Sorry!
 

I'm sorry I was away so long but my cousin was visiting from Denmark and between showing him around town and my mom getting ready to visit my sister and several other things I won't bore you with the days just flew by.

I don't know the answers to your questions but I can visit them all this weekend and give you the down low. I think Fleet has a small dog area separated from the big dogs, but it has been almost 2 years since I've been there. The West Orange is beautiful but I do remember a lot of mulch unless I am just having a senior moment. I should have some answers by Sunday.

That would be so great...thank you. I think we are leaning towards the West Orange Park so if you could get by that one it would be awesome. From the pictures I seem to think those might be leaves from the trees instead of mulch but not sure, it is hard to tell.

Thank you so much for helping us pick the park. We look forward to meeting you!

Well I am open all day so what ever time works for me. Since we have some people traveling from a ways away we may need to select something around noon just to give everyone enough time to get there. What do you think?

Any one have any opinions? :D

I will definitely be going to West Orange, Pawmosa (Casselberry), and Mill Slough (Kissimmee), unless West Orange looks perfect, then I will stop there. I think it is ideal if it has the proper amenities (small dog area, trees and grass, hopefully bathrooms) because it is central and easy to find.

If I don't like what I see I may go as far as Sanford and DeBary because they look really nice too.

Ohhhh.... just when I was getting ready to check flights for the Orlando airport I noticed this weekend is not possible for us since we have our school festival and I have to work it every year.... have fun though, I will be selling corn on the cob all weekend instead :(

I wanted to say thanks for being willing to let a northern girl join in the fun. But I never got my plane ticket bought & now the prices have gone up, so I won't be in Fla. that weekend now. Maybe towards the end of the mth or the beginning of April, but also trying to save my money for a possible trip to Australia.

Would love to have met you all. Next time I'm coming down to my parents in Sarasota, I let you know in advance maybe I can join in a meetup or meet at least a few of you.

Have a great time together! Can't wait to see all your pix!

im sorry 'yorkiesmiles' and 'furby2000' that you can't join us! Hope we can meet you one day!!

Thank you so much for scouting for us! It is awesome for us to have the inside scoop!:thumbup:

To everyone who isn't making it this time, be sure to post when you're in FL so we can try to meet up.:)

Chatoyant's Dog Park Report
 

Dateline Orlando, Florida Feb. 10, 2008

I went first to West Orange and while it is a cute little postage stamp of a park, completely tree covered and clean, with a ramp, hoop and dog playhouse, it is right next to the East-West expressway and not very peaceful. Very convenient to highways, though. 2 covered tables for 8 each, but quite far apart. No human amenities without a drive.

Pawmosa in Casselberry was an even tinier park, the side for small dogs not as big as my house. Benches, no tables.

I then went to Fleet Peeples and it was like something out of a dream. This was Saturday but the only dogs on leashes were either on the dog wash getting bathed or on the way in or out.

There is NOT a separate small dog area, but there are huge pavilions, barbecue grills, a lake, restrooms, and wonderful people with well behaved dogs. We could easily commandeer a pavilion out of the way and put up little notices, "Watch for Tiny Dogs" or something because these are Winter Park Dog People, the best kind of people, both tolerant and privileged.

Apparently this is one of the best parks in the country according to several patrons I talked to, it has won awards. If the only problem was the leash issue, it does not exist, ever according to the folks that use the park every week.

I had to stop after Fleet, the traffic had been horrendous and it was 4 PM. I started at 11! But seriously you could not find a more beautiful and amenable (oh, yeah, NICE restrooms!) place. I highly recommend it. I can go by again next weekend and take photos. I forgot my camera.

Oh wow, thank you So much! Fleet sounds wonderful.

So what does everyone think?

wow fleet peeples sounds nice! What is it close to in Winter Park? Too bad we couldn't reserve the park for just little dogs for the day! lol :p

Hotels in Winter Park
 

I have never stayed in any of these but here are the hotels I googled that are close to the park:

Langford Resort Hotel, Winter Park
300 E. New England Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 644-3400
openlist.com

Winter Park Sweet Lodge
271 S Orlando Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 257-9686

Winter Park Inn
901 N Orlando Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 644-8000
winterparkinn.com


These are further from the park but right off I-4 so easy to find
Fairfield Inn-Winter Park
951 N Wymore Rd
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 539-1884

La Quinta Inn-Winter Park
626 Lee Rd
Orlando, FL 32810
(407) 645-5600
lq.com

Motel 6 Orlando - Winter Park, FL
2 reviews - more info »
5300 Adanson St
Orlando, FL 32810
(407) 647-1016
motel6.com

Fleet sounds good to me, but I am very concerned that it doesn't have a separate small dog area. :( Mr. Biggs doesn't know that he is a "little" dog and likes to mingle with very big dogs.

Does anyone have any x-pens? Maybe if most of us brought them we couldlink them together and have a large area that is safe for them to play.

:cry8: we are taking my step daughter to vegas for her 18th birthday the weekend of the 8th. how sad we will miss all the fun. we were so looking forward to orlando. its so hard to fit everyone's shedule...esp me who works everyother weekend. <making a note to buy a lotto ticket today>

I don't have an x-pen....but I do have something similar...I wonder if it would connect to an x-pen? I doubt it though.

What about Dr. Phillips? It seems pretty nice from the pictures and it says there is a separate area for small dogs! The only thing that scares me is that it says beware of poisonous snakes! :eek:
http://www.orlandodogparks.com/parks...do_florida.php

I was just thinking the same thing. I have an Xpen so I can bring mine ...that makes two - anyone else? :)

Fleet does sound wonderful. My two are used to playing with Larger dogs so I am okay with this if everyone else is.

That park looks nice too BUT poisonous snakes????? YIKES....I would not want to risk it with my two thats for sure. :eek:

OKAY the more I think about it and look at the reviews on the website I think we should stick with the West Orange Park. Reason being is Fleets looks like a regular park where all types of people come and a huge lake for swimming. It does say no off leash dogs on the weekend which means even if they do not enforce it, it can be enforced and what would be the point of that for all of us?

West Orange may be noisy but if that is the only down fall I think that may be okay at least with me. I will feel comfortable knowing that my two little ones have a safe area they can run around in and not get trampled by big dogs.

What do you guys think?

Great points Caren. My vote is West Orange. I wouldn't mind not having the separate area if I was just bringing one dog but I'll have 3 between Lauren and me and you'll have 2 and I know others are bringing more. I would rather not to have to deal with big dogs when I'm having to watch more than one dog. The x-pen sounds like a bit of a hassel but if everyone want to go that way I can bring one too.

I'm so excited! Less than a month away!

Oh darn, I was looking forward to meeting you! We need to be sure there is a next time. Have fun in Vegas! It's no dog park in Orlando but I'm sure you'll find something to do.:p

So upset:( . I was so looking forward to meeting you guys. Family was supposed to come visit from up north week up 14th. Now due to lil brother's playoff basketball game being that weekend which my dad is the coach on the team. They're coming to Florida a week early and I haven't seen them since Christmas. So unless plans change unfortunately we won't be able to make it.

Hey there! Can someone PM me when you pick a park and let me know, I would like to meet up with everyone, I dont care which park we go to, I will be there.
P.S. THe Langford hotel was knocked down years ago!

since a lot of people can't make it on March 8th, why don't we plan another meetup! Maybe we can do one in April too??

I am speaking for myself but I think we should stick to March 8th and than of course try for another date in April. :p :p

OH NO SO MUCH WORK HAS GONE IN TO THIS.. I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO KEEP THE DATE! WE CAN DO IT AGAIN!!!
I AM HEARTBROKEN TOO!!
BUT YOU KNOW MAYBE WE CAN DO A TAMPA/RIVERVIEW ONE TOO SOON. I HAVE SEEN A FEW OF US HERE!!!!
YOU GUYS GO AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. WE WILL GET TOGETHER:D :D

I didn't mean to CHANGE the date....I just meant to ADD another one :D

I am really excited about March 8th cause I get to play with lots of little yorkies on my birthday!!

I just finalized the plans
 

So I am going to Ft. Lauderdale this weekend to finally see my son and his puppies in person! I have seen lots of photos and movies but now I will get to see them and pet them, too! I am overjoyed!

I am not sure what you have decided, but I can't wait to meet you all next month, so make up your minds and let me know. I think hotels in West orange may be less expensive, too. Look for Winter Garden and Ocoee.

I still think Fleet would be better but I definitely understand the security concerns. Zappa and Zoe are too flighty to handle such environments and are always on leash outdoors. They have stairs and a huge apartment to run in, outside to them is just for making do'. :)

But West Orange is shady and clean and very safe, aside from being so close to the expressway. And there are toys for the dogs.

chatoyant, you must be so excited to go see the pups!! Thanks for all the work you did...visiting the parks and all. :) Have fun in Ft. Lauderdale and we'll talk to you soon!

I really really want to go to this meet up.. I will need directions to get there from tampa/zephryhills area... Also I want to take our small motorhome.. that way we can have it parked at the park.. so if I need it, I have it handy..
I do not want to be a long ways away from the motor home as it is home to my 4 furbutts.. So we can always go to a flying j and park the night.. as we have had to do that before..we make a little dog area right at our door... so we need not use leashes.. and we sit on a chair with them..
Also I have a dog stroller and a playpen.. I can bring in case some one needs to use it for the day.. some one with an older yorkie, a baby they do not want on the ground due to not enough shots.. I also have a small travel baby playpen that can be used also.. if anyone is really in need.. I will just bring them...
I am pretty excited about this, and I think I saw a posting that said feb, so I thought I missed this meet up..
So any information, I might need to go to an area I am not familiar with, let me know on a post, or pm me.. thanks

Ps.. my girlfriend here from florida sells dog hats and sun glasses, the sunglasses fit into the hats which keeps them in place.. she has a user name on YT but has never posted.. if anyone is interested I could bring some.. I think if you google daisy's dog hats.. you might find her.. she also sells carrier's and strollers and stuff.. she does all the huge flea markets and the fairs that have craft shows also.. again just let me know.. I can either talk her into going.. or I can bring stuff to anyone...