Disney Floridian Grand Hotel

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.

What is the Real Value Hotel at Disney

If you are planning a family vacation to Walt Disney World how do you decide which hotel to stay at? Any of the three hotels on the monorail are the most convenient, or are they? Depending on your agenda for the vacation your best bet might be to pick one of the hotels not on the monorail. This article will discuss the pros and cons of each, so if you are planning a trip and have never been there before you can make a more informed decision.

The three hotels on the monorail at Disney World in Orlando are the Contemporary, the Polynesian, and the Grand Floridian. They also happen to be three of the more highly priced hotels that Disney offers. The Grand Floridian is the most expensive of all Disney hotels. There are some other high end hotels offered by Disney that are pricey as well but the monorail usually commands premium rates. The reason for this is the convenience of staying on the monorail.

I have personally stayed at the Grand Floridian, on my honeymoon. Do not get me wrong, it is a beautiful hotel with exceptional service. That week was the best service I have received anywhere for anything. But, the fact is, unless you are planning to only spend your time at the Magic Kingdom and the Epcot Center, the hotels on the monorail are no more convenient than any of the others.

It is no secret that Disney World is huge. In addition to the two parks mentioned in the previous paragraph, Disney offers MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, multiple water parks, Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island, and the ESPN Sports Complex. If you plan to visit most of the parks you will need to either drive a car or utilize Disney’s transportation anyway, so it does not really matter where you stay.

Also, if you think about it, you are not spending much time in the hotel because you are at the parks, or by the pool, or out eating someplace. You can save a lot of money on the trip by going with a cheaper hotel.

There are some advantages to staying on the monorail. If you are an older couple on a vacation, not bringing any kids, you may prefer to stay on the monorail. You may be looking for a more relaxing vacation spent by the pool, or on the beach, where you have access to the park as well as the spas and other luxuries that come with the higher end hotels. The Grand Floridian does offer many of these luxury features. They also have a very relaxing lobby where you can sit and listen to piano music being played. But, you also have quick and easy access to the main parks should you want to see the Main Street Parade or fireworks.

All Disney hotels are clean and give good service. You cannot go wrong with any of them. If you are older and have the money, or if you are younger and splurging on a nice vacation then the hotels on the monorail are a nice treat. If you are looking for the best value for your family vacation I feel the moderate or value level hotels are the best option.