Cheap Flights To Orlando

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Overview
When to Go
Airport Information
Weather
Things to Do
Local Attractions
Must See Sights
Insider Tips
Getting Around

Overview
Orlando, Florida is one of America's most popular vacation destinations, but not because of its historical sites and landmarks or its pristine, sandy beaches. What you'll find in sunny Orlando are some of the world's most amazing theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando, and SeaWorld, not to mention an incredible array of tourist attractions and seemingly endless shopping and dining experiences.

Beyond the theme parks and attractions, however, Orlando is situated within 90 minutes from two gorgeous beaches: Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach. It's also a short drive to the Florida Everglades. When you're not screaming on a rollercoaster, taking in a show or experience one of the theme park's thousands of attractions, you'll find that a vast array of exciting outdoor activities await you in Orlando, including plenty of golf, swimming, boating, fishing, air boat rides, hot air balloon rides, tennis, and horseback riding.

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When to Go
High Season Given that Orlando is such a family friendly vacation spot, the city and all surrounding attractions are busiest during all school vacation periods, including late-June and July, the week before Easter, Thanksgiving week, and the week between Christmas and New Year's. During these periods, demand for airline tickets, rental cars and accommodations are at a premium, so expect to pay top-dollar. You'll also want to make your travel plans early, and expect significant crowds at the theme parks. August is probably the least optimal time to visit Orlando, because it's typically hot and very humid.

Low Season Anytime that's not around the summer months when kids are out of school or near major holiday usually garners significantly fewer crowds. However, during the winter and early spring months, it's typical to experience some showers and rainfall, which could affect which attractions you can enjoy at various theme parks.

Best Time to Go Traveling to Orlando during the autumn months is your best bed. The crowds are lighter, the weather is cooler, and the airlines, resorts, hotels and rental car companies offer amazing deals.

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Airport Information

Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Distance: 9 miles SE of downtown Orlando
Driving Time: 20 minutes
Distance to SeaWorld: 15 miles
Distance to The Walt Disney World Resort: 20 miles
Distance to Universal Orlando: 20 miles

There are almost always great deals on cheap flights, discount airfare and vacation packages flying to Orlando. All of the popular discount airlines, such as JetBlue, Virgin America, ExpressJet, Southwest and AirTran, offer nonstop service from many U.S. cities to Orlando International Airport, as well as other major airlines including American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta, US Airways, United Airlines and Northwest, and international air carriers such as Air Canada, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa and British Airways.

Cheap flights to Orlando start at $240 from Chicago, Boston or New York City, and from San Francisco and Los Angeles at around $345.

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Weather

Orlando weather tends to fall into two camps: pleasantly warm and hot. Summers in Orlando are hot and sunny, with average temperatures ranging from the mid-80s to high 90s. Even on overcast days, it's easy to get sunburned, so wear sunscreen and a hat. It's typical for Orlando to experience rain showers on summer afternoons, but they don't usually last too long. If you travel there in August, expect especially hot weather and heavy humidity.

Between October and May, the weather in Orlando tends to be beautiful. Expect sunny days with blue skies, and cool and comfortable nights. During the winter months, the weather can drop to the 50s in the daytime, and into the 40s at night, so bring sweatshirts and jackets.

Throughout the year, any indoor venue you visit in Orlando will be heavily air conditioned, so a light jacket is often necessary.

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Things to Do

Stay
Given the sheer number of attractions in Orlando, it's no wonder there are an equally vast number of hotels and resorts to stay at, from cheap hotels to luxury resorts. Look during the off season to find great deals on Orlando hotels, even those that may seem pricey. Many travelers also opt for all inclusive vacation packages that cover the cost of flight, rental car, hotel and ticket prices to Orlando's theme parks.

Walt Disney World is huge – and so are the myriad of hotels you can choose to call home for your stay. Hotels are divided into deluxe villas, deluxe resort hotels, moderate resort hotels, and value resort hotels, so that you can stay at the Magic Kingdom on any budget. For a wackier time, the Nickelodeon Suites Resort is a high-energy family friendly hotel where kids and play and explore in two action-packed water parks, live entertainment with the 4-D experience, and more. At Universal Orlando, the Hard Rock hotel has all the latest amenities plus several restaurants, bars, and pool. If you'll be visiting SeaWorld, stay directly across the way at the Renaissance Orlando, with oversized guest rooms and hotel suites, three restaurants, an outdoor swimming pool and kid's activity, plus babysitting services.

Just because you're in the middle of amusement parks and theme restaurants doesn't mean you can't stay in Orlando in style. The Peabody Orlando, located in the center of Orlando's attractions, the term "convention hotel" may not sound appealing, but the four-star hotel offers great amenities with contemporary design and sumptuous décor. At the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, 750 guest rooms and 45 suites offer provide guests with luxury accommodations a great value, with three swimming pools, eight restaurants and loungers, access to golf courses, a full service fitness center, spa, and the Campo Portofino children's activity center for when parents need a break. Ambience is the key at The Grand Bohemian Hotel, with velvet drapers, Java wood, pillow-top beds and spacious baths.

Play
Visiting Orlando without experiencing at least one of the major theme parks seems like a waste. If you're only there for a weekend getaway and have never been to Disneyland, it's almost required to visit Disney World. The Walt Disney World Resort is a 25,000-acre complex (about twice the size of Manhattan), which includes The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom, not to mention multiple water parks, golf courses, day spas, shopping complexes, hundreds of restaurants, and several dozen resort hotels.

Orlando is also home to Universal Orlando and includes Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk. Here you'll find Orlando's newest theme park attraction, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which brings the Harry Potter books to life.

At Orlando's SeaWorld complex, you can visit the original SeaWorld theme park and experience exhibits featuring exotic marine wildlife, plus ride a bunch of coasters and exciting thrill rides. There's also the massive Aquatica water park and Discovery Cove, an all-day experience where you can swim with dolphins.

Along International Drive, you'll find literally dozens of smaller family-friendly attractions. SkyVenture indoor skydiving , for kids, teens and adults alike, is a safe and exciting way to experience the true thrill of sky diving without ever going more than 10-feet or so above the ground. No experience is necessary. All of the equipment and instruction you need is included as part of the 60 to 90-minute experience. The massive arcade WonderWorks indoor arcade is located in an upside down building along International Drive and offers a wide range of interactive activities for kids and teens, including arcade and interactive games, laser tag, and motion simulator rides. Every evening, one of the best deals in Orlando (and one of the most entertaining) is The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show - for under $25 per person (adults), you'll experience a fun-filled magic show and all-you-can-eat pizza at WonderWorks.

Eat
Orlando restaurants come in every size and shape. For most tourists, there's an array of reliable chain restaurants, as well as welcome changes at all of Orlando's theme parks. Kids will love dining with their favorite characters at both Disney World and Universal Studios, while themed restaurants are another perennial kid favorite, like the Rainforest Café.

Plenty of celebrity chefs have also put their stamps on dining experiences at the resorts, including restaurants in Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk. Wolfgang Puck Grand Café is a comfortable setting for a casual meal, with the chef's signatures like sandwiches, soups, salads and pizzas, while Emeril's Orlando whips up Cajun and Creole cuisine.

For more adult fare, FishBones has the freshest seafood and aged steaks available, with a Key West inspired atmosphere and friendly service. CRAVE offers imaginative cuisine and a fantastic wine selection, with a wide variety of menu items including Angus Beef steaks, seafood, pizzas and a full sushi bar.

Shop
If you're a tourist at one of Orlando's theme parks, there are absolutely no shortage of gift shops to browse through so you can bring something back for yourself, your family and everyone back home. However, if you're in the mood to buy something that doesn't involve Mouse Ears, there are two incredible shopping malls in Orlando. The Florida Mall is sprawling, with hundreds of stores anchored by six department stores including Nordstrom's and Saks Fifth Avenue. The Mall at Millenia, on the other hand, offers high-end retailers like L'Occitaine, St. John, Betsey Johnson and Swarovski.

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Local Attractions

Beyond the major amusement parks of Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando and SeaWorld, there are a handful of exciting and unique activities worth experiencing in Orlando, Florida.

The indoor and outdoor interactive museum Fantasy of Flight features one of the world's largest collections of perfectly restored aircrafts from throughout aviation history. You'll find vintage airplanes, plus a handful of interesting and entertaining exhibits. On weekends, special events like antique car shows are held on the grounds.

It's one thing to watch NASCAR races on TV or from the racetrack stands. It's another altogether to be sitting behind the wheel of a car and racing around a track at speeds up to 140 mph. This is what you can expect when you participate in Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando. If you're a thrill-seeker, teen or adult, this is the venue for you.

One of the most romantic ways to experience Orlando is by booking a sunrise hot air balloon ride. The per-person cost starts at $150 for a 45 to 60-minute flight, but the views and sunrise make the ticket well worth it.

If you're tired of seeking thrillers, enjoy Orlando's art and culture. Visit the Orlando Museum of Art or the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center – or catch the wondrous spectacle of Cirque du Soleil La Nouba, presented at Downtown Disney.

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Must See Sights

The Everglades With Orlando so close to the famed Everglades, a trip to Florida isn't complete without seeing alligators. Located about 45 minutes from the Walt Disney World Resort is Boggy Creek Airboat Rides. Take a six or 12-passenger airboat for 30 to 60 minutes and glide along the outskirts of the Florida Everglades, where you'll see wild alligators and other wildlife from just a few feet away. You can see alligators up-close and in the wild by taking an airboat ride through the Everglades.

Golf There are more than 180 golf courses in the Orlando area, most of which are open to the public. Many championship and world-class golf courses and golf resorts are located in Orlando, including several courses (81 holes) at the Walt Disney World Resort. Shingle Creek Golf Club and Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge are also favorites amongst golfers.

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Insider Tips

• When visiting the theme parks, pace yourself! Plan on taking breaks throughout the day, especially if you're traveling with kids. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated in the Florida sun. Wear comfortable shoes, as well as sunglasses, a hat and sun block. Fatigue and blisters caused by uncomfortable shoes are the most common ailments at the theme parks.
• To save time at the Disney theme parks, take advantage of the FastPass feature. You can experience the most popular rides and attractions without waiting in long lines.
• The Orlando Flex Ticket offers unlimited admission to Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventures, SeaWorld, Aquatica and Wet 'n Wild for 14 consecutive days at a deeply discounted rate. These tickets are available from participating theme parks.
• If you're traveling with a family, instead of cramming everyone into a standard hotel room, consider renting a townhouse or time share unit (you do not have to be a member). This gives you access to multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, living room and other amenities for about the same price as a three-star hotel. Contact All-Star Vacation Homes or Marriott Vacation Club.
• When booking an Orlando trip, you can often save money by booking a package, which includes airfare, hotel and rental car. Another alternative is to buy a money-saving package directly from the Walt Disney World Resort or Universal Orlando, which may include a meal plan.
• The Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau has a very useful website, www.visitorlando.com. In addition to money-saving offers and online coupons, the site offers everything you need to know about where to stay, where you eat, what to see, where to shop, and how to get around.

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Getting Around

If you'll be staying at one of the resorts within The Walt Disney World Resort, free bus transportation is available from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Disney. Once at the resort, you can get around using the free bus, monorail and ferryboat transportation system. When staying outside of the theme park resorts, many independent hotels, motels and resorts offer free shuttle service to the theme parks.

However, if you plan on exploring Orlando and leaving the Walt Disney World Resort, you'll probably want to rent a car. During peak travel periods, especially when racing events are happening in Daytona, rental cars sell out fast in Orlando, so book in advance. American Express Card holders can save a fortune on rental car insurance by pre-paying for the Premium Rental Car Protection for a flat fee of $24.95 (for your entire trip), as opposed to paying the per-day insurance fee from the rental car company.

Taxis in Orlando are expensive, and the mass-transit bus system won't get you to the various tourist attractions in a timely manner.

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