On £2,000, you will get an extra 2,000 x 5.85 cents, which is $117. Well worth having in my view: nearly enough for two park tickets, or a slap up meal for 4!
 
Corporate FX will give you a competive rate if you want cash delivered to your door, or travellers cheques etc, but always the rate will be as good as or better than other sources. They can also transfer your dollars to your US bank account by BACS, (takes 3-4 days) which at present is free, but is likely soon to be charged at £10 or so by their bank, Lloyds, or CHAPS (24 hours) for a current fee of £20.
 
One of the very best things about them is that they never talk down to you when you phone them and display your ignorance of the system! They are very friendly and matter of fact about what they can offer, and will tell you what they think the $ rate will do in the short term, although obviously there are no guarantees!
 
If you are changing a large sum and want to achieve a particular, higher, rate, then they can ‘log’ your rate and will only make the exchange (automatically) if the rate goes up to that level on the currency markets anywhere around the world. You can also ‘forward buy’ to protect the rate over a given period, and only pay a deposit at the time of 10% of the total contract value, which will be deducted from the outstanding balance which is due the day before the value date. Of course this costs more because you are effectively borrowing the money for that period. However, I did do it when buying the original purchase money, and luckily it paid off!

Don’t let anyone dive into the pool - most pools are a maximum of around 5 - 6ft deep and are certainly not deep enough for diving without getting injured.

Don’t let kids run around or get too excited on the pool deck.  This will avoid anyone tripping over and falling into the pool.

The sun can still burn, even when it’s cloudy and you’ll probably lose track of the time spent in the pool because it’s so much fun.  Make sure little ones are protected against sunburn - if necessary, get them to wear an old T-shirt in the pool as this will protect their shoulders from being burnt.

Even if your little ones have an inflatable safety device if they can’t swim, like armbands or baby seats for pool use, always make sure that you’ve in the pool with them in case they deflate suddenly.

If you have little tots who are still in nappies/diapers then please buy some swim ones to keep the pool hygienic for everyone else.  These can normally be obtained in any supermarket or pharmacy.

Pool rules should be posted in the pool area of the home you’re staying in. Always make sure that everyone in your party follows these so that they can have fun but safely.

Around The Pool

Please don’t use glass or ceramics (i.e. plates, etc) in the pool area and always use plastic instead.  Shards of glass or ceramics can cause painful injuries to feet!

Pool deck furniture is for sitting or lying on and isn’t meant to be thrown anywhere, least of all the pool.  It would be appreciated by your home owner if you and your little ones respect the equipment provided for your (and others) enjoyment and this will ensure that there are no accidents.

If you have a BBQ, please ensure that this is used OUTSIDE the net pool screen.  Remember that homes and, in particular, net screens are flammable!

Never lock the net screen doors (unless you’ve been specifically requested to do so) as this prevents the pool maintenance company from looking after your pool properly.

Leaving the Pool

Please use only the towels that have been designated for pool use by your homeowner or bring your own if these are not specifically supplied.

Don’t go into the house with bare, wet feet as you’re likely to slip or trip. Always dry your feet and put shoes or sandals on for safety.

Please don’t sit on the indoor seating in wet swimwear!  This means that the chlorine on your swimwear soaks into the seating and may bleach it.

Although the chlorine levels in private pools is less than in public ones, always shower after leaving the pool to get rid of the chlorine on your body and in your hair.

Rinse out your swimwear in plain (no detergent added) cold water and hang up to dry - the garage is a good place to do this as it’s normally quite warm and things dry quickly.   Some homes have towel and swimwear drying stands so you can use these if provided.

1. Make sure you purchase the tickets in advance, so you can go straight to the turnstiles and avoid long queues to exchange vouchers or buy tickets at the gate (which almost always works out  more expensive).

2. Get there early – at least 30mins before official opening time, as the parks may open earlier than the published times on busy days.

3. Do your homework and have a plan on what you really want to see and do before you arrive. If you have time you can always go on the other rides later.

4. As soon as the gates open head straight for the furthest point of the park, and don’t get side-tracked by the areas you pass through to get there (as most people do!).

5. Go straight on the most popular rides and get fast-passes for the next most popular ride if the park offers this service. This means that you book a slot to come back to the ride and walk straight on at your allotted time. The fast-passes are usually fully booked by late morning and you can only hold a fast-pass for one ride at a time.

6. Avoid eating between the hours of 12pm-2pm, as the restaurants are very crowded and the rides are not so busy. Use this time to do the rides. Have a big breakfast before you leave and you can have a late lunch when the restaurants are not so crowded and everyone else is back on the rides.

7. Try to leave the shows until the afternoon, as you will really need a break from the afternoon heat.

8. Try to buy any souvenirs during the day, as the shops are the most crowded at the end of the day when everyone is leaving. Most theme parks shops will keep the items you buy for you to pick up at the gate when you leave.

9. Stay until the park closes if possible, as the crowds do thin out just after tea-time when the children start flagging and need to get to bed. If you have young children, try to leave the park for a couple of hours in the afternoon for them to have a nap and come back later when they have livened up again (don’t forget to get a stamp or pass at the gate to allow you back in).

10. Finally, drink lots of water (not fizzy drinks as they dehydrate the body) and enjoy it!  Remember you don’t have to do it all in one day – it’s much less stressful for all of you, if you take your time, let the children play if they want to, and go with the flow. You can always come back again next year and do the rides you missed! Have fun!

The area is modeled on turn of the century seaside towns of the Mid Atlantic and New England.

Accommodation includes Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas (the lobby of which has beautiful furnishings, interesting models of roller coasters and carousels, and music that will take you back to the Great Gatsby era. There are window seats along the hall of the lobby and the chandeliers and hard wood floors are truly amazing), Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club and also Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resorts.

Admission to Disney’s Boardwalk area is free, as is parking – just say you are visiting. 

Shopping

The Screen Door General Store sells a variety of Disney Merchandise as well as some grocery items.

Don’t miss the Wyland Gallery where you will find a gallery of Marinelife paintings by renowned artists.

Along the Boardwalk itself are numerous kiosks selling accessories, pins, etc.

Entertainment

Varies from dancing, singing, to catching the latest sporting action.

The Atlantic Dance Hall is an elegant nightclub with art décor interior and a ceiling topped with twinkling stars.

At Jellyrolls there are the Duelling Piano Players where you can have a good singsong.

At the ESPN Club there are three action-packed sections:

•        The Sidelines, - an interactive multimedia entertainment centre;
•        The Yard, - a sporting arcade of interactive games;
•        and Sports Central, - a full-service restaurant with television and radio broadcast.
 
Stroll along the Boardwalk after dark and the area is magically lit up. You may come across a magician, juggler, tarot card reader, singing entertainers and even a sword swallower.

Dining

There is plenty of variety available here from casual dining at ESPN Club or Big River Grille and Brewing Works to specialty dining at Spoodles where you can try menus from around the Mediterranean.
Surrey Bikes.

This has to be one of the favourite activities for families and groups – renting the fringed topped surrey bikes. Pedal your way around Lake Crescent passing Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club or the Swan and Dolphin. Bikes can be rented until 10.30pm. 

Epcot Fireworks.

Take another chance to watch part of Epcot’s nightly firework display – free! Although you can not see the same detail as you would from the World Showcase area in Epcot, it is still worth watching.

Water Activities

At the Bayside Marina it is possible to rent various forms of water transport.

Visit Boardwalk both in the daytime hours and after dark to get a completely different experience. At night it is magical with the reflections of the lights on the water of Lake Crescent and watch the brightly lit boats returning guests from their day out at Epcot.

The Friday Nite Cruise sponsored by Pepsi, has a fantastic array of Corvettes, Mustangs, Monte Carlos in pristine condition, gleaming with their proud owners in a parade all around Old Town. Live music adds to the exciting atmosphere on the main stage at 7.30 p.m.

In its 15th year, The Saturday Nite Cruise has live 50’s and 60’s style rock and roll, which begins at 7.00p.m. And 325 classic cars and Hot rods and antiques parade with pride.

There is free parking and Admission and with its 75 specialty shops, 18 thrilling rides including the Super shot, which slowly creeps its way up to 150 feet in the air and shoots you down in one drop.

The new spiral Go-Kart tracks are great fun. Then there is the old town sling shot, Merry-go–round, Frog Hopper and Dragon Wagon kiddie coaster, and not forgetting the Buffalo rodeo rides, accompanied by Country and Western music, it’s a great atmosphere as you stroll along Main Street, you just want to take it all in.

The typical American diner’s takes you back in time and the children love the wax museum, all this makes a really enjoyable time.

A final ride on the bumper cars and maybe win a cuddly toy or show off your strength to your loved one with a test your strength game.

Pizza Hut, Chillies, Olive Garden are just a few of our favourite restaurants within a couple of minutes from Old Town

Usually when we have just got off the plane, put our cases in the villa and popped into Walmart for the tea, milk bread and cornflakes, we head off to the pizza Hut followed by a stroll down Old Town, it’s a great way to stretch those legs after a long flight and soak in the American atmosphere.

We love it and all this a stones throw from our beautiful villa Papplewick on Windward Cay, just off the 192.

Hope to see you there,

Val Goymer

Which comes first the chicken or the egg? Well the same applies to ones trip to Florida. Do you sort out the flight first or the accommodation. Obviously if you choose to buy a package this doesn’t apply but do consider if this is the best way to enjoy your holiday of a lifetime.

Our villa is located at the junction of the 192 and 27. This means it is centrally located for a wide variety of trips and outings. Be it the coast, which is only just over an hours drive away, a trip to see the manatees, or the usual theme park visits, anything from 10 minutes to 30 minutes drive away.

My advice is to look at both flights and villas simultaneously but realise that there will have to be give and take for both arrangements especially at busy times of the year. The key factor is can you hold the bookings while you confirm the other details.

Most people when looking for flights only consider Orlando International airport, thinking this is the only option. Most charter flights now use Sanford which although slightly further away is only a matter of a few minutes extra drive and can make a big difference to the cost of the trip.

There are many other airports to choose from and I only consider a few. Miami is also a popular consideration about 4+ hours away from Orlando, it is an easy main highway drive and is often linked with a stay in Miami at the beginning or end of a trip. However the airport most people don’t look at is Tampa. This is located on the Gulf coast near Clearwater, yet it’s only an hour’s drive to the majority of villas near Disney.  

Tampa airport is much quieter than the favoured Orlando airport and this has many advantages. The main ones are the lack of having to wait in long lines of people to check-in, go through security, get food, and pick up the car rental.

We landed recently to find we got through security just as our bags appeared. Having picked them up, we walked to the car hire desk and in a matter of minutes were on our way. This can make a big difference especially after a long flight so next time you fly look at Tampa

Silver Springs is located north of Orlando, east of Ocala, Florida on State Road 40. We travelled via Highway 27. The route, although interesting, was long and tedious and we would advise travellers to take exit 352 east off Interstate 75 or exit 268 west off Interstate 95.

It was refreshing to arrive at a park and not find a queue! For those of you with a Florida residence Silver Springs operates a two for the price of one scheme.

The park is attractive and well cared for. Floral displays, botanical gardens, fountains and clear Blue Springs set alongside a zoo like environment make this a pleasurable day out. There are a range of animals and reptiles. We loved the contrasts, which ranged from cuddly looking brown bears to feeling in awe of the alligators. The park staff are well informed and encourage questions and participation. Our daughter actually held a baby alligator!!

The wilderness trail ride through the forest – in a safari style jeep - gave us the opportunity to encounter wild chimpanzees swinging next to us.

Glass bottom boats give an interesting underwater view of the springs. The boats, with U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains, tour the seven major spring formations at the headwaters. We saw turtles, colourful fish, old wreckages and even alligators as we viewed the watery world in the safe comfort of the boat.

The one and only ride is a very smooth 80-foot rise in a gondola/carousel called the Lighthouse Ride. This offers fantastic views across the park and is a must to appreciate the area.

The entertainment programme for Silver Springs boasts some well-known names. The events area looked very inviting. It is easy to imagine a warm Florida evening, good music, a deck chair and a cocktail!

Staff at the park urged us to return for the Christmas Lights season, which commences early December. It is evidently renowned as one of the best displays in Florida - presented from dusk to 8:30 p.m. and feature more than a million twinkle lights throughout the park!

We look forward to a return visit. Next time we will take our swimming gear as there is a quiet water park, Wild Waters, adjoining Silver Springs.

You don’t need loads of clothes as most people in Florida dress ‘casual’. This means shorts or a thin skirt and T-shirts during the day in summer and perhaps some trousers and a sweater or cardigan for the evening in spring, autumn/fall or winter.

Your rental home will have a large washer and dryer available for your use. The wash cycle is much shorter than in UK washers so you can have things washed and dried within a short time.

Leave some space in your suitcase as you’ll probably want to buy clothes which are cheaper in USA such as jeans, T-shirts, etc. You won’t want to have to buy another suitcase to get them back home in!

The one thing you will want to pack is at least one pair of comfortable shoes! If you’re visiting the theme parks, you’ll do a lot of walking (you won’t notice as it’s so interesting) and comfortable shoes are essential. If you find trainers comfortable, these would be ideal.

You don’t need to take towels with you (check if your rental home also includes pool towels, otherwise you can take your own or buy them in Florida) or face flannels/washcloths as these are generally provided for you.

You may not need to take hairdryers as some rental homes have these provided too (check with your rental home owner).

Don’t take food as you will sign a Customs declaration that you don’t have any with you when you enter Florida. Almost all foods available in UK are also available in Florida and you will find a huge selection at the supermarket. You may find that your Florida rental home owner can arrange some welcome supplies for your arrival in your home so please ask them if this is available. If you have a special diet, ask your Florida home owner if this type of food is available, i.e. goat’s or soya milk is available in Wal-Mart and other large supermarkets.

You’ll need personal items, shampoo, sun tan lotion, etc as these are not supplied but you don’t need to take loo paper as at least an initial roll is supplied and UK ‘thick and fluffy’ toilet paper is not good for American plumbing, which is half the size of that in the UK.

So, don’t pack the kitchen sink (there’s one provided for you!) in your suitcase and, if you’ve any doubts about whether something is supplied already or not, just ask your Florida home owner! They will be an expert on what’s available in their home and in Florida as they will probably have been there many times.

Don’t forget your essentials and make sure these are in your hand luggage - any medication you are taking and a written note of what this is (your GP’s repeat prescription request form is ideal if you have these), your passport (which should have 6 months to run after your return), your airline tickets, your car rental vouchers, your travel insurance policy (make a photocopy of this and leave the photocopy at home), travellers’ cheques (make these the US$ type and it’s useful if at least two of you have a supply in case of emergencies), your credit cards (almost everywhere accepts these) and your driving directions to your Florida home or where you will pick up your home keys.

Last of all, remember to have a great time in your Florida rental home!