OrlandoVacationHotels.com

With all the vacation options available to travelers and the ongoing economic climate, a common question people ask themselves is whether or not Orlando is the best place to travel or if they should forgo a trip altogether. While this is of course only a question that only each individual can answer personally, there are a few excellent ideas to keep in mind for those who are considering a vacation near Disney World.

Staying at Walt Disney World is expensive but visiting Orlando at a nearby hotel or vacation home is much less than most people realize. There are certainly conveniences to staying inside the park, but those come at a lofty price. Many times it is nearly as convenient and much cheaper to stay outside of the theme park at one of the nearby hotels.

Determining the right time to travel can also play a factor. Now might be the perfect time to travel to the Artic or take a trip to someplace that is typically much cooler in the winter months. However, the consistently sunny weather in Orlando is a nice treat any time of the year. An added benefit to visiting Disney now is that travelers are able to see it for all its glory. Vacationers can see how magical the area and theme park truly are when it is fully alive with tourists from across the globe.

The fact of the matter is that these views are slightly biased. Our home is Orlando, FL and we love the place. Therefore it become hard for us to come up with many reasons why now is not an ideal time to visit. That said money always plays a role, we do our best to offer cheap hotels, but the total trip can still become costly. However, those who are looking to treat their family to an excursion of a lifetime will certainly enjoy where we live. Orlando is an exciting place and I doubt anyone would say otherwise.

Choosing the right hotel to stay at when visiting Orlando Florida is a tough job for any traveler. Whether visiting for business or pleasure you always want a place that meets your needs, after all, this will be your home away from home.

Many hotels will provide a free continental breakfast, which is wonderful way to cut back on expenses. Depending on the establishment a continental breakfast can range anywhere between basic coffee and donuts to a wonderful spread of muffins, juices, pastries, cereals, waffles and all the fixings to make a breakfast sandwich (egg and bacon). Oftentimes, it is worth checking with the hotel to find out what the continental breakfast entails. It’s always smart to find out which restaurants are nearby. This will help tremendously if you did not rent a car and don’t have the means to drive around. Knowing what restaurants to choose from within walking distance of your hotel will also help in deciding if you want to stay there.

Health conscious individual will find many Orlando hotels provide an excellent fitness room. This is the perfect way to grab some exercise in a city you might be unfamiliar with. Depending on your exercise routine, it is ideal to find out what type of fitness equipment is provided. Some vacation hotels even have large screen TVs that help entertain guests while working out. Another question to find the answer to is how many indoor and outdoor pools a hotel has; this way a rainy day won’t ruin plans to spend some time at the pool.

If you are visiting for business, internet access is essential. Find out if the hotel has internet access in the room or a centralized location. You may also want to find out what rates the hotel offers on dry cleaning and pressing. Most hotels will have an iron and ironing board in the room, but the hassle of is another inconvenience you may want to do without.

It can be intimidating to drive in Orlando FL; checking the surrounding area by your hotel is a smart idea. This will let you know what shopping, restaurants and entertainments are close by. All the things a hotel provides can be found under the list of amenities on Orlando Vacation Hotels and the internet provides a wealth of information for finding out information on a destination. The bottom line is to always do your research on a hotel before traveling to Orlando. This will help ensure that your business or vacation trip is enjoyable.

When most people think of Orlando Florida they immediately think of a place that is exclusively for kids. The wonderful theme park of Disney World immediately burst into a person’s mind. You think of endless kids’ activities and a million ways a child can be entertained.  Seldom does an adult think about what Orlando Florida has to offer grown ups.

Epcot is a great park that gives adults a wide variety of activities that isn’t completely geared towards children. For those with a penchant for travel, you can stroll through Epcot’s World Showcase which is the equivalent to traveling through different countries. In each country you can eat authentic food and experience traditional customs and shopping. Many of the countries have a relaxing and enjoyable ride showing a brief history of the country. You can blast off into space, hang glide through the United States or explore the depths of the ocean on a variety of interactive rides that are both entertaining and educational.

If you’re a sports enthusiast, be sure to visit Disney’s Wide World of Sports, where you can experience your favorite sports like the pros do. This complex hosts many amateur and professional sporting events. Play baseball on a baseball field similar to the ones the professional baseball players train on. Enjoy soccer, basketball, football and many other sports events.

For waterfront nostalgia visit Disney’s Boardwalk which is modeled after a 1930s Atlantic coastal village. Here you can enjoy great dining, shopping and entertainment in a quaint and relaxing atmosphere.

In the evening you can put on your party shoes and visit Pleasure Island where you can dance the night away. In between dancing, you can catch some laughs at The Comedy Warehouse and then eat a late night meal at the Wolfgang Puck Café.

For a more low key night catch the La Nouba Cirque du Soleil show in Downtown Disney and be ready to be amazed. Or perhaps chilling with a beer at the House of Blues before catching a movie in the AMC 24 theatre movie complex is more your speed.

In any case, Orlando Florida has much to offer kids of all ages. Adults will find an ample amount of places to visit and activities to do that are fun and enjoyable. Couples can be entertained a million ways and will have a vacation of lifetime.

It is impossible to take a vacation without shopping and Orlando provides a wide range of shopping experiences. What better way to remember a vacation than to bring home some type of memorabilia? So whether you are an avid shopper or just happen to be along for the ride, shopping is a part of almost everybody’s Disney vacation.

As with any kind of shopping, whether on a Disney Vacation or elsewhere, you want to be smart and not end up paying out the nose for a piece of memorabilia that is so poorly crafted that it might not make the trip back home. The last thing most people want is buyers’ remorse. While it is nice to say an item came directly from Disney, buying an over priced souvenir just because it is in a theme park is not always the smartest idea.

Orlando is a shopper’s oasis, with an abundant variety of shops. Why buy a $50.00 Mickey Mouse doll inside Disney World when you can easily find a similar doll in a store outside of the theme park for half the price. Key chains, sweatshirts, coffee mugs and more, depicting your favorite Disney character, can be found in the many shops outside of the theme park, again often for half the price. There are more Disney shops outside the theme parks than there are inside. For the serious shoppers, looking for brand name retails stores, Orlando Florida provides several outlet malls. Should a few toiletry items be forgotten, there are numerous drug stores to choose from. There are even one stop shopping stores such as Wal Mart and Target, so you can gather everything, from sunscreen and snacks to munch on in one trip to a store. Shopping in Orlando is an enjoyable way to take a break from the theme parks and a great way to find that perfect souvenir to remember your vacation forever.

When taking an Orlando Vacation and in particular when visiting the Disney theme parks there are an enormous number of activities. It is hard to decide what to do, when there is so much fun available. Therefore I put together a few suggested events and attractions to check out when visiting the Disney theme parks.

1. The Light Show at The Magic Kingdom

This occurs towards the end of the evening and is a must for people of all ages. It is a spectacular presentation that takes place in the sky above the castle and along Main Street. There are a few garden areas located just to the right side of the castle;s front. I recommend viewing the show from one of these locations to potentially avoid at least a portion of the crowds and end up with a nice view.

2. Tom Sawyer’s Island within Animal Kingdom.

This is nice interactive experience where families can let their children roam, while the parents casually walk the paths along the island. While many people might not put this on a list of top attractions, the many alcoves and hidden adventures within the island, make it a must see in my book. As with the other Disney theme parks, the Animal Kingdom is not far from the many Orlando vacation hotels featured on our primary website.

3. The Safari Ride at the Animal Kingdom

This is another must see for those who decide to visit the Disney theme park. It is well known as one of the top excursions and I could not agree more. A bit of advice is to take this ride in the morning or closer to dusk, as you are likely to see a larger number of animals during this time.

4. Mexico at Epcot

Mexico is one of the world showcases that I found to be a nice treat. This area contains reasonably priced food compared to many of the other countries pavilions. One fairly well hidden and enjoyable ride is an indoor ride that takes you along a journey where there are always beautiful sunsets regardless of time of day outside

5. Downtown Disney

Yes, it some might say it is only a shopping center with a Disney theme. However, this is actually one of the best and most affordable places managed by Disney. There are multiple shops that are excellent places to find gifts without as many of the lines located in the theme parks. Admission is free so visitors only pay for what they decide to buy. There is also a nice selection of restaurants to pick amongst during a shopping break.

This is of course only a handful of the places I suggest visiting on an Orlando vacation. Still, if I could only pick a few places to go at Disney these destinations make the list without question. Please feel free to add your favorite places in the comments below.