Mini-Golf: on property vs off property

sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
For those of you who have played at the Disney places as well as the off property ones in Orlando and/or Kissimmee, which do you like better? With me, it is tradition to play at Pirates Island in Kissimmee every time I go to Florida, so we must do that one on our next trip. However, I would also like to try Pirates Cove just off of I-4 and Hwy 535 (if I remember correctly) and possibly that Hawaiian Volcano one. But we also have a mini-golf voucher as part of our WDW vacation package and I would kind of like to try out the Disney mini-golf sites as well. As I said, Pirates Island is the one "must", but I would like to do at least one other, but I know we surely won't get around to playing at 5 or 6 different places. For those of you who have done both, how do the WDW ones compare to the ones I listed? Which would you recommend?
 
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LuvMyMagic

LuvMyMagic

New Member
My husband and I play at a mini golf place on International Drive. I think the name is Congo River and it's close to the Universal entrance. The cool thing about it is that you can feed the alligators, ducks and koi there. They also have two courses (easy and hard) and a scavenger hunt game as you're playing golf. It's usually not too busy and the holes are really interesting. I would definately recommend it.
 
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mousermerf

mousermerf

Account Suspended
I used to be a big mini-golf player.

Congo River is actually like a chain. They have a few left in various places, but they tore down the one that used to be right across from Busch Gardens in Tampa.

Anywho - I enjoy Disney's courses. At Wintersummerland, both the Winter and Summer courses are fun. I tend to pick whichever course is the opposite of the actual season. I do think playing both in one night isn't too grand, as many elements repeat between them - better to do after a week or two atleast.

Fantasia Gardens, in my opinion, is very nice. You have the Gardens, and the Fairways. No one remembers which is which.. but one is like a regular mini golk course themed to Fantasia and it's various musical movements - with some very nice water FX and light FX at night.

But the other.. avoid! The other course is like a real golf course, but in mini format. It's really really hard. I've even played it with pro golfers and champion mini golfers and they were fustrated with it. You have to know how to chip your ball and all sorts of other technical shots to even finish the holes in under the stroke limit.

From what i know and have experienced, most people give up on that course and end up playing the Fantasia themed course instead. It really is that hard and fustrating. Die hards only, really.

But - the Fantasia course is really nice and tons of fun.
 
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sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
LuvMyMagic said:
My husband and I play at a mini golf place on International Drive. I think the name is Congo River and it's close to the Universal entrance. The cool thing about it is that you can feed the alligators, ducks and koi there. They also have two courses (easy and hard) and a scavenger hunt game as you're playing golf. It's usually not too busy and the holes are really interesting. I would definately recommend it.
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I didn't realize there was one in Orlando. There is one in Kissimmee, exactly as you described. The wife and I played there on our 2004 trip and we enjoyed it. But it doesn't have the sentimental value that Pirates Island has.

In Kissimmee, on 192/Orlo Bronson there is Pirates Island, right by Walmart and Medieval Times, then there is River Adventure (which we have never done), then Congo River. I know there are several mini-golf places in Orlando as well.
 
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sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
gboiler1 said:
I can't assist with your question, but would you recommend the 2 Disney courses? Are they the high standard as the rest of Disney?
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I don't know, as I've never done either of them. So I have the sme question.

I guess my question, for those who have done on property and off, is this: Do the Disney courses have the same "3-D" setup that the others have? The one's I've played at and seen off property have waterfalls, hills, ships that you play a hole on, etc. Not the flat, boring 1 dimensional stuff that they have up here in Illinois. Are the Disney ones 3-D as well?
 
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Nut4Disney

Nut4Disney

New Member
We play Fantasia Gardens at least once a trip. Schedule your game while Fantsmic is going on, you can hear the music and see some of the effects from the course. Also, there is a nice course over in the Crossroads shopping center. ( I think it is called Pirates Golf, or something like that)
 
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Nut4Disney

Nut4Disney

New Member
We play Fantasia Gardens at least once a trip. Schedule your game while Fantsmic is going on, you can hear the music and see some of the effects from the course. Also, there is a nice course over in the Crossroads shopping center. ( I think it is called Pirates Golf, or something like that)
 
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sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Nut4Disney said:
We play Fantasia Gardens at least once a trip. Schedule your game while Fantsmic is going on, you can hear the music and see some of the effects from the course. Also, there is a nice course over in the Crossroads shopping center. ( I think it is called Pirates Golf, or something like that)
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Probably Pirates Cove. It's right there off I-4, when we get off the Interstate and onto the highway that takes us into Kissimmee. That's one of the ones I was thinking about trying out next time around.
 
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jjgoo

jjgoo

Member
Nut4Disney said:
We play Fantasia Gardens at least once a trip. Schedule your game while Fantsmic is going on, you can hear the music and see some of the effects from the course. Also, there is a nice course over in the Crossroads shopping center. ( I think it is called Pirates Golf, or something like that)
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Is it really necessary to schedule your game? We plan on playing Fantasia Gardens the first night we are there to kick things off because it will be too late to go into the parks. We should be checking in around 6:30 or so but are not sure with getting bags etc. It will be Monday Oct. 23rd. Any opinions? Do we just call the reservation center?:sohappy:
 
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sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
jjgoo said:
Is it really necessary to schedule your game? We plan on playing Fantasia Gardens the first night we are there to kick things off because it will be too late to go into the parks. We should be checking in around 6:30 or so but are not sure with getting bags etc. It will be Monday Oct. 23rd. Any opinions? Do we just call the reservation center?:sohappy:
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I'm not sure, but she probably just meant that you should plan to play your game around that time...not that you actually have to call the place and reserve a time. I may be wrong, but at the off property places I've played, I have never had to schedule a time
 
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Nut4Disney

Nut4Disney

New Member
I didn't mean literally schedule your game, just figuritavely. Sometimes we have gone there before when it was fairly crowded and they have given us a "tee time" that was for a half an hour later. We just grab an ice cream and wait or play some video games until it's time to tee off. :wave:
 
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jjgoo

jjgoo

Member
Must be because I am at work and just taking a nice little Disney break. I really was thinking too literally about having to "schedule" a time to play.:brick: Thank you for setting me straight.

I love mini golf and cannot wait to play at Fantasia Gardens. If we were renting a car I would probably venture to Pirate's Cove as well. The one on Cape Cod, MA is my absolute favortie.

Thanks!:wave:
 
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T

typhoonguy

New Member
Just wanted to say I'm actually a big fan of Fantasia Fairways. Winter Summerland is entirely too easy, though the theming is nice. I like both Fantasia Gardens and Fairways, however I like the challenge that Fairways offers. And it's unique. I always come off of that course laughing. And If I've scored below 80, I'm pretty happy.
 
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LudwigVonDrake

LudwigVonDrake

Well-Known Member
I've played at Winter Summerland and it is very easy but the theming is cool. I've only played at Fantasia Fairways and it was VERY challenging. Our game was interrupted by a vicious Thunderstorm but it was difficult while it lasted :)
 
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sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So for those of you who have played on the Disney courses, do you walk up hills and go through caves and such things? Or is it pretty much flat with cool scenery?
 
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sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Nut4Disney said:
Mouseplanet did an article on Fantasia Mini Golf not too long ago. Here is the link w/ pics.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mg060412mg
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Looks fun. Now I just have to decide between that one, Winter SummerLand and Pirates Cove. If I do all three of them, plus Pirates Island, that would be 4 mini-golf courses and I'm not sure we'll find time to do all 4. So I'm gonna have to narrow it down a bit. LOL
 
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