Kissimmee - Info on Windsor Palms & Fishing/Beaches (Orlando: rent, condos)

[3littlerascals]

We will be visiting Disney this summer. Does anyone have any info on Windsor Palms (location,quality of resort etc.)?

Although we plan on visiting Disney we are looking to do other things while we are there (drive over to the West Coast, Kennedy Space Center). We would also like to do some fishing.
Where can you rent or charter a fishing boat in the area for bass fishing at a reasonable cost?
Is there a beach area in or around Kissimme that has a lake for swimming? I saw some info on Kissimmee Lake Park but wasn't sure if the aquatic club was the only place for swimming or if there was some sort of beach.

Looking forward to our trip and thought this would be a great place to get some info.

Thanks in advance.

[salmanalk]

Hi, not sure about the community but I have been fishing with boatclub.com, very good. ask for kenny!

[diznymad]

I can help you with Windsor Palms info.

Its a great community and has easy access to WDW and the other attractions.

Check out Moderator cut: Removed links Windsor Palms, Orlando - Avalon - Location for a map showing the location of Windsor Palms to the attractions.

The community has a mix of pool homes, townhomes & condos. All are within each reach of the clubhouse. The clubhouse has a range of amenities (pools, spa, play area, basketball court, tennis courts, volleyball court, movie theatre, sundry shop and more) you can see photos and more information here:
Moderator cut: Removed links


Fishing
[mos] Removed links [/mod] Fishing - Vacationing Disney World, Orlando[/url])

Adults 16 years and older will need a fishing license to fish in Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have a great informational
webpage on Fishing Licenses. You can purchase your fishing license at the tax collectors office or from one of the many bait-and-tackle shops and sports retailers (e.g., Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Sports Authority) for a small additional fee.
You can also for an additional convenience fee ($2.25 per person, plus 2.5% of the total sale).
There are some great fishing lakes in the Kissimmee/ Orlando area, including Lake Kissimmee, Lake Toho (both part of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes).
A little known bass fishing spot is at Walt Disney World. Fishing is possible in the Seven Seas Lagoon, or in the Epcot’s World Showcase Lagoon amongst other places. You can rent a bass boat for up to 5 guests and prices including a guide, tackle, a dozen live bait and refreshments. There are special daily outings designed for children ages 6 to 12. For prices and more information contact Walt Disney World Central Reservations at 407-WDW-PLAY.


A quick google search found lots of companies offering fishing.


kissimmee - Google Maps


Swimming beaches. Personally I would be careful about swimming in lakes - make sure it is a designated swimming area. I am cautious because of the local wildlife. There are plenty of water parks in the Orlando/Kissimmee area, including Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon and Seaworld's Aquatica. For a real beach experience, take a trip to the coast, its only about 1-1.5 hours drive to some nice beaches. Of course, there is also the pool at Windsor Palms and if you have a single family home, it will also have a private pool out back.


Hope that helps

[Jon D]

Windsor Palms is a great resort. However the sister resort down the road Windsor Hills Resort is even better and newer

[3littlerascals]

Thanks so much for all the info. I was able to find a site on-line to see pix of Windsor Palms. We are looking into that. How far is it from a supermarket and a pharmacy?
What would be the closest beach on the west coast? We'd like to try the west coast as we typically vacation at the Jersey shore so we are looking for something a bit different.
Thanks again for all the help

[jscott5150]

WE stayed at Windsor Palms three times and it is a great resort. The only problem we had is that if you weren't at the pool by 11 you were not getting a chair as the pool is packed. And the playground for the small kids was a good walk for them. If you stay in a single family or townhome some have pools right in the back yard. We stayed in the condo's and no such luck

[Rabflmom]

Depending on when you will be in the state you might want to rethink lake swimming and swim in pools. If temps are 95 and above for 3 or 4 days in a row the amoeba at the bottom of lakes become more active. If they manage to get into your system they can be fatal. It is still rare but of the 200+ that have gotten the disease from them very few have survived.
Swim only where there is a guard on duty because they will help watch for roaming gators that might have gotten into public swimming areas, too.

A trip to Kennedy Space Center will put you on the East Coast so you might just want to hit the beach in the Cocoa Beach area.