Cheapest Fares to the Orient
April Orlando Trips
Trips to the USA are very affordable with our dollar almost on par with the America dollar.
With direct flights from Westjet to Orlando, it's an easy flight to a sunny vacation for a few days.
If you are like me with a bad memory, sometimes it's good to have a few pointers written down somewhere for future reference.
In Orlando, unlike Winnipeg, there are tolls roads. Some car rentals include a Sunpass so you do not have to stop at every toll. Check it out and ask before you drive off. There might be a per day charge on top of every toll you go through.
If you are renting a car, make sure you have third party liability insurance. Many credit cards do not cover it. If you do not buy ahead, for example, budget is 14.99$ per day. Shop around so you are not forced to pay a premium last minute. It is often cheaper to get your second driver's insurance for less as well before you go. So if you want that other driver, keep that in mind.
Your GPS may be good, but keep a paper map handy in the car just in case. Your battery may fail, or it might take a bit too long to get that sattelite signal. You can start heading off first while the car receives it's signal and not be delayed.
Seaworld can give you a bonus, and it isn't always advertised. We bought a one day pass which allowed us to return within 7 days for another free day. So two for the price of one. These specials change all the time, but it's nice to be aware before you buy what the current deal is. We were not informed while purchasing it as we were not wise to this information, but were told after the fact.
If you've read anything about Disneyworld, you probably know about the Fastpass. If you want one, be prepared to wake up early. The cast members (the name of Disney Theme park employees) informed us they often run out within an hour of the park opening up. This is what we'd call a hot commodity.
Cafe Tutu Tango has a list of awards including "Best Overall Restaurant" by the Orlando's Setinel's 101 best of 2008 and "Best Theme Restaurnt" in AOL's Cityguide 2007, and is well deserved. Call ahead because they book up quickly. The duck was exemplary with some questioning whether it was possible to make this meat ever so tender. The flaming cheese was also a big hit with our table.
International Drive, otherwise known as I-Drive is perfect for the shopper. Most tend to skip the malls and head straight for the two shopping outlets, each capping one end of the street. The North Outlet is known as Prime while the Southern one is Premium. There are repeat stores in each but they do house a few unique stores making a stop to both necessary if you want to run the shopping gamut. The Coach store seemed exceptionally busy. It was not uncommon to see a shopper with five purses walking up to the counter.
If you manage to make it out of Orlando and drive to Miami, the Big Cat Rescue is one of the places I would recommend going, especially if you are an animal lover. You will not get any closer to a big cat then this. Aside from Ligers (a mix of a tiger and a lion) there are many other cats that you can get up close and personal with. The tour guides are very friendly and those with disabilities will find they have golf carts that can ease the burden off your feet. Just make sure you request this in advance so there is one available to you.
Finally, the big new sensation this summer is Universal Studios "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" opening June 18th.
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