If you are desiring a break and want to head to Orlando for a family vacation, you may not want to wait too long to book your reservations. Currently the Orlando vacation market is gearing up for high season, and what this equates to for travelers is higher prices.

The same hotel that [...]]]>

Radisson World Gate

If you are desiring a break and want to head to Orlando for a family vacation, you may not want to wait too long to book your reservations. Currently the Orlando vacation market is gearing up for high season, and what this equates to for travelers is higher prices.

The same hotel that booked for $42 a night is now booking for $52 a night. You might think that the extra $10 per night is no big deal but this is just the beginning of such increases across the board.  Also, keep in mind that the hotel room that you currently book for $52 can undergo another increase as high season continues.

High season is when the Orlando hotel market is busiest, and this is when hotel managers cash in by raising rates when there is increased demand for rooms. High season is what helps keep hotels in business all year round. This is when they make their profit.

I say all that to say this. Book now before the rates go up again and you have to pay even more for your Orlando vacation. The sooner that you book, the more that you will save and that will enable you to spend more at  the restaurants, outlet malls and at the Disney parks.

Time to plan for your Orlando vacation? How exciting! Before you go spend crazy because you want to make this a fantastic vacation, take a little time to plan ahead and you are guaranteed to spend  less on your vacation.

The key is to plan ahead. It’s understandable that people are really excited when [...]]]>

Orlando Vacation

Time to plan for your Orlando vacation? How exciting! Before you go spend crazy because you want to make this a fantastic vacation, take a little time to plan ahead and you are guaranteed to spend  less on your vacation.

The key is to plan ahead. It’s understandable that people are really excited when it comes to taking a vacation. That’s why they often book their vacation on a whim and usually end up spending more than is necessary. To be ahead of the game, start with a budget. Yes, you need one. Decide on how much you plan to spend all together. Then break it down into an itemized list- airfare, lodging, dining, souvenirs/shopping, and all other activities you plan to enjoy while on your vacation.

Once you have set your budget, start checking into airfare and hotel or vacation home rates. The longer in advance you book your flight and lodging, the more money you can save. When choosing dates to travel, try to book your vacation during the off-season. If you have children in school, you probably think that you have to travel when they are out for Summer Vacation or Spring Break. That’s understandable, but realize that 90% of families with school aged children will be thinking the same way. Because of this, during these times are when hotels hike their rates. Maybe it’s okay every few years for Johnny to miss a few days of school so the family can enjoy a better family vacation because they will be able to travel when fewer families can.

Just these simple steps of planning ahead can reduce your vacation cost by 10% to 50%! It really is worth the effort.

It’s that time again. September signals the beginning of the holiday season for me and the Orlando vacation market. Of course, not all people include Halloween in with “the holidays,” but I do. And starting in September,  Halloween decorations and events become available. Halloween through New Year’s Eve is part of the holiday [...]]]>

Disney Holidays

It’s that time again. September signals the beginning of the holiday season for me and the Orlando vacation market. Of course, not all people include Halloween in with “the holidays,” but I do. And starting in September,  Halloween decorations and events become available. Halloween through New Year’s Eve is part of the holiday season in my book, and there is so much to do in Central Florida during these four months. There is absolutely no reason for any family or individual, for that matter, to be bored for the rest of the year.

To kick off this season of plenty to do, are the Christian music events. Universal has Rock the Universe and Disney World has Night of Joy, both around the first half of September. Then all of the area’s major theme parks have special Halloween events. Universal has Halloween Horror Nights. Disney has Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Busch Gardens has Howl O’ Scream. Those are the major ones that get a lot of attention because they advertise on television, radio, and billboards. But there are hundreds of other Halloween events going on in the area, too. For example, zoos, museums, churches, and farmers all host their own Halloween or Harvest events. And of course, there is always the traditional Halloween night activity of trick-or-treating.

So ready or not, here the holidays come. This year, I am actually happy to see the Halloween decorations in stores, unlike some years. Some years, it just seems too soon, but for some reason, this year, I say “bring it on.” Perhaps it’s the kind of summer we had- hot and humid almost every day. I can’t wait to start feeling the cool air of fall and then winter. And I, for one, will not have a chance to be bored, because I plan to make the most of this wonderful, action-packed time in Central Florida.