What do you need to book
The basics are :
- A flight to get to Orlando (either into Orlando International or Sanford Airport.
- A car to get you round and about (and from the airport to your accommodation).
- Some accommodation.
- Travel insurance with cover for the USA (usually called Worldwide cover)
Then add...
- Some spending money.
- Attraction tickets.
Do I need a car?
It is possible to get by without a car if you stop at a Disney hotel as they do have buses that will take you round
the parks, but you are locking yourself into the parks, and park prices.
Driving in Orlando is not difficult and we would always rent a car. You can then choose where you want to eat,
shop etc. If you are worried about directions, look into adding a satellite navigation system to your hire
car, most rental companies have these as options.
Driving in general
A few driving tips for Orlando..
- You drive on the right.
- All the hire cars are automatic, so you don't have to worry about working a gear shift being on the wrong side
of the car.
- You can turn right on a red light if it is clear to do so, but you must stop first.
- It is illegal to have open alcohol containers in the car, so don't let your passengers drink while you drive.
- There are very few roundabouts, instead there are '4 way stops'. At these, the first car to arrive
goes first, everyone takes their turn.
Accommodation
We would always stay in a quality villa instead of a hotel, and have written a separate page to list the
reasons here. Click here for that page.
A villa just gives you more freedom, while a villa on a resort location adds the facilities you would get at a
hotel. At a villa you can get up, still in your pj's and have breakfast round the pool in perfect
privacy, your kids will be happy to leave the parks knowing they have a pool and games room at home, and you
can save a fortune.
But, don't just take our word for it, check out any forum for villa vs. hotels and you will see once you
have stayed in a villa once you will not want to go back to a hotel!
Flights
Flights to Orlando are usually very easy to find, there are dozens of planes a day from the UK alone,
Westjet now fly from Canada, and if you are lucky enough to be in the States already, Expedia should be able
to get you a good price on a flight.
There are two major airports, Orlando International Airport which is about 30 minutes from most villas,
and Sanford Airport which is about an hour away (you usually drive past the international airport on the way!).
Most major carriers fly into the international airport, whereas charters usually go into Sanford.
Which is better? Well, each has its own pros and cons. The
international airport is nearer, but it is also bigger, you have a
little train to go on between getting off the plane and getting your bags and it
takes longer to drive out of and into when you return. Sanford is much smaller, so you can usually get
through the airport quickly, but its an extra 30 minutes away. Both airports make a good choice, they
are both near Orlando which is where you want to be!
Insurance
Hopefully you won't need it, but you do need to have it. Medical expenses in the States can be expensive,
so make sure you have a good worldwide travel insurance policy.
How much spending money?
If you have pre-paid for your attraction tickets, or allowed for them then simply look at what you would
normally spend on holiday anywhere else.
The USA is generally cheaper than the UK, Spain or other European counties, and on a similar level with Canada,
so its not a bad assumption to work on.
Apart from attraction tickets, your main costs are going to be food, and souvenirs.
Try to eat your main meals out of the parks, as this saves money which can be better used elsewhere, and
if you have a villa, go shopping for food at Walmart or Target.
Shopping can be a lot of fun in itself as there are lots of different things available, but everything is still
in English and you will save a lot of money you can use elsewhere.
At our villa you can also have a pool side summer grill, something a lot of villas cannot allow this as traditional
barbeques need to be used outside the bug screen. We specified a built in $7500 summer grill,
so you can cook your burgers by the pool in style without getting bitten! Try that at a hotel and see what the
management say!
If you like eating out, Orlando is cheap. There are lots and lots of restaurants all competing for your
business and you can eat in a different one every night!
Attraction Tickets
The chances are, if you are going to Orlando, you are going to go in at least one park!
If you are looking at just Disney, then weigh up the advantages of their hopper tickets carefully,
sometimes they can only save you $5 a day, but you are forced to keep using their parks, where you might
prefer to do 2 Disney parks, Seaworld and Universal instead.
If you are away for 2 weeks, there are usually some good deals on Seaworld / Busch Gardens combination tickets,
and these are worth trying.
If you are planning to eat at any of the themed restaurants, like Medieval Times and especially Arabian Nights,
these can be heavily discounted if you buy them before you go.
Finally, be careful when you are in Orlando as many restaurants have 'ticket desks' offering very cheap
tickets. Usually these are very cheap for a reason, you have to attend a timeshare presentation. We
recommend you stay clear and use your time on holiday to enjoy your holiday instead of trying to get a last minute deal
on tickets.
