Time out of WDW to visit Kissimmee?

dave&di

dave&di

Well-Known Member
My DB and I have visited WDW in 2008 and 2010, we are returning in 2012, We are spending 8 days at WDW (GF), and 7 days down the road at The Portofino to visit Universal, IOA, & Seaworld.
I have never visited Old Town Kissimee, what I have seen of it in Travel brochures, I like.
My question is, Is Old Town worth visiting? Whats there? How much time should we allocate to the visit? We don't drive so how easy is it to get there?
Plus I kind of feel I might be wasting time by spending time away from WDW , I want to cram in as much as I can and WDW is precious to me! Would it be easier, more convenient to do it the 2nd week at Uni/IOA?

Thanks for any replies,
Diane.
 
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MichWolv

MichWolv

Born Modest. Wore Off.
Premium Member
dave&di said:
My DB and I have visited WDW in 2008 and 2010, we are returning in 2012, We are spending 8 days at WDW (GF), and 7 days down the road at The Portofino to visit Universal, IOA, & Seaworld.
I have never visited Old Town Kissimee, what I have seen of it in Travel brochures, I like.
My question is, Is Old Town worth visiting? Whats there? How much time should we allocate to the visit? We don't drive so how easy is it to get there?
Plus I kind of feel I might be wasting time by spending time away from WDW , I want to cram in as much as I can and WDW is precious to me! Would it be easier, more convenient to do it the 2nd week at Uni/IOA?

Thanks for any replies,
Diane.
Click to expand...

There isn't much in Kissimee that is worth seeing, either at the attraction called Old Town or in the actual old town of Kissimee. Kissimee is useful for shopping (grocery stores, drug stores, cheap T-shirts), eating at chaing restaurants, and finding reasonably-priced hotels. But there isn't anything that I'd say is actually worth any sight-seeing or activity time.
 
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dave&di

dave&di

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks guys, thought there was some kind of park/fair?, a friend said something about antique stores? but I think I will give WDW my undivided attention! :)
 
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Huglife

Huglife

Active Member
Old Town has typical fair rides and Go Karts. There are some shops but nothing really worth buying. There is a pretty interesting karaoke bar filled with locals.
 
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MichWolv

MichWolv

Born Modest. Wore Off.
Premium Member
dave&di said:
Thanks guys, thought there was some kind of park/fair?, a friend said something about antique stores? but I think I will give WDW my undivided attention! :)
Click to expand...

The Old Town attraction, which is nowhere near where the old town of Kissimee was located in the days before WDW, has a handful (or maybe a few more) of high-end carnival-type rides, and stores designed to have a small town feel (candy shop, soda fountain, knick-knacks and antiques, etc.). Nothing that'd be worth taking time away from Disney/Universal/Sea World for.
 
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sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
We've never done Old Town and probably never will, but we always take time out every trip to visit Kissimmee to play mini-golf. If you enjoy mini-golf, there are a few places along 192 in Kissimmee. Our favorite is Pirates Island, but there is also Congo River Golf, which is pretty good, too. There is another one called River Adventure Golf, but we've never done that one. There is also a medeival dinner tournament place called Medieval Times, if you are into that kind of thing. We did it on our honeymoon trip in 2003.
 
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dave&di

dave&di

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks all! Its a shame I can't stay in Florida for a month or so, there is so much I would like to do! Kissimmie would be worth visiting if I had more time. I think I will stick with WDW you can't get better than that.
 
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ohhector

ohhector

Member
if you ever DO stay in Florida longer, and have a car, take a trip to Lake Apopka. It's maybe 30 minutes or so north. There's a trail called the West Orange Trail that's a 22 mile paved bike trail that runs behind houses and through downtown Winter Garden. We did the first 5 miles (you can rent bikes at the park that's at the start of it), and it was absolutely beautiful and easy going.
 
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dave&di

dave&di

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
ohhector said:
if you ever DO stay in Florida longer, and have a car, take a trip to Lake Apopka. It's maybe 30 minutes or so north. There's a trail called the West Orange Trail that's a 22 mile paved bike trail that runs behind houses and through downtown Winter Garden. We did the first 5 miles (you can rent bikes at the park that's at the start of it), and it was absolutely beautiful and easy going.
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Thanks, I would have to win the lottery first! Have heard of Lake Apopka and sounds lovely. Florida seems to have so much to offer. Although WDW is my world it is a shame I will never get to sample other things.
 
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S

Susan Savia

Well-Known Member
It's been a few years since we last visited Old Town. Used to be we'd arrive and then spend a few hours walking around it and then go to WDW the next day. They have a few rides, sometimes bands, a car show some nights, little shops and junk stores (I call them that) and fast food. Parking is often an issue because it does become quite busy. 192 is loaded with motels, and restaurants of all kinds, Walmart, Publix etc. As we often eat offsite, we have travelled that road many times.
 
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disney magic 06

disney magic 06

Well-Known Member
Our trip in May will be our 6th since 2005, we don't hire a car and have yet to leave WDW! Each time we go, we have tentative plans to visit something or other and never get round to it, partly because Disney don't exactly make it easy to leave their clutches. We would really like to visit Universal but the planning has always defeated us. One day, one day .........
 
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dave&di

dave&di

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
disney magic 06 said:
Our trip in May will be our 6th since 2005, we don't hire a car and have yet to leave WDW! Each time we go, we have tentative plans to visit something or other and never get round to it, partly because Disney don't exactly make it easy to leave their clutches. We would really like to visit Universal but the planning has always defeated us. One day, one day .........
Click to expand...

I completely understand, that why I do one week at WDW (we don't leave the property at all!!!!) Then we move to another hotel and do the Uni/ IOA, Seaworld things for the second week, but I still want more time to do things other than theme parks! We then do a 3rd week at Clearwater near Tampa on the Gulf Coast to take the weight off our feet after all the park action!

To sum it up .... I have realised I want to live in Florida :cry:
 
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420WDW MONSTER

420WDW MONSTER

New Member
has anyone ever gone down to key west? we plan on checkin it for a day or 2 when we leave disneyworld. i've never been there before, hotels seem like mucho $$$. anyone know of any good hotels that don't cost to much and thats not far away from everything?:shrug:
 
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