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| Magic Kingdom |
Orlando,
Florida is home to a variety of
theme, water, and amusement parks. Whether it is Disney, Universal, Sea World,
or Wet N’ Wild you are interested in, there are more than enough activities to
do and, most likely, not enough days or energy to do them all. Pick wisely and
you will have a fun filled vacation with lots of reasons to return. Here are a
few things I learned on my weekend trip down south.
1. Transportation- How do you
plan to get around? If you are driving your own car or getting a rental, take
into account hotel parking fees ($20/day), theme park parking lot fees
($14/day), rental fees ($12-32/day), gasoline cost, and driving through
traffic. If you don’t have your own car, it is doable to maneuver without one.
Many of the hotels have airport shuttles ($19/person) and a taxi will run about
$50 to/from the airport and $10 to/from Downtown Disney or Universal CityWalk.
Theme park shuttles run every hour and if you are on Disney property there is
always the monorail or ferry. If you are riding shuttles, take note of the schedules and
reservation requirements. If you have a digital camera or camera phone, take a
snapshot of the schedule. If you lose the schedule, you’ll have a digital copy
saved. Weigh your options and go with the one you are most comfortable with. I
have stayed on Disney property once and had no issues with public
transportation. This time, I was based on the Universal side and had a few
issues with taxi and shuttle hours and customer service. Next time I’d look
into renting my own car.
2. Accommodations- If you stay on Disney or Universal
property there are a lot of perks. These are the newer hotels and have a resort
like feel. By staying on Disney or Universal property, you may have early entry
into the parks and a Universal Express card key for
Universal. Skip the lines! This perk can cost up to $50
extra per person depending on the day you go so if you get it complimentary through the hotel you could be
saving some real money.
There are countless budget friendly hotels and motels in the
surrounding area. If you choose not to stay on Disney or Universal property,
check if your hotel is part of the Disney or Universal partnership. You may be
able to get into the parks an hour early.
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| The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure |
3. When to Visit- I have been to Orlando during the height of Summer and
Spring Break. Both months (July and April) were humid, hot, and crowded.
Temperatures were in the high 80s. This time I went during Martin Luther King
weekend (January) and it was still warm (72 degrees) and sunny. The coldest it
got was a low of 64 and it rained barely a sprinkle. The crowds were
non-existent (line wait times were anywhere from five minutes to 45 minutes). I
vow never to go back during Summer or Spring Break. Off peak season is much
better.
4. Theme Park Logic- Study the map of the theme park. Cross
off rides and attractions you are not interested in. If there is a FASTPASS available for a ride, get it and return at your designated time to avoid long
wait times. While waiting, ride one or two rides or catch a show. Go on rides
when people are eating lunch or dinner or watching a parade or fireworks show.
If you need a logical path, walk the park clockwise, counterclockwise, or go to
the farthest point and then make your way back to the entrance/exit, and take
the train if you are tired of walking around the park.
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| FASTPASSES at Magic Kingdom |
5.
Birthday- It was my birthday
weekend and I went to the
Magic
Kingdom on my actual birthday.
I got a birthday button with my name on it and every time a park employee saw
my button they wished me a happy birthday. One employee even serenaded me in
Donald Duck’s voice and threw confetti on me. At the new Fantasyland, I was in
one of the giftshop candy stores and I got a free chocolate covered marshmallow
dipped in hot pink crystallized sugar. It was delicious! I felt really special
all day. Universal is also on the birthday bandwagon and distributes birthday
buttons as well.
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| Disney buttons |
I had a whirlwind tour of three
theme parks in three days. I’ve already planned my next trip and that would be
during October when there are even less people. At the Magic
Kingdom during Halloween they convert
the Haunted Mansion into Nightmare Before Christmas
and then overnight the park gets decked out in Christmas decorations complete
with fake snow. I definitely want to experience that and will be using the tips
I learned this last weekend to maximize my trip to its full potential. Happy
theme park hopping!
1180 7 Seas Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
6000 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32819
