Booking an Orlando Vacation

I agree with the argument that booking an Orlando vacation is easier than ever before thanks to the internet and all the choices of available. That stated the flip side of the coin is an issue many people face – With all the choices available how can one determine who to book an Orlando vacation with?

Many people rely solely on price and look for the least expensive trip possible. I certainly agree that is important to spend money wisely, buy keep in mind the old maxim that you end up with what you pay for. While there are certainly hidden gems and bargains available this rule of thumb generally holds true.

Avoiding a travel agent is likely a smart idea. Travel agents can certainly offer valuable advice when visiting a foreign country or taking a vacation to a less populated area than Orlando. However, for the most part most part a person can book an Orlando vacation without the adding expense of using a travel agent.
Booking direct is not always the least expensive way to go. Oftentimes reserving a home or hotel combined with park tickets can save your family a bundle. Booking directly through a hotels website is not always the best way to save.

My recommendation is admittedly biased, but I find that purchasing an Orlando vacation package through an online booking engine such as our often ends up as the best way to go. Unlike Expedia, Orbitz, or the other major booking engine our reservationists actually work right here in Orlando. Through us you end up with a low price plus free guidance from people who live here rather than suggestions from someone who is in a call center on the other side of the country.

Eating Well on an Orlando Vacation

One of the more commonly overlooked expenses when taking an Orlando vacation are the food costs upon reaching your travel destination. It is easy to spend as much on food per person as each plane ticket. However, it is important to have fun and enjoy all the incredible food the area offers without constantly looking at your wallet. Keeping this in mind a little planning can go a long way.

One excellent tip is to pick one or two days to eat inside the theme parks and eat nearby them on the other days. There are hundreds, if not more, places to eat at on your Orlando vacation but not within the parks. Since this is a vacation many people do not like to plan everything down to the exact places they intend to eat. Therefore don’t! There are numerous places to find restaurant reviews but one tip of advice is to go where it is crowded.

More than likely the crowded restaurants have excellent food at a reasonable price otherwise they would end up as one of those places with an empty parking lot and a couple of guests who did not want to wait 30 minutes at a busier restaurant. Typically, the 30 minute time frame one might have to wait is well worth it. As a word of caution while on your Orlando vacation it is also sometimes smart to stay away from the larger name brand restaurants such as Planet Hollywood. While this place is crowded and looks amazing the food is not spectacular and it is rather pricey for the quality. However, the iconic restaurant definitely has ambience, which is why you will see no shortage of families waiting for a table.

Do not Over Plan!

It is easy to map out your entire Orlando vacation before you ever take a step off the plane. While it is certainly smart to keep in mind a few main attractions you do not want to miss, we also discovered that most guests end up enjoying themselves more if they do not build a complete itinerary, but rather pick a few of the places they definitely want to visit.

There is no telling how long different rides or events can take while on your Orlando vacation. It is easy to plan on doing more than is ever possible within the time of your visit. That is why one recommendation is to make a list of the main attractions you and your family wishes to visit. Then perhaps make a secondary list. Creating an outline rather than an itinerary will allow for a more relaxing vacation without the pressure of having to do everything.

Orlando Vacation does suggest talking to your friends and browsing the internet in advance of your stay. Find out which attractions individuals enjoyed the most and which people found overrated. Use these tidbits of information when building your lists. Before you know it, there will be a larger list of activities than ever expected. This is your chance to be selective and cross out a few ones that are not “must sees” or add them to your secondary list. The most important piece of information to remember is to make certain that upon arriving that you enjoy your Orlando vacation!