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revrew · 10-29-2013, 11:45 AM

Just got back from week-long vacation in Orlando with 16 kids. Yep, took all 16. We had a great time, did several of Disney's free things, got some good photos, and didn't pay a thing except for a bit of parking (would have cost thousands to buy admission into the theme parks, so we just didn't. Had good time anyway).

My top recommendations for doing Orlando on a budget:

1. An hour straight east of Orlando on (toll) 528 is Jetty Park/Beach. Parking is $10, right off the dunes. Great beach, great facilities, cheap rentals for body boards and stuff, very family friendly, fantastic sand, plus, it's just south of the cruise ship port. Watch the giant ships dock and leave, and body surf the waves off their wake. We spent 2 days out at Jetty Beach and 1 day on the Gulf side at "Florida's second best beach" - WAY, WAY preferred Jetty.

2. Downtown Disney - Get a taste of all the glitz and glamor of Disney - at no cost, not even for parking. Shops, fountains, things to see and do, some great photo ops. Kids loved it. LegoLand is down there, get "spit on" by Stitch, take a boat ride across the lake, it's all completely free.

3. Take the ferry and the monorail through Disney. You have to pay $15 for parking at the Magic Kingdom, but then you can hop on the tram and ride the monorail though the parks and see some cool stuff (right up to and around the Epcot "giant golf ball") without a ticket. So long as you don't get off anywhere but the transportation hub, it's all free. I particularly recommend the monorail through Epcot (the best things to see) and the ferry ride, which gives you some good photo ops of the Disney castle.

4. For the grownups, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary at the waterfront in Celebration, the Disney-planned town just south of the parks. Some neat shops, restaurants and nightlife. Plus, they have freely available rocking chairs right on the water, and we enjoyed alligator spotting in the evening hours. We took the kids to the interactive fountain, too, and they had fun for a little while.

Not so recommended:
Disney Boardwalk - Yes, it's free, but there really isn't much to to there.

If you're going to Orlando, I understand wanting to do Disney or Sea World or the swimming with dolphins place (forget what that's called), but if you can't believe how fast the wallet is emptying and you need a break from blowing your life's savings, these are some fun options.

10-29-2013, 11:45 AM	#260
revrew Team Chaplain Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Just outside Des Moines, IA	Just got back from week-long vacation in Orlando with 16 kids. Yep, took all 16. We had a great time, did several of Disney's free things, got some good photos, and didn't pay a thing except for a bit of parking (would have cost thousands to buy admission into the theme parks, so we just didn't. Had good time anyway). My top recommendations for doing Orlando on a budget: 1. An hour straight east of Orlando on (toll) 528 is Jetty Park/Beach. Parking is $10, right off the dunes. Great beach, great facilities, cheap rentals for body boards and stuff, very family friendly, fantastic sand, plus, it's just south of the cruise ship port. Watch the giant ships dock and leave, and body surf the waves off their wake. We spent 2 days out at Jetty Beach and 1 day on the Gulf side at "Florida's second best beach" - WAY, WAY preferred Jetty. 2. Downtown Disney - Get a taste of all the glitz and glamor of Disney - at no cost, not even for parking. Shops, fountains, things to see and do, some great photo ops. Kids loved it. LegoLand is down there, get "spit on" by Stitch, take a boat ride across the lake, it's all completely free. 3. Take the ferry and the monorail through Disney. You have to pay $15 for parking at the Magic Kingdom, but then you can hop on the tram and ride the monorail though the parks and see some cool stuff (right up to and around the Epcot "giant golf ball") without a ticket. So long as you don't get off anywhere but the transportation hub, it's all free. I particularly recommend the monorail through Epcot (the best things to see) and the ferry ride, which gives you some good photo ops of the Disney castle. 4. For the grownups, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary at the waterfront in Celebration, the Disney-planned town just south of the parks. Some neat shops, restaurants and nightlife. Plus, they have freely available rocking chairs right on the water, and we enjoyed alligator spotting in the evening hours. We took the kids to the interactive fountain, too, and they had fun for a little while. Not so recommended: Disney Boardwalk - Yes, it's free, but there really isn't much to to there. If you're going to Orlando, I understand wanting to do Disney or Sea World or the swimming with dolphins place (forget what that's called), but if you can't believe how fast the wallet is emptying and you need a break from blowing your life's savings, these are some fun options. __________________ Winner of 6 FOFC Scribe Awards, including 3 Gold Scribes Founder of the ZFL, 2004 Golden Scribe Dynasty of the Year Now bringing The Des Moines Dragons back to life, and the joke's on YOU, NFL! I came to the Crossroad. I took it. And that has made all the difference. Last edited by revrew : 10-29-2013 at 11:47 AM.