Posner Park off Highway 27

For those of you that are interested in bargains then you do not have to travel all the way to the Florida Mall off I4. Go no further than Posner Park that is located on Highway 27 on junction 55 of the I4.

The shopping estate has not been there that long and is expanding all the time. With Dicks Sports Shop that has everything from Golf to Hunting you will findsome great sporting gear. Whilst the prices are not that cheap there are always some parking available. JC Penny is there and with so many offers you will not come away disappointed. For those Gadget people there is also a large Best Buy shop with all the up to date TV’s, Cameras, Games, etc.

On top of all this there are some other clothes and shoe shops that may take your fancy. Not forgetting the Super Target store where you can catch a coffee in Starbucks.

As you walk along the shop fronts there is a book shop, a pet shop and a Staples office outlet.

So why not give the place a visit and you may pick up that bargain you have been looking for!

On arrival we actually thought it was closed! It was about 10am on a weekday and there wasn’t a soul around. No problem for us of course. I was a little bit disappointed though, the mall wasn’t as big as I expected and there weren’t  that many stores.

There were the usual  Dillards, Sears, JC Penney which we could have visited closer to home. There were one or too quirky shops such as the Dogs Bow Wow where you could buy outfits for your canine friends, including wedding outfits! We decided not to inflict that on our two Labradors.

We spent most of our time in Sears where there was a sale on. I bought myself some LA Gear training shoes, the type that are supposed to get you into shape whilst you walk around. Maybe I’m kidding myself but for £25 I’ll give it a try and they were nice trainers anyway.

JC Penney always seem to have a sale on. I like the ladies sportswear in there which is very reasonably priced.  Then Pac-sun, Aeropostale and Rack Room shoes and we were done. 

I had hoped for an Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister but not there. There is a cinema there and if you have young children an old fashioned carousel.

There are plenty of places to eat and drink and after a coffee in the food court we decided to call it a day. Even by then there was hardly anyone there, the place was almost deserted. The mall is clean and airy and if you just want a shopping mall to yourself, it’s great.

When staying in an Orlando Disney villa, the following tips may be helpful to you.

Remember to complete your ESTA form for all members traveling.  Florida requires this to be completed before you check in at the airport.  If you do not complete an ESTA, you will not be allowed to travel.  Go to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov to complete the form ($14 per person as of 14.02.2011).  Be wary of some web-sites offering to complete the form for you at a higher cost.  The form is really easy to complete and will only take around 5 minutes per person.

If possible, pre-book you seats on the plane well in advance of flying (you can do this with most major airlines such as Virgin, BAA, Delta, completely free of charge).  Some charter airlines may charge extra.  Once the seats are booked you know your family will be traveling together and this just takes a little pressure off you wondering where you will be seated.  Ask your travel agent for the “locator number” and log into the airline web-site and manage your booking from there.

What clothes to take.  Packing for Florida is really easy, most people wear casual clothing such as t-shirts, shorts, trainers etc.  You may need a pair of trousers or a light jumper for the evenings in late Autumn / Winter but most of the time shorts and t-shirt are just fine.  If you are staying in an Orlando Disney villa, you will almost certainly have a washer and tumble dryer and so there is no need to pack enormous amounts of clothing.  In the Florida climate, clothes also dry very quickly.

Without doubt, you will need a swimming costume but nearly all Disney villa owners supply towels and so there is no need to pack these (just check with the owner before you travel).  If for some strange reason, your Florida villa owner does not include towels, then I would suggest you do not pack any but buy a couple in the cheap tourist shops for a couple of dollars and then throw them away before you go home.  By doing this, you will leave plenty of room in your suitcases for everything you buy to bring back. Most items in the US of A are cheaper than in the UK.  This is particularly true for trainers, trousers, t-shirts.  Some DVD’s can be cheaper, but check that they will play on your player in the UK.  Also, remember that you are only allowed to bring home around £140 of goods per person, unlike the EEC where you can bring back much more.

No doubt, you will be visiting Disney, Universal or some other parks and you will be doing a lot of walking and be on your feet for a good few hours during the day.  For this reason you will need some good footwear.  Most people wear trainers as they are practical and also comfortable.

Please remember that there are very strict rule regarding taking food into Florida.  You are allowed to take jars of food (such as Marmite – love it or hate it !!!), but items such as bananas, apples, meat etc are definitely forbidden.  Do not even try it as there a really cute dogs at immigration, sniffing all around your bags, and they will find you out.  Most items you will need will be found in Wal-Mart, Publix etc.  They even have their own brands of corn Flakes etc., and are cheaper than buying known UK brands.

Even people with who have special dietary requirements should be able to find most things at Wal-Mart or Publix.  These two large stores stock gluten free products and soya milk for those who are lactose intolerant.

Sun screen and sun barrier are an absolute must in Florida.  The sun gets very, very hot.  Be extra careful while in the pool as the cool water will seem to negate the heat of the sun.  It is only when you get out of the pool that you realize how much you may have been burnt.  Be especially careful with small children.

If you are taking a good quality camera with you, then we would suggest you purchase a good quality camera bag that will protect the camera from the afternoon storms that can occur in Florida and also from the potential splashing while you are on the water rides.   If you buy a bag that also has a loop that slips on to your belt, this will help to ensure you do not lose the camera.  Any god camera shop will sell these for around £10.

Do not forget to pack things like Aspirin or other medication you might need in your hand luggage.  If you need it, it is readily available.

And last but certainly not least (in fact probably most important), take a small document wallet with you to keep all you important documents together.  These should be your passports (remember you need at least 6 months from your date of return left on your passport before your passport expires to enter the US of A).  you should also keep you car hire voucher, Disney tickets etc, drivers licence, insurance policy, travelers cheques, directions to your Disney villa in the wallet.  If you keep these all in one place they are easier to find and in my opinion much safer than being in various other places.

It is also a very good idea to take some photocopies of these documents and give them to another member of your party to keep just in case the originals are lost.  It is so much easier obtaining a replacement passport if you have a copy of the original.  Also keep the travelers cheques separate from their numbers so if they are lost, you will still have the numbers that you can report as being lost and replacements will be easier to obtain.

We hope the above tips will help you holiday to be a little less worrying.  Remember, if you prepare properly everything will run smoothly.

No matter what time of year it is, people who love Florida do not need an excuse to make their way to The Sunshine State for a little rest and relaxation.  Accommodation in Florida is remarkable with hundreds of Disney villas, Florida villas, Orlando villas, Florida vacation rentals and villas near Disney that are available to rent.

There are many reasons visit Florida for a vacation, but for those who do not know a lot about this lovely southern state here a few of the top reasons that make this Florida the US of A’s fourth most populous state.

Theme Parks – Many individuals would say this is their number one reason for taking a vacation Florida.  Theme park fanatics, most especially Disney fans, often head to The Sunshine State every year to get their dose of magic. Orlando, of course, is at the center of the theme park kingdom, with the four parks of the Walt Disney World complex, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and SeaWorld Orlando.  However do not forget about Tampa’s Busch Gardens Africa, which is also an excellent amusement park, almost always landing on annual top 10 lists for theme park enthusiasts.

Beaches, beaches and more beaches – according to many people, this is the number one reason for coming to Florida.  The ability to sit on The Sunshine State’s incredible beaches and enjoy the soft sand, warm water, and beautiful sunsets you will find there.  Florida has thousands of miles of coastline and the beaches are many and quite varied in their type.  Choose your favorite, from Tony South Beach in Miami, the place to see and be seen, to the white sanded family oriented beaches of Siesta Key, near Sarasota.  There are also the Panhandle beaches like popular Destin or the beaches of the northeast, including Fernandina and Ponte Vedra, as well as the beaches of the Keys and those in the southwest, like Sanibel and Marco Islands.  Wherever you go, you will find a Florida beach where you can sun, swim, and enjoy the view.

Sports – Major league sports are a very important part of life in Florida.  With teams like the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays calling Florida home, it is no wonder some visitors head to The Sunshine State annually just to enjoy the sports that take place there all year round.  From NFL football to NHL hockey to pre-season and regular season baseball.  Add to that all the wonderful college teams in the state and it’s easy to understand why Florida is a sportsman’s mecca.

Nightlife – Nightlife sizzles in many parts of the Sunshine State.  On the east coast, the most popular nightlife spots are Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale (especially during Spring Break), West Palm Beach, and the other towns in that area.  In central Florida, the Walt Disney World complex has its Pleasure Island area 9currently being refurbished), where adults can party as if it is New Year’s Eve each and every night.  Universal’s City Walk appeals to nighttime revelers as well, with its many restaurants and bars.  On the west coast, Tampa’s lively Ybor City area is a favorite with the under 30 crowd, but the remainder of Gulf Coast beach towns also offer a good collection of nightclubs and other popular party spots geared towards various age groups.

National Parks/Natural Sites – Florida is home to about a dozen national parks, monuments, and seashores, all of which are a joy for the visitor to explore.  A must see is expansive Everglades National Park, which occupies much of the southwest portion of the state.  The largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S., the Everglades is home to many rare species of animals, birds, and plants, and an airboat ride to view them is a must.  State Parks throughout Florida are excellent as well, like Sarasota’s Myakka River Park where guests can experience a diverse natural area of wetlands, prairies, hammocks, and pinelands; or the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, where visitors can take a prairie buggy ride along one of Florida’s largest stretches of dry prairie.

Watersports – Florida is a state surrounded by water and for this reason you will no doubt want to take advantage of the many watersports available there.  You can take your pick, from calm water related pursuits like fishing or sailing to more exciting adventures, such as jet skiing, SCUBA diving, kite or wind surfing, wake boarding, parasailing, and more.  With 8,500 miles of shoreline, 7,800 lakes, 320 springs and 35 rivers, the possibilities are endless!  Many beach hotels offer free use of non motorized watercraft and outfitters throughout the state peddle charter fishing cruises, dive lessons, and other opportunities which enable you to enjoy Florida’s beautifully warm waters.

Shopping – Every good vacation has a little shopping time built in (and why not).  In Florida, the shopping options are many and varied, ranging from upscale shops in ritzy South Beach, Miami and beautiful St. Armand’s Circle near Sarasota to popular outlets in Ellenton (near Tampa), St. Augustine, Naples, Florida City, and Orlando.  You’ll also find everything in between at the many malls that dot the Florida landscape.  For real bargains also try the Farmers Markets and Flea Markets dotted all around the state.

Key Lime Pie - Okay, you can get this pie in some other parts of the South too but this delightful confection originally had its start in the Florida Keys.  In fact, nearly every restaurant in the Keys, especially in Key West, serves this dessert.  The key lime tree arrived in Florida in the 1500s and recipes for the pie began appearing as early as the late 1800s, though it became really popular in the 1930s.  Some restaurants make it with graham cracker crust, others with pastry crust.  Either way, it’s a Florida must have several times over.

History – While most people tend to visit Florida for the recreation, the state’s interesting history is one of those side perks visitors can experience while exploring the region.  From the Spanish style architecture of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European established city in the U.S., to Tampa and its ties to the cigar industry, to the rich military history of the Panhandle, Florida excites and educates visitors who enjoy gaining a little knowledge while on vacation.

Arts and Culture – Florida is filled with museums and entertainment venues both up and down both the East and West coasts and everywhere in between.  Visitors can buy tickets for rock concerts, Broadway style shows, dinner theatre, and much more, in major cities like Tampa, Sarasota, Miami, Orlando, Tallahassee, Jacksonville etc.  Other cultural sites include incredible art museums (check out the Ringling Museum in Sarasota), history museums (found in nearly every county), aviation museums (like the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola), and science museums (including Tampa’s excellent Museum of Science and Industry).

We found Walmart (www.walmart.com ) excellent for all kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and tableware items, and also baby items.  Local stores to US192 are:

Walmart Super Center                    Walmart Super Centre

4444 West Vine                             3250 Vineland Road

Kissimme, FL 3474                        Kissimmee, FL34746

Tel (407) 397 7000                        Tel (407) 397 1125

(near marker #15)                          (near marker #9)

Target (www.target.com ) stores were also useful for kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and baby items.  Local stores to US192 are:

Target                                         Supertarget

3003 W Vine St                           4795 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy

Kissimmee, FL34741                  Kissimmee, FL34746

Tel (407) 846 6611                     Tel (407) 594 0029

For outdoor furniture, the difficulty was matching the existing furniture.  Palm Casual have a showroom full of patio furniture (including sling style), and cushions, etc.  By looking at their website (www.patiofurnitureinc.com ), we were able to match up our cushion fabric prior to our visit.  They are located at:

Palm Casual
11701 S. Orange Blossom Trail
South Orlando, FL32837

Tel (407) 438 2330

(Not far from the Florida Mall)

For furniture, we found Furnitureland USA (www.furnitureland.org ), who have a large showroom full sitting room, dining room and bedroom furniture, and often next day delivery is available.  They are located at:

Furnitureland USA
2345 Orange Blossom Trail
Kissimmee, FL34744

Tel (407) 847 8518

For sports equipment for the games room, we visited the Sports Authority (www.sportsauthority.com ), and found everything from billiard cues to table hockey.  They are located at:

Sports Authority
The Loop
3214 N John Young Parkway
Kissimmee, FL33741

Tel (407) 846 6844

For bedding we visited Sears (www.sears.com ) at The Florida Mall (www.simon.com ) – they have an end of range aisle which is always worth a look at to get a bargain.

The Florida Mall
8001 South Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, FL 32809

Tel (407) 851 6255

Many items in our villa had a palm tree theme, and we found everything from table linens to doormats in the FloridaMarketplace range at Bealls (www.beallsflorida.com ).  They are located at:

Bealls
4081 W Vine Street
Osceola Square Mall
Kissimmee, FL34741

Tel  (407) 847 4301

(near marker #15)

We are still searching for a window valance company…….

But whilst these malls are big and offer a wide range of goods, if ‘big’ is important, at the time of writing (January 2010) the mall claiming to be Florida’s biggest involves a drive to the east coast.

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is on Florida’s east coast, just north of Miami.  It involves a drive of several hours, so we took the opportunity to visit the area when we flew into Miami instead of ‘our usual’ Orlando (most scheduled airlines permit open-jaw arrangements, where you fly into one airport but return home from another - an ideal arrangement if you wish to visit Miami, Fort Lauderdale or the Florida Keys as well as the Central Florida attractions).  Another reason to find yourself in Fort Lauderdale is to join a cruise (perhaps to the Caribbean).  And whilst in the area, a visit to Sawgrass Mills is a must for shopaholics.

Sawgrass Mills

Sawgrass Mills claims to be Florida’s largest retail and entertainment centre, featuring more than 350 name-brand outlets.  A mixture of open air and ‘covered’ shopping areas makes this a very pleasant place to visit and spend a few hours - and also spend a few dollars. And with seven day opening well into the evening, there is no need to rush and miss any shopping opportunities.

Shops

Many of the names here are well known to international visitors.  Benetton, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen, Ron Jons - as well as names better known to locals.  With over 350 to choose from, it is easy to be parted from your dollars.  It’s also easy to get carried away - remember how much space was left in your suitcase.  Or, for visitors from Europe travelling by scheduled airline, make full use of your luggage allowance - if this will require buying an extra suitcase you are in the right place to save money on this as well.

Entertainment

As well as a cinema, there is also the opportunity to eat - either a snack, fast food or a sit-down restaurant.

How To Get There

Sawgrass Mills is located at the crossroads of West Sunrise Blvd. and Flamingo Road just 15 miles from the Fort Lauderdale International Airport and 30 miles from the Miami International Airport.

When it comes to eating there is so much choice you won’t nowhere to go there are restaurants just about everywhere and of course there a fast food places such as MacDonald’s and KFC. But of course you can also shop at Wal-Mart and make your own food which is better if you’re on a budget.  There is everything in America that there is in every country so you would find something you liked.

If you like going out at the night time then there are clubs pubs and also family entertainment such as old town and down town Disney which is a Disney run place. Which is free and there are shops and theatres and performances which kids and adults will enjoy. Old Town is a little town on the 192 between marker 10/11 which is good if you want to go out for an hour or for 5 hours there is always things to do look around the shops watch the live band, have cold or hot drink, food or something real British like good old fish and chips or look at all the kitted up cars and motorcycles that run down the main street on Friday and Saturday evenings. There are all sorts of shops from sweet shops to clothes, jewellery, Florida merchandise shops. Old town also have a now large “Fun Spot” There is also a place called boardwalk which is also run by Disney where there is shops and restaurants where you can chill and on the night you can also see the fireworks from magic kingdom and Epcot.

There are really good places to go shopping like the Florida mall to the Osceola mall to lake Buena vista there are expensive brands for small prices.

But one thing we reckon is better than shopping at great prices - is shopping at even lower prices!

Thanksgiving

European visitors to Florida may not be too familiar with Thanksgiving.  It is a major celebration for Americans, and is the fourth Thursday in November.  A few shops continue trading for the day, but the majority of shops and many restaurants close for the day.

The Thanksgiving sales traditionally start on the Friday following Thanksgiving.  But be prepared for an early start - the best bargains are to be had at 5am (yes, really, 5am - that’s 5 o’clock in the morning.  The middle of the night!).

But is it worth an early start?  Many Americans certainly think so, as the shops are busy from the start.

Where to shop

The choice of where to shop for bargains is overwhelming.  The best way to find out where the best offers are is to buy the local newspaper ‘The Orlando Sentinel’ during the week before Thanksgiving.  The Sunday edition is packed with adverts for all the local stores, and makes great reading over a cold drink, lazing by the pool at your villa.  Examples of shops which have fabulous discounts are Wal-Mart, Super Target, Michaels, Best Buy……and many others.

What to buy

Villa owners are often to be found buying electronic goods.  Brand name televisions, video and DVD players enable them to provide extra luxury for guests.  We were delighted to pick up an additional DVD and video combination unit for just $48 (typical price in the UK at the time £75 or much higher).  But these may not be so attractive to visitors from overseas, who have different voltage to contend with.  European visitors may look for portable items such as laptop computers, MP3 players - but do check the voltage required to recharge the batteries.

To avoid concern about voltages, there are bargains to be had on toys, crafts (40% off any one item, or 20% off total bills are typical offers) etc.  DVDs and music are often on offer (the Shrek 2 DVD for $5 was a welcome addition to our choice of films - usual cost of Blockbuster films around $14, which is still great value) - but don’t forget to check if your DVD player at home plays Region 1 discs.

Getting up early

These bargains require a very early start - numbers are limited (but still there are often many hundreds of each item).  We recommend shopping, and then catching up with breakfast at one of the excellent offerings, such as the I-HOP (International House of Pancakes)

There is a wide range of shopping malls big and small as close as international drive. For the older generation there are beaches like coco and Daytona and if you fancy a long drive, you could take trip to Miami.

There are water parks some that are suited to the more adventurous and others that are just like real beaches. And there is water skiing, jet skiing to flinging from a 300ft pole overlooking a lake these options are for the more adventurous.

There are spas that you can visit if you want to get away from the kids. There are also helicopter rides which can take you all over Orlando.

There are Wal-Mart’s located all over the place  for your shopping it great it’s just like Asda in England. There are loads and loads of restaurants from buffets to three course meals. The buffets are to die for the ranges of food you get for just a small price it’s amazing. There are obviously fast food restaurants located just about everywhere.

Going to Orlando is the best thing you could possibly do. There are a wide range of hotels with a wide range of prices. But there are others places to stay such as villas or condos. If you rent somewhere its means that it’s yours and you don’t have to share it especially in a villa. Orlando it a place you don’t ever want to leave that’s why you have to get it right and book suitable places that you will enjoy.

The theme parks are all amazing so there is no worry there. You’ll kids will love it but it’s not just for kids the adults will love it as well.  If you got a chance to go to Orlando take it. So if you want to go to Orlando get booking.  

As you get near to Daytona but before you reach the “Racetrack” there is the biggest Farmers and Flea market for miles on the right. It is all under cover and all aisles have ceiling fans to keep you cool while you shop.

There are numerous aisles with something for everybody. Lots of motor bike gear of course, lovely leather coats, shoes, etc but prices much lower than the tourist areas. We brought lots of t-shirts, towels and items for our villa. We had a hummer car and that was full by the time we came out. There are also lots of places to eat in there and much cheaper than in Daytona.

It was just a short drive to the beach and for $5, you can park your car on the beach all day. The ice cream van goes up and down so there is no need to leave the beach to buy ices for the kids. There are even mini 3- wheel cycles for the kids to hire to use on the beach.

After unpacking all the gear, the kids were off with their boards to the sea. It was a bit rough that day but very warm. After a while, they all seemed to be having so much fun jumping the waves that I  thought I would join them. We were all having so much fun that none of us noticed a huge wave coming at us until it landed on top of us all and we were thrown over.

We came up laughing and then I realised that my cap was not on my head and neither were my prescription sun glasses. !!Now Daytona is a very long beach and we went up and down there looking in the hope that they would have been washed up. No such luck. My advice to anyone going with prescription glass on holiday to Florida is to pack a spare pair or you will be like I was for the last few days………Very short sighted.