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Be prepared Before You Go- When to Go and Not To |
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Spring break, summer vacation, fall, or winter - when is the best time to go? There are certainly activities and attractions that will be of interest to everyone no matter what time of year you visit central Florida - it’s simply a matter of deciding what you want to do and when your family can actually get away.
Want to Save Some Cash?
During the off- season, which admittedly can be hit and miss depending on where the holidays and school breaks fall on the calendar, you can usually find some rather good deals on airline tickets, car rentals, hotel stays, and even entire vacation packages. If you’re on a tight budget, the savings can be substantial - it does however require a bit of flexibility on your part. Be sure to check with a variety of hotel chains (though I highly recommend calling the actual hotel itself as they often run their own specials, particular to their hotel, that may not be available when contacting the main reservations department), the airlines (who often run web only specials), your favorite travel agent, the visitors bureaus, and even the parks themselves for the most up to date information regarding their current pricing, package deals, and latest promotions.
Another sure way to save some money is to travel on “off” days and include a Saturday night stay when you can. This will often reduce your airfare expenses, and at times your hotel costs, by a rather substantial amount.
Some Like It Hot
 Weather can play a major factor in your decision of when to visit central Florida. You have to consider your comfort level given the often unavoidable intense heat and high humidity. You also will need to consider what you want to do while you are there. If you are horribly uncomfortable in higher temperatures or in melting humidity, then stay as far away as possible during the late spring, summer, and early fall. This is when Florida is at its absolute hottest and most humid. On the other hand, if the water parks or beaches are at the top of your to-do list, the winter months can get a bit chilly for taking a dip. Another thing to keep in mind is that Florida is rather well known for its afternoon downpours and thunderstorms during the warmer months, which also happen to correspond with its hurricane season. While the torrential downpours don’t usually last long, they can be downright soaking - drenching, in fact - so always have your rain gear at the ready, or at least under the stroller.
The Holiday Rush
Spring break (which includes the 2 weeks on either side of the Easter holiday) is by far the most popular time of year to vacation in central Florida. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays however aren’t far behind, and summertime (when schools are not in session) certainly cannot be discounted by any means. Starting to get the picture here?
While in general there are three relatively distinctive and particularly busy peak seasons to contend with, central Florida has really become a year round destination. This is even more apparent as the number of international visitors, who’s calendar doesn’t necessarily follow ours, continues to rise. It seems that no matter what time of year you choose to visit you’re bound to find the area flooded with tourists - and when the tourist seasons slow it’s the conventioneers you’ll find yourself competing with for rooms at the resorts and tables at the restaurants.
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The advantages of vacationing during the busier seasons:
- The kids won’t miss any time at school.
- The temperatures are cooler during the holiday season and still moderate during
spring break.
The disadvantages of vacationing during the busier seasons:
- Spring break, the Christmas holidays, and the summer months are all extremely (often excessively) crowded.
- There are absurdly long lines everywhere you go, whether at the theme parks and attractions or the restaurants, so be prepared to do plenty - and I mean plenty – of waiting.
- With the crowds comes additional stress, especially when you are trying to keep track of excited children among thousands of other vacationers. You’ll constantly be counting or monitoring the kids instead of enjoying your surroundings or your vacation.
- Rates tend to be significantly higher at the hotels and resorts at the peak seasons and around the holidays.
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The least busy times to vacation are just after the Christmas holidays and a few weeks before spring break; just after school begins in September and up through mid- November; and just after Thanksgiving but prior to the Christmas rush. The parks are notably quiet and enjoyable, with far fewer crowds to contend with and next to no lines to deal with. The restaurants have reasonable wait times for seating once again, and the beaches and water parks are much more sparsely populated (however that’s in part due to the cooler temperatures). Just make sure you double-check the temperature (as well as the local forecast) if your plans include a trip to the seashore or any water- related activities as often times the air and water temperatures can take a dramatic dip during the winter months and can be downright bone-chilling as opposed to refreshing at times.
Vacationing during these times, however, can be far less stressful. When you’re not dealing with all of the crowds, you can take the time to soak up our surroundings and really enjoy your time at the parks with your kids. You can walk around at a leisurely and comfortable pace – and keeping track of your children is definitely much easier, not to mention far less stressful, without the massive crowds to deal with.
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Helpful Hints:
It may be worth considering taking the kids out of school for a vacation of thismagnitude, especially if they are under the age of ten. While I certainly don’t advocate skipping school, the family vacation is a time to enjoy your family as well as the time you have to spend together. It will be far more enjoyable under less crowded and less stressful conditions when you have children, especially young children, in tow.
If you do decide to take the kids out of school, be sure to talk with you child’s teachers and ensure them that you will treat your travels as a learning experience not simply a vacation. There are a variety of interesting experiences as well as unique activities that your children can benefit from - even at the theme parks. Be sure to work out some type of a homework-away-from-home plan with the help of both your children as well as their teachers. An example would be to have your kids keep a daily journal (an assignment that some of our kids have had in the past), paying particular attention to include any exciting and unique experiences that they may have had as well as including any brochures, maps, or other similar items that they have collected (and are willing to part with) along the way.
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