Having just returned from showing some people around SeaWorld, with the park near capacity, I realized that someone needs to get the word out on when the best times to visit the theme Parks in Orlando. On certain days, Orlando guests plan to visit a park and arrive only to find that it is closed due to full to capacity. Everyone I know that lives in Central Florida avoids the theme parks during these busiest periods like summer and spring break. Most of us relish the slowest periods where you feel like you have the entire theme park to yourself. The kids can get off a ride and get right back on it with no lines.
The ideal time to come and experience the parks is August 25 - December 15 (excluding Thanksgiving) The weather is cooler than summer and you will experience very little traffic, no lines at restaurants and feel like you are royalty because everywhere you go there will be more staff than needed to serve you.
Another benefit of visiting Orlando during off-peak months is that Global Resort Homes offers incredible savings of up to 40% off our normal peak season rates. Not only do we offer discounts for your stay but you will find that the parks also offer savings during that time - some even offer a second day free!
Privately owned vacation homes are one of the best ways to visit and experience Orlando. Whether you are coming to golf, shop, visiting the parks or are planning a family reunion, you will be sure to find an Orlando vacation home to fit your needs. Prices start at just $79 a night for a luxury 2-bedroom property.
Come during the fall and experience Orlando in a whole new way!
![[Slashdot]](http://slashdot.org/favicon.ico)
![[Digg]](http://digg.com/favicon.ico)
![[Reddit]](http://reddit.com/favicon.ico)
![[del.icio.us]](http://del.icio.us/favicon.ico)
![[Facebook]](http://www.facebook.com/favicon.ico)
![[Technorati]](http://technorati.com/favicon.ico)
![[Google]](http://www.google.com/favicon.ico)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.stumbleupon.com/favicon.ico)
July 18th, 2008
Definition of a Snow Bird: A retired or semi retired baby boomer who has grown tired of snow blowers and frozen toes. Not willing to give up the North completely but would rather migrate to the South for an extended stay, escaping the cold.
Makeup: Primarily from Midwest and Northeast U.S. and lots of Canadians!
A trend that has been building yearly over the past decade is Snow Birds heading down to Florida and renting Orlando vacation homes. It is a great option for them to come and stay for a couple of months or even the entire winter. This trend has been such a hit with snowbirds that most come back year after year and eventually invite their friends to rent a home down the street. Not only do Orlando Snow Bird renters find the perfect home for their needs but they receive a substantial discount for their extended stay while they escape the cold.
Orlando is the perfect choice for a winter stay as there is so much to do and renting a home from Global Resort Homes provides even more entertainment as all of our resorts offer a wide variety of amenities. Orlando boasts great shopping and restaurants and is ideally located in central Florida offering close proximity to either coast. Resorts amenities include homes with private pools, luxurious community pools, guard-gated entrances, movie theaters, sundry shops, shuttle services, tennis courts, fitness rooms and this is just to name a few. Snowbirds can choose from one of Global Resort Homes luxury resorts and find the perfect fit for their winter home needs. Should they miss the kids or the grandkids during their stay, they can invite them down for spring break and let them enjoy not only the great weather but also Orlando’s world famous theme parks and top attractions.
Why stay in the cold when you can enjoy the Sunshine State in the convenience and comfort of your own home. Call a Global Resort Home vacation home specialist today and start planning an exciting, warm winter this year.
July 16th, 2008
After searching fruitlessly for a Starbucks in the area for several hours, it was now approaching lunch time and I was getting very hungry. I remembered when I was in Downtown Disney having seen a Planet Hollywood and really wanted to check it out.
I headed to Planet Hollywood, which is only about 10 minutes from Cypress Pointe Resort , and was able to easily find a parking spot and was sitting down before I knew it. When I first walked in I was overwhelmed by all the “decorations” hanging on the walls throughout the restaurant. I grabbed a table in the bar and sat back, trying to take in my environment.
My waitress came over quickly after I sat down, but I could barely hear her because the music was playing so loudly throughout the restaurant. There were TVs everywhere showing clips of movies and other entertainment pieces, but again, I couldn’t focus on them due to the blarring music.
I ordered a burger and a margarita and ate as quickly as I could. Planet Hollywood, in my opinion, is a cool concept but just slightly missed the mark for me. Now that being said, I am a fairly young girl, and enjoy high-energy places as much as any other 27 year old. But, Planet Hollywood just didn’t do it for me. There was WAY too much going on within the restaurant and the music was deafening. I will say that the food was good and the service quick and friendly, but not a place I would choose to go back to.
So, if you are looking to grab a quiet lunch with your family on your next Orlando vacation, Plane Hollywood is not the place to go!!!
June 13th, 2008
Continued…
Did you know at the Glenbrook Resort a 7 bedroom home with a pool, if three couples decided to vacation together, has an average nightly rate (before taxes) of just $65 per couple? At Windsor Hills, that rate per couple would be about $86 a night. Also many of the homes have private pools and spas so you and your friends can enjoy countless hours of swimming without “pool hours” to adhere to. If you chose a home with a private recreation room, you could enjoy a relaxing game of pool, hours of Poker, and if it gets late, you can send the children to bed and not even have to hire a babysitter! Imagine watching the “Big Game” on a 50′ inch flat screen! How about taking all the kids to the resort’s on-site movie theatre for a movie day? Eating at home is not only a less expensive alternative, it can also be lots of fun - you could have a ” make your own pizza and tacos night” and if there was a night you just didn’t feel like cooking, you could contact a vacation chef to prepare an incredible meal, like shrimp and artichoke linguine, chicken curry, or a roasted vegetable meatloaf for less than $5.50 per person.
Orlando has some of the best attractions in the world and I’m certainly not suggesting avoiding them all together, but instead of going to a different attraction every day, choose just one or two, and make them the highlight of the week. If you have children, have your children contribute to the cost of their ticket before you go on vacation. Mousavers.com gives some excellent suggestions on how children can help you save for a vacation. One suggestion was, all “found” money goes in a vacation fund which could be a glass jar on little Suzie’s dresser. If an average attraction ticket is about $70, a child could purchase their own ticket by saving just $12 a month for six months. How special would that trip to Disney feel for a child who knows the value of hard work and the reward of saving ?
In these hard economic times, yes we have to make changes to our lifestyles and to our way of thinking, but sacrificing a quality vacation isn’t the answer and it certainly won’t bring relief. So, ask yourself? What is the true cost of a vacation? It’s not just money, gas, food and tickets - the value isn’t monetary. In fact, it will cost you not to take one.
June 9th, 2008
I grew up (and currently live) in the mid-west and have become accustomed to having a Starbucks on pretty much every corner - now that might be a bit exaggerated, but where I am from there is an excessive amount of Starbucks coffee shops in my neighborhood alone, not to mention the city of Cleveland itself.
Having become so used to having a Starbucks planted on every corner in my neighborhood, I have also become a Starbucks addict. My morning ritual includes, and has included for years now, a daily stop at the nearest Starbucks to my apartment (which is literally a block away) where the friendly employees know my name and what I am drinking. And if for some reason I am unable to grab a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, I make sure that I allot time during my day to make an emergency Starbucks run.
Now, seeing as though I am on “vacation” and have been for a week or two, I have temporarily abandoned my morning ritual I cherish so much and have substituted my coffee addiction for a more convenient Diet Coke addiction. That being said, I must admit that I could EASILY make coffee for myself at my Orlando vacation rental as (mentioned before) all of Global’s resort properties (including Cypress Point Resort) come with fully equipped kitchens, including a coffee maker. But making coffee at home just isn’t the same as a grande dark roast (with room for cream) from Starbucks!
After spending several days enjoying the area attractions, theme parks, water parks, and shopping in Orlando, the time had finally come to get my Starbucks fix. It suddenly dawned on me though, that with all the driving around and different areas of the city I had visited I had yet to see a Starbucks!! Again – having a Starbucks on every corner at home it struck me as bizarre that I hadn’t noticed a single one since I have been here. I just don’t believe that this observation could possibly be true and began wondering if I had simply just missed them caught up in the excitement of whatever activity I was off doing that particular day.
So, I ask the people of Orlando – where are all the Starbucks???
Jordan
June 6th, 2008
Previous Posts