I cannot believe the things you lot will get competitive about. White chicken meat is for princesses? Really?

Fuck it, this princess will have the white meat, ta.

I'd loved to have been more adventurous with my choices of food establishments on this trip, but as I've learnt to my wallet's detriment, that comes at a severe cost here - especially for four people. You even get fleeced for bog-standard food here in Disney. I saw a grill place a day-or-so ago in one of the parks that wanted $47 per head for a set menu, probably excluding taxes and the expected tips. Similarly, I was charged elsewhere therein $40 for 4x shite hot-dogs and chips/crisps, take-away (go eat in the hot sun, on a hard bench if you can find one). Robbing bastards.

I'm staying just outside of the Disney complex where yesterday I found some burger place nearby where we all had good quality burgers/fries and side-salad, plus re-filled drinks and sundaes, for less than $40. Loved it, but not fine/adventurous dining of course. The moral of the story is that there's some good value to be found if you know where to look, which I don't.

The other problem of course is that when you have kids, they don't generally like to be adventurous with their food: "What's this!?" is an exclamation I'm not wanting to hear after paying maybe $50 per head in an attempt to be adventurous on my own part.

That is not healthy food and you are paying that for it.

No fireflies in Toronna? we used to rub them on our clothing and make it glow. Unfortunately, the beetles died in the process.

The_Piper wrote:No fireflies in Toronna? we used to rub them on our clothing and make it glow. Unfortunately, the beetles died in the process.

Closest I’ve seen them is in Adolphustown, about two hours east of Tronna.

I have seen them up in Belfountain one quiet night riding home on the mcycle. Magical....full moon...great ride then turned the bike off for the little light show.

The tourist areas will have, generally speaking, shitty overpriced food. You need to get off the beaten path a bit, though once you're in the parks you're at their mercy. Have you tried Waffle House for breakfast, james? They're a beloved Southern tradition and hard to beat for the price. Food is all fresh cooked, and they do particularly good breakfasts. There are a lot of good, small Mexican places all over Florida, TripAdvisor is a good resource. Same for Italian, stick with the mom and pop joints rather than chains like Olive Garden. The locals don't eat in the parks or near International Drive. Have you found any decent BBQ? There's always a good BBQ in any town. Sonny's BBQ (franchise chain) is mediocre, though prices are pretty good and it's at least relatively consistent, and they have various all you can eat specials. I find their sauces far too sweet for my tastes, but YMMV.

ETA I just messaged a friend who lives near the area, he recommends Big John's BBQ in Kissimmee.

I really appreciate the recommendation laklak, but we're staying about 2 miles northeast of Disney Springs and just west of the I-4 in the Lake Buena Vista area, so that's a 30ish minute drive southeast from our apartment and the Disney area. When you've been out and about all day in the hot sun (or as yesterday, coming home drenched after torrential rain in the evening), the prospect of a one hour road trip there and back in order to eat is not too appealing. The recommendation might have worked two days ago as we drove through Kissimmee in order to visit Lake Toho on our one hour airboat ride. (That was cool, although we only saw a handful of young alligators. They had one in their shack though, and I got to handle it. Felt sorry for the poor blighter though, being a prisoner of tourism.)(Also heard today that a woman was killed in Hilton Head near Savannah by an alligator, where we were based just a week ago!).

I met a family from Manchester (England) today whilst we were eating. Actually, the adults were grandparents looking after three young boys. The woman informed me that she's been living here in Windermere near Orlando for 15 years. No offence intended, but I couldn't live in Florida especially near Orlando. Too hot, too flat, too commercialised, too expensive. And no pies. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the experience, but living here?

I could not live in Britain. Luckily we all have different tastes.

jamest wrote:I met a family from Manchester (England) today whilst we were eating. Actually, the adults were grandparents looking after three young boys. The woman informed me that she's been living here in Windermere near Orlando for 15 years. No offence intended, but I couldn't live in Florida especially near Orlando. Too hot, too flat, too commercialised, too expensive. And no pies. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the experience, but living here?

Also, can you swim ? Because if you can't, you really need to start learning.

I never understood why anyone would voluntarily live in Central Florida, actually anywhere inland for that matter. If it's countryside you're after there are plenty of much better places, sandspurs, palmettos, and mosquitoes aren't a draw for me. But the coasts are a different animal. The whole point of Florida, IMO, is boats, beaches, and salt water.

laklak wrote:I never understood why anyone would voluntarily live in Central Florida, actually anywhere inland for that matter. If it's countryside you're after there are plenty of much better places, sandspurs, palmettos, and mosquitoes aren't a draw for me. But the coasts are a different animal. The whole point of Florida, IMO, is boats, beaches, and salt water.

My ex father-in-law had a condo in Naples. A gated community inside if a gated community. Not my cup of tea. Preferred by brother’s place about 4 blocks from the beach in Lauderdale when he lived there 20 years ago. I would’ve stayed there but he moved to a crappy townhouse complex on one of those fake in land lagoons.

I grew up a few miles from the ocean but love living inland now. A lot more snow and less wind!

Gated communities will be the death of the state. We're in an old neighborhood right on Sarasota Bay, houses mostly built in the 50s on relatively large lots, no sidewalks, minimal street lighting, and no gates. We've got two state universities on either side of us, so no encroaching development and lots of hippie students wandering aimlessly about. There's a 10 acre park at the end of the street on the bay that belongs to New College, so there will never be high rise condos or any waterfront developments. It would be nice if there was a closer marina, but you can't have everything.

This is us (shameless self promotion). Anybody looking for a nice winter rental? Heated pool and all that. You can come to the marina for beers, we'll be on the boat.

http://altezvacations.imbookingsecure.com/rentals/allrentals/the-uplands-oasis/

I don't know what you all have with seasides. I grew up 40km from the sea, never enjoyed it, never will.

Can't help it, I'm a semi-aquatic ground ape.

laklak wrote:Gated communities will be the death of the state. We're in an old neighborhood right on Sarasota Bay, houses mostly built in the 50s on relatively large lots, no sidewalks, minimal street lighting, and no gates. We've got two state universities on either side of us, so no encroaching development and lots of hippie students wandering aimlessly about. There's a 10 acre park at the end of the street on the bay that belongs to New College, so there will never be high rise condos or any waterfront developments. It would be nice if there was a closer marina, but you can't have everything.

This is us (shameless self promotion). Anybody looking for a nice winter rental? Heated pool and all that. You can come to the marina for beers, we'll be on the boat.

http://altezvacations.imbookingsecure.com/rentals/allrentals/the-uplands-oasis/

Sweet! It’d be awesome to go there with the fam.

aban57 wrote:I don't know what you all have with seasides. I grew up 40km from the sea, never enjoyed it, never will.

I don’t like swimming in natural bodies of water but I love being near them.