Orlando & the Theme Parks - The Delaplaine 2017 Long Weekend Guide: Long Weekend Guides

By Andrew Delaplaine

Comprehensive overview of the theme parks and other attractions in the Central Florida - Orlando area.

Walt Disney World, Universal, SeaWorld, Legoland and all the others and covered in this comprehensive guide. 
 

"I liked the new chapter that covered the VIP tours. Even though they weren't cheap, we saved a whole day and had a more rewarding time." ---Leonard F., Tulsa

"I never realized what a complicated task it is to go have fun in Orlando. The maze of deals at the different theme parks and all the rest - it takes a college degree to figure some of this stuff out. This book helped." --- Becky R, Lake Placid, NY

"Really good restaurant listings." --- Rolando G, Birmingham

RESTAURANTS - SHOPPING - NIGHTLIFE - a rundown on luxurious spas, and much more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gramercy Park Press
• Release date: Aug 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536549041

Andrew Delaplaine

Delaplaine lives on South Beach, Miami’s Billion Dollar Sandbar. He writes in widely varied fields: screenplays, novels (adult and juvenile) and journalism. He also has a series of Long Weekend Guides covering some 50 cities around the world. Email: [e-mail] He writes several series: The “JACK HOUSTON ST. CLAIR” political thriller novels. “THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES IV,” a series of novels starring the great-great-grandson of the famous consulting detective. “THE ANNALS OF SANTOPIA” series, an epic that follows a Santa born in 1900 through to his death 82 years later. The AMOS FREEMAN police thrillers. Other novels: “The Trap Door” follows a boy who is taken back in time to 1594 and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. “The Meter Maid Murders,” a comic look at a detective trying to nab a serial killer on South Beach who only murders meter maids. Has written and directed three features (one doc, two narrative features), as well as several short films and won several awards for his film work. (See imdb.com for details).  His latest film, “Meeting Spencer,” starring Jeffrey Tambor, won the prestigious Milan International Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay.  DELAPLAINE’S “LONG WEEKEND” GUIDES These no-nonsense guides contain Delaplaine’s recommendations and advice for travelers visiting these places for 3 or 4 days. As "The Food Enthusiast," he writes a series of restaurants guides, updated annually. He has no hobbies.

Book preview

ORLANDO & THE THEME PARKS

The Delaplaine

2017 Long Weekend Guide

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Disney – Universal – SeaWorld – Legoland

All Theme Parks Are Included

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Andrew Delaplaine

NO BUSINESS HAS PAID A SINGLE PENNY OR GIVEN ANYTHING TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS BOOK.

A list of the author’s other travel guides, as well as his political thrillers and titles for children, can be found at the end of this book.

Senior Editors - Renee & Sophie Delaplaine

Senior Writer - James Cubby

Copyright © by Gramercy Park Press - All rights reserved.

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Please submit corrections, additions or comments to [e-mail]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – FIRST THINGS FIRST

Why Walt Disney World & Orlando?

Planning Your Visit

Specific Information During Your Visit

Chapter 2 - LODGING

Airport – Kissimmee - International Drive - Disney World Area

Disney World Resort - Lake Buena Vista - Downtown

Chapter 3 – RESTAURANTS

& Dinner Shows

Chapter 4 – THEME PARKS

Chapter 5 – ATTRACTIONS

(Not in Theme Parks)

Chapter 6 – NIGHTLIFE

Chapter 7 – SHOPPING

Chapter 8 – SPAS

Chapter 9 – CRAFT BEER

Chapter 10

VIP ACCESS TO THEME PARKS

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Chapter 1

FIRST THINGS FIRST

WHY WALT DISNEY WORLD & ORLANDO?

Before Walt Disney (in the mid to late 1960s) started buying up huge tracts of land through a series of companies designed to disguise the real buyer, there wasn’t much reason to visit Orlando, known in those days only for its vast citrus growing enterprises.

But those pesky cigarettes got to Walt, and he died of lung cancer in 1966.

Though Uncle Walt never lived to see Disney World open in 1971, once it did, everything changed, as we all know. Orlando now attracts close to 50 million travelers a year. (About 4 million come from abroad.) Thus proving that Walt’s Folly was no folly at all.

When we speak of Orlando, we mean Greater Orlando, of course, because the area is not known merely for Disney World. When other entertainment companies saw how successful and visionary Walt had been, they hopped on the bandwagon and started copycatting his vision. After all, if tens of millions of people were going to go to Orlando drawn by the Disney marketing machine, why not take advantage of that and open other theme parks to see how much business could be drawn away?

Walt Disney World is about 20 miles from downtown Orlando in a town called Lake Buena Vista, which lies within land completely owned by Disney, making it a real company town if ever there was one.

The area is now home to the Universal Orlando Resort, an umbrella name for Universal’s two theme parks, namely Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Other big attractions include City Walk, Wet ’n Wild Water Park, SeaWorld, Gatorland, among a host of lesser stars in the theme park firmament. Most of these attractions are located along a stretch of International Drive.

I think it’s still the most visited city in the U.S., outdrawing New York and everywhere else.

And to think they called this whole thing Walt’s Folly when he first embarked upon his grand plan.

PLANNING YOUR VISIT

One does not plunge lightly into a visit to the strange world of Central Florida / Orlando / Walt Disney World.  No, you have to take it slowly to avoid the shock. Culture shock is one. Sticker shock can be another if you’re on a budget.

But the wizened folks at Disney (and the other parks) are not fools. They have crafted any number of what I’d call levels of experience so that whatever your budget, they want you. And they welcome you. If you’re on a budget, you’ll be treated just as well (well, maybe not quite as lavishly, but you’ll never know it) as somebody spending a whole lot more. They work hard to give you that feeling, and they succeed.

Things you need to think about:

ONE: Plan ahead. You need to look into your travel arrangements. You need to examine the byzantine ticketing process at Disney. You need to examine the various packages available. And don’t rush this process. Take your time. You’ll be surprised how angry you will get with yourself when you realize how much you missed out on because you didn’t look into any of it in advance. Personally, I find it much easier to hop on a plane and go to Paris or London without a second thought than I do Orlando. When I’m coming here, I hunker down and do my research, baby. There’re just too many choices. And they’re all right in your face.

TWO: YOUR LODGINGS. Where are you staying? The options are very wide-ranging, so look into them all before deciding.

THREE: Food, glorious food! I know it sounds crazy, but if you haven’t been here before, you need to explore the lunch and dining options available to you. Many are tried to plans, and they are well worth looking into. Don’t shortchange yourself here by not doing your homework.

FOUR: the parks themselves. You’ll need to explore online all the various options within each park. There are literally hundreds of things to do. Don’t be overwhelmed when you get there. Do a little research and you’ll actually end up seeing things you want to see rather than get swept along with the tide of humanity.

Start with Disney’s web site. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com

SPECIFIC INFORMATION DURING YOUR VISIT

Orlando Weekly has a web site I check a few days before I head to the area: it tells you everything that’s happening currently that won’t be in a guidebook, even mine! http://orlandoweekly.com

Chapter 2

LODGING

Airport

Kissimmee

International Drive

Disney World Area

Disney World Resort

Lake Buena Vista

Downtown

AIRBNB.COM

www.airbnb.com

Description: airbnb-austin

Definitely look into the scourge of hoteliers everywhere in the world, this site that alerts frugal travelers to bargain lodgings in people’s homes almost anywhere in the world. You might find a flat a block from Champs Élysées that’s a third of the price of a small room at the Georges V and with a lot more charm.

Voilà!

You will need to do your research, but the good thing is that you pay Airbnb.com directly, not the person hosting you.

They get protections from you (if you’re a crazy person and trash the host’s apartment, you will pay dearly) and you get protection from them (in case they offer something not available in the rental).

All in all, a wonderful meeting of the minds for savvy travelers looking for bargains and people in cities where travelers want to go who want to maximize the revenue potential of that spare room.

I have several friends of mine who do this in Miami, on South Beach where I live, and they are all happy with the entire experience.

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AIRPORT