Planning trip to Orlando, any advice?

Travel Info
We are a family of five. Two adults, 3 kids (13,8 and 22 months)

We need to plan this trip from the start. We will drive from Philadelphia area. So we need advice on the drive, any good stops on the way down and any other road travel tips we can get.

Where is a good place to stay when we arrive, we will make reservations ahead of time. Disney and non-disney.

Are there any supermarkets/convenience stores anyone can recommend. We don't want to eat out the entire time. When we do eat out, where are the best places with good prices?

Basically, we have no idea what we are getting into, and would like as much advice as possible.

I am picking up a few travel books this week. Thanks!

Travel Tips

Not sure what route you will take down. In Chattanooga, TN you have Lookout Mountain, which you can take a tour through Ruby Falls, go to Rock City, or take a ride on the Incline Railway. The view there is spectacular. You are suppose to be able to see 7 states from the tower at Ruby Falls. In Valedosta, GA there's a theme park...can't recall the name..wild something or somethign wild..want to say wild adventures (there's signs for it on Hwy 75)..anyways it's a park very similiar to Busch Gardens with rides and animals. In St. Augustine, FL(nation's oldest city) you'll find the oldest house in America. They also have the fort which is known as the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

Haven't stayed in any of the hotels in the Orlando area because I live here lol. I know at the disney website(www.disneyworld.com) they can show you prices and other info about disney hotels. They do offer packages that includes admission to a park(s). And they do have some "themed" hotels. There's many, many, many hotels down in this area. The closer you stay to disney the more expensive it will be.

There's restaurants galore..best is to look at a local phone book from the hotel and you can find just about anything you are looking for. Many places offer buffets. In most hotel lobbys you'll find coupon books that will have coupons for area restuarants and for some of the attractions in this area.

Far as grocery stores go, you have Super and regular Walmarts, Albertsons, Publix, and Winn Dixie. Those are the major chains in this area.

I listed a site for you..called Inside Central Florida..it is put together by one of the local news stations in Orlando. Give you a better idea as to the local restuarants, hotels, events, etc. Source(s): http://www.wftv.com/icflorida/index.html...
Other Travel Tips

We drove to Orlando from south Louisiana a couple of times with 2 children 6 & 12 years old. We didn't have quite as long a drive as you, but I put together a "goodie box" for the trip. Notebooks, coloring books, markers, colors, cd's and a portable cd player. The kids wrote about the trip in the notebook, things they saw, etc. We also played alot of games like I spy. Good luck on the trip, hope these ideas can help. As far dining, we had a hotel with a fridge, so we bought our snacks and drinks and found inexpensive places to eat. A lot of all you can eat buffets!
I am from Philly and we are going to Disney in Sept. I would suggest that you fly rather than drive, but that is my opinion. At Air Tran you can find some pretty cheap flights. If you got to www.ourlaughingplace.com They can help you plan your trip for no cost! Also try www.allears.net, thy are good at helping plan things. I have a lot more information because I planned our trip very in-depth and did 3 month of price shopping, so please e-mail me if you have any questions
Dont worry Orlando has everything!
For convience stores walgreens cvs walmart gas stations are everywhere!

And for hotels International Dr. has a bunch of nice/good priced hotels i mean anywhere you go theres tons of hotels and most hotels there are very nice!

For entertainment the kids would prob. love to go to the worlds biggest mcdonalds ! its in Orlando i forgot exactly where

Orlando is very nice place to go lots of tourist so a lot of people will always have advice and direction!

Tons of everything there !

if you have questions aim : brazamer or email me at brazamer@aol.com
live in Orlando love it you will too!
I assume you are doing disney....it's all about the money; if you can afford it staying at one of the monorail hotels is the best, but they are pricey...disney also has moderate priced and budget hotels on property...if you are doing disney the whole week that makes life much easier. Orlando area is pretty spread out and there is much to do, have fun.