The holiday weekend is just around the corner and many of you may be heading south to Florida. During your visit you'll that there are new surprises at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival at the Walt Disney World Resort. And, they are getting ready for the opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar at the Animal Kingdom at the end of May. To help you make the most of your trip, our friends at Undercover Tourist offer some helpful planning tips:
Keep in mind that if you have the idea of traveling over the holiday, then a lot of other people do too. While it can cost up to 50-70 percent more during holiday's you can find ways to save money on your Walt Disney World vacation!
Book Your Vacation In Advance:
This is great advice, although it doesn't always fit into our schedule. When planning your stay, consider booking most of your stay during the week rather than the weekend's because the prices are much lower Sunday through Thursday. Of course, during the major holiday's prices also rise. Yet, if you've booked your trip in advance you'll often find a better deal than waiting until the last minute.
When checking the Undercover Tourist website we found a number of hotel's for under $60.00. While these are not on Disney property they are a affordable option. This is what makes the Undercover Tourist website is a wonderful resource for planning your vacation; they have discounts on tickets in addition to resorts and activities. What we like most is the Crowd Calendar that gives you a idea of how crowded the parks will be during your visit.
Save With Multi Day Tickets:
As I mentioned, Undercover Tourist has a variety of attraction tickets for a discounted price. You can also save money by checking directly with the theme parks you plan to visit. In the instance of Walt Disney World they have a special four day, four park ticket available presently that is a great deal. You can visit one specific park on one of the four days, which gives you a chance to experience the magic of Disney at a affordable rate of around $80.00 per person.
If your family visit's Florida often another way to save money is a annual pass. For example you'll pay about $113.00 for a Awesome Pass at LEGOLAND® Florida with tax per person. This pass includes unlimited Admission to LEGOLAND® Florida and their LEGOLAND Water Park, plus early entry, special event news and invitations, as well as $15 off Guest Tickets to LEGOLAND Florida.
The other parks have discount pricing on annual tickets as well. If you're a Florida Resident you also receive discount on tickets, and other benefits - it just takes a little research to find the best deals for your budget.
Fly or Drive:
While we usually drive you can find low fares on flights available throughout the year. Again, booking early can save you a lot of money because last minute flights are often expensive. Also, consider landing at a nearby, smaller airport near Orlando that includes Orlando Sanford, Melbourne and Daytona Beach. A small commute will cost less than flying into a mainstream airport like Orlando International.
As we learned when planning our vacation this year, if you can plan early you get the best deals. This is also true on car rental as well. We reserved a Mini Van months in advance at around 650.00 for a week and a half with Enterprise. When we checked the pricing closer to our trip time the price had doubled!
Try Something New On Your Vacation
While Disney and Universal are among the top vacation destinations in Florida there's so much more to enjoy. We start by checking the local deals and activities to experience at the Visit Orlando website. Here, you'll find maps, local restaurants and lodging options as well as activities and festival's to join on your visit. Checking out a local fair or a event is a great way to break up you trip, and gives you a chance to explore more of the area outside the theme parks.
Wherever your trip takes you we hope your have a safe and memorable journey!