Our pool/spa home at Emerald Island is situated amongst all the magic of Central Florida!  Whatever your age or taste in holidays, you’re sure to find it in the Sunshine State of Florida.  Orlando is entertainment all the way with its fun filled theme parks, exhilarating water parks, gourmet food, not to mention its huge shopping malls and endless plazas, leaving you with no doubt that Florida is the ultimate family holiday destination.  And if its relaxation or nature you want, there are beautiful white sandy beaches and national parks within easy reach or you may prefer to take it easy around our beautiful pool/spa, or make use of Emerald Island resort’s facilities.

Disney World is a five minute drive from the Emerald Hunny Pot (and we are just 1 square mile to Disney property!), and our beautiful villa is very close to the other resorts and activities that draw millions of tourists to Orlando year after year, including Sea World and Universal Studios.  Within walking distance is the shopping plaza Formosa Gardens, which has a Winn Dixie Market place supermarket (24-hour), post office, walk in medical centre and pharmacy facilities, bank & ATM machine, liquor store, photo processing store, hairdressers, nail bar, and plenty of choice for dining out or takeaway food, including Outback Steakhouse, TGIF, Carrabbas, Giordanos, takeaway Chinese and Japanese, Dairy Maid, and just opposite, a Red Lobster.  There is a Publix just five minutes away on the 192 and a new 24 hour  Walgreens, as well as McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Perkins etc within a few mins drive.

Distance to other major attractions/landmarks are as follows:

Disney World 5-15 mins (depending on park)
Universal Studios – 20 mins
Sea World –15 mins
Orlando International MCO Airport - 30 mins (approx 20 miles)
Sanford Airport – 45 mins (approx 30 miles)
Cape Canaveral (Kennedy Space Centre) and Atlantic Beaches – about 75 mins
Factory Outlet Malls (eg Belz Factory Outlet, Florida Mall,  Orlando Premium Outlets) – 15-25 mins
Grocery shopping and restaurants – 5 mins walk
50 golf courses nearby – nearest 1 mile away (most within 15 mins)
Highway 192 is 1 minute away
International Drive – 15 mins
I-4 is 3.5 miles away

• Amusement Parks • Sailing
• Water skiing • Surfing • Windsurfing
• Jet ski-ing • Hiking • Miniature Golf
• Boat hire • Fishing • Flying
• Horse riding • Golf
• A sports centre • A zoo
• A theatre/cinema • Shopping areas
• Restaurants

If golf is your No.1 sport, then Florida is the place for you - with over 80 courses catering to every skill level, there are a wide range of courses to choose from. Why not leave your clubs at home, and use ours whilst staying!

Below is a list of some of the local courses and contact numbers.  You can also check out the “Golf Orlando” site (golforlando.com) which gives info, including course opening times and prices.

Public Courses
Boggy Creek Golf Course (407 857 0280)
Crystal Brook (407 847 8721)
Eaglewood Golf Club (407 351 5121)
Metro West Country Club (407 299 1099)
Orange County National (407 656 2626)
Remington Golf Club (407 344 4004)
Walk-n-Sticks (407 348 9555)

Semi-Private Courses
Hunter’s Creek Golf Club (407 240 4653)
Meadow Woods North (407 850 5600)
Metro West Country Club (407 299 1099)
North Shore Golf Club (407 277 9277)
Orange Lake Resort & Country Club (407 239 1050)
Ridgewood Lakes Golf & Country Club

Walt Disney World Resort Courses
Bonnett Creek – Eagle Pines Course (407 939 4653)
Bonnett Creek – Osprey Ridge Course (407 939 4653)
Lake Buena Vista (407 939 4653)
Magic Kingdom – Magnolia Course (407 939 4653)
Magic Kingdom – Palm Course (407 939 4653)
Magic Kingdom – Oak Trail (407 939 4653)

Resort Courses
Champions Gate (407 787 GOLF)
Hawks Landing Golf Course (407 238 8660)

SOME TIPS FOR DURING YOUR STAY:

STRATEGY PLANNING – Begin well before you enter the gate!  Study websites and maps and put together an itinerary for during your stay; pre-purchase tickets if possible (saves time and money); Do the most popular rides early in the morning, skipping those nearest the entrance till later, and try to use peak times in the early afternoon for shows, shopping and eating.  Eat a good breakfast so that you can avoid noon restaurant queues.

 AVOID LONG LINES - Disney Parks issue a FASTPASS at some of the best rides; Universal Studio’s equivalent is Universal Express.  The FASTPASS system sets you a time for you to return to the attraction  and queue in a special lane (a much shorter queue).  NB You can only hold one pass at any one time.

 TIMING – best days for the parks (when they are quieter) are usually Tuesday through Thursday; many advise you to arrive at the parking area at least half an hour before the park opens, but often its better to wait until the first flush of visitors get through the gates, say half an hour after opening before arrival.

Wear sunscreen – it can get hot !
Wear comfortable shoes and quick drying clothes !
Don't try to do it all with young children. Take a midday break from the park for lunch or a swim & return later (don't forget to get your hand stamped)  
Think about dressing young children in swim suits under their clothes
Drink lots of water
Measure your children before you go to the parks, so as not to waste time standing in a queue that they may not be tall enough to ride on.

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