You’ve decided to head to the fun-filled capital of magic and entertainment, good choice! I am of course talking about Orlando, Florida’s very own home to Mickey and Minnie Mouse, as well as all manner of theme parks, attractions, and beautiful natural sights. You might not realise the sheer scale of the place, because believe me, it is BIG!
Because of this, you need to put a little thought into which part of Orlando you want to base yourself, in correlation to where you’re planning on visiting during your stay.
It will be a tiring holiday, but it will also probably be one of the best you’ve ever been on, if you plan it all out correctly. A badly planned Orlando holiday can be stressful and far too tiring for even the fittest of people to contend with, but if you get your basics in place, it can run very smoothly indeed. It’s all about doing the groundwork at the time of booking, and if you can save money too, then you’re laughing all the way to the USA.
Grabbing a bargain on your holiday is the best start financially, because nobody can claim that a holiday to Orlando will be cheap on what you spend whilst you’re there. There are many cheap flights to Orlando if you take the time to look, and if you’re flexible with your travel dates. It’s all a case of searching and possibly going indirect if you can find a flight that won’t add too much time onto your travel day. Once your flight is booked, your accommodation is decided on, and you’re ready to think about what you want to do whilst you’re there, don’t forget one vital piece of planning – how are you going to get to the airport?
Now, this is something that many people overlook at first, but I always drive myself to the terminal door and park up. This is something you can do at any large UK airport, so see what you can find at your departure terminal. I regularly book Gatwick parking with HolidayExtras.co.uk, and I find I save money and I save time, which certainly starts my holiday in the best possible way.
Now it’s time to plan!
If you’re wanting to spend most of your time in Disney World then you might be better off looking at staying within the Lake Buena Vista area, or Kissimmee. You’ll find cheaper accommodation on International Drive, but it all depends on which part of I Drive you are based on, and whether you are planning on hiring a car or not. There is transport to the parks, and a lot of hotels offer free shuttles, but they can take a lot of time to get there, because of the number of people using them, and also because of traffic. Staying at the bottom end of I Drive is perfect for those wanting to spend most of their holiday in Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Aquatica, however this is going to add travel time on if you want to be in Disney.
The best advice is to think before you book your accommodation, because saving money on a hotel is all very well and good, but if you are spending most of your day driving back and forth, it’s false economy.