florida disney beach mess!

[mena292]

Hi everyone! Here's the scoop. Planned a trip to the world in september during value saeson because I just can't afford it any other way this year. We are driving from Ohio instead of flying, me-28, sister-21, her bf-20, and paul-26. We are staying at Pop, and all of us in one room, and dividing all of the costs. Here is the messy part, my sister insists that if we are in florida we NEED to visit the beach. I could care less! She says we must go or she won't, which means I lose 2 people to split costs with. :0( OK so she wants to stop on the way home from disney on our way back up. I want to spend the whole week at disney because after the 5th day or so on the passes with the new tickets you are basicly just paying for the room, but...she wins. So I am looking for information on beaches, and she wants one with the hotel on the beach type thing. Last year she and her boyfriend spent a week at a baech house thing in Siesta Keys. I told her we cant do that because they need to be booked for a full week. Does anyone have suggestions on good, clean, nice, cheap beach places? I called about disney vero beach resort and it's 2 1/2 hours from the world and pretty expensive. I would rather start traveling northeast and hot something on our way back up? Please let me know what you think, TIA, it's killing me to give up a day at the world, but it looks like we will be spending 5/6 days at the world and 2 at the beach. We would be leaving ohio september 22 in the evening after work, driving straight thru since there will be 4 drivers and arriving at pop on saturday, hoping to spend the day in the parks if we dont pass out! thanks missy

[Rosebud]

I would rather start traveling northeast and hot something on our way back up?
Do you mean you go I4 to I95? I didn't think that would be the way back to Ohio. I thought you would either go I4 o I75 or FL Turnpike to something else?

I really prefer the SW FL beaches, and haven't been to many others for years so really can't give you much of an opinion.

If I am understanding you right and you will be heading up I95 then...

I know in St. Augustine there is a lot of sites to see, so maybe St. Augustine Beach or Flager Beach would be nice if you want to hit a beach on the way home.

I think lots of people mention Cocoa Beach, but I think you would have to go a little out of your way for that.

You would also be passing Daytona Beach, but the one trip I went to both Daytona and St. Augustine, I preferred St. Augustine. Beaches seemed about the same although Daytona bigger, but more interesting stuff at St. Augustine.

[mena292]

wow thanks rosebud! I dont know the roads we will be traveling or anything? sorry! I have flown my last 7 trips to the world, I havent driven since the 3 before them... I used to have a friend who went to college at Flager College in St. Augustine, that sounds like a great place to go, I will have to do some research! I am still on a mission for cheap and clean and on the beach for less than a week rental condo... tagrel friends...do your magic! thanks mena292

[Snickerdoodlesmommy]

Mena,

If you will be heading back to Ohio when you want to do the beaches, you would want a Gulf coast beach so as not to go out of your way drive time wise.
The GULF COAST beaches are wonderful and cleaner than Daytona and Cocoa. Almost ALL of Florida's coastlines are lined with sandy beaches and with the way the state is shaped even when inland you are never more than 75 miles from any beach.
Clearwater Beach is very nice as the surrounding smaller beaches.
Have you thought about just getting up early one morning while at the Pop, and just going to the beach for the day and then returning to Pop at night? The hotels you find near the beaches will cost considerably more per night than the Pop Century will.

One of the beaches that my kids love the most is Siesta Key-but it is located about 2 hours south of Orlando on the Gulf coast which will be a little out of the way. But the sand is pure white and the beaches are very clean with showers and public restrooms that are very close and kept up. Take I-4 west to 275 and follow the signs.

[Snickerdoodlesmommy]

You know, another idea is to let your sister and her boyfriend go to the beach one day on their own and you stay at the world.
That way it wouldn't matter which coast they went to and you wouldn't have to give up what you want to do. The money won't matter, as you would be paying more money at any beach front hotel anyway.

Personally, I'm not much on the beach. Too hot and too much just laying around baking! :lol: When your sister gets back from the beach all exhausted and pink, you will be able to compare notes on just who had more fun! :yes:

[Snickerdoodlesmommy]

One more time, I forgot to say that getting to any beach from Orlando is pretty much a straight shot on I-4 for the west (gulf) coast or the Bee Line (now called the Beach Line :roll:) to the Atlantic beaches. She could be there in 45 minutes time.
You will be able to do without a car for a day or so as the WDW bus system will transport you around the property!
Plus as an added bonus, you would have more privacy for at least the one night!

4 Adult people in one Pop room is gonna be tight, sorry to say as those rooms are small.

[mena292]

wow thank you so much! I didnt realize we would be so close! We are all going to be going to the beach, but I like your ideas better! She loves siesta keys too, I have been to the world 11 times and never knew the beach was so close, which one is the 45 minutes away one? And do the have cheap rooms? I got a little confused sorry! I am going to show her this post and see what she thinks. I really appreciate you answering my post, I was/am really unsure of things like this! Your help is wonderful. I have just changed our trip days to a month sooner, so now we will be going in end of july inseead of september. My student teaching should start in Sept if all goes as planned. Thanks, missy

[loribell]

The Fort Walton and Destin Beaches are also very nice. Both have nice hotles on them as well. They are on the golf coast near Pennsacola.

[Moley]

Hi Mena! :wave:

We also had a nice experience at the Clearwater Beach area. The hotels there were reasonable, although this was a few years back. I found our hotel out of a guidebook for Florida. It worked out great. I can't think of the name of it, but you can do something similar. A lot of the guidebooks have suggestions for clean and moderate priced motels. I keep thinking ours was maybe named Captain's Quarters.

Hope you find just what you need and maybe they can take that separate side trip and you can stay on in WDW. Good luck! :yes:

[Linda S]

What did you decide? Just found this thread and was thinking the same thing as others suggested - have them take the car and go to the beach while you stay at Disney. Then you are both happy!

[JJ]

I have to add my love of the Gulf Coast. We typically spend a week in Disney and then head over to the west coast for a week.

Look up a city called Treasure Island (right next to Clearwater). We typically stay in a place called the Jamaican (but they only rent by the week). Right next store is a motel called The Arvilla (one of the regular motels that hasn't sold out to highrises). My cousins stay there every year. It's nothing fancy but you can get efficiency units or plain rooms and it's not expensive. The have a great pool and are right on the beach.