This year prices are going up again for popular Orlando attractions. This will turn some folks off, but for those for whom Disney or Universal is a rite of passage or a treasured family vacation, here are some ways to save on an Orlando trip:
- Off-site hotels: Options abound for different types of visitors. Finalize your list of attendees before hunting for an Orlando hotel deal. Apartment-style condo units are common in the area and can often fit four or more travelers in one room. Another benefit to condo-style properties is that they often come with kitchenettes and other amenities of home, like washer-dryers and separate living areas and bedrooms. Because these hotels are so geared toward family stays, many have fun features for kids like playgrounds as well. Note that these places often charge a daily resort fee, yet it goes to a more comfortable stay. The fees can cover everything from breakfast to in-room Wi-Fi to shuttle service to the parks, which saves on parking and time.
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- Travel at the right time of year: If you're looking to take advantage of summer vacation time, the period from mid-May to mid-June and Aug. 15 - Sept. 30 can be a great summer period to find a deal at the theme parks as school year dates vary across the United States. Peak season times in Orlando are February-March (spring break), June-August (summer vacations), Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday weeks. For the lowest rates, target January, April-May and September-October, as these are less popular times to visit.
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Hilary Solan is an editor at Travelzoo and based in Chicago. Travelzoo has 250 deal experts from around the world who rigorously research, evaluate and test thousands of deals to find those with true value. Joanna Richler, one of Travelzoo's Disney gurus, contributed to this report.