Are you staying on the Disney property? When are you going?

You realize Apopka's a suburb of Orlando, right? The plants you mentioned shouldn't be too unusual to spot at BBSs in the area although surely there are some great 'real' plant stores. I'm curious to hear what people have to say too. You would think EA would have some type of factory outlet store near there but I've never heard of any such place - or I would have driven down to see it! Can you imagine having all "over 400" plants from which to select?

I've been trying to find great plants-only stores like those that seem so prevalent in OH since I moved down here and have found one almost 2 hours away, that's it. From Mobile to Panama City, there doesn't seem to be any. I would be more interested in visiting the mouse if I knew there was an awesome store to visit on the way home.

Keep in mind that many 'house plants' are awful, noxious weeds in FL.

You're welcome to stop by & grab some stuff from me!

You could also ask on the Orlando forum on Trip Advisor. When we went to New Orleans, the NOLA forum helped me find the awesome plant stores there. (Click on FL, then the scroll box to select Orlando.)

Here is a link that might be useful: US travel forums on TA

You should research if there are any agricultural restrictions on bringing plants into your state.

Do NOT take any CITRUS plants into or out of Florida since the entire state is under a quarantine due to the threat of disease harming the citrus industry.
A while back I read an article about a family that lived somewhere quite cold (maybe WI) and was growing a citrus plant as a houseplant. Someone from the Dept of Agriculture showed up at their home one day and actually forced them to destroy their citrus plant because the seller did not follow proper quarantine procedures, even though there is no citrus industry in the state the plant ended up in. That just goes to show you they do take these rules seriously.

Assuming there is no agricultural restriction on taking plants into your state, then you certainly can pack live plants in your luggage or carry on. I have done it.

Purple, thanks for the TA tip. We are going down on the first week of Feb. we will be staying in disney world, our package includes shuttle from and to airport, so most likely we do not need a rental car. I was hoping to get some names of the nurseries so that I can justify to get a rental car and drive to their stores.

Thanks, summersunshine, yes I am aware of the restriction of citrus, but not aware anything regarding succulents.

Again, thanks, hope to get more info on this topic, I would think there must be somebody interested in plants in the millions people that visit disney world every year?

Oh, I got the impression you were driving, sorry. (So... curious if you'll be able to talk the pilot into trying to land anywhere near my house, which would have to entail commandeering a stretch of road somewhere - a plant emergency it would indeed be - HAHAHA!!!)

If my past experiences with such things are typical, due to the logistics of Disney, it would take more than half of a day to accomplish renting a car, shopping, returning the car, getting back through the layers of D. You will be glad you stayed on the property, getting in/out is time-consuming.

FL isn't known as a mecca of succulents, it's not easy to keep them from rotting in heavy rains while in tons of sun (not under a cover from rain) in the SE in general. Palms - sure, though Orlando's a bit north of where can Plumeria can reliably grow without some damage/protection. Many plants that are house plants to you might be sold as landscape plants in FL (if they are not noxious weeds, as so many are - like Begonias and Syngonium.) There are not really any 'house plants' by the time you get to Miami. Not that there aren't plenty of pots inside places, they just don't have to be, so the displays are not necessarily so specific. Even up where I am, there is no standard display of house plants, save Pothos, Sans & Scheff. Other plants show up, disappear, never know what I'll see, at the mercy of BBSs with no real plant stores to be found. I feel like I'm sounding very negative, which I don't want to do, just don't want you to waste valuable vacation time and $ on any disappointment. I've asked on the FL forum and gulf coast forum about places to shop, and basically got nothing. I hope the info helps you investigate your possibilities, not dampen your excitement! Pave the way for enabling the rest of us. I have the identical fantasy. A really awesome plant store would be something to plan a vacation around to me, anywhere close enough to drive to.

Hope you have a blast & take some cool plant pics! The landscaping at D is incredible.

If you wanted to make a day trip while you're down by Orlando, you could visit Bob Smoley's greenhouses. He is located about 90 miles away from Orlando and you will need to call in advance apparently. He should have a lot of succulents and other good stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bob Smoley's Gardenworld