Two Weeks in Orlando

2. Busch Gardens. Technically not Orlando, but only a little over an hour away and easy to find. We found it better than Magic Kingdom for kids. Land of the Dragons was brilliant, only we didn't get to it until near closing time.

3. Magic Kingdom - fireworks and parade. I know it's a bit twee, but I really enjoyed it. After spending my life seeing pictures on TV, to actually be there was great. To get in the mood, go straight to meet Mickey, Minnie, et al. It sets you up for the day.

4. Shopping. Take a trip down International Drive, although we didn't find Belz Outlet Mall to be that great - there were better ones. If you like your clothes designer, then this is heaven for you. If like me you are not fussy about the brand then you can also find cheap and cheerful stuff.

Overall, a fantastic holiday experience. Orlando is a place I believe you have to visit a number of times before you get to do everything. Two weeks was just not enough.

Quick Tips:

Want a free ticket to the theme parks? Then go to a timeshare presentation. You get these for attending, and who knows, you might even buy a timeshare.

Bring your own water to all theme parks and lots of sunscreen. If you have children try to find a cap with the material hanging down over the neck (like the French Foreign Legion have). Make sure you have it before you arrive because they don't sell them in Orlando.

If your child is still stroller size then bring the stroller (great for hanging stuff on and your child will get tired in the heat).

On entering the theme parks, head for the furthest point and then work your way back.

Best Way To Get Around:

There's a movie theatre, videos to rent, virtual reality golf, and a shop on site to get your basics. They offer a shuttle to Universal and Sea World.

Silver Lake was the first real 'apartment' vacation we had experienced. It has now spoiled us for all future vacations. It gives you total freedom. Freedom to cook or not cook. Freedom to spend the day in the apartment if you want to, not having to leave for room service every day. It felt like a home away from home and really enhanced the whole vacation experience

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

The swimming pool was small, but so is the resort. There are free towels for use when at the pool. There's a fantastic view of Bryans Cove, the water looked surprisingly clear. You could avail of paddle boats of canoes.

Resort Experience:
I felt more at home in this resort. We recevied a warm welcome from the front desk, but after that they pretty much stayed out of the way. It was good to know there was someone there if we needed them. The pool was small, but it gave the place a personal feel. More than the previous resort we got to talk to fellow visitors which greatly enhanced the experience of staying at the resort. The unit itself was comfortable, spacious and cosy. There was a well-equiped kitchen, bathrooms were fine and cable TV in each of the bedrooms and the living area.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

I recommend that when inside the first thing you do is take one of the tour buses out into the Cape. There are 2 stops, one of which is to an observation tower where you can see (in the distance) the shuttle launching pads. The next stop is to the main exhibition centre which has a life size replica of Apollo 11 and an excellent movie on the whole Apollo mission.

Then head back to the main area of the complex, go see an IMAX movie or two, eat in the restaurant and then go to the shop. If, like me, you are big into space history then all your dreams have come true. There's loads of NASA gear to buy, books that I had never heard of regarding space flight, Astronaut Bigraphies is especially good. Upstairs it is full of collectible memorabilia. The question is not whether to buy, but what to buy. I could have spent all my vacation money. I loved it.

The biggest issue I had in Orlando was to do with a proper sun hat for my son, who is 4. We presumed (incorrectly) that in Orlando we would have no problem picking one up. Wrong!. Suggest you make sure you get one before arriving there.

We stayed in apartments with full kitchens, which were both excellent. The issue we had was trying to find either restaurants that served 'ordinary food'. That is somewhere that served something other than fries or a supermarket where the price of the food was reasonable. Be prepared, if you intend cooking yourself on vacation, to pay above what you would normally expect for the basics -- bread, milk, butter, potatoes, meat.