Making the Most of Your Spring Break

Spring Break in Orlando might not be as wild and crazy as parties on the beaches, but it’s still a busy time. Big crowds mean peak season rates, but there are still opportunities to do Spring Break in Orlando on a budget. Here are three strategies to help you save money and have a great time.

“Many people who book a Walt Disney World vacation don’t look beyond the hotels right on Disney property. Sure, they’re convenient in many ways, but that comes at an often steep price, especially during Spring Break. Instead of breaking the budget with your lodging, opt for an off-site hotel that has comfy amenities and a much lower price tag.

Disney Resorts

The Walt Disney World resort is huge, with hotel clusters in all the surrounding areas. You won’t notice them if you never leave the resort, but many are literally within a minute or two of Disney property. The on-site hotels offer complimentary transportation to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but so do most of the off-site properties. Many also shuttle you to Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld Orlando, and even to area outlet malls. The off-site hotels cater to budget-conscious families with amenities like kitchenettes or even full kitchens, suites, multiple swimming pools, and game rooms. Some even serve up free breakfast for extra savings.

Renting A Vacation Home

If you need more room because you’re traveling with a large Spring Break posse, you can rent a vacation pool home and have enough space for everyone in your group to spread out. When you break the cost down to a per-person rate, it’s a major bargain for a fully furnished multi-bedroom home with a private pool.

Spend more days at the theme parks

Yes, it sounds counterproductive to say that buying more days on your Walt Disney World ticket is a better bargain, but it really does work out that way. The longer your ticket length, the less you pay per day. Walt Disney World has four separate theme parks: the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You’ll be fighting the crowds during Spring Break at all of them as lines swell with your fellow tourists. The more days you’re able to visit the parks, the more you’ll get done. The multi-day strategy works out even better if you get a Park Hopper ticket, which lets you move freely between all four Disney parks each day. Otherwise, you must pay for separate admission to each park.

Imagine paying for just three days but getting to visit the parks for six. That’s the deal if you book a package with a participating hotel or vacation home through OrlandoVacation.com. The site has discounted rates, and three free days on your Park Hopper ticket for Walt Disney World sweetens the deal.

Focus your efforts

You might be tempted to fit as much as possible into your Spring Break trip, including Universal Orlando Resort, Islands of Adventure, and SeaWorld Orlando. The temptation increases when you’re staying at an off-site hotel because many are so convenient to all the Orlando attractions.
Unfortunately, if you spread yourself too thin, you’ll only get a little sampling of each park and pay more because you’ll need separate tickets. The lines will belong with the Spring Break crowds, limiting what you can get done in one day and keeping you from getting your money’s worth. It’s better to focus on certain parks and spend enough time seeing everything they have to offer.

It makes sense to stick to Walt Disney World if you stay at one of the participating OrlandoVacation.com hotels or vacation pool homes and get three free days on your Park Hopper pass, for a total of six. With four Disney parks, you’ll have ample time to hit all the highlights and maybe even repeat a few favorites, while enjoying a great ticket bargain.