Gatortours

[pigsy]

Does anybody know if Gatortours are still operating? I have been trying to get on to their website for about a week now but just get lines of 'computer language'. :hehe:

If not, does anybody know if there are any other companies which offer a KSC/Airboat combination tour (with transport)?

Thanks.

Niki

[Keith]

I tried exactly the same thing a couple of weeks ago and had the same problem :/ I didn't really look any further but superficially it looks as if they may be no more doesn't it :/ (or perhaps they just dont bother dealing with the public direct any more, I'm sure most of their business came through operators like virgin etc anyway)

I'd be interested to know if you find out anything more

[Jenna]

We used Gatortours back in Sept last year to go to KSC, so they were definitely up and running 5 months ago!

[pigsy]

Managed tofind an e-mail address for Gatortours. I asked about their website and this is their reply:

Good Morning Niki,



The website has been re-designed, it will be up and running by Monday. The KSC & Airboat tour runs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.



Check back after Monday to gatortours.com and you will be able to make your reservation through the website. It will be running through Paypal which is a secure way for you to make your reservation using a credit card.



Thanks in advance for your enquiry,

We look forward to seeing you in August!



Kind regards,

Tori

Product and Sales Manager

Glad they're still around! :)

[Keith]

OOO excellent thanks Niki!

I liked their KSC tour particularly.. it was a really great way of getting there cheaply and easily because we don't drive over there.

[Melfuzz]

I think expedia uses them for their attractions

Do them come highly recommended then?

[Keith]

So do virgin....

I would say they're handy yeah. First year we hired a towncar to take us to KSC from disney and wait for us all day LOL I can't remember how much it cost and it wasn't an issue, I'd always wanted to go there and who cares about the cost but it was significant :) The next year it was, $40 each or something (maybe less) with gatortours through virgin and the driver actually pointed out a lot of things on the way which made it good.

We've been on the KSC tour, the shopping tour, the everglades one and a couple of gator things and definitely good value.

The only thing that did get me was that a few of the drivers were VERY VERY tip driven. The KSC guy said something like "everyone want to go home before the rocket launches ? or perhaps some tips now would encourage me to stay" (or words very similar to that) so then people trooped off the bus and you pretty much HAD to give a sizeable tip. It all felt VERY pressured and I didn't like that. Another one, female driver, had notices up all over the bus saying that you HAD to tip the driver and stood with a tin by the door as people got off and pretty much shoved it in front of us.

They weren't all like that and to be fair, I think they DID deserve some tips but eurgh :/

[Melfuzz]

I only tip if I think the service is good enough for a tip.

But then again tipping is part of life in the US isnt it, very different to the UK

[Keith]

It's very different to the UK yeah and I'm ok when it's voluntary, it's just when its so TOTALLY expected that I don't like it

[Melfuzz]

What is the site for Gator tours?

[pigsy]

Their new site is now up and running - www.gatortours.com

[Whitequeen]

Thanks pigsy.

Oooo! That was very....................red!!! Sunglasses on when you look at this site. :D

[kazzaqld]

So do virgin....

I would say they're handy yeah. First year we hired a towncar to take us to KSC from disney and wait for us all day LOL I can't remember how much it cost and it wasn't an issue, I'd always wanted to go there and who cares about the cost but it was significant :) The next year it was, $40 each or something (maybe less) with gatortours through virgin and the driver actually pointed out a lot of things on the way which made it good.

We've been on the KSC tour, the shopping tour, the everglades one and a couple of gator things and definitely good value.

Keith did you book far in advance or just when you got to Orlando? I've changed our tentative plan a lot lately, not sure if I want to tie a definite date for KSC down yet...

[Keith]

I booked SOME of those direct with virgin about 3 months before we went, thinking I was being good.

I got to the virgin welcome meeting and gave in the coupons and she said "oooo lets see if they have space for you then hey?" I said WHAT?!

Turns out virgin didnt prebook any of the tours with them until I got to orlando and cashed in the vouchers :/

So it turned out that they were all booked when we got there. Perhaps theyre more busy now though sooo not sure. Best to email and ask them perhaps.

[Melfuzz]

Is it better to book through the site than on say expedia beforehand?

You have to pay at booking with expedia and I want to make sure the booking is ok.

[Keith]

I'd probably book with the site directly if it were me

[Chanty]

Hello there,
I am leaving for Orlando in 5 days and just notices the one day trip to Miami Gator Tours offers. Would you recomment them? My mom and sister are really into this one day trip, but I wanted to get some more info before we leave. Also...booking the trip up front would be best I guess?
Thanks.
~Chantal :wink:

[Keith]

I had fine experiences with them! In fact one trip I guess we used them 8 or 9 times to go to the everglades and all over.

The only thing that bugged me, as usual, was the tipping thing.. the drivers really went all out to remind us to tip but other than that, thumbs up from me

[JuniorMickey]

be prepared for a LONG day! Miami is at least 4 hours away by car (probably longer in a bus) so that's a lot of time sitting on a bus for one day

[Chanty]

Okidokie! Good to hear :thumbs: Time to make reservations then!
Thanks!

[lindsayuk]

Hello there,
I am leaving for Orlando in 5 days and just notices the one day trip to Miami Gator Tours offers. Would you recomment them? My mom and sister are really into this one day trip, but I wanted to get some more info before we leave. Also...booking the trip up front would be best I guess?
Thanks.
~Chantal :wink:

We did the one day orlando with gator tours in august and it was well worth the money and a great day out. A mini bus picked us up from our hotel at 6.35am and took us to a hotel in kissimmee where we met with everyone else for the coach. The coach driver was really nice and helpful, think it took 3 hours to get there tho i slept for most of the way my bf stayed awake and enjoyed the journey. We had about half an hour in bayside as we like nearly everyone on the trip decided to do the star island cruise, also very good value, think it was about $10 each tho i cant remember exactly, was cheap tho! After that we had another short spell in bayside before the bus took us to miami beach, lovely area and we had 3 hours there for the shops and beach before the bus home. got back to our hotel about half ten at night, thoroughly exhausted but we had a great day, id recommend it to anyone and definately go on another gatortour!

[lindsayuk]

be prepared for a LONG day! Miami is at least 4 hours away by car (probably longer in a bus) so that's a lot of time sitting on a bus for one day

just realised there was another reply, i asked before i went and got the usual that it would be a lot of sitting about on a bus, but if you've never been to miami then it may be your only chance to go. Thats the way we looked at it anyway. My bf didnt once complain about being uncomfy or having no leg room, which he normally finds on long journeys. They also had no objections to u eating on the bus and there was a toilet onboard too.

[Chanty]

be prepared for a LONG day! Miami is at least 4 hours away by car (probably longer in a bus) so that's a lot of time sitting on a bus for one day

Yeah I realize that :blush: Thanks :wink:

[Chanty]

We did the one day orlando with gator tours in august and it was well worth the money and a great day out. A mini bus picked us up from our hotel at 6.35am and took us to a hotel in kissimmee where we met with everyone else for the coach. The coach driver was really nice and helpful, think it took 3 hours to get there tho i slept for most of the way my bf stayed awake and enjoyed the journey. We had about half an hour in bayside as we like nearly everyone on the trip decided to do the star island cruise, also very good value, think it was about $10 each tho i cant remember exactly, was cheap tho! After that we had another short spell in bayside before the bus took us to miami beach, lovely area and we had 3 hours there for the shops and beach before the bus home. got back to our hotel about half ten at night, thoroughly exhausted but we had a great day, id recommend it to anyone and definately go on another gatortour!

Good to hear! :thumbs: We're still deciding about the boat tour as my mom doesn't really like boats haha We'll see upon arrival what to do. ;) I received an email that we'll be picked up @ 6.30am *yikes* So a van takes you to another hotel where a coach is ready to take us to Miami? I was a little afraid we'd have to go from hotel to hotel to pick up other people for hours. Glad to hear that's not the case!
Thanks for sharing your experience! :hehe:
~Chantal

[lindsayuk]

there are a couple of mini buses go around picking up people, think we stopped off at 2 or 3 hotels on our way to the coach pickup and we were the 2nd to get on ours. It's all hotels that are local to you tho so u don't spend too long picking people up. The boat trip was good, didnt feel at all like we were out on a boat. We left bayside during a thunder storm and even then the boat wasnt in the least bit rocky. You see some gorgeous houses whilst out there. We were upstairs on the open dek but there was a downstairs area with a bar.