Sebring - a few questions

[Fisherman]

Me and a mate have decided this is the year we 'do' Sebring. We're looking a flying Manchester to Orlando on Virgin, out Tuesday, back either Sunday or Monday, for around £400 which seems quite reasonable to me?

Our plan at the moment is to stop in hotel near Orlando airport on the Tuesday / Sunday nights, any recommendations or are they pretty standard?

We'd then be looking to head on down to Sebring on Wed morning, picking up some camping gear on the way at a WalMart or similar, I take it this should be easy enough, particularly if we stop well away from Sebring?

From looking at the official website and sebringfans.com I take it we'd need 2 4 day supertickets and 1 parking pass? Is it worth paying the extra for North Paddock parking?
How does the camping compare with Le Mans? (We stay on Tertre Rouge) Camp next to your car or separate parking? Toilet and shower facilities ok? Any areas quieter / rowdier than others (I know this will be relative!)

Any other advice / things we might not have thought of?

Thanks

[Lee Self]

There are about a billion hotel rooms in orlando, so you should be fine there.

2 supertickets and one car pass, correct. Don't need to to north paddock, head for the green park.

Camping at Sebring is GREAT! pitch a tent wherever you park...

Sebring is flat. you can walk the entire circuit, only restrictions are outside of the t13-15 area
and the outside from the hairpin to T10

Paddock is open to any ticketholder, pit area is restricted.

see you there, come visit us out at turn 10

-Lee

[Chris24]

All of Lee's advice is good advice but I can add a bit more.

You may find a cheaper hotel room nearer the Kissimmee area rather than by the airport. The Virgin flight gets in mid afternoon which gives you plenty of time to drive down the 192 and find a reasonable rate in Kissimmee. Also there are a couple of easy to find Walmart Superstores on the 192 and they are open 24 hours so i would do your shopping Tuesday night and save yourself a couple of hours on wednesday morning. Kissimmee to Sebring is about 1.5 hours to 2 hours drive depending where you are on the 192.

No point with North Paddock as i think these are mainly numbered spots that are more suited to having motorhomes rather than tents.

Green park is traditionally the party side of the camping but has been toned down a bit recently, toilet facilities although adequate they can be a bit primative particularly near the hairpin, although there are i understand pay per use shower facilities.

I always camp on the camp area behind the midway about 1 minute walk to the toilet block which has two trailer shower blocks outside which are open until around 10 pm each night and these are free to use and usually warm and well maintained. Also this side is a bit quiter and family friendly and is where you will find Canada Phil, Pidgeon, Smokie and myself usually.

Its also an idea location for walking to the midway food outlets and into the paddock area over the walk over bridges.

Once the track is open each night, its about a 10 minute walk from here to Turn 10 at the opposite side of green park.

So those are your options, Party central in green park, or behind the midway and closer to facilities and paddock and a shot walk to green park.

Personally looking at taking in the Concours De Elegance at Amelia Island the Sunday before Sebring this year as a change to the norm.

[Canada Phil]

Mostly covered already in the above excelent posts. Orlando holds no appeal to me so suggest you get the hell out of town avoiding the people trap run by a mouse and visit one or other coast. Daytona Beach and coast road down to Jupiter before heading inland to Sebring  plenty of motels along th way. Wal Mart is everywhere including Sebring. Plenty of other options before and after the race so suggest the Monday return.
Canada Phil

[chop456]

FWIW - there are usually great deals for Orlando hotels on hotwire.com.

Right now, there's a 3.5* w/shuttle near the airport for $46 on both Tuesday and Sunday nights.

[Fisherman]

Many thanks for your help chaps, if we don't get the flight back until the Monday evening getting away from Orlando and having more of look around the area sounds good. Budget have a Mustang for hire which seems reasonable, when in Rome and all that. Chris the area you're talking about is around the 'general parking' and racing school on this map?

http://www.sebringraceway.com/images_sebring/trackmap/TrackMap-2010.pdf

Slightly quiter and handily placed camping area sounds our kind of thing.

Thanks again all

[Martini...LB]

All of Lee's advice is good advice but I can add a bit more.

 Also this side is a bit quiter and family friendly and is where you will find Canada Phil, Pidgeon, Smokie and myself usually.

Well I have been there three of the last four years, with the above guys (Pidge is the site manager and puts the whole thing together in the most admirable way with incredible cooked breakfasts every day), but obviously I have not made an impression on Chris, I feel hurt, though I have probably spent more time on site and not just visiting for sleep and food  

Search on the web for hotels on I-drive etc for £25-30 per night for a room, try www.roomsnet.com bear in mind the proximity to the restaurants so you do not have to drive. You can also pick up an economy car with fuel for $120 for the week including insurance, generally you get upgraded. The best deals seem to be from the companies/agents which book for the larger companies like Dollar etc. though last year I queued for 90mins in the queue, it is worth trying to get vip/quick check in status from Dollar, I think this is free.

>Martini...LB

[smokie]

The cheaper Mustangs are not quite the "real thing" - only 2.8s IIRC - but still good to have for a few days.

Cheapest car hires over the past few years have been www.netflights.com and www.carhire3000.com .

[Chris24]

Martin,

Apologies for not including you on the list, brain fade and all that. And you are right, you do spend more time there than me, but thats because there is so much to do and see at Sebring that the days just aren't long enough. I guess thats the problem with being a motorsport nut, when i get to Sebring I feel like a dog with two dicks and don't know what to do first LOL !

Anyway, yes that is the correct general location for our camp site. We are usually along the side fence to the police compound area next to a big motorhome that travels from Indiana each year.

[Martini...LB]

No Probs Chris, still good to see you, and after all you are the supremo at blagging stuff from the drivers etc. for charity.

>Martini...LB

[Canada Phil]

Nice to see the Sebring CA's sorting themselves out.
 Phil

[Chris24]

OK, whos up for leaving Sebring on Thursday morning for a slight detour up north and then returning again for night practice. I know I am so I will welcome a few passengers for the trip.


Date: March 18 +
Mission: STS-131
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 1:34 p.m. EDT
Description: Space shuttle Discovery will carry a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module filled with science racks that will be transferred to laboratories of the International Space Station.

Woo hoo, I always wanted to see a shuttle launch.

[smokie]

Good spot Chris. Might make that myself.

[knetter]

If the weather is nice, you can see it from the track!

Hope you guys will get to see it, I arrived in orlando one day after the launch, that was two years ago!

[Canada Phil]

OK, whos up for leaving Sebring on Thursday morning for a slight detour up north and then returning again for night practice. I know I am so I will welcome a few passengers for the trip.


Date: March 18 +
Mission: STS-131
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Launch Time: 1:34 p.m. EDT
Description: Space shuttle Discovery will carry a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module filled with science racks that will be transferred to laboratories of the International Space Station.

Woo hoo, I always wanted to see a shuttle launch.

Hi Chris,
 i cols be interested in that.
Phil