When you arrive in Florida find your nearest Publix – buy a Styrofoam (polystyrene) cool box, resealable sandwich bags, 6 pack 12oz Water with sports tops.
Fill the cool box with 3 buckets of ice to last 24 hrs – available form your hotel.
Resealable sandwich bags – can be used for loads of things – put your park tickets in a bag to keep them dry on water rides or in water parks.Put ice cubes into bags to cool down soft cool bags. Ice and water for headaches or sprains etc. and of course to keep things fresh.
Florida water has a slight taste to it, buy water if you don’t like the taste (tastes stronger in the afternoon). Refill smaller bottles from 1 gal (99c) containers form Publix. Keep the water/drinks cool in the Styrofoam box – leave in the boot of your car while out at parks.
As Florida is so hot you will need to drink quite regularly.
Food is cheap but any soft drink isn't, for fast food go to KFC, Checkers, McD, BK, Wendy’s etc. In the theme parks food is not cheap. Good home style cooking try Denies. Also try Pizza Hut and Chillies.
Most convenience stores and wholesalers are a rip off. Look for factory outlet estates or try the West Oaks/ Florida Mall /Belz factory outlets etc. Most shops on the side of the road are tourist shops and as such over charge and offer poor quality goods. e.g. Casiopia 4mb palm in Casio shop (belz & Lake Buena Vista) $84.00 (Sale price $75.00) and in an electrical / camera shop on I Drv near Murphy’s / Lucky Leprechaun pubs $139.00 this is also true for cloths, cases, food etc.
You may not believe it but it is cheaper to buy clothes in Florida than at home so don’t buy any to go. – All you will need while you are there is:-
Hat $5.00
Sunglasses $20+ Ray Ban $35.00
T Shirt $5.00+ Old Navy Flag Graphic
Shorts $12.00+ Reebok $18.00
Trainers or sandals 2 pairs $20+ Reebok Tennis $25.00
Sunscreen $5.00+ Banana Boat spf 25 $7.55
Try the Florida Mall for Cloths etc.
Speaking of Malls, a new Mall is coming close to completion for a Fall opening. It will have a Neiman Marcus (think Harrod's done by Texans), a
Macy's (Like M&S) and a Bloomingdale's (NYC Based upscale chain). Called the Millenium Mall it will open around October/November. It's at I-4 and the
Conroy Rd exit about halfway between downtown and Universal.
Usually any thing you can buy at home you can get in Florida cheaper (apart from UK specific goods)
You cannot get Squash/Cordial in the states. You can get it sometimes in shops if they have a UK section expect to pay $5.00 per bottle (Robinsons barley water) you can get some in the English shop at Old Town (Kiss)
At the parks go on water rides first this will give you time to dry out as the day progresses. The last thing to dry out will be your shoes/trainers. To get trainers to dry out stuff them with newspaper and leave them in the car. The sun will be up before you and the inside of the car will get hot and dry out the shoes.
Petrol is cheap and drivers are courteous, most people don't speed and those who do don't seem to go above 80. Drivers don't stay in the fast and middle lanes, unlike here in UK. Beware of turning left at stop lights at junctions! I only made the mistake once, luckily the cars coming from the other direction missed.
If you need to get cash you can use your bank debit card at any ATM (Cash Machine) but you will have to pay a charge to get your cash usualy $1.50 to $3.00 per transaction.ie $40.00 withdrawn from the machine will cost you $43.00. But the ATM's in Publix however have no commision charge.
When you leave Florida go to Publix and buy your self a Sub (roll) or sandwich – these will come in handy at the airport or on the plane. Don’t ask for “ham salad” – you will get a sandwich spread. Ask for ham/beef etc and they will add any salad items you ask for.
Malls
West Oaks Mall
Address: 9401 W. Colonial Dr.
Ocoee, FL 34761
Telephone: 407-294-6033
I4 Exit 41 to Highway 50 turn Left onto Colonial Dr. 8mls on Left at lights. Or take I-4 east to the Florida Turnpike. Take the turnpike North to the next exit, get off at Highway 50, and go east. Mall is 3 or 4 miles on your left.
A great place for Bargains is "Off Fifth" at the Belz Outlet Center on the north end of I-Drive. Off-Fifth is the outlet for retailer Saks Fifith Avenue.
Electronics - try Circuit City or Best Buy on Orange Blosson Trail by the Florida Mal,.at Best Buy in particular... look for "Open Box Buys" as you can save a
fortune.
Publix – supermarket
Something like Tesco loads of food and other stuff - v good quality. Prices nearly as good as Walmart.I Drive
Heading toward Sea World - Sand Lake Rd turn right ¾ ml on left.
Heading toward Belz - Kirkman Rd turn left. At Conroy rd lights turn left immediate next right.
Kissimee
Heading toward Disney/I4 ½ ml from Old Town on right near Ecards.
Bottom of Kissimee heading away from Disney on Rte 192
Walmart – Hypermarket
Walmart owns ASDA – But if you go to a Walmart/Asda store in the UK and then one in US you will realise they are not the same- the UK is the same family but not the same quantity of items available and higher prices.
You can get any thing in Walmart very cheaply inc cameras, VCR, etc ..
I Drive
Heading toward Sea World - Sand Lake Rd turn left about 5 mls on right. About 3 miles before Florida Mall.
Kissimee
Heading away from Disney/I4 on Rte 192 4444 West Vine - below Medieval Times
Other Supermarkets
Publix is the best Supermarket but Gooding's (Largely swallowed/ruined by Winn-Dixie) is the classiest. They also generally stock British foods.
There's one left at Lake Buena Vista (Highway 535.. Northwest of 535 and I-4). Best place for Fruits, Vegetables and Meats. Not the cheapest. But
if you NEED to make a Chicken Tikka... go there for the stuff. Winn-Dixie is not as nice as Publix, Albertson's is close, but they are, unlike Publix, both open 24 hours. Kids get sick at Midnight and you need cough syrup? Go there.