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.