Orlando Vacation Rental
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For most, Orlando conjures up an image of theme parks (mainly Disney World), however, in reality it has a lot more to offer than that. In fact, Disney is not even in Orlando, but nearby Lake Buena Vista. Nonetheless, the Mickey Mouse card has turned Orlando into the fourth-ranking US destination for overseas travelers, just behind Miami, Los Angeles and New York City. The city “built on the peel of an orange” has also established itself as a mainstay of Florida’s high-tech corridor.
Orlando’s temperate climate and multitude of nearby activities makes it a year round destination. Regardless of whether or not your Orlando vacation plans include a visit to Disney World, you must remain aware of the impact its draw has on peak travel times. As a general rule, school holidays are the busiest times of the year. Otherwise, you may want to avoid the peak summer period as hotel rates spike, though you might still be able to find accommodation in the burgeoning Orlando vacation rental market.
Given its status as a major tourism hotspot, it should come as little surprise that you’ll find a hotel on almost every corner (or in some cases 4 or 5 of them). There are hotels to meet every traveler’s need, whether it be a hostel or a 5-star resort (the Ginn Reunion Resort is a very hot pick right now), although many visiting families often prefer to rent their own private villa as they usually provide much more personal space and have their own private facilities. An Orlando vacation rental may offer extended amenities, such as community pools and sport courts, or even a fully-stocked kitchen. With group vacations increasing as a cost-saving trend, the market for Orlando vacation rental properties has seen a dramatic increase in both availability and offering of services. Still, there are also a large number of lodgings in the surrounding cities and towns, wherein the further out you venture, the lower the rates become.
The car reigns supreme in Orlando, and rightly so as it is a very easy and convenient (if not congested) way to get to your destination. Orlando is a sprawling city with most attractions lying far to the south and into adjacent cities like Kissimmee and Lake Buena Vista. The roads are all more than wide enough and easy to drive on, but traffic jams around downtown are common in the afternoons, as well as around the touristy areas on Friday nights and all of Saturday. Orlando is the largest rental car market in the world and is actually known as the capital of car rental companies. City bus service is offered to most of the outlying regions, and you’ll find that most of the major attractions offer shuttle services from downtown Orlando. Taxi service is increasingly popular as well, and can mitigate the cost of a rental car—if it’s not frequently needed.