This review is different from some of the other reviews - there are many other great reviews out there that cover information on the parks and shows. This review is for you from an experienced traveler to the Orlando area and some things I learned along the way, along with some tips on how to save money and time. If you follow my tips, they will work.

Saving Time

It is best to travel to Orlando when it’s not too hot nor crowded. Such times are in early December. We went from December 4-8 in 2002, and we didn’t find any of the parks to be too crowded at all. Also, the weather was around 60 - 80 degrees which is very comfortable.

Traveling during February Break or April Break is not the best idea. The parks are really crowded during these times. During those weeks, there are long lines for rides at the parks and a lot of traffic on the major roads and highways. Also, airfare and hotel rates are a lot higher at this time -- companies do that on purpose so they can make more money.

Universal Studios has something called ExpressPass and Disney World has something called FastPass. These are passes that allow you to go in front of the line on certain rides. Just follow these steps:

1.) Your ticket for entering the park is your ExpressPass or FastPass. Find the ride or attraction where you want to skip the line.
2.) Take the ticket and place it in the machine which distributes the passes. These machines are usually found at the entrance of the ride. They can also be found at the exit of the ride.
3.) A ticket will print out saying two times. Return between those times and go to the front of the line of the attraction.
4.) You can get another ExpressPass or FastPass for another ride after the times on the ticket expire.

Just a tip: Do not apply the ticket to an ExpressPass or FastPass machine if the line for the ride is under 20 minutes.

My wife and I go to the parks a lot, and we recently started taking our daughter who’s almost two years-old. Before we had her, we did this thing called Zigging and Zagging. We would wake up early in the morning and leave for the parks. We would check times to see when they opened so we would arrive there about 15 minutes prior to opening. When the gates would open, my wife and I would run to the back of the park or to a major ride that usually has a long line. This usually gives us time to ride the ride a couple of times before major crowds start coming.

Another part of our Zigging and Zagging plan includes the lunch break and dinner break at the parks. A lot of people settle to eat lunch at around 12:00 and dinner around 6:00. My wife and I will either eat before or after these times. During these times, the restaurants are crowded which makes us waste valuable ride time. Also, the lines on the rides are much shorter during these times since most people in the park are eating.

Saving Money

• Airfare: If you’re coming from anywhere in the U.S, you should try looking at the low-fare airlines such as: JetBlue, Southwest, AirTran, Spirit, and Frontier to get the lowest fares. All five airlines fly into Orlando and have sales/specials. Southwest can bring passengers from Western America to Orlando on non-stop and low-fare flights. JetBlue only flies from New York City to Orlando. Spirit flies from Detroit, New York City, and a couple other cities in the Northeast. AirTran can take you to Orlando from New York City, Rochester, Baltimore, Dallas, Atlanta, and Minneapolis. Frontier flies to Orlando from Denver. I doubt that you’ll find a lower fare on the larger airlines.

• Car Rental: Unless you know someone in town, renting a car will be the cheapest way to get around town. Taxis are expensive and uncomfortable. With a rental car, you can listen to what music you want, control the a/c, go as fast as you want, and make unscheduled stops. Car rental agencies include: Avis, Hertz, National, Alamo and Budget. All car rental companies have very similar and competitve prices. Most charge weekly rates around $160 for a compact car. If it is not needed, don’t rent a luxury car because it costs more.

• Food: If you’re staying in a resort, it’s most likely that you’ll have a refrigerator in your unit. Use the refrigerator...buy food from Publix, a popular Orlando supermarket. Therefore, you won’t have to pay at the expensive restaurants. When you buy your own food, you get as much as you want. I actually registered for the Publix Card which allows me to get discounts on my grocceries. Of course, I only use the card when I go to Orlando since I don’t have a Publix where I live, but it still is a good way of saving money.

• Parking at the parks: There is no way to get around parking fees at the parks such as Universal Studios, Seaworld and Disney World. Say if there’s someone in the family (who can drive) that wants to go shopping instead of visiting the parks. Have that person drop you off at the park instead of paying about $7 for parking. Drop-off is free at all parks. He or she can also pick you off where he or she dropped you off.

• Park Tickets: We bought all of our park tickets in 2000 for all of our more recent visits. We paid about $30 for tickets for each park which is about $20 cheaper than they are now. So we basically saved $20 a head by buying our tickets early.

Disney World:

*5-Day Park Hopper Plus Ticket
$237.00 - adult
$188.00 - child

**7-Day Park Hopper Plus Ticket
$299.00 - adult
$240.00 - child
  
Universal Studios: 
 
***1-Day 1-Park Ticket (Universal Studios)
$48.95 - adult
$40.75 - child

****1-Day 1-Park Ticket (Islands of Adventure)
$48.95 - adult
$40.75 - child

*****2-Day/2-Park Escape Pass
$87.50 - adult
$74.50 - child

*Get unlimited admission (per person) to all Disney parks for five days. The Disney parks include: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom.

**Get unlimited admission (per person) to all Disney parks for seven days.

***Get a one-time admission to Universal Studios for one day.

****Get a one-time admission to Islands of Adventure for one day.

*****Get a one-time admission to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for two days.

So now that you have all this information from an experienced Orlando visitor, you should be on your way to a great vacation saving money and time! Have a great time.



Transportation: JetBlue Airways Usairways Continental Airlines American Airlines Virgin Atlantic

Hotels: Celebration World Resort Hilton Cocoa Beach Silver Lake Resort Comfort Suites Orange Lake Resort & Country Club

Amusement Parks: MGM Studios Magic Kingdom Epcot Disney World Universal Studios Islands of Adventure

Other Places: Kennedy Space Center Orlando International Airport Old Town

Attractions: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Test Track Space Mountain Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Indy Speedway Universe of Energy Haunted Mansion Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin Splash Mountain Peter Pan's Flight IllumiNations 2000

Food: Capone's Dinner & Show Nascar Cafe



Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Families