Sean H,
I went there 'cold' and if I could have done anything different I would have done some ground schooling before flying out.
The best way to plan your time there is to make sure that you don't tail-end load your course. By that I mean, try to get as much done as early as you just in case the weather decides it doesn't want to play and you end up adding additional pressure to yourself.
I also built in an extra week - just in case I was too much of a div and couldn't take it all in. As it turned out, I was all done and dusted in the 21 days so I used my last week to take in the delights of Key West and Miami.
When I was there several weeks ago there appeared to be a fair few bikes lying around doing nothing? Check with the students who are there.
I never went to the Golf club so I can't comment I'm afraid. I always had a good bowl of cereal each day to set me up for the morning and then grabbed a light snack later. Ready-to-heat fast food is available at the school - I would imagine that $10 - $15 a day would cover it but I dare say those with a posher palate than my Geordie one may not agree.
I can say hand on heart that I never had a beer until I passed my GFT - I made up for it later mind you!
Taxis - club together with a few other students and combine trips, if someone has a car then chip in a few bucks for the gas.
Finally, prepare to graft your nuts off, meet some great people, have a wonderful life changing experience, get a PPL, and have something to tell your grand kids about in years to come
.