Phila Airport Parking Vacations

An Orlando vacation is the dream getaway for most families. Every year about fifty million people make the journey to Florida to enjoy the pleasures that Disney, Sea World and Universal provide. It’s a truly magical place for the whole family.

Even though tourists spend most of their time at the theme parks, accommodation is obviously a very important issue for them to decide on. Hotels and motels are the obvious choice and there are many of them to pick from. But a new industry has developed during the past few years that is becoming increasingly popular.

There are now literally thousands of single-family homes and condos in the Disney World and Orlando areas that are rented out by their owners on a short-term basis, just like hotel or motel rooms. So families and groups who want to enjoy more space and the comforts of home have a definite alternative.

Most of the properties are situated within just a few minutes’ drive of the Disney theme parks. There is an enormous variety of property styles and sizes, ranging from two bedroom condos to six bedroom single family homes or even larger. Some communities include additional facilities such as a movie theater, a club house and a gym for those moments when Mickey isn’t capturing your attention.

The vacation rental industry has grown in popularity so much that few families want to return to the restrictions of a hotel once they’ve sampled the extra freedom and flexibility. But like any purchase, there are hidden aspects to think about.

Helped by the communication tools of the Internet, a lot of owners and almost all of the vacation rental companies have built clever and convincing web sites with photos and summaries of why you should book with them. But they are in business to make money and you should be very clear about all the terms and conditions before you buy. For example, you should ask:

* How many nights is the minimum I can book?

* How much deposit do I have to pay to secure a booking?

* When is the total rental payment due to be paid?

* What is your refund policy if I cancel?

* Can you confirm the total amount including tax and other charges that you will require?

* Will we actually be staying in the home that you’ve shown me pictures of or do you allocate homes only on arrival?

* What is check in time on the day of arrival?

* What is check-out time on the day I leave?

* Can I pay by credit card?

* Do you require any security deposit to be held until after departure?

So the overall message is: just like making any substantial purchase, get the answers you need before you commit to a booking.

When you book a second (or third or fourth) Lake Buena Vista vacation, you might start to think about spreading your wings beyond the first and obvious choices of Disney World or Universal or Sea World. If you’re looking for some variety, there is a lot to choose from and some of them only take up about half a day, so you can use the rest of the day to relax by the pool. This article gives you some brief details about just a few of the alternatives.

If you want to see some of Florida’s oldest wildlife residents then a trip to Gatorland will enable you to get up close to the alligators that can be found all over the State. Here you will learn fascinating facts about these prehistoric creatures when you visit the Gator Jumparoo and be able to have a close encounter with gators and other animals.

If you want to be really entertained, make sure you visit the wrestling show where the trainers take on the animals. Then you can cool off in the splash pool but of course you need a change of clothes for the rest of the day. You can reach Gatorland in about fifteen minutes from most Lake Buena Vista locations, so give it a go!

On a smaller scale Jungle Adventures at 26205 East Colonial Drive, Christmas, Florida 32709 (yes there really is a town called Christmas complete with a decorated tree!) is a nature park and zoo. Here you can take a Jungle swamp cruise among about 200 alligators, get close up and personal with baby alligators and snakes and of course see alligator wrestling.

The park takes longer to get to than Gatorland but it does have a wider range of animals including raccoons and even a Florida Panther (an endangered species in Florida). Another attraction is the tour of a replica Native American village that includes examples of tools produced by today’s Native Americans.

Instead of the alligators and panthers you may enjoy the more peaceful experience of the Historic Bok Sanctuary. Located in Lake Wales (south of Lake Buena Vista), it comprises 250 acres of gardens including walking trails and paths and many birds and butterflies are attracted to the Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary is loved by its many visitors for the peace and tranquility available throughout. Take a stroll and experience the calmness of the place, bring a picnic and rest on the grassy areas or the benches or enjoy a meal at the Carillon Cafe. It’s all just very relaxing.

The most prominent landmark is the Bell Tower, constructed of marble and coquina eighty years ago. Carillon music is played every hour. You can also take a guided tour of the Pinewood Estate, formerly the winter home of Charles Austin Buck of Bethlehem Steel in the 1930s and still containing much of the furnishings and decorations from his time.

Finally, why not try Lake Louisa State Park, on Highway 27 and about thirty minutes west of Lake Buena Vista? Unlike the Disney theme parks, the attractions are all strictly natural: deer, butterflies, wild turkeys, opossum, birds and many other mammals are on view along the nature trails. Good hiking shoes are advisable as is lots of insect repellent and supplies of sunscreen.

Lake Louisa is loved by anglers because they can use four of the six lakes as long as they have a license. The Lake does offer the opportunity to swim, which can be very welcome after a hot few minutes or hours on the hiking trails, but pay attention to the restrictions highlighting the water areas to avoid. Also, be sure to take your own food and drink as none is available to buy inside the park.

I hope this has given you some alternative ideas of places to visit during your Lake Buena Vista vacation.

Youve saved all year long to take your family to Disney in order to have the time of your lives. Youve heard all about all of the wonderful things that the Disney theme parks have to offer their visitors and youve been waiting for your chance to get there and experience the worlds most wonderful vacation getaway. The question is – how do you make your trip perfect? There is so much to do and to see at Disney that you want to make sure that you dont miss anything, but you dont want to shell out a bunch of extra money for things that you dont necessarily need.

Here are a few quick tips to help put your mind at ease about your Disney vacation and to ensure that you

Do Your Research

There are almost too many things to do on a Disney vacation. There are tons of parks, water parks, places to eat and events – getting there without at least groundwork for what you and your family would like to see could lead to a lot of confusion. You dont want to spend half of your vacation trying to figure out what to do – so its a good idea to know what types of activities are available, where they are and which ones youd most like to visit so you can put those options into your tickets when you buy them.

Leave Room for Improvement

All Disney tickets are called Magic Your Way for a reason, you can specialize your ticket options for the specific activities which will be the most fun for your family. You can feel free to load up on and pay for all of the options that you think you will use when purchasing your tickets or you have the option of just purchasing the basic tickets when you book your trip and upgrading them with specific options at the ticket window when you arrive at the park.

Getting the basic Magic Your Way tickets is usually the best option, because things may change in one way or another as time gets closer to the actual trip. Changes in weather or things like the current health of certain family members may cause you to have to make a change in plans so saving the money up front and only paying for the upgrades that you will surely use is the best option.

The ability to add options to your tickets is beneficial in many ways – if some sort of problem arises and you need to end your trip just a day or two in after having bought seven day passes, you can upgrade your tickets to have no expiration and use those same passes at a later date.

Shop Around

There are several different places that you can obtain Disney theme parks tickets, so look for authorized discount providers to save money when purchasing your passes. Look through all of the options that the ticket vendor has available; you may find that youll save a great deal of money by changing the number of days that your passes are good for. For example a one or two day pass will cost more per day than a three or four day pass and a three or four day pass will cost more than a seven day pass. If you are going to be in Disney and visiting the parks for five or six days by the appropriate pass to save as much money as possible.

Going on a Disney vacation may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for you and your family, youll want to do your best to make sure that its memorable. There truly is something for everyone at the Disney theme parks, but you need to make wise decisions when purchasing your tickets and managing your time to make sure you can participate in all of the activities that will make it the best possible vacation for everyone that goes.