Walt Disney and the Wonderful Orlando Hotels

Walt Disney and the Wonderful Orlando Hotels

by John R Hanna

Statistics show that Orlando welcomes every year approximately 52 million tourists mainly to visit the Disney World situated there. Florida is a known vacation destination that attracts people from around the world but Orlando has its own magic that you cannot avoid if you are visiting the sunshine state of Florida. Walt Disney is pure magic to children around the world but many times adults often find themselves drawn towards the characters and stories that have eternal happy endings. When visiting Orlando even though it may be the last thing on your mind the hotel will play a big role in your experience so, why not take a minute and enter the world of magic with the right step.

There are many Orlando hotels to choose from therefore you need to determine a few points before you decide on one and they are. The purpose of your visit to Orlando for even though it has the Walt Disney World situated there many people visit Orlando for business purposes and they may not want to get a hotel at Disney World. If you are in Orlando for business then you may want to look up hotels where your business is oriented or downtown so you can access everything with ease.

Find the Child in You

However, if you are in town vacationing then choosing one of the Orlando hotels situated in Walt Disney World itself would be probably the best choice; you have approximately 20 different hotels to choose from that are located in Disney World. If you are not in town visiting Walt Disney World, but want to spend a quiet time with your partner, you can have your pick from the Orlando hotels situated around the Lake Buena Vista, where it is quiet, romantic and private.

Orlando is a magical place and if you are visiting with family or by yourself you will not be able to resist visiting Disney World because the town is bustling with its presence, which inevitable makes even adults reflect on their childhood and find the child within. Orlando hotels situated in the Disney World will allow you to get in touch with your inner child and once again enjoy some magical times that you will always cherish especially if you are visiting with children who will be gushing with each turn of the head.

Book your Orlando hotel in advance, it is a resort that is busy year round and you may be disappointed if you wait for the last minute; while you can book online with almost any hotel available in Orlando it is advisable to book through an agent for special discounts and packages.

Copyright © John Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Walt Disney and the Wonderful Orlando Hotels

Walt Disney and the Wonderful Orlando Hotels

by John R Hanna

Statistics show that Orlando welcomes every year approximately 52 million tourists mainly to visit the Disney World situated there. Florida is a known vacation destination that attracts people from around the world but Orlando has its own magic that you cannot avoid if you are visiting the sunshine state of Florida. Walt Disney is pure magic to children around the world but many times adults often find themselves drawn towards the characters and stories that have eternal happy endings. When visiting Orlando even though it may be the last thing on your mind the hotel will play a big role in your experience so, why not take a minute and enter the world of magic with the right step.

There are many Orlando hotels to choose from therefore you need to determine a few points before you decide on one and they are. The purpose of your visit to Orlando for even though it has the Walt Disney World situated there many people visit Orlando for business purposes and they may not want to get a hotel at Disney World. If you are in Orlando for business then you may want to look up hotels where your business is oriented or downtown so you can access everything with ease.

Find the Child in You

However, if you are in town vacationing then choosing one of the Orlando hotels situated in Walt Disney World itself would be probably the best choice; you have approximately 20 different hotels to choose from that are located in Disney World. If you are not in town visiting Walt Disney World, but want to spend a quiet time with your partner, you can have your pick from the Orlando hotels situated around the Lake Buena Vista, where it is quiet, romantic and private.

Orlando is a magical place and if you are visiting with family or by yourself you will not be able to resist visiting Disney World because the town is bustling with its presence, which inevitable makes even adults reflect on their childhood and find the child within. Orlando hotels situated in the Disney World will allow you to get in touch with your inner child and once again enjoy some magical times that you will always cherish especially if you are visiting with children who will be gushing with each turn of the head.

Book your Orlando hotel in advance, it is a resort that is busy year round and you may be disappointed if you wait for the last minute; while you can book online with almost any hotel available in Orlando it is advisable to book through an agent for special discounts and packages.

Copyright © John Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Living In Orlando, The Sweet Spot Of Florida

Living In Orlando, The Sweet Spot Of Florida

by Alan LeStourgeon

Orlando Florida is known by some as the vacation capital of the world and it certainly is a great place to vacation with major these parks such as Universal Studios, Sea World, Islands Of Adventure and of course the mother of all theme parks, Walt Disney World. But not only is Orlando a great place to vacation, Orlando is a great place to live.

With a population of more than 200,000 people that call Orlando home, there are some top notch cultural, sporting, dining, entertainment and shopping experiences to really enjoy. You can take in the Orlando Museum Of Art, the Orlando Science Center, the Orlando Ballet, the Florida Film Festival, the Orlando Opera and more for the cultural side of your mind. The Orlando Museum Of Art is my favorite and features world class art exhibits from around the globe. It has been mentioned by Newsweek magazine as one of the top museums in the South.

Or if sporting events are your thing, come watch the UCF Golden Knights play this season's home football schedule at their new stadium known as Bright House Networks Stadium. The Orlando Magic play at Amway Arena in downtown Orlando if you are a basketball fan or if you can't get enough football, the Predators play arena football in the same stadium. Other large concert and entertainment events frequent the arena as well.

And if you want something to do at night then world famous Church Street in Downtown Orlando is the place to go. With venues such as music clubs, bars, comedy clubs, dance clubs and more, you are sure to find something to do to feed your nightlife needs.

Yes, Orlando is the vacation capital of the world, but just because you live here doesn't mean you can't participate in some of what brings millions of people here each year. International drive is bursting with fun, shopping, dining and attractions for everyone that enjoys a good time. Wet N Wild is a family fun water park good for hours of water bound entertainment. Several different water slides and thrill rides make for an enjoyable afternoon for all ages.

And the Orlando Convention Center along International Drive always has something going on. Whether it is a home show, a boat show, a car show or something else such as an educational seminar, the Orlando Convention Center has something for everyone. It is also the largest convention center and hotel complex in the world.

International Drive includes 5 of the top theme parks in Orlando including Sea World and Universal Studios, more than 30,000 hotel rooms, more than 450 stores, 3 major entertainment complexes and more than 150 different restaurants. You could spend a few days on International Drive alone and not see everything.

And if you are just moving to Orlando and need a place to live, there are nearly 300 apartment complexes and condo rentals available in the metro area to fit every budget. Some include great amenities such as clubhouses, free fitness and exercise centers, business centers with computers and internet access, beautiful swimming pools, racquetball courts and much more. And if you are in the market for a new home there are plenty being built and plenty for sale as Orlando Florida is one of the fastest growing areas in the south.

And you never have to worry about a place to work in Orlando since it is the great vacation escape, the resort and theme parks are always looking for people with many different skills. BellSouth, Lockheed Martin and Walt Disney World are major employers in Orlando with Disney World employing more than 50,000 people.

Yes, Orlando Florida is certainly one of the sweet spots of the southern United States. With everything there is to do here and great places to live and work, there isn't any reason for a single boring day in this Central Florida paradise.

Free Things to Do When Visiting Orlando Florida

Free Things to Do When Visiting Orlando Florida

by Shawn Hickman

Going on vacation can be very costly if you don't do your research before you go. There's the transportation, the lodging, where to eat, and what to do. Today we'll discuss free things to do when visiting Orlando.

If you are staying close to Disney World but not in a Disney hotel, you can still enjoy the Disney amenities for yourself for free. You can park at any of the Disney hotels and use the free transportation to travel to and from the individual resorts. The themed resorts like the Royal Pacific, The Wilderness Lodge, and the Grand Floridian are enjoyable to walk through. You can take the monorail to and from the Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge. The hotels also have different decorations depending on the time of year.

Down Town Disney is free and offers a lot to enjoy. There are the Disney stores, other fun shops and the river area. You can take a boat ride through the river and see the beautifully landscaped Disney hotels as you pass. The boat from Down Town Disney to Port Orleans takes an average of 30 minutes and is free top ride. Port Orleans is also very beautiful and looks like houses from the late 1800's in Gone With The Wind.

Old Town in Kissimmee is only 10 minutes from Disney and is a lot of fun. They have lots of stores, rides like bumper cars, go carts, and thrill rides. It is free to park and walk around. There is Crusin on Saturday nights. They average 400 entries of classic hot rod and crusin cars. Grab a spot on Main Street and watch the cars cruise by.

Celebration is right next to old town and is not just a town but an experience. Enter the most perfect place on Earth. The houses are well manicured and all sit perfectly inline going down the street. Walk around the down town area and enjoy the stores, music, and the movies if you have time. It's free to park and walk around.

If you are staying close to Universal Studios and Orlando, there are lots of free things to do here as well. Universal City Walk is always free to walk around and parking is free after 6pm. There are plenty of shops to keep you busy for a couple of hours. Visit the Hard Rock Hotel, The Pacific Island Resort, and The Portofino Hotel while you are there. They are all well designed and are a great way to have casual conversation with your friends. Universal also has a free boat service that will take you from City Walk to the different hotels.

The Gaylord Hotel is a great place to visit. Parking is not always free but if you have a group of people it definitely pays for it self. Designed after the famous Gaylord Hotel in Nashville but with a Floridian flare. It's a great place to enjoy the outdoors inside year round. The entire center area of the hotel is covered by a giant glass ceiling. There are lots of tress, waterfalls, and a ship that sits on the water and doubles as a restaurant. You can easily walk around for 2 to 3 hours with out getting bored.

If you like to shop, there's the Mall at Millennia, The Florida Mall, and The Fashion Square Mall all close by. It's only free if you don't buy anything.

Park Avenue in Winter Park is just north of down town Orlando and is a beautiful place to slow down and enjoy the atmosphere. Visit the unique shopping and high end stores as you take in beauty of the tree lined streets. It's free to look.

Harry P.Leu Gardens isn't free but I thought I would let you know about it. It is only around $4 a person and is worth the small investment. Located just north of down town Orlando off of Virginia Drive, it takes you right out of the city while still being in the city. Walk the path of beautiful native Florida landscape and stop to smell the roses in one of Central Florida's largest Rose gardens. Take the tour of Leu Gardens house that is included in admission.

There are lots of state parks in Florida and many are free, the ones that aren't don't cost very much though. Visit Big Tree Park in Longwood which is 15 minutes north of downtown Orlando if you want to see the oldest Cypress Tree on record at over 2,000 years old.

Lake Eola in down town Orlando is a great place to walk as you can walk around the entire lake in less than an hour. Take in the natural beauty of the historic trees along with the skyscrapers that circle the lake.

Cranes Roost in Altamonte Springs Uptown Park is a free enjoyable experience. It is located about 20 minutes north of down town Orlando but is worth the visit. It is a well decorated park that circles Cranes Roost Lake. Walk across the long boardwalk that crosses the lake while you listen to contemporary music playing in the back ground.

There are many other free things to do in Orlando just get creative. You might have the experience of a life time.

How to Choose a Florida Vacation Rental

How to Choose a Florida Vacation Rental

by John Macrae

We have come to realize from chatting with our guests that on of their biggest challenges is how to choose the vacation rental villa that is right for them! This article reflects their experience and hopefully sharing it with you will make your choice easier...

Is a vacation rental villa right for me?? Whether you are seeking a magical Disney World Vacation or an active family holiday, a Florida vacation rental villa is one of the most flexible options available to you. Many visitors decide on a hotel or motel room which can appear to be the cheapest option but these have several disadvantages. As I'm sure you know if you wanted a suite of rooms in a hotel that offered all the facilities of a vacation rental villa, you would spend many hundreds of dollars per night! Limited space, limited bathrooms, neighbor noise etc - we've all been there! The convenience and space of a vacation rental villa not only make for a much more enjoyable vacation for everyone but when things go wrong these were an important factor for one of our guests when 3 of her 4 children became ill shortly after arriving. She was so pleased to have chosen a vacation rental villa with the space and convenience of 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms as it meant that the whole family was not wakened when some had to get up frequently during the night!

Convenienceis probably the biggest advantage of a vacation rental - you can come and go as you please and do what you like, when you like. You might feel like a day by the pool on your own when the rest of the family go out, and that's exactly what you can have - moreover, its you by the pool and no-one else to share it with - bliss! But its not just that. When you choose a vacation rental, you can get your favorite snack from the refrigerator when you want it. You can light the grill an cook up the meal you want - restaurant food can be a bit boring, not to mention less healthy and more expensive!

Location: This is another important factor in choosing a vacation rental! Its important to choose a luxury vacation rental villa that is close to the attractions that you will be visiting frequently. First-time visitors have little idea of the scale of the Orlando area and the whole thing can be more than a little daunting. Its made even more confusing by the vast choice of vacation rentals available and the lack of clear details on their location. We know that this has resulted in some families traveling long distances every day to get from their chosen location to their attraction of choice - not ideal! That's why we have clear links to maps from our vacation rental villa details pages. We want you to be able to plan your vacation and spend as little time as possible in the car!

Quality: We spent some time recently viewing and inspecting Florida vacation rentals. The pictures on their web sites presented the villa very well in most cases but it soon became clear that they had been taken a very long time ago. Many of the vacation rentals we saw were very tired, showed heavy wear and little attention to maintaining a comfortable environment for their guests. They were certainly far form the luxury vacation rentals they were being marketed as! These problems showed up much more in the properties where the owners had clearly taken little interest and were managed by property management agencies (Large or small, and who, in turn rent them to the large holiday companies at low rates). This is one reason why we update the pictures of our properties each year (several times a year in fact!). This gives our guests the confidence to know that what they see is what they will get. Whilst booking direct with the owner does not guarantee quality, it does give you the opportunity to ask if the photos on the site truly represent the condition of a particular vacation rental today.

Check in/out This is often overlooked as one of these things that has to be done but be careful. Check in and out is not usually at the villa! Its normally at the management company office where you have to wait in line with everyone else that booked through the same company. This means that you have to drive to and find the office from the airport. We know of offices that are over 15 miles from the vacation rental! OK - it doesn't sound far but after a long flight and in unfamiliar circumstances, it can be a challenge you could do without! Check the driving distances and times from airport to office and from office to your villa via the management company offices. (Be aware that if the office is in Kissimmee, it can be very busy and take a long time especially in the early evening).

In contrast, we have an electronic access system so our guests can drive direct to their chosen luxury villa and let themselves in. The benefit of this system is clear - and you have no keys to lose or hand back and you don't have the unnecessary hassle of an office to find.

Locality: What we mean here is the area surrounding the vacation rental. Careful examination of the photos of some villas will show where they have been doctored to hide any less desireable features. One of the favorites is to block out the lower areas of screened pool enclosures to hide the fact that there are many others very close to the villa. We do not enhance our photos. Check carefully or ask if the pool area is overlooked.

Games rooms Some vacation rental villas advertise a games room with all kinds of entertainments. If this is something that you want to have in your villa, be sure to inquire whether it is properly air conditioned. The reason for this is that some owners have simply locked the garage door and installed a carpet and a pool table or foosball table to make a games room. Its fine in December but impossible to use comfortably for most of the year.

Equipment Check whether the equipment you need is 'included' or 'available' and know the difference between these terms. Included usually means that the item is 'included in the rent' for the villa. Its important to know that 'available' usually means that the item is available but you will be expected to pay an extra charge for it. For example, a gas grill will cost you between $35 and $50 per week to hire (+ sales tax). A cot, baby seat or stroller can be the same each! That can make a significant unexpected dent in your pocket - check unless the information is explicit!

Summary We hope that this guide helps you make your choice of a vacation rental easier. We think that vacation rental villas are exceptional value for money but there are some traps which we have highlighted. Whilst we realize that checking all these details might be a pain, we think that it will help ensure that you have a much better vacation!