island, a park hopper pass should be sufficient. That is what I always get unless it is summer--then I get a park hopper plus because that includes the water parks.

Also, in regards to your original questions, someone mentioned the French restaurant at Epcot. While it is very good (and expensive), it is definitely not the place for vegetarians.

fanah - I see massive confusions here. In your first post, you ask where to eat IN Disney's 4 theme parks, then in your 2nd post, you said you want to stay as far away from them as possible.

So, are you going to the Disney parks, or are you not going to the Disney parks? And do you want dining recommendations INSIDE the parks or OUT?

And like others have said, Orlando is an hour+ from the beaches of either the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico. So, if you want a beach vacation, you shouldn't go to Orlando, unless you're okay with the fake beaches in various lagoons within Disney World, or the water parks.

It will really help if you state exactly where you're going to visit. Inside or outside the Disney parks. How many days in and how many days out. That'd help with the ticket discussion too.

Fanah, First off let me say that nytraveler is an idiot. Anybody who says that this area is a food wasteland is either stupid or just a food snob. There are literally hundreds of restaurants in the Central Florida Area. If you are at Westgate Lakes just turn left on Turkey lake road and go to Sand lake road. Turn left on Sand Lake road for dozens of eateris (Timpano, Samba room, Ruths Chris, Mortons, Melting Pot, Roys, Seasons 52, Toojays). Turn right on SLR and you will come to international drive with too many restaurants to mention but suggest Fishbones, Bahama Breeze. In Disney parks again, many many eateries, go to wdwig.com and you will find every menu for every restaurant on disney property with prices. Weather will most likely be plenty warm for water especially if coming from snowy north. That time period will be the start of spring break so beaches could be fairly crowded. As mentioned before millenia mall or Florida mall for shopping. Millenia mall is more upscale (Macys, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus). Also a great seafood restaurant at Millenia (McCormick & Shmicks). If your looking for Barbados you will be disappointed but there are many nice beaches. I prefer west coast (Gulf) to east coast beaches. I like Clearwater beach but thats just me. I have lived in Orlando since 1970 and this is a locals viewpoint.

Perhaps it's time you did some research on this site,and perhaps bought a travel guide.

fanah, MelG is not a real poster. He/she is just some whiner. Click on his name and check out his/her other posts.

I think fanah just made a fodors boo boo by asking for what places to eat in the 4 parks before she had decided which one she is going to (later when I asked she said she is only going to one, probably MGM). Fodorites don't appreciate that as then they tie themsleves up giving adivce that isn't really needed on the other 3 parks.
Fanah hasn't posted much and has only asked one question in the past, so let's be nice and let her know- it is better to decide first which park instead of asking advice on all 4 and confusing folks who take time to answer.
Regarding my Epcot French dining comment, I was responding more to the previous poster's comment on how barren Orlando is of good food. Sorry if I caused confusion, I did not intend that as a vegetarian option. But this leads me to another comment- it helps to know what kind of vegetarian you are when one is giving recommendaations- do you eat no animal food at all, no dairy, or do you eat fish, etc. So many kinds of vegetarians w/lots of differences, and it affects dining options.

Wow, thanks so much for letting me know that I made a boo-boo. Anyway! I had not decided at that point, but if you want to hold me to a park, MGM would be it. I am a pretty strict vegetarian, I don't eat seafood or eggs, but dairy I definitely do (I love cheese!) So thanks everyone who's posted helpful comments so far, it's greatly appreciated.

There's just got to be a good guide for vegetarians who don't eat any meat, seafood, or eggs but do eat dairy and who venture to Orlando. Someone just has to lead you to it. I can't even start to help there, but someone will.

Thanks everyone for the info, it was mostly extremely helpful. I'll be down there soon! So does anyone know of any festivals, or special events that will be happening? Like I said we should be there next weekend and we're staying for 2 weeks.