Free entry to Florida Theme Parks for all British soldiers

**DavidBOC** · 19-05-2009, 22:21

Originally Posted by rmrnod

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?

rmmrnod:

Lots of things to do not too far away if you have a rental car. Lots of great beach areas on the west coast. Clearwater Beach is busy but a bit crowded for me. If you drive a few miles north of Clearwater to Dunedin there is a causeway to a beach on Honeymoon Island State Park. Nice beach there and you can also take a little ferry to Caledesi Island State Park. Beautiful beach, not crowded any time I have been there. At Caledesi Park there is a building with toilets and a small snack bar/store where you can buy hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks etc.

North of Dunedin is Tarpon Springs, sort of a greek fishing village plunked down on the Florida Coast. If you like Greek food try Mykonos (small, unpretentious, great food) or Hellas (also great food, a bit fancier)

Not too far north of Tarpon is Homesassa Springs State Park which is home to a lot of Manatee (big gentle sea mammal). I have dived there with my family but there are also glass bottomed boats also IIRC. (Note: you cannot rent dive equipment without a card showing current certification)

South of St Pete is Saratoga with a really great art museum and also a museum of Circus history (Former home of the Ringling family, big circus owning family in the US.

Also, Sanibel Island is beautiful, great beaches nice hotels (check prices though)

Have fun. By the way, during summer in Florida the weather seems to program itself for one thunderstorm every afternoon. Plan for this, take a break when the clouds roll in and it will be lovely afterwards.

Do not plan on hillwalking. Flattest state in the US, highest point is about 275 feet.

Oh yeah, Have a Great Time!!

**ctauch** · 20-05-2009, 00:11

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

rmmrnod:

Lots of things to do not too far away if you have a rental car. Lots of great beach areas on the west coast. Clearwater Beach is busy but a bit crowded for me. If you drive a few miles north of Clearwater to Dunedin there is a causeway to a beach on Honeymoon Island State Park. Nice beach there and you can also take a little ferry to Caledesi Island State Park. Beautiful beach, not crowded any time I have been there. At Caledesi Park there is a building with toilets and a small snack bar/store where you can buy hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks etc.

True there are nice beaches in the Pinellas area, and true Clearwater is nice but sucks. One benefit of Clearwater it is home to Scientology and taunting the thick cunts is far more fun then spending an hour trying to find a parking spot on the beach.

Dunedin, nice quaint town and a decent brewery, leave it at that. Actually never made it past the brewery to tell you what the beaches look like.

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

Not too far north of Tarpon is Homesassa Springs State Park which is home to a lot of Manatee (big gentle sea mammal). I have dived there with my family but there are also glass bottomed boats also IIRC. (Note: you cannot rent dive equipment without a card showing current certification)

Crystal River is a great spot to do some swimming in clear spring feed waters. Check the Plantation Inn http://www.plantationgolfandspa.com/ . They have a nice golf course, marina with boats to hire, as well as snorkeling gear, bar next to a very nice pool and a good resturant onsite. There are loads of places that do guided boat tours as well, and you can even do SCUBA certs over a weekend.

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

South of St Pete is Saratoga with a really great art museum and also a museum of Circus history (Former home of the Ringling family, big circus owning family in the US.

That would be Sarasota, Saratoga is in New York

Not far from there is Arcadia and The Canoe Outpost http://www.canoeoutpost.com/ , you can do a day long canoe trip down the Peace River. They drive you a few miles up river and you then paddle back to where you boarded the bus. Bring plenty of beer and just let the river do the work, you see some nice wild life and there are plenty of spots to swim and have a picnic.

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

Also, Sanibel Island is beautiful, great beaches nice hotels (check prices though)

Great place. Plenty of really good resturants, laid back and relaxing atmosphere. Don't show up the first week of June I'll be there trying to relax. Check some of the timeshare providers they have some decent rates for a 2 bedroom 2 bath with full kitchen and beach access for as little as 250 USD a night. http://www.tkenoyer.com/ and http://www.casaybelresort.com/ come to mind.

**The_Snail** · 20-05-2009, 00:46

Originally Posted by ctauch

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

rmmrnod:

Lots of things to do not too far away if you have a rental car. Lots of great beach areas on the west coast. Clearwater Beach is busy but a bit crowded for me. If you drive a few miles north of Clearwater to Dunedin there is a causeway to a beach on Honeymoon Island State Park. Nice beach there and you can also take a little ferry to Caledesi Island State Park. Beautiful beach, not crowded any time I have been there. At Caledesi Park there is a building with toilets and a small snack bar/store where you can buy hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks etc.

True there are nice beaches in the Pinellas area, and true Clearwater is nice but sucks. One benefit of Clearwater it is home to Scientology and taunting the thick cunts is far more fun then spending an hour trying to find a parking spot on the beach.

Dunedin, nice quaint town and a decent brewery, leave it at that. Actually never made it past the brewery to tell you what the beaches look like.

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

Not too far north of Tarpon is Homesassa Springs State Park which is home to a lot of Manatee (big gentle sea mammal). I have dived there with my family but there are also glass bottomed boats also IIRC. (Note: you cannot rent dive equipment without a card showing current certification)

Crystal River is a great spot to do some swimming in clear spring feed waters. Check the Plantation Inn http://www.plantationgolfandspa.com/ . They have a nice golf course, marina with boats to hire, as well as snorkeling gear, bar next to a very nice pool and a good resturant onsite. There are loads of places that do guided boat tours as well, and you can even do SCUBA certs over a weekend.

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

South of St Pete is Saratoga with a really great art museum and also a museum of Circus history (Former home of the Ringling family, big circus owning family in the US.

That would be Sarasota, Saratoga is in New York

Not far from there is Arcadia and The Canoe Outpost http://www.canoeoutpost.com/ , you can do a day long canoe trip down the Peace River. They drive you a few miles up river and you then paddle back to where you boarded the bus. Bring plenty of beer and just let the river do the work, you see some nice wild life and there are plenty of spots to swim and have a picnic.

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

Also, Sanibel Island is beautiful, great beaches nice hotels (check prices though)

Great place. Plenty of really good resturants, laid back and relaxing atmosphere. Don't show up the first week of June I'll be there trying to relax. Check some of the timeshare providers they have some decent rates for a 2 bedroom 2 bath with full kitchen and beach access for as little as 250 USD a night. http://www.tkenoyer.com/ and http://www.casaybelresort.com/ come to mind.

You two are making me jealous.

Florida AND New England? I need to start saving my pennies

**kurt_ruby** · 20-05-2009, 00:55

Really makes you quite sick when you look at the way british squaddies are treated compared to the yanks. We really need to follow suit.

**ctauch** · 20-05-2009, 01:50

Originally Posted by The_Snail

Florida AND New England? I need to start saving my pennies

You daft bint your flange is a bio weapon registered as such with UNMOVIC you couldn't gain entry in the US.

**The_Snail** · 20-05-2009, 01:55

Originally Posted by ctauch

Originally Posted by The_Snail

Florida AND New England? I need to start saving my pennies

You daft bint your flange is a bio weapon registered as such with UNMOVIC you couldn't gain entry in the US.

I love it when you talk dirty ballbag. Talking of Arrsers from the past, did you eat Corporal, or does it just look like you did?

**DavidBOC** · 20-05-2009, 03:10

ctauch is entirely correct about Sarasota. Typing while tired did this!

ctauch is also correct that downtown Clearwater is very very strange. It is sort of the Vatican City of Scientology.

**ctauch** · 20-05-2009, 03:21

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

ctauch is entirely correct about Sarasota. Typing while tired did this!

ctauch is also correct that downtown Clearwater is very very strange. It is sort of the Vatican City of Scientology.

My post is accurate. Beyond that I am correct in all manners of Florida.

I live here you just show up when you get tired shoveling snow.

City of Largo does small scale train rides for free first weekend of every month. Is a nice park and usually other events going on.

http://www.largo.com/egov/docs/1203103858645.htm

**Yank_Lurker** · 28-08-2009, 20:42

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

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 ofrrrrrrr tax-free ciggies and liquor.

I just read this entry from back in February, just so you know US service personnel can get in severely deep kimchee for purchasing for foreign nationals, at least outside the US. I know when I was in Australia there were apparently some US soldiers and Marines who were getting Article 15s for purchasing ciggies and other goodies out of the AAFES trailer for their Australian honeys.

**AAGF** · 28-08-2009, 20:56

So much for Brothers in ARRSE ... umm Arms; that's it - Brothers in Arms. If we're all on the same side, how about reciprocal agreements? Our blokes will give you a NAAFI meat pie for ... what have you got in that there PX anyway?

**Yank_Lurker** · 29-08-2009, 23:26

Originally Posted by AAGF

So much for Brothers in ARRSE ... umm Arms; that's it - Brothers in Arms. If we're all on the same side, how about reciprocal agreements? Our blokes will give you a NAAFI meat pie for ... what have you got in that there PX anyway?

I'm pretty sure that if you're currently serving you have Exchange privileges anyway. It's only the former soldiers of the Queen who can't get in. I've certainly seen foreign soldiers at exchanges. I suppose it depends on the area. When we were in Rockhampton, the "exchange" was nothing but a trailer, and no one but US service personnel were allowed in, and there were strong policies against buying for Australians. That mixes in with the problem local merchants have with the exchanges and commisaries in general. Exchanges sell goods for no tax. Local merchants find it difficult to compete with this. It used to be that US Reservists were allowed Exchange privileges, but only 12 Commisary trips per year (you got a card with 12 boxes on it...) At the time, we were given a briefing by the Chief Master Sgt of the Air Force who was part of the push on Capitol Hill to get Reservists unlimited Commisary privileges. He told us that the grocers' lobby on the Hill was fighting it tooth and nail, they wanted Reservists to be forced to shop on the economy.

**AAGF** · 29-08-2009, 23:42

I've been out for more than 30 years and have never been in a PX, in or out of uniform Perhaps a humo(u)r transplant might be suggested? :P

**redleg6** · 30-08-2009, 00:16

Some septics are decent...come on man, Yanks are pretty decent folks, they love Brits and always go out of their way to help...especially in he south and west. You are a bit jaded to comment about bad Yansk and yet you willingly sponge off their hospitality...you give us a bad name with your shite attitude.

**Aunty Stella** · 30-08-2009, 00:26

The entry and queue concessions count for ex mil as well (or did last year at least).

I found out totally by accident when i turned up to meet the guy who had our villa keys, he was an ex gun bunny ex pat and spotted the mandatory "Blood group" tattoo on my arm. He told me that as long as I had proof that I was a "Veteran" as the Septics call them, all was good. Turned out that my RBL membership card was good enough. Officially you were supposed to be able to prove service in Iraq or Afghanistan but when I explained that this may be a problem seen as I left before TELIC started but was cheeky enough to ask if Granby counted (after translating it to "Desert Storm"), they just laughed it off and let me, the missus and the kids in for free!

Even managed to persuade the missus to drive for a day (not that she had any choice) when after doing the queue jumping bit with some US squaddies at Busch Gardens, they mentioned that we were also entitled to free ale at the Budweiser outlets within Busch Gardens

I think it was only supposed to be the first one but I somehow managed to get bladdered without spending a cent.

Also had the "will all serving and ex serving American and British personell please stand up" thing at the beginning of the Shamu show at Sea world. I tried to stay firmy planted in my seat as I felt a bit guilty knowing that what they really meant was the guys that had just come back from Iraq or Afghanistan, but was physically forced up by my new Yank Squaddie drinking buddies and I must admit it is a bit humbling when you realise that the people applauding do actually seem to mean it.

Fair play to the Septics, I personally find the whooping and applauding thing a bit cringeworthy, but that's just me and good on them if they want to do it, just different cultures that's all, British understated stiff upper lip and all that, what what.

As has been said already though, it comes to something when you have to travel to the other side of the pond before big corporations start to show gratitude and respect to our own currently serving guys.

Must have had some sort of positive effect on me, I no longer immediatly wretch at the thought of drinking that girl strength excuse for a beer called "Bud"

**jumpinjarhead** · 30-08-2009, 01:23

Originally Posted by Aunty Stella

The entry and queue concessions count for ex mil as well (or did last year at least).

I found out totally by accident when i turned up to meet the guy who had our villa keys, he was an ex gun bunny ex pat and spotted the mandatory "Blood group" tattoo on my arm. He told me that as long as I had proof that I was a "Veteran" as the Septics call them, all was good. Turned out that my RBL membership card was good enough. Officially you were supposed to be able to prove service in Iraq or Afghanistan but when I explained that this may be a problem seen as I left before TELIC started but was cheeky enough to ask if Granby counted (after translating it to "Desert Storm"), they just laughed it off and let me, the missus and the kids in for free!

Even managed to persuade the missus to drive for a day (not that she had any choice) when after doing the queue jumping bit with some US squaddies at Busch Gardens, they mentioned that we were also entitled to free ale at the Budweiser outlets within Busch Gardens

I think it was only supposed to be the first one but I somehow managed to get bladdered without spending a cent.

Also had the "will all serving and ex serving American and British personell please stand up" thing at the beginning of the Shamu show at Sea world. I tried to stay firmy planted in my seat as I felt a bit guilty knowing that what they really meant was the guys that had just come back from Iraq or Afghanistan, but was physically forced up by my new Yank Squaddie drinking buddies and I must admit it is a bit humbling when you realise that the people applauding do actually seem to mean it.

Fair play to the Septics, I personally find the whooping and applauding thing a bit cringeworthy, but that's just me and good on them if they want to do it, just different cultures that's all, British understated stiff upper lip and all that, what what.

As has been said already though, it comes to something when you have to travel to the other side of the pond before big corporations start to show gratitude and respect to our own currently serving guys.

Must have had some sort of positive effect on me, I no longer immediatly wretch at the thought of drinking that girl strength excuse for a beer called "Bud"

I will add to this love fest with an open invite to any who want to take out their UK gun control frustrations out at my private range in north Georgia about 90 miles north of Atlanta. Firearms provided free but you will need to help me with cost of ammo as it is getting pretty pricey! I just need about a week's notice.