Help Me Plan Our Central Florida Vacation

[ColdCuts]

I actually grew up in Central Florida. New Smyrna Beach to be exact. It's just south of Daytona. My ma and her husband now live in Port Orange and the wife and I are going down for a visit at the end of August. The wife has never been to Florida. I've not been in almost twenty-five years.

Of course, we'll do the beach. And I'll bore the missis with a tour of the places we used to live and where I used to go when I was a kid.

But, otherwise:

Ybor City is a two-and-a-half hours drive from where my ma is on the opposite coast. Is it worth the drive? Are there cigar related tours? Is there anything to do besides visit Tampa Sweethearts? Because, if there's not a day's worth of sights to see, I think we'll skip it. If there's a ton to do, perhaps we'll stay the night.

There's a semi-recent thread about Disney World, but it's mostly about where one can smoke there. Last time I was there, there was the Magic Kingdom, and there was the brand new Epcot. That was it. There were, as I remember it, three resort hotels to choose from: The Contemporary, The Polynesian Village, and Fort Wilderness. I know it's grown a lot. Are Hollywood Studios and the other new Disney parks worth a day? What about the other new resort hotels? I know I want to do at least one day at MK. I think I could skip Epcot. What do you fellas think about the other parks?

What else is there to see or do in and around Central Florida? How's Weeki Wachee? I've never been. Gatorland? Never been there either. I know there's a lot of history in St. Augustine. Would that we worth the forty-five minute drive? Would my wife be bored to tears? The other thread here mentions Fat Boy's BBQ in Kissimmee, and Discovery Cove and Corona Cigars both in Orlando.

Any feedback on things to see or eat or do (or avoid!) would be much appreciated!