Thread: Free entry to Florida Theme Parks for all British soldiers

Was in Florida in January 2009, Busche Gardens and Sea world are still giving free admission to all Britsih military families however the free beer at the hospitality areas has finished as of 1st February 2009 because Anheuse has sold the parks off.

Originally Posted by blue-sophist

Even better, go to Washington DC/Northern Virginia and do the museums, and the Blue Ridge, and the Chesapeake Bay, and the retail, and the USMC Museum, and the [Air] Museum at Dulles, and the food, and the Civil War Battlefields ... and leave the kids with Grandma.

FL ... no way.
VA ... all the way.

I may try to sell that to the VA Tourist Board

Another great option would be the Hampton Roads/Virginia Beach area. A spent time there with my son a few timmes a number of years ago when the wife had 2 week orders there. Virginia Beach is nice and there is a military facility at 67th street that has IIRC changing rooms, bathroms, parking and snack bar.
A really great beach is at Dam Neck Naval Station, an annex of Naval Air Station Oceana. Dam Neck was always a 100% ID check base and I am not sure about entry nowadays with UK ID. Beach is clean, uncrowded, lifeguards, food at O club and EM club (might be all hands facilities now) beach is like the public beach except less crowded and the beach patrol carry M16's on the little ATV's. If you have kids there is one morning of the week usually when the navy do live fire drills with big guns and it gets noisy. Also noisy if an LCAC is landing just north of the swimming beach.

Also near Hampton Roads is Colonial Williamsburg, a restoration of Virginia's colonial capitol city/town. Also, there is a Busch Gardens in Williamsburg that is nice. On a number of Navy bases there are Navy Lodges, a military only hotel. International military may stay if on temporary duty in US as I recall correctly. On Oceana there is a golf course and there used to be a stable where you could rent ponies for a nominal sum (15 years ago it was $2 per hour)

The area likes the military. You used to see bumper stickers "Jet Noise - The Sound of Freedom"

To add to the post above, "Foreign Military, in the PEP, IMET or FMT program, on leave" are permitted in on base temporary housing like BOQ's. These terms IIRC are for military training exchange sorts of programs but if you are in them you would probably know. I believe many BOQ's are now all hands facilities and are usually like a nice basic hotel room with beds, chairs, tables, microwave, coffee etc. If near Jacksonville FL, the Mayport Naval Station BOQ is right on a nice beach and is like a nice motel (except for the big rooms at the end labled Flag Officers Quarters. I peaked in and it looked quite plush) The rooms are usually quite reasonable.

Originally Posted by The-Civi

Was in Florida in January 2009, Busche Gardens and Sea world are still giving free admission to all Britsih military families however the free beer at the hospitality areas has finished as of 1st February 2009 because Anheuse has sold the parks off.

Inbev still owns the parks, doing away with the p!ss water is really no great loss.

Me and the wife are looking at going to Florida in about 5 weeks time, she has been lookin on the net for flights and accommodation, flights are not a problem, however she says that the reviews for the accom isn't very good, any advise on the state of the accom....best places to stay and any other help.

Thanks

Only returned from Orlando yesterday. We stayed at the Holiday Inn on Intetrnational Drive. Very clean and tidy, room tidied everyday with clean towels and bedding, swimming pool nice and clean. Staff can't do enough for you. I would stay there again.

Originally Posted by Mattybouy

Me and the wife are looking at going to Florida in about 5 weeks time, she has been lookin on the net for flights and accommodation, flights are not a problem, however she says that the reviews for the accom isn't very good, any advise on the state of the accom....best places to stay and any other help.

Thanks

Get yourself a villa. Lots more freedom and space, we had an excellent 4 bedroomed villa about 20 minutes drive from all the parks, it had a swimming pool, games room and every mod con you could think of. We paid £800 for 2 weeks with the 3rd week thrown in as a discount.

We'll be using the same villa again soon, awesome place we'd go every year if we could.

Being a necky-git, and remembering what past trips to the US of A were like. I emailed the USO in New York a couple of years ago.Told them exactly when i was going, that the trip was a wedding anniversary and birthday present.I asked them if, with me being ex-forces and British forces to boot, if they could help me out. Result was, i had countless emails from them, and instructions to go straight to them when i arrived.Which we did.

As has been said before, they couldn't have been more helpful!!! yes, there are huge discounts available, and free tickets to musicals and various shows. But, not all shows on Broadway will be discounted. that besides, they were a great help. All i had to do was bring my prof of discharge.

If i was going back to the states, i'd find out where the local USO was and drop them a line. Nothing ventured,nothing gained.

I know there's a naval ase,or there was a few years back, right by Disney.They'll have a USO. Mind you, if you're ex-forces and have no ID card, you may have to do some arranging to get onto the base.

GH

Another hint for those looking into US travel.
Most US bases have Navy/Army/Airforce Exchanges and Commisary Stores. Any Exchange I have been into in the states sells both a travel guide listing all bases and the amenities they offer (Exchange, Navy Lodge, BOQ, MWR facilities, etc.) and they also sell a map of the US showing all bases with icons for amenities. I know we have Exchanges and Commisary Stores at bases overseas. I am not sure of the rules for making purchases at exchanges outside the US but worth looking into. If you can't use US exchanges maybe a Septic colleague could get it for you. Some Septics are actually decent people and would do this for you. The main thing exchanges get strict about is sale of tax-free ciggies and liquor.

Originally Posted by Mr Happy

As the OP says, Sea World was free. However, the discount took some proving (wanted to see the wife's ID etc) this became clear (finally) when it turned out the discount is only for one of the Anshauser Buesch attractions once per family per year. The normal admittance I guess for a family of 4 would have been about $300 I guess.

We also got discounts at Universal Studios.

Disney we got nothing because apparently you have to stay at SHADES OF GREEN which is the military hotel complex where they sell the military tickets - all priced appropriately.

Go to Epcot and catch the bus to Shades of Green, you don't have to be staying there. Once there you can buy all the discounted tickets on production of your MOD 90. Did this the last time, didn't know you could the first 3 times unfortunately.

Universal gave us a 7 day ticket for less than 1 day in Disney. Your supposed to buy it online but they did it for me at the info desk after seeing my ID!

Me and the wife are going on Tuesday, can anyone recomend the best parks to go to, will we cover all the parks in 2 weeks????

Originally Posted by Mattybouy

Me and the wife are going on Tuesday, can anyone recomend the best parks to go to, will we cover all the parks in 2 weeks????

Dizzy world and sea world are nice, you can do dizzy in 4 days if you plan it right, sea world in a day or 2. Do yourself a favor and head to crystal river for a day or 2, peace river is nice for a day, sanibel island/fort myers, etc. PM me if you want to step off the beaten path.

I never knew about all the things that they offered in the US even to British personnel. Wish it was the same over here. People slag off the yanks, but they do some things right!

Heading out on June 14th with my family. Are sea world still doing free entry with MOD 90. This is my 3rd trip but first two I didn't have an MOD90 so I'm looking to take advantage of as many discounts as possible on this trip. Being my third trip mother dearest doesn't want to do all the theme parks again. We've done most except from disney so I think we'll go there this year. Any ideas for activities to do in Orlando that aren't theme park orientated? We did a tour on a speed boat last time around the swamp areas and seen some alligators - that was good.

Also, what's the best way to get US dollars. Am I better taking travellers cheques or using my bank card over there? Has anybody used Travelex's cash passport? Do you get better rates in the US at exchanges or are they much the same?

There are loads of things to do around Orlando that are not theme park related. Depends on what rocks your boat. You could try going to some of the State Parks which are worth it for the day or half a day, there is the the Gulf Coast or the Atlantic Coast. If you have a look at www.thedibb.co.uk which is mainy Disney related however there is lots of info on other things to do in Florida.

Rather than travellers cheques try a Fairfx card, which is a top up card which can be used like a credit card. You get better rates than traveller cheques. Current Fairfx rate is $1.53, doubt you will get that anywhere for travellers cheques.