Supermarkets and essentials near Champions Gate

One of the best things about staying in a holiday home is having your own kitchen. Breakfast on the patio, picnic snacks for the parks and a relaxed tea after a long day all start with a good food shop. Here's where to go near Champions Gate.

Publix: the local favourite

Publix is Florida's own supermarket chain, and you'll quickly get used to seeing it. There are several near Champions Gate:

• Publix at Champions Gate Village, 8301 Champions Gate Blvd, Champions Gate. This is the closest to the resort and usually the easiest first-day stop. It has a bakery, deli, fresh produce, sushi, wine and beer, and a pharmacy.
• Publix Ovation, 7800 Lake Wilson Rd, Davenport.
• Publix at Champions Crossing, 1200 Champions Dr, Davenport, near the Posner Park shops.

Publix is known for its deli "Pub Subs" (great for park picnics or a lazy pool day), a good bakery, and friendly staff who usually pack your bags for you. Prices are often a little higher than at the discount supermarkets, but the quality and convenience make up for it. Look out for the weekly "buy one, get one free" offers.

Opening hours can change, so check the store pages on publix.com before you go.

ALDI: for value

There's an ALDI on Osceola Polk Line Road in Davenport, close to Champions Gate. If you shop at ALDI at home, the format will feel familiar: a smaller range, good prices and a coin for the trolley (a US quarter). It's a good place for a big family shop of staples, snacks and drinks.

Target at Posner Park

Target is at Posner Commons, 5000 Grandview Pkwy, Davenport, the big shopping area where I-4 meets US 27. Target sells groceries alongside clothing, toiletries, toys, pool floats and holiday odds and ends. The same area has other big-name shops, restaurants and a cinema, so it's handy for a rainy afternoon too.

Walmart Supercenters

For one-stop shopping, Walmart Supercenters stock groceries, household goods, clothing, pool toys and more under one roof. The nearest to Champions Gate are in the Kissimmee area, including N Old Lake Wilson Rd. Pop your villa address into the Walmart app or a maps app to see which branch is quickest.

Pharmacies

• The Publix at Champions Gate Village has a pharmacy. Its hours are shorter than the supermarket's, so check before you go.
• Target and Walmart also have pharmacy counters at many stores.
• Bring enough of any prescription medicines to last the whole trip, in their original packaging, and keep them in your hand luggage.

For anything urgent, call 911 in an emergency.

What to buy on your first shop

Here's our suggested arrival-day list for a family:

• Breakfast things: cereal, milk, bread, eggs, fruit and juice
• Lots of bottled water or squash for the parks and the pool
• Snacks for park bags (check each park's rules on food and drink first)
• Sun cream and after-sun, which you'll go through quickly
• Bin bags, washing-up liquid and dishwasher tablets
• Something easy for the first night's tea, like a rotisserie chicken from the deli, salad and rolls

Tips for UK shoppers

• Sales tax isn't included in the price on the shelf. It's added at the till, so your bill will be a bit higher than the labels suggest.
• Card payments are accepted almost everywhere, and contactless is common. Some UK cards charge foreign transaction fees, so check before you travel.
• Alcohol: you must be 21 or over to buy it, and ID may be checked even if you're clearly older. Take your passport or driving licence.
• Sizes are bigger. A "small" pack in Florida can be a family-size pack at home. Buy less than you think at first. There's a Publix just down the road.
• Delivery and click-and-collect are widely available through the stores' own apps. That's handy if you arrive late.

Eating out nearby

When nobody wants to cook, there are family-friendly restaurants close to Champions Gate, including Miller's Ale House, Red Robin, Tijuana Flats, Jersey Mike's Subs, Little Greek and Olive Garden. The Oasis Club also has a restaurant and a tiki bar.

Have a lovely first shop, and if you're not sure where to find something, just ask us.