OrlandoVacationHotels.com

Car rentals are different in Orlando–rates are much higher, insurance requirements are more convoluted and parking and gas prices are expensive. Whether or not you need a rental car depends largely on where you want to go and how much you want to spend.

Get a rental car if:
You plan on visiting a lot of different Orlando destinations. If you want to go to a Disney theme park in the morning, then go off-site to miniature golf in the afternoon, then head to the outlets to shop, then a rental car is the fastest and easiest way to get around the city.
You choose a private luxury home or condo. One of the nicest perks of renting an executive or luxury home is private, free parking. Since you can park right at your door you won’t have any difficulty locating a parking spot, and you won’t have to trek a mile with a grumpy toddler when you get home each evening.

Skip the rental car if:
You are staying on Disney property, and plan to go to mostly Disney owned properties. Disney has an excellent transportation system, and while a rental car may be a convenience, it is not a necessity. Skip the car and take the monorail, bus or boat instead.

You are staying in a large resort and plan on heading to major destinations. Most hotels offer shuttles to the major theme parks and water parks. You can get a ride–free–to Disney, Universal, Sea World and more if you stay in one of Orlando’s big resorts.

After your resort or condo, dining is the biggest part of an Orlando vacation budget. If you can trim your dining costs, you can significantly cut the cost of your entire vacation. There are a few things you can do to cut your dining costs without sacrificing any of the fun of your vacation.

Have one meal in your room: You can cut your budget by quite a bit by simply dining once a day in your room. For many families, the easiest meal of the day for this is breakfast—you can stock some pastries, cereals and more and grab a quick bite before you go. Having breakfast in your room also allows you to get a jumpstart on your day—a traditional table service meal will take you much longer and generally make you miss the park opening. Look for a room with a refrigerator—or get a home or condo with a full kitchen to make this option even easier.
Have lunch instead of dinner: Many of the theme park restaurants offer the same menu at lunch and dinner, so booking a lunch can yield you the same great meal at a significantly reduced price. Some Disney restaurants, like Le Cellier at Epcot may be easier to reserve at lunch; dinner reservations are notoriously difficult to come by.
Pack snacks to go: If you drive to Orlando, pack some snacks from your local grocery store. The pre-portioned snacks made for school lunches are perfect for keeping in your room and cutting your costs. While you can’t bring a lot of food or entire meals into the theme parks, you can enjoy snacks on the monorail or transportation, and can bring small, single items for kids or toddlers along with you.

Why do you need to know about construction and refurbishments in the Orlando theme parks? To improve your vacation experience and avoid disappointment.

Knowing which attractions are closed or experiencing delays will help you plan your trip—if you go to Epcot simply because you can’t miss Test Track, you’ll be disappointed to find it closed this summer. On the other hand, you could miss out entirely on the new Turtle Trek at Sea World if you don’t realize it has finally opened this week. Save yourself some time and worry by checking the list below for the latest construction and refurbishment news.
Disney World
Jan. 8-April 27, 2012: Tutto Italia Ristorante at Epcot
Jan. 9-May 27, 2012: Big Thunder Mountain at the Magic Kingdom
April 16-May 20, 2012: Liberty Square Riverboat at the Magic Kingdom
April 16-Nov. 1, 2012: Test Track at Epcot
April 29-May 2, 2012: Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
June 27-28, 2012: Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom
July 9-Aug. 4, 2012: Cape May Café at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts
Universal Orlando:
Despicable Me/Minion Mayhem new attraction under construction, ongoing
Wet n’Wild:
New Kid zone under construction ,ongoing with summer opening
Sea World:
Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin is under construction, opening 2013
Turtle Trek construction is complete, opening today

The largest decision you’ll make about your Orlando vacation is choosing where to stay. With thousands of hotel and resort rooms and vacation homes of all shapes and sizes, picking the right place to stay can be overwhelming. By deciding between renting an Orlando vacation hotel or home you can at least narrow the choices down a bit. Each type of rental has both pros and cons; make an informed decision based on the features that are most important to you, including:

• Privacy: If having a quiet place to retire to at the end of each day is important to you, a luxury rental home may be a nice choice. You won’t have to worry about fighting for a parking place, looking for a pool-side chair or hearing crowds thundering down the hallway at 2am.
• Convenience: If access to the Disney or Universal theme parks is important to you, then an onsite hotel or resort is a great idea; you’ll be a very short walk or ride away from the theme park gates when you stay at an onsite hotel. You’ll also get a lot more space in a rental home; making it a convenient choice for larger families.
• Flexibility: If you want to visit a variety of places during your vacation, from Sea World to Disney World without being tied down to one theme park area, a centrally located home is a good option.
• Perks: If bonus features like Front of the Line access (Universal Orlando) and Extra Magic Hours (Disney World) are important to you, choose an on-site resort. Each location has specific perks that are only offered to resort guests.
• Kitchen Access: Whether you prefer a full kitchen to save money, or you have family members with special dietary needs, renting a luxury house with a full equipped kitchen will help you vacation without worrying about your dining and dietary needs. If you simply want to be able to refridgerate and re-heat items,  many Orlando vacation hotels offer these basic options at the point of reservation.

Choosing between a hotel or home for your next Orlando vacation is largely a matter of personal preference; if you have always stayed in one type of accommodation, it may be time to take a fresh look at the other.

Florida’s latest theme park offering, LEGOLAND, is just a short drive from your Orlando vacation home or hotel. Adding an extra day to your vacation will give you plenty of time to tour LEGOLAND, and you won’t have to worry about finding a second hotel location.

Allow a full day to explore LEGOLAND, which offers rides, building stations, exhibits and more. You can spend the entire day just marvelling at the LEGO creations, but save time for the rides as well.
You do not have to be a LEGO maniac to enjoy the park, but if you do enjoy LEGOs, you will be thrilled with the park.
LEGOLAND offers rides and attractions that can be enjoyed by all members of the family. In some cases “little kid” rides are right next to “big kid” rides, so everyone can have a chance to ride.
If you have been battling the long lines and crowds at the Disney or Universal parks, then LEGOLAND may be a nice break. While the park is gaining in popularity, you can still ride, see and do just about everything without waiting in long lines.
Visiting LEGOLAND as an extension of your Orlando vacation allows you to enjoy all the park offers without hauling all of your luggage and other items to a remote hotel. Expect about an hour drive, depending on where your Orlando hotel is located and how much traffic you experience, and plan on spending the day exploring LEGOLAND.