We offer Orlando VAN rental discount Prices and services in Florida major Airports - FLORIDA AIRPORT, Orlando International Airport and Fort Lauderdale International Airport .We carry a large fleet of Cars, SUVs, Mini Vans, 15 Passenger Vans, luxury and exotics cars. We service Miami Beach and South Beach Hotels. Check our Luxury cars available for rent as well as business car rental. Request a reservation online, or give us call the next time you want big savings and good deals on car rental in Orlando Florida.
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Location: The airport is situated nine miles (11km) southeast of Orlando. Time: GMT -5 (GMT -4 from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November). Contacts: Tel: +1 407 825 8463. Transfer to the city: Public transport facilities are to be found on the Ground Transportation Concourse on Level 1 of Terminal 1. Lynx buses numbers 11, 41, 42 and 51 depart every 30 minutes, between 5.30am and 11.30pm, for downtown Orlando, the trip taking about 40 minutes and costing $1.50. Many hotels provide free shuttles for guests. Taxis are available on Level 1 on both the A and B sides of the Main Terminal, and may carry up to 9 passengers with metered rates. Car rental: Numerous major car hire companies are represented at the airport, Facilities: Passenger services at the airport include ATMs, currency exchange, information centers, Internet kiosks and postal services. There are a wide variety of bars, restaurants and shops, including duty free. The Kennedy Space Center, Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World all have their own branded shops. Facilities for the disabled are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance. Parking: There are three parking lots adjacent to the main terminals, and three more further away. It is generally quicker to park in the off-site lots and take the free shuttle bus to the terminals, as the parking lots nearby the terminals are often full. There is also a cell phone parking lot. Departure tax: None. Website: www.orlandoairports.net
Orlando's city is the county seat of Orange County,
Florida. According to 2005 census, the population was
213,223, doing it the sixth biggest city in Florida.
It is point of the Orlando-Kissimmee too, Florida, Metropolitan
Statistical Area. The Orlando Kissimmee MSA is Florida's
third biggest metropolitan area, backside Miami Fort
Lauderdale West Palm Beach and Tampa St. Petersburg
Clearwater.
Many historians date Orlando's name to about 1836 when
a soldier named Orlando Reeves allegedly died in the
area, during the war against the Seminole Indian tribe.
It appears, even so, that Orlando Reeves (sometimes
Rees) ran a sugar mill and plantation around 30 miles
(50 km) to the north at Spring Garden in Volusia County,
and pioneer settlers simply established his name carved
into a tree and assumed it was a marker for his grave
site. They then mentioned to the area like "Orlando's
grave" and later only "Orlando."
Orlando, Florida, for majority of people brings up the
image of theme parks, principally Disney World, but
it has a lot more to provide than that. In fact, Disney
is especially not in Orlando, but is in nearby Lake
Buena Vista. Don't forget that you don't miss downtown
Orlando and charming Winter Park.
Orlando is a city constructed on theme parks. Up to
the time of 1966, there was wanted little here in central
Florida, but growth has turned thanks to a huge influx
of visitors following the arrival of Walt Disney World.
From the original Magic Kingdom, which opened in 1971
after a five-year building programme, Disney has added
three more theme parks, two water parks and a host of
associated development, containing hotels, shops and
golf courses to make it a true ‘World’ resort.
With Disney, SeaWorld and Universal have added to Orlando’s
reputation as the family amusement capital of the world.
Between them, they draw more than 40 million visitors
every year, and that has meant a huge growth in associated
hotels, restaurants and shops, plus a host of smaller-scale
attractions.
Even so, this juvenile city has also improved its own
identity, with several high-tech industries relocating
here. The downtown area is fast developing yuppie overtones
and there are ambitious plans to become a major cultural
centre. The city is also one of America’s top five convention
locations, having said that, the main attraction for
99% of visitors remains the theme parks, and the likes
of the nearby Kennedy Space Center. And, in order to
attract the all-important repeat visitors, Orlando has
become adept at re-inventing itself and providing new
attractions at regular intervals.
WHAT ORLANDO
IS,
AND ISN’T:
Many people feel that an Orlando vacation is something every family “has”
to do at some point. It’s an American obligation.
There’s pressure to visit at least once.
It’s tough to enjoy any vacation you regard as an expensive obligation.
To insure a good time, it helps to know just what you’re
getting into:
ORLANDO IS:
Orlando is only about theme parks (not the Florida
beach, the Keys, air boats, alligators or NASA.)
This city offers an unequalled demonstration of the
art amusement park “theme-ing.” The parks here
are more lavish, more detailed, better maintained and
more creative than anywhere in the world. The
parks are open all year. Visitors are captives
on vacation. Crowds are still likely to show up
when it rains. The parks have much better cash
flow than those up north. More cash coming in
means more cash being spent on rides, shows, maintenance
and landscaping.
Orlando attractions tend to be about stories,
animals and characters (“themes”). The competition
is determine which park has the most colorful,
creative and fanciful rides. It’s not about having
the tallest, fastest and most head-pounding thrill rides
(that’s left for the folks at Cedar Point and Magic
Mountain.)
Orlando is Central Florida: It is
land-locked. It is hot in the summer and cold in the
winter. It does not have a beach or afternoon
sea breezes.
Orlando is a tourist city: Come ready to
see every possible tacky tourist trap known to humankind.
Everyone here is from somewhere else. Locals are
used to having a hundred thousand tourists invade each
week… trash their town… and leave.
Orlando will “Nickel and Dime” you: Be ready
to pay for everything you do and then some. Expect
lots of taxes, “resort fees” and other add-ons at your
hotel. Expect all manner of add-on charges for
your airline ticket and rental car. Expect tolls
on the roads. Expect to pay for parking.
Expect to pay for some theme park attractions even though
you bought a ticket that’s supposedly good on all rides.
It can seem as though everywhere you turn, someone has
a hand out. Of course this isn’t exclusive to
Orlando, but it helps to know ahead of time.
ORLANDO IS NOT:
Orlando is not relaxing. Crowds, heat, overabundance
of attractions and travel logistics will keep you occupied
every waking hour. This is an active (working?)
vacation that requires a lot of planning and keeping
to schedule. Plan to leave Orlando “needing a
vacation from your vacation.”
Orlando is not something you can see in one trip.
It is simply not possible to enjoy all of the area’s
attractions in a week. You will leave without
having seen it all. Define what interests you
and leave enough time to enjoy it. Don’t get caught
in the trap of trying to see it all.
Orlando is not user friendly. Competing business
interests make it very difficult for visitors to enjoy
various parks around the city. Companies try hard
to get you to stay at their hotels, use their transportation
and visit their parks exclusively. They will make
it difficult for you to go to the competition.
It’s not unlike the Las Vegas casinos that offer you
a moving walkway on the way in (but none on the way
out)… then once inside you can’t find an exit.
PLANNING
More so than other vacations, a trip to Orlando must be planned extensively.
It’s not uncommon for visitors to plan a weeklong trip
hour-by-hour! I know this sounds crazy.
However if you’re spending the better part of a thousand
dollars a day to bring your family here, planning is
the only way to insure you’ll accomplish everything
you want.
Three months ahead of time buy this book: The Unofficial Guide To Walt
Disney World
(click here to see more.) It contains good information
about all the Orlando parks, not just Disney.
No, I don’t have any connections to the author or publisher.
However, I have purchased it twice in the last 10 years.
It’s an unbiased guide to Disney and all the major Orlando
attractions. It gives you all the information
you need to create an effective plan for your theme
park visits. It even suggests theme park routes
and times that allow you to see the most attractions
in the least amount of time.
Over they years this book has grown to be quite expansive (so has Orlando!)
It will take you several weeks to read, digest and plan
your trip using this book. It costs about $20
at the local bookstore. This is a small fraction
of the cost of your trip. Information is power.
This book will give you details not available in any
travel brochure or web site. When I show our copy
to traveling friends and family, they always comment
on how they wished they had seen it before their trip.
After reading the book, layout a detailed plan highlighting what you want
to do each day. I have provided a sample plan
below.
HOTELS
HOTEL OPTION ONE: You can stay on property at Disney or Universal Studios
and rely on their transportation.
HOTEL OPTION TWO: Stay “off property” at one of the many Orlando area hotels
(Irlo
Bronson Highway for Disney,
International Drive for Universal Studios
and Sea World.) Some hotels offer free limited
bus service to the major parks (though most of these
shuttles don’t run frequently enough to satisfy most
people.) You may really want a car.
I have found it best to pay the extra money to stay at a suite hotel.
This allows the kids to have their space and the adults
to have theirs. When your battling travel and
theme park fatigue, the extra space and flexibility
is a Godsend. Suites also provide a small kitchen.
This allows you to eat meals and snacks in your room.
This cuts down on the planning and frustration of always
having to eat out. Besides, the money you save
on food can help make up for the higher cost of the
suite.
Your trip to Orlando is to see theme parks, not to always be looking for
a place to eat out. We have stayed at several
suite hotels in Orlando and liked them all.
The kids especially like the
Holiday Inn
Suites because of pools and special kid-themed rooms.
We have also stayed at Orlando time share properties operated by
Marriott and
Hilton. These big hotel companies are now
in the time share business. They will offer a
several night stay in exchange for you listening to
a two hour sales pitch. The Marriott and Hilton
pitches were not the sleazy, high-pressure pitches made
by traditional time share companies. They were
respectable and low key. The accommodations were
very nice.
WARNING: Do not waste precious vacation hours on time share pitches
you learn about once your are already on the ground
in Orlando. These pitches can be a huge waste
of time. Accept offers to visit only from reputable
major companies. Plan this ahead of time, prior
to leaving on your trip. Know exactly how long
the time share company wants to pitch you, then hold
them to it. Never accept an invitiaton from a
company you've never heard of. Never buy a time
share based on one visit to any property. You
can sample several and always return to your favorite
place to buy. Check out time share resales as
a way to save money.
DO NOT BUY A TIME SHARE WITHOUT EXTENSIVE COMPARISON SHOPPING AND
REALISTIC FINANCIAL EVALUATION OF OWNERSHIP COSTS/OBLIGATIONS
VERSUS RENTING/HOTELS.
GETTING AROUND
GETTING AROUND BY TOUR OPERATOR-“Easy but locked-in”: The easiest way
to get around Orlando is to sign-up for a vacation package.
This way you rely on the tour operator to get you around.
This generally means that you will spend all of your
time exclusively at Disney or Universal. You will
be at the mercy of buses and tour planners.
This can be attractive for its apparent ease.
However, I know people who have become very angry at
slow bus service and undelivered transportation promises.
If you’re paying $200 a day for family park passes and
miss a quarter of a day due to a transportation problem,
you’re not going to be happy.
GETTING AROUND BY CAR-“Flexible but responsible”: Having a car gives
you a lot of flexibility to travel when and where you
want. However, you have the responsibility to
navigate the bizarre maze of Orlando roads. It
also means every day you are paying to park in theme
park lots and forced to take trams to the front gate.
Our family prefers having a care because it better allows us to control the
itinerary.
ORLANDO ROADS: You would think that as a tourist town Orlando roads would
be simple, well designed, well marked and big enough
to handle crowds. My experience is that Orlando
roads are none of these things.
Many area roads charge a toll. While annoying, it is better to use
the toll roads because the main highway (I-4) is way
too small to accommodate demand. I-4 is bumper-to-bumper
during rush hour and can be slow even on weekends.
I-4 offically is an east-west freeway. However, I-4 runs north-south
through Orlando.
Warning-Orlando lane markings are unusual. Several I-4 interchanges
have right-hand lanes that suddenly disappear.
The lanes may then reappear a quarter mile later.
It’s surprising, frustrating and dangerous.
Orlando drivers are a toxic mix of tourists, retirees and devil-may-care
locals. Drivers regularly cut you off, change
lanes erratically, drive too slow and don’t pay attention.
Drive defensively!
Orlando roads change names and are not always clearly marked. This
is especially true when city roadways meet up with Disney
area roads.
“Markers”: In an effort to make Orlando more user-friendly, the city
has erected several large numbered markers. They’re
placed along the roadways in hotel/restaurant tourist
areas. For instance your hotel might be near “Marker
16.” I do not find the markers useful in finding
destinations. Their greatest benefit appears to
be in differentiating the sprawl. Mile after mile
of Shoney’s, McDonalds, tee-shirt shops, motels and
ticket stands all start to look alike. You know
you’re making progress when the marker numbers are changing.
ABOUT EACH PARK
Here's an overview of each major park and the time
necessary to see each one (assuming you move moderately
quickly from ride to ride)
Definitions:
Half day = 5-6 hours
.75 day = 8 hours
Full day = 12 hours
Disney Magic Kingdom: A larger, newer duplicate
of Disneyland in California. This park has traditionally
set the highest standards for creativity, landscaping
and cleanliness. Walt Disney’s stated goal was
to create a park that both children and adults can enjoy
together. The Magic Kingdom still does this better
than any other park.
Leave 1.5 days: One day is ample to see the major attractions.
However, returning for part of a second day may better
allow you to see some of the smaller-yet-still-enjoyable
attractions.
Click here
to take a virtual tour of the Magic Kingdom. See
photos and detailed park information.
Disney
MGM Studios: An appealing mix of movie-themed
rides and shows. Older kids and adults will enjoy
MGM more than little kids. It does not appear
as though a significant amount of movies actually get
shot at these studios.
Leave .5-1.0 day: If you stick to the plan in The Unofficial Guide
To Walt Disney World, it’s possible that you will be
able to see all of the major attractions in about half
a day. Generally speaking you will feel satisfied
with your visit after three-quarters of a day.
If you stay a whole day (opening through closing) you
will feel like you have run out of things to see.
Click here to take a virtual
tour of Disney-MGM Studios. See photos and
detailed park information.
Disney Epcot: Disney’s second Florida park eclectic
mix of non-traditional attractions. It's half
World's Fair and half cultural showcase. There
are few thrill rides.
School age kids and adults may best appreciate all of the educational and
cultural exhibits. The park may be too advanced
for young kids and too unusual for teens.
The best theme park food in Orlando is found at Epcot's World Showcase.
Many times the ethnic cuisine is prepared by native
chefs!
Leave .5-1.0 day: You can easily hit the limited number of major attractions
here in half a day. However, the fun of EPCOT
is exploring and poking around. It is not a thrill
ride park. If you take it easy, there’s no problem
spending a wonderful low-key day exploring the abundant
“little attractions.” EPCOT is by far the most
unusual and mellow of all the Orlando parks. It’s
in a class by itself. As such, it requires a different
mindset, timetable and approach.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom: This park is not really
a Zoo. The National Zoo or the San Diego Zoo are
much better traditional zoos. Rather, Animal Kingdom
is a mix of a cage-less zoo (think San Diego Zoo’s Wild
Animal Park) and a theme park… all done with the appropriate
amount of Disney themeing. Kids of all ages and
adults will enjoy this park.
Leave .5-.75 day: If you stick to the plan in The Unofficial Guide
To Walt Disney World book, it’s possible that you
will be able to see all of the major attractions in
about half a day. Generally speaking you will
feel satisfied with your visit after three-quarters
of a day. If you stay a whole day (opening through
closing) you may feel like you have run out of things
to see. Don't forget to take the two named walking
trails--these are where you see the most animals.
Universal Studios: Orlando’s version of the original
California movie theme park. It’s a little more
edgy than Disney’s MGM. Teens and adults will
enjoy.
Leave .5-1 day: You can hit all the major attractions in half a day.
Three quarters of a day is very satisfying.
Universal Studios Islands Of Adventure: At
the risk of overstating--this park sets a new standard.
Many consider it a "must see." Teens and
thrill seeking adults will especially enjoy the wild
rides and excellent use of the latest entertainment
technology. Young kids will like Seuss Landing.
This park combines Disney-like quality, high technology
and raw theme park thrills. There is no other
park like it. As you can tell, it’s a personal
favorit.
Leave .75-1 day: This park is loaded with major attractions.
It’s tough to do in half a day. It’s possible
to see the big stuff in three quarters of a day.
However, leaving a full day is most satisfying.
You might even want to consider a second full day just
to come back and do it all over again. For some
reason, rides at this park are more enjoyable to ride
several times… while other parks quickly have a “seen
it, been there” feel.
Sea World: This is the “Marineland on steroids”
park. The killer whale, dolphin and water skiing
shows are excellent. This Sea World location (there
are four around the country) has added a large steel
roller coaster as a traditional amusement park attraction.
Sea World has fared well since being purchased by Busch (the beer and Busch
Gardens folks.) Busch has raised the bar on showmanship,
landscaping, investment and cleanliness.
Leave .5-1 day: Sea World is fairly leisurely paced. Time in
the park is largely driven by the shows. You can
see all of the major shows and attractions in about
three quarters of a day. Half a day won’t allow
you to hit all the shows.
Water Parks: People of all ages will find
something they like at each Orlando water park.
Disney operates three water nice parks which cater to
families. Water Country USA is an independent
that’s more appealing to teens.
Leave 1 full day at any water park: Water parks are a different animal.
You go, explore, and lay around. It’s easy to get several
rides on the major slides in a day. Leave a full
day in the middle of your week for a water park visit.
It will be a welcome change from all the hot and crowded
theme park craziness.
Busch Gardens Tampa: Busch Gardens is a very
well maintained park. It’s a cross between a zoo,
a garden and a big ride park. Kids love the more
traditional amusement park rides. Adults love
the animals, landscaping and general layout of the park.
People who don’t like the “exploration/educational”
style of EPCOT might consider substituting the day with
a trip to Busch Gardens.
Leave .75-1 day: Busch Gardens is only about 90 minutes away from Disney.
It’s an easy highway drive (though it’s suburban location
can make it a little difficult to find.) Busch
also owns Sea World in Orlando, so a discounted combination
ticket is easy to get.
*********************************************
KEY ATTRACTIONS
Frequently people will ask me what the “must see”
rides and show are. All the parks are loaded with
“filler” attractions. Don’t feel bad if you miss
filler. Concentrate on seeing the major attractions.
Here is a list of the “must see” rides and shows… the ones people will ask
you about:
Must See Rides (Teens & Adults)
Spiderman (Universal Islands Of Adventure):
Creative high-tech multi-media ride is creative, unique
and very memorable. Truly groundbreaking.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (Disney MGM Studios): Short
indoor roller coaster ride made fun with a great storyline
and theme-ing. Disney “Imagineering” at its creative
best.
Test Track (Disney-EPCOT): Big ad for General Motors
made fun through excellent use of technology and concept.
You might even learn something.
Dinosaur (The Ride) (Disney-Animal Kingdom):
Traditional ride technology, but excellent animated
dinosaurs. Creative, dark and scary with fabulous
attention to detail. Don’t try taking the
little ones on this ride.
Dueling Dragons (Universal Islands Of Adventure):
Wonderful dueling suspended steel roller coaster.
Sit in the front… you will never forget when the when
the two coaster trains travel head-on (and the loop
that just barely saves you from colliding.) Best
design of a traditional coaster in Orlando.
Should See Rides (Teens & Adults)
Incredible Hulk (Universal Islands Of Adventure):
This is a signature ride that has been somewhat over-hyped.
It’s still a great suspended steel coaster ride with
an excellent start.
Jurassic Park River Adventure (Universal Islands
Of Adventure): Steven Spielberg-designed boat
ride on steroids. Outstanding mechanical dinosaurs
and storyline. Universal spent major dollars on
this one.
Ripsaw Falls Log Ride (Universal Islands Of Adventure):
Long, creative roller coaster/log flume hybrid.
Whimsical and fun. You will get wet.
Popeye’s Barges Raft Ride (Universal Islands Of
Adventure): Long, traditional whitewater raft
ride. Crazy graphics and story also make this
wonderfully whimsical and fun.
Kilimanjaro Safaris (Disney-Animal Kingdom):
Another signature ride that is somewhat over-hyped.
The 20-minute tour has a strong setting. The story
and animal views are okay.
Tower Of Terror (Disney-MGM Studios): Short ride.
Great story and presentation. May be too scary
for the little ones who later can't distinguish real
elevators from theTower Of Terror.
Splash Mountain (Disney Magic Kingdom): Long, traditional
water flume ride. Good story and outstanding craftsmanship.
Worth Riding (Teens & Adults)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Disney Magic Kingdom):
Now a veteran ride, it’s still excellent for its concept
attention to detail.
Space Mountain (Disney Magic Kingdom): An
oldie but a goodie.
Poseidon’s Fury (Universal Islands Of Adventure):
Unique walk-through special effects attraction.
Star Tours (Disney MGM Studios): Older movie/motion
ride that’s still a lot of fun.
Movie buff note: look for George Lucas’ cameo at the end. He’s in the
last shot… appearing as the control room operator.
Body Wars (Disney EPCOT): Star Tours as created
by your biology teacher.
Living With The Land (Disney EPCOT): Interesting
boat-ride through the Disney greenhouses. After
the ride, take the walking tour if it is being offered.
"Must Visit" Attractions (Young
Kids)
Various Rides In Fantasy Land (Disney Magic Kingdom):
As you know, simply the world’s best attractions for
young kids and their parents.
Arrive at park opening time and do everything in Fantasy Land immediately
(otherwise the lines can become very long.) The
newer Pooh ride is every bit as good as the traditional
favorites.
Various Rides In Seuss Landing (Universal Islands
Of Adventure): Extremely creative adaptation of
Dr. Seuss’ stories. Don’t miss The Cat In The
Hat, One-Fish or the carousel. Parents will enjoy
this area at least as much as the kids.
Note that much of the architecture has been created out of styrofoam.
Just like Seuss books, there isn't a straight line anywhere.
Even the palm trees are crooked (they were transplanted
from the site of a hurricane.)
Pteranodon Flyers (Universal Islands Of Adventure):
Low capacity ride for a young child and a parent with
a long wait. However, flying those big birds around
Jurassic Park is memorable!
Worth Visiting (Young Kids)
The Flying Unicorn (Universal Islands Of Adventure):
Cute and fun kid-size steel coaster.
Dinosaur excavation play area (Disney Animal Kingdom):
Large dinosaur bones buried in pebbles. Kids love
to “dig.”
Honey I Shrunk The Kids play area (Disney MGM Studios):
Kids love climbing in this imaginative playground.
Adults will find it crowded with no place to sit down.
Play Area (Sea World): Sea World offers a
great traditional play area with climbing towers and
tunnels.
“The Olive” Tugboat Play Area (Universal Islands
Of Adventure): Easy to miss area near the log
and raft rides. Three stories of running, climbing
and shooting water at the raft riders.
Character Dining: Disney offers a variety
of sit-down meals with Disney characters. The
characters mover from table to table, giving young kids
a better chance to interact with them than at the parks.
A family of four can expect to pay $60-$75 for one of
these meals.
ORLANDO’S BEST SHOWS
"Must See" Shows
Fantasmic! (Disney MGM Studios): Extraordinary
use of pyrotechnics, lighting and lasers. Fun
story. Great showcasing of Disney characters.
“Disney magic” at it’s best. A great way to end
the day on an upbeat note.
IllumiNations (Disney EPCOT): A moderate fireworks
display made great with music and a unique video globe
made out of a stadium “jumbotron” technology.
Great exhibition of showmanship and timing. It
runs about 15 minutes. A “feel good” highlight
of an Orlando vacation. Watch out for the exiting
crowds when the show is over.
"Should See" Shows
Shamu Show (Sea World): The signature animal
show of all time. If possible, see both
the day show and the “House of Dowse” evening show.
The evening show is very upbeat-Busch showmanship at
its best.
The Eighth Voyage Of Sinbad (Universal Islands Of
Adventure): Remarkable special effects.
A personal favorite.
Indiana Jones Stunt Show (Disney MGM Studios):
A veteran stunt/special effects show with an educational
component. Still the best of its type.
Movie buff note: Compare how Disney has modified the German swastika
props used in the show versus the movie.
Lion King (Disney Animal Kingdom): Wonderful song,
dance and gymnastics show. Both adults and kids
will enjoy.
Tarzan (Disney Animal Kingdom): Songs and
X-games inspired acrobatics.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (Disney MGM Studios):
Exact duplicate setting of the real TV show. Fun
with great audience interaction.
Barney Show (Universal Studios): Well done
stage show featuring the purple dinosaur. It’s
long enough to be satisfying for young kids, but not
too long for adults.
PLEASANT DISCOVERIES
(they won’t blow your mind, just simple amusements)
Buzz Lightyear (Disney Magic Kingdom): Whimsical
shooting gallery. Good mindless fun… just like
the Toy Story movies.
The Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Review (Disney Magic
Kingdom): Grab lunch in the air conditions while watching
a silly wild west review.
Innovations (Disney EPCOT): Kids love to play with
the interactive computer technology.
Coke Ice House (Disney EPCOT) Short walk through
a deep freeze, followed by free samples of Coke products
from around the world. The fun is in tasting some
of these strange sodas.
Dancing Fountain (Disney EPCOT): It’s the
central fountain… but the show is easy to miss.
The fountain will occasionally put on a wonderful short
show.
Walt Disney Life Story (Disney MGM Studios): Exhibit
and short movie on Walt’s life. It’s as sugarcoated
as you would expect, but still magical and inspiring.
World Of Energy: Moving movie theater & diorama.
Tom Sawyer Island (Disney Magic Kingdom):
A sentimental favorite. Kids enjoy playing checkers
at the Fort and bouncing on the suspension bridge.
********************************************
INSIDER TIPS FOR ORLANDO
Logistics are the enemy. It’s amazing how
quickly the little things will eat up your day.
The more time you spend waiting for buses, being lost,
buying forgotten items or finding information the less
time you have enjoying yourself. Know exactly
where you are going and what your are bringing each
day.
Vacation enjoyment is directly proportionate to time spent on rides and in
shows. Vacation frustration is directly proportionate
to time spent handling logistics.
Purchase a set of FRS Walkie-Talkies. These
allow the family to split up and easily find each other.
The FRS (Family Radio Service) walkie-talkies cost less
than $100/pair. You can find them at places like
Wal-Mart, Circuit City and Radio Shack. Bring
extra batteries.
Note: Be sure to buy the models with “Privacy Codes” (also called Selective
Squelch or DTMF Codes.) Set all of your family
walkie-talkies with the same code and you will only
be able to hear each other. Without the codes,
you will hear everyone else (a real problem because
everyone in Orlando has these radios.) The “code”
models cost $20-40 more than basic models, but are worth
every penny.
Click here for more on FRS walkie-talkies.
If you travel by car, buy one of those 12 volt/120
volt TV/VCR combinations. The kids LOVE watching
movies. You can even hook up you video game system
if you by a 12 volt-120 volt power inverter (available
at any major discount store or radio shack.) Having
your video game system in the hotel room can be a wonderful
distraction for the kids.
Have food for meals/snack in your hotel room.
This eliminates the pressure of always having to find
somewhere to eat. There are many easy-to-find
Publix and Winn-Dixie grocery stores in the area.
Take a backpack of snacks and water bottles into
the parks. All the parks allow you to bring
them in. An occasional drink and snack can be
very in keeping children’s spirits high.
If you’re tired, your kids are tired. Monitor
that family attitude each hour. Take a break before
any “melt down” has a chance to occur.
Plan an hour or two in the afternoon to return to
your room for a little quiet time or a nap.
Leaving and returning to the parks isn’t difficult.
Everyone has more fun when they can recharge a little.
Stay hydrated. Airplanes, sealed hotels
and the relentless Florida sun will can dehydrate you
in a couple of hours.
Disney water parks sometimes allow coolers packed
with drinks (no booze or glass.) This policy varies
with security levels so call ahead. Disney also
sells a unique bar-coded "unlimited refill" soda fountain
drink cup.
Bring your own stroller. Renting daily
is expensive and a logistics hassle.
Do not waste time at any of the roadside tourist traps or come-ons.
Coupon offers, discount books, reduced-rate tickets,
time-share offers, goofy golf, arcades and cheap souvenirs
are never a good deal. These things waste your
valuable vacation time! Remember, it’s all about
visiting the parks. You can do “touristy” things
closer to home.
Bring a small first aid kit, including bandages,
cold/allergy medicine and Aspirin. Someone
always gets a headache or a cold. Expect blisters
on kids’ feet. Your sinuses will suffer from air
travel, dry hotel air and swimming pools.
Bring hats and
sunscreen for the parks/pool.
Bring flip-flops and small pool toys (kids love to play
with foam footballs and diving rings at the pool.)
If you’re visiting in the summer, bring one of those spray water bottles
with a built-in fan. They work!
If you visit in winter, bring layered warm clothes--it
can get very cold in Central Florida!
Bring rain ponchos or trash bags for everyone. It will rain
while you are here… but only for a short time each day.
Have a good Orlando road map. Get a map from AAA in your hometown
and use the ones provided in The Unofficial Guide To
Walt Disney World. Get the AAA tour book for Orlando.
On maps, highlight routes to the parks and hotel prior to arriving
in Orlando. In advance you may even want to do
MapQuest Driving Directions for each car trip you plan
to make.
Start each day with a definite plan. Make
sure everyone knows the schedule and the contingencies.
Realize that your sightseeing will likely go either
much faster than you think or much slower. Make
up for lost time by skipping those non-unique “filler”
attractions.
Expect to walk 3-5 miles each day on hot/hard
pavement. Comfortable shoes are an absolute must.
You will be tired (and maybe stressed out) at
the end of an Orlando vacation. Know it going
in.
Learn the rules for each company’s fast pass ticket
system. Manage your route so you can get as
many fast passes as possible throughout the day.
Double check every time you use a fast pass machine… it’s unbelievable how
many people forget their park tickets at these machines!
Offer any unused fast passes to other people on the way out.
A little Orlando goes a long way. It’s
not uncommon to have had your fill after a few days.
Attitude is everything: At least one or two major
problems are going to happen on every single day of
your expensive vacation. Roll with the punches
and don’t let problems make you mad. Orlando is
filled with bad drivers, confusing roads, hot/humid/rainy
weather, numb service employees, dumb rules and moneygrubbers
everywhere you look. Expect it and don’t let it
bother you.
Head to the beach if Orlando is too much. Florida’s great beaches
are an easy drive (about 90 minutes away) if you want
a change of pace. Check out the
Clearwater Beach and
St. Petersburg Beach (west of Tampa) or
Hutchinson Island (north of West Palm Beach.)
Disney even operates it's own Florida beach resort at
Vero Beach (north of West Palm Beach.)
Not Widely Publicized--Orlando Gay Days:
Each year on the first weekend in June Orlando hosts
125,000 gays and lesbians for the Gay Days celebration.
People participating in the event wear red clothing.
Participants are very visible at the theme parks, water
parks, resorts, pools and nighttime hot spots.
Gay Days are not well publicized outside the gay and lesbian community.
As such, some families don't learn of the event until
they arrive.
Click here for Orlando Gay Days dates, locations and
events.
Open alcohol containers at Disney's Epcot:
Some families may be surprised to see visitors walking
around Disney's Epcot with booze. Disney sells
alcohol at this park.
In the fall Epcot features a Wine and Food festival. It sells alcohol
and ethnic food from small stands on the walkway around
World Showcase. During my visit to the Wine and
Food festival we saw a considerable amount of conspicuous
alcohol consumption and inebriated behavior.
Little Known--Disney Pin Trading: Most
Disney employees wear a sash displaying Disney pins.
The employees are required to trade any pin with visitors.
To my surprise, my kids really enjoyed pin trading at the Disney parks.
It allowed them to interact with Disney employees and
learn to place different value on differing pins.
When it was all over they had a great keepsake.
A good way to start is at the hometown Disney Store. Buy a set that
includes a sash and several pins. You can then
start trading as soon as you arrive at the parks.
Click here for more on Disney pin trading.
Character Autograph Tip: Young kids enjoy
meeting the various costumed characters. Here's
a nice way to remember the experience:
Bring index cards and a Sharpie pen. Have each character sign an individual
card and pose with your child for a picture.
Once you have the film developed, place the photo and autograph card next
to each other in a small photo album.
Slow Times Of The Year: Once there were
predictably slow times of the year for Orlando theme
parks. The parks have now become good at offering
large-scale special events at these times. If
you are planning your trip for a "slow" time in the
hopes of avoiding long lines, check with the parks.
They may have scheduled events (marathons, concerts,
food festivals, golf tournaments, etc.) that will attract
large crowds.
The first two weeks of December are traditionally Orlando's slowest.
The last week of December is typically Orlando's busiest.
*****************************************
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Here is one way to hit all of Orlando’s major attractions
in a week.
Saturday—Travel day. Upon arrival, swim at
the hotel pool, organize all of your clothes and make
a trip to the closest Publix/Winn-Dixie to buy a week’s
worth of food, drinks and snacks. Review your
plans for the next day and for the week. Get everyone
to bed early.
Sunday—Leisurely full day at Sea World. Get
home early.
Monday—All day at Disney MGM Studios (end the evening
with Fantasmic)
OR
Early morning through mid-day: Universal Studios
plus
Nap & Mid-afternoon through late-night Disney
at MGM Studios (with Fantasmic)
Tuesday—Leisurely day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Get home early.
Wednesday—Full day at Disney Blizzard Beach Water
Park. Play, relax and don’t keep to a schedule.
Be sure to try the huge monster slide… just so you can
tell everyone you’ve been on the world’s greatest water
slide. If you don’t like water parks, try a day
at Busch Gardens Tampa, Cypress Gardens, the hotel pool
or the beach.
Thursday—Full day at Universal Islands Of Adventure
Friday—Full day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, including
nighttime fireworks
Saturday—Leisurely full day at Disney’s EPCOT.
Future World in the morning. Take a nap in the
afternoon. Return to explore the World Showcase.
Plan for a nice last dinner somewhere in the World Showcase.
End the final night with the Illuminations fireworks
display.
Sunday—Return travel day
***********************
FLORIDA RESIDENT DISCOUNTS
The parks occasionally offer discounts to Florida residents. Of course
they require proof of residency (such as a Florida driver’s
license or a utility bill.) Offers aren’t always
available. Special offers vary by season and general
park attendance. The discounts are offered when
times are slow (most of the offers seem to be available
in the winter and spring.)
The best Florida resident discounts are offered through
AAA-the American Automobile Association. In
January and February Florida residents can buy a year
pass for the price of a one-day ticket. Busch
Gardens & Sea World will make this offer to the general
public. Universal Studios/Islands Of Adventure
may make this offer available only through AAA.
This offer isn’t repeated at any other time of year.
Disney has not made this offer. Throughout the
year AAA also sells regular theme park and water park
tickets at a slight discount.
Disney offers Florida residents a few options. First is an annual pass.
This is best if you go a lot of expect friends/family
to visit during the summer, Christmas or spring break.
The second option is an “off peak” annual pass, which
is generally only valid in the months when school is
in session. The “off peak” pass makes it tough
to join out-of-state friends when they come down for
summer vacation. The last option is a “Play 4”
pass which allows you to visit for four non-consecutive
days. The Offers such as “Play 4” are only offered
occasionally.
For our family of four, a discounted pass to Busch Gardens, Sea World, Universal
Studios or Islands Of Adventure would cost about $240.
An “off peak” Disney pass would run about $800 and our
regular annual pass cost about $1200. “Play
4” type promotions cost about $100.
As tempting as it might be, non-Florida residents shouldn’t try to cheat
the system. Disney uses electronic fingerprint
technology at their gates. Universal and Busch
provide photo-ID type passes.
Generally Florida resident discount passes do not allow admission to the
parks during special theme nights at Halloween or Christmas.
Are you thnking of moving to Florida?
Click here for my advice and tips for those considering
relocating here.
ORLANDO LINKS
Disney-MGM
Studios Virtual Tour
Unoffical Theme Park Guide
Unoffical Disney Online Guide
All Ears Net--Disney Information
Unoffical Guide To Universal Orlando
Walt Disney World Official Site
Universal Studios Orlando Official Site
Sea World Orlando Official Site
Cypress Gardens Official Site
Busch Gardens Tampa Official Site
FINAL THOUGHT: The "theme" park was invented
by Walt Disney. His idea for Disneyland came after
a simple father/daughter outing. He wanted to
create a place that adults and kids could enjoy together.
While Orlando may represent the state of the art in theme parks, it hasn't
been our family's best overall amusement park experience.
Our best "family together" experiences actually came at a regional amusement
park near where we used to live.
Having a season pass to a nearby park allows you to visit frequently and
for just a few hours at a time. You can go on
rainy days when the weather has chased the crowds away.
Short lines mean you can ride again and again.
You can wander without an itinerary. The kids
can go where they what when they want. Who cares
how the time is spent so long as you're having fun?
Isn't it strange? In some ways the local amusement park may be closer
Walt's original vision than current day Orlando.
If you come to Orlando your and family enjoys theme parks together, don't
forget about that nearby hometown amusement park.
A season pass there may allow for some affordable and
relaxed family experiences that you simply can't get
in Orlando.
