- Photos last a lifetime and in today s world most families own a digital camera. Definitely bring i

Moms and Dads, listen up! Traveling vacation rentals hawaii with a family can be difficult sticking to a budget and navigating an unfamiliar city are just some of the trials you face. Don t get discouraged when planning your Orlando vacation though. While our beautiful city might seem a little overwhelming vacation rentals hawaii with all the theme parks and various things to do, you ll be glad you came. We are the happiest place on earth, after all! As a local, I ve lived in Orlando my entire life and know the city s ins and outs. I compiled a list of things vacation rentals hawaii to try that will help visiting families save time and money.
vacation rentals hawaii Getting around is one of Orlando s major problem areas. We lack the efficient vacation rentals hawaii public vacation rentals hawaii transportation vacation rentals hawaii most metropolitan cities boast, which makes it difficult on our visitors. There are solutions that won t break the bank though.
- Budget for renting a car. This is my number one recommendation. Orlando is a driving city and attractions are spread out, but don t miss must-see things due to transportation. There are literally tons of car rental locations, including vacation rentals hawaii the airport. All the car rental companies at the Orlando International Airport combined make up the world s largest car rental operation. Many hotels also have rental facilities on premises. If you re traveling with a family of 4 or more, opt for the larger sedan or sport utility vehicle instead of the economy car. Your family will have more room to move around and be comfortable, making the couple of extra dollars a day well worth it. Who knows, you may get a rental employee who is willing to give you a free upgrade as well.
- Parking vacation rentals hawaii is normally free, with the few exceptions being the theme parks (where parking can run $14 per park), some hotels, and places like the Orange County Convention Center. Check with your destinations to make sure they offer free parking. An insider tip: there is a way around the high prices of parking at Walt Disney World. Parking at Downtown Disney is free of charge. There is a Disney bus terminal that can take you to the various resorts and from there you can take a transfer bus (or monorail if it comes through your chosen location) to one of the parks. Seems like a bit of a hassle and sometimes it is, but the Disney bus system vacation rentals hawaii is very efficient and timely. You ll more than likely get to your desired destination in under a half hour, which isn t bad when that $14 could pay for a souvenir or someone s meal. Keep in mind Disney is the only theme park that offers this. Both SeaWorld and Universal vacation rentals hawaii charge for parking upon entering the park premises.
-While Orlando doesn t have a subway or metro system, we do have the Lynx bus system. It goes everywhere from Downtown Disney to Downtown Orlando. If you re completely against renting vacation rentals hawaii a car or it just isn t in your budget, this is probably your best bet for navigating Orlando. The bus isn t anything special and its draw back include having to wait unspecified amounts of time for the bus link you need to come around. You may also need to switch buses to get to your destination. The price is right on the bus though passes are fairly cheap.
- Taxis are also an option, but since Orlando is a large city, the ride could end up costing you. Your drive time would definitely be shorter than if you chose to take the Lynx bus, though you normally have to call a taxi service to pick you up. The only places where taxis are lined up waiting for riders here is at the airport.
- Last, for families staying on International Drive or just spending vacation rentals hawaii the day on the famous street, the iRide Trolley is at your service. Like Lynx, the passes are inexpensive and the trolley has stops all up and down I-Drive. Stops include Orlando Premium Outlets, vacation rentals hawaii SeaWorld, Aquatica, Orange County Convention Center, Pointe Orlando, Wet n Wild, Orlando Prime Outlets, Festival Bay Mall, and more.
Sticking to a budget and still being able to purchase items from your vacation can be tough. The kids want toys, you want memorabilia or clothing, and someone needs to bring grandma and grandpa vacation rentals hawaii home a keepsake as well. Seems impossible, vacation rentals hawaii but with a few tips, it s definitely d0able.
- Get the kids autograph books. vacation rentals hawaii They re fairly inexpensive and they ll get filled up with character signatures, something the kids can revisit and remember their vacation over and over again. Plus, they ll have fun meeting their favorite characters and getting their picture taken with them.
- Photos last a lifetime vacation rentals hawaii and in today s world most families own a digital camera. Definitely vacation rentals hawaii bring it and use it to capture candid moments (such as the first time your children see Mickey Mouse in person!) and family vacation rentals hawaii photos. You ll be able to print them inexpensively and frame them for everlasting memories.
- Look for sales! Sales at a theme park? You betcha. Just like any retail store, theme park merchandise stores have to get rid of their overstock somehow. Granted, the sale items are few and far between, but sometimes you can find good items for great prices. Be sure to check the backs of stores or corners rarely visited, where most stores keep sale items. Marked-down merchandise can also be right in front of you check the price tags or labels of various items and you may find a sale price hidden amongst full-priced merchandise. I myself once found a picture frame at SeaWorld s Wild Arctic gift shop steeply discounted and displayed amongst other non-sale frames.
- Check out the World of Disney located in Downtown Disney. This is the largest Disney retailer on all of Disney property and trust me when I say they have just about everything you could wish for. The store is so large it s broken down into departments. It can be a bit overwhelming due to the sheer amount of items offered, but take your time and you ll be sure to find what you re looking for. Look for discounts here, too. I ve seen sale sections in the jewelry vacation rentals hawaii department vacation rentals hawaii featured on their turnstile displays several times.
- Visit the area outlet malls as well. Each mall has at least one character store where you ll find discounted merchandise. When the theme park stores can t sell items in their stores or the items are last season s styles, vacation rentals hawaii they get sent to the outlet mall stores. These stores mostly feature Disney items, but some are for all theme parks. Try looking into the Toys R Us outlets vacation rentals hawaii also. You might be able to find novelty items here that are centered around favorite characters for less.
- While the fall and winter seasons are quieter, Christmas through New Years will be fairly busy. Each park features special holiday events that peak in attendance between the two holidays. The holiday events begin as early as November, vacation rentals hawaii so visit them then to avoid the heavy crowds.
- Dine outside the parks to save more money. Most theme park meals are overpriced vacation rentals hawaii and, lets face it, not the best food around unless you re dining at a specialty restaurant (such as Rainforest Cafe). Walt Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld are all surrounded by numerous restaurants, so take advantage! You ll get more food and better tastes for your money there than at a park eatery. My one exception to this rule is Epcot, where you can t really go wrong with dining in the World Showcase. I ve been to several of their country-specific restaurants and have never been disappointed. They re costly, but you ll enjoy the food and experience for sure.
- Be sure to check out other Orlando hot spots. The theme parks are wonderful and most visitors come here to see them, but Orlando has much more to offer than Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld. Some of my favorites include Gatorland, Orlando Magic games, concerts at House of Blues (Downtown Disney) or Hard Rock Live (Universal vacation rentals hawaii CityWalk), dinner theaters such as Medieval Times and Arabian Nights, Orlando Museum of Art, and the numerous shopping and outlet malls.