Everyone remembers his or her first time in Disney World. Orlando, with Mickey Mouse as its most famous resident, has been a part of most families' lives since the park opened up. The first ride on the Monorail, the first walk down Main Street, the first verse of "It's a Small World." All enshrined in a young travelers mind.
Orlando, with its world championship golf courses and adult fun center spearheaded by Universal Studios Resort and Theme Park continues to attract travelers with well-priced deals and plenty of hotels.
All Seasons Travel (tel. 800/771-8690; www.allseastravel.com) has a special land-only President's Weekend special with accommodations at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge for $325 per person for four people. Travel must take place from February 17 to 20, 2005, and must be booked by December 24, 2004. The package includes three nights at the lodge with a view of the animal lodges, two days of park hopping which means access to all of Disney World's offerings, a dessert party for the kids on Saturday night and all hotel taxes.
Several airlines and discount air travel websites are offering inexpensive airfares to Orlando. Jet Blue (tel. 800/JETBLUE; www.jetblue.com) has several flights from the New York area or Boston to Orlando for $59 each way. From upstate New York around Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, Jet Blue has flights to Orlando that cost $69 each way. A Saturday stay is required and travel should be booked at least two weeks in advance to ensure availability. Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) has flights with travel good from January 3 to June 6, 2005 on major carriers for very low prices. Flights should be purchased fourteen days in advance with a Saturday night stay or one-night stay mandatory. Examples of fares are Indianapolis to Orlando and back for $124; Cleveland-Orlando for $204; and Los Angeles-Orlando for $194.
A fourth-night free promotion is available from Extra Holidays (tel. 800/438-6493; www.extraholidays.com) when you book three nights at the villa resort of Cyprus Palms Resort just fifteen minutes from Disney World. Travel is good from now through February 11, 2005 at the $79 per night resort that offers full spa and swimming and playground activities. Everything is nearby, including golf, tennis, miniature golf and the Universal Studios Theme Park.
United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com), the vacations arm of United Airlines, has several air and land packages available for travel to and from Disney World and nearby areas. In order to access the prices for your air and hotel trip, you have to go through a brief search engine asking for travel dates. From there, the website gives several flight alternatives with prices listed and then several hotel options which include per person prices which are the total price for your package. From Dayton, Ohio, for example, a three-night vacation with a hotel stay in the Epcot Center area at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort costs $396.91 per person including airfare with double occupancy. The hotel has a fun pool with a built-in slide and lakefront views. The same three-night stay at The Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa complete with adult spa facilities and two lit tennis courts costs $466.91. Hotel and air taxes are included in both of these deals. The "ultimate park hopper ticket" allowing full access to Disney World's many amusement facilities is included in the price.
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