Visiting Orlando on a Budget

For anyone who has visited Orlando Florida, whether it was to explore Disney World or any of the other popular tourist attractions throughout the area - it was obvious that there are many opportunities to overpay for food, lodging, and entertainment.  Simple drinks or food that is fairly inexpensive outside of the park can cost a small fortune at many of the eateries inside the park.  Hotels can cost a fortune if you haven't found a package deal, and if you are visiting Orlando during peak season - you can be fairly confident that you are paying top dollar for every single thing that you spend your money on. 

However, it is possible to enjoy the same Orlando experience without spending a fortune by following the simple tips below.

Best Time to Visit

While Orlando is quite likely the most popular place to visit in the country, there are actually certain times of the year when your experience in Orlando will feel less crowded.  Typically, the entire summer is the worse time to visit Orlando if you want to avoid the crowds.  Lines are always longest and service is always the slowest during the summertime due to the high volume of visitors.  During the rest of the year, any time school is out, the same high volume of visitors will be found in Orlando.  The best way to visit Orlando when the volume of crowds isn't at its peak is to visit during the school year.  If you have kids in the school system, consider pulling them from school for the week.

Dining Options

Since Orlando is one of the largest and most popular tourist spots in the world.  Because of this, Orlando Florida has almost every major U.S. restaurant chain.  Prices at these restaurants are no higher than anywhere else in the country, however food priced within the theme parks are astronomically higher.  Much like movie theaters, theme parks have a captive audience, and food within the parks can cost two to three times more than outside the park.  For example, a $1 bottle of water may cost $3 in the park.

The technique to cut down on food costs tremendously is to eat major meals outside of the park.  Stay at a hotel outside of the park, and eat a large breakfast before heading out for the day.  Enjoy a snack while in the park, and then plan to head back to town to enjoy lunch at one of the many reasonably priced restaurants in Orlando.  While transportation, such as a car rental, may add a little more to the cost of the trip - the savings you will see from reduced dining costs will more than pay for transportation.

Lodging Options

While on-site hotels within Disney historically were more expensive than many of the off-site budget hotels throughout Orlando, over the past few years Disney has built hotels that cater to families who would like to visit Disney and stay within the park on a budget.  Budget-conscious families can now stay at a hotel in the park for as little as $55 to $60 per night during non-peak season. 

So the best way to save money on lodging while in Orlando and visiting the theme parks is to either stay at the least expensive hotels within the park during non-peak season, or if you are visiting during peak tourist season - then stay at any of the many budget hotels just outside the park.

Attractions

Obviously one of the largest attractions in Orlando is Disney World.  Orlando has far more to offer than just Disney World. Additionally, you can visit Universal Studios Orlando, SeaWorld, beautiful ocean beaches, Kennedy Space Center, and a multitude of additional attractions all throughout the area. 

When planning your vacation, make sure to decide which parks you plan to attend, and take full advantage of the discount ticket plans generally offered by every theme park such as Disney's park hopper pass which can save a fortune depending on how many days you plan to visit.  Make sure to visit the website of every theme park and attraction you plan to visit and check for any discounts, deals or promotions that are currently being offered - and take full advantage of them.