Vacation In Orlando On A Budget
If you’ve ever been to Orlando you know about the many attractions. The hotel prices are quite high and leaving the theme parks for an actual vacation is out of the question because you’ll miss all the fun. There has got to be a better way, like staying in a hotel that isn’t a castle or something. What I’m saying is there are lots of hotels around that are cheaper than Disney’s so here is some advice on what to do with your time while you’re in the land of Mickey Mouse.
If you are planning a holiday for you and your family or friends to celebrate or have fun, you will definitely consider visiting Orlando. This is the best place for having fun because of its theme parks, rides and many other entertaining places. You can feel as if you are in a different world there with the fantastic adventure rides. So if you want to celebrate your holiday in style then come to Florida.
Orlando is a fun place to visit. Over 60 million people visit this theme park capital each year. A lot of people spend an enormous amount of money on vacations, but that doesn’t mean that you have to. There are plenty of affordable things to do in Orlando. So save yourself some money and check out these affordable things to do while in Orlando.
I’ve always wanted to visit Orlando and I knew I was going to have the chance to go. I was planning on taking my fiance with me and we were going to stay at a nice hotel and do a lot of fun things there. But one day, she called me up as she had gotten a new job offer and wanted to know why I wasn’t coming over to see her since it’s not like we see each other every day.
A holiday in Orlando can cost a lot of cash, but if you have your heart set on some family fun in the sun, there are ways to budget smartly and save yourself hundreds – sometimes even thousands – of dollars. From where you lay your head at night to nifty tricks to save cash on theme park entry and even where (and where not) to fill up your car.
Vacation In Orlando On A Budget
Read on to find out the best money saving ideas in Orlando, compiled by our city experts who have successfully used all of these tricks in the past and continue to use them. After all, everyone loves a bargain no matter where they are in the world.
1
Book your vacation early and online
All major Orlando theme parks offer the option of buying your tickets online, often giving a discount for doing so. Universal Orlando offers per person discounts off the gate price, as well as combined savings. These discounts can be applied in the parks towards food, merchandise or additional park days. Walt Disney World also offers a slight discount for purchasing online, as well as the option to choose your Fastpass+ attractions in advance.
Fastpass+ is a free service allowing you to bypass the regular queue at 3 attractions of your picking. It’s often a good idea to purchase your tickets online and have the opportunity to choose the more popular attractions, which are usually not available the day of. Avoid purchasing heavily discounted tickets off 3rd party sites, as these are often scams.
2
Visit in February or September
These 2 months are the slowest for tourism in Orlando, which usually mean better prices and shorter waiting times. Flight tickets and resorts are priced for low-season during these times, and theme parks do not see nearly as many people. Popular attractions usually garner up to a 90-minute wait time during the summer and holiday times, compared to just 10 to 15 minutes during low season. There are also several more deals for smaller attractions such as the Orlando Eye, Funspot, and The Holy Land Experience.
photo by Jeff Turner (CC BY 2.0) modified
See also
- Norman’s at the Ritz-Carlton OrlandoUnited States Of America
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness ResortUnited States Of America
- Winter Park OrlandoUnited States Of America
3
Buy multi-day passes
Take into careful consideration how many days you would like to spend at each of the parks, as the more days you add to your vacation package the cheaper each day becomes. Multiple-day passes are much more affordable than individual one-day passes and still allow plenty of flexibility in your plans. These passes can be used over the span of 14 days from the first day that they are used. It is also important to note that because of this system, a 5-day pass is only a few dollars cheaper than a 7-day pass and so forth.
photo by Michael Rivera (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
4
Pack your own meals
Theme park dining can be extremely overpriced, but both Disney and Universal are lenient with the amount of food you can bring in. Packing your own meals can save you hundreds of dollars in a single week, especially if you’re travelling with a larger group. Food should be carried in a backpack, as Universal does not allow coolers. Note that bringing alcohol isn’t permitted at any of the theme parks.
5
Make use of the parks’ dining plans
Available at just about every theme park in Orlando, pre-paid dining plans usually include 2 daily meals, a snack and unlimited drinks at various on-site restaurants. These can be purchased online, at the gate or at any of the guest services kiosks throughout the parks. You’ll be provided with a wristband that allow you to choose from an extensive range of meals offered at many restaurants and snack bars.
6
Pick a resort with a complimentary shuttle
Staying at a resort that offers this service will help you avoid paying for public transportation and daily parking fees. These shuttles often go to smaller attractions as well as driving up and down International Drive. Note that resort shuttles require a reservation to be made 24 hours in advance.
7
Buy souvenirs at the end of your vacation
Souvenirs are often one of the most expensive parts of a theme park vacation – a sweatshirt alone can cost up to $40! Buying souvenirs towards the end of your stay can save you a lot of money, as well as the hassle of carrying them around the park and having to stow them in lockers.
Waiting to buy these also assures you that you are getting exactly what you want since you have the chance of checking out all the different options throughout the park. Families with smaller children can especially benefit from this method. It’s also a good idea to purchase souvenirs at tourist shops on International Drive instead of theme parks as they’re usually sold a fraction of the price.
8
Visit the ‘free’ attractions
These include Disney Springs, Universal’s Citywalk, Harry P. Leu Gardens and the Sunday Farmer’s Market. These places have no entrance fee and are a great alternative for fun family outings. Disney Springs and Universal’s Citywalk are the entertainments areas of each respective theme park, often featuring live entertainment. The botanical Harry P. Leu Gardens serve as an educational outing, home to over 1,000 species of flowers, while the Farmer’s Market takes place at Lake Eola every Sunday morning until 4pm.