Good idea about getting an additional rating but i would go for IMC. Its going to be much more use to you in the UK if the weather goes bad.
As for which FTO to use it is all a matter of cost. If there cheap there planes tend to be of lower standard than the more expensive FTO's. So if its a holiday and not hour building i would pay the extra so you don't get pissed off with crap planes. And choose some where that isn't in red neck country so you can go out at night. I could think of alot worse places to spend xmas than Merit Island.
Have a good one
MJ
And Gone West maybe query is a bit busy just now with his new kid to be ppruneing
