Have you ever considered visiting the infamous Disney world, Universal Studios, or another Orlando theme park with your family? Let’s face it, children are growing up way too fast, and the time that we have with them is limited. One second you are teaching you little tyke to tie his shoes and the next second they are graduating high school, and starting college. Theme parks have always been a favorite pastime, and are a perfect way for a family to spend some quality time and create those once in lifetime memories.
If you were to go to Google and put in a search for Orlando Florida theme parks, you will be greeted with pages full of ticket options. One site will always have the lowest price in town, and while they might have the best price, the fine print is something that is less than satisfactory. Many questions are raised on the subject ranging from where, how long, and the glorious and infamous questions that pertain to the budget.
Let’s call the elephant out in the room and talk about money. In a perfect world, skies would always be sunny with a zero chance of rain, tires would never go flat the day of a road trip, and Orlando tickets for the family would always be free. The truth of the matter is, vacations, if not planned properly can end up in returning to a mass amount of bills that you don’t want to end up on the past due line.
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, make a budget and stick to it. After you and your family decide what park you want to go to, create a spreadsheet and estimate the expenses. Include everything from the park tickets, hotel, dining out, gas, etc. Once a budget is in place, it will be easier for you to determine what, where, and how long you will be able to visit.
Once the budget is in place, you can start thinking of when the trip can actually happen. Your family will get the most out of theme park ticket if they can ride the majority of the rides and see some shows. There are certain times of the year when parks are on overload and one attraction could take well over an hour to even see. Be sure to check off-season times, and while I know with jobs and kids this may be a bit of a stretch, but weekdays are usually the best time to visit.
Set your mind to the fact now that you are not going to buy anything inside the park that you can get outside of the park. You would be surprised at the prices that parks charge for items like throw away cameras, sunscreen, and shirts. Water can even be considered to be costly inside of a park. Do yourself a favor, and pack either a fanny pack or a small bag and bring the items in with you. Your wallet will thank you!
(Photo by B.E.S./E&P)
Let’s call the elephant out in the room and talk about money. In a perfect world, skies would always be sunny with a zero chance of rain, tires would never go flat the day of a road trip, and Orlando tickets for the family would always be free. The truth of the matter is, vacations, if not planned properly can end up in returning to a mass amount of bills that you don’t want to end up on the past due line.
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, make a budget and stick to it. After you and your family decide what park you want to go to, create a spreadsheet and estimate the expenses. Include everything from the park tickets, hotel, dining out, gas, etc. Once a budget is in place, it will be easier for you to determine what, where, and how long you will be able to visit.
Once the budget is in place, you can start thinking of when the trip can actually happen. Your family will get the most out of theme park ticket if they can ride the majority of the rides and see some shows. There are certain times of the year when parks are on overload and one attraction could take well over an hour to even see. Be sure to check off-season times, and while I know with jobs and kids this may be a bit of a stretch, but weekdays are usually the best time to visit.
Set your mind to the fact now that you are not going to buy anything inside the park that you can get outside of the park. You would be surprised at the prices that parks charge for items like throw away cameras, sunscreen, and shirts. Water can even be considered to be costly inside of a park. Do yourself a favor, and pack either a fanny pack or a small bag and bring the items in with you. Your wallet will thank you!
(Photo by B.E.S./E&P)
Sarah Perez Gutierrez is a Bilingual, mother of two, who loves everything writing and travel. She resides in central Ohio, and when she’s not working, she is typically trying to catch up on her long, lost television episodes of her favorite shows. Sarah wears many hats, but her main focus is virtual assisting others.
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