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Travel Tips

At the airport:		Your arrival at Orlando International Airport (code MCO because it used to be McCoy Air Force Base) will be capped by a journey to the terminal via a monorail. The automated voice may sound familiar; that's Jack Wagner, the "Voice of Disneyland" in Anaheim.

Getting to the hotel:		You have multiple choices for getting to your hotel. Several larger hotels have their own shuttles to/from the airport, which is 10-15 miles away from the attractions area. The mileage makes a taxi an expensive proposition, so if there is no shuttle, many visitors opt to use one of the for-profit shuttle services, like Mears (essentially a large bus, but cost-efficient) or Tiffany Towncar (more personalized, but also more expensive). Naturally, there are myriad rental car options as well.

Getting around town:		The vast majority of people either stay at Disney and use their onsite transportation, or else they rent a car at the airport. The freedom of mobility and time savings of car rentals are worthwhile for many people. There other options, though, such as the Orlando city bus system called Lynx, a trolley throughout International Drive called I-Ride, hotel shuttles that go directly to theme parks, and of course the expensive taxis.

Getting around Walt Disney World:		A rental car is the fastest and simplest way to move about Disney property. While there are monorails from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, this system is far from comprehensive. Ferries also lead to the Magic Kingdom, and smaller boats provide some shuttling service from select Disney hotels to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot. By far, though, the most common method of movement without a car is to take a bus. Disney has hundreds, and in theory, one should be departing every twenty minutes (or sooner) from any given hotel and going to any given theme park, or vice versa. Going from one hotel to another will require changing busses and additional planning.

Which day for what?		During school vacations, the parks are busy all week, with no readily apparent increase in business on weekends. During the slow off-season months, weekends can see a slight uptick in business, as locals make minor journeys to the parks. A much bigger concern are early-entry programs. Disney hotels usually allow their patrons to get into specific parks an hour early, and they rotate through the parks as the week progresses. Thus, it pays to know which day will be the Magic Kingdom's early entry day! If you are staying on property with Disney, you may wish to use this extra hour. Or, if this early entry doesn't apply to you, you should choose this day to steer clear of the Magic Kingdom, since early entry days are so popular, these tend to be the busiest days.

Weather:		In summer it usually rains at some point every afternoon, though often not for long (it has to do with weather patterns from water masses off shore east and off shore west colliding above Orlando). Consider bringing along a rain poncho, since buying one at the parks is expensive. If you have a stroller, investing in a rain cover is a good idea. Every season but summer is pleasant and temperate in Orlando. Winter is the dry season, but temperatures may dip down into the 50s, especially after the sun sets. A sweater worn around the waist seems a prudent compromise.

Humidity:		Summer, especially July-August, features high temperatures and extremely stifling humidity - expect it to feel like an oven outdoors.

What to pack:		Dress for warm to hot weather. If visiting in the summer, you should consider bringing a personal mister, powered by hand pump. Another popular choice is the combination fan/waterbottle. While these can be purchased at the parks, they are expensive. Bring one from home, or, if you forget, buy one at the gaudy "tourist trap" souvenir shops along Irlo Bronson (192). These are also great places to buy sunglasses if you forget yours. Lastly, if your visit will be during the summer, consider leaving tennis shoes and socks at home - they get soggy in the downpours! Flip-flops usually don't work for a whole day of walking; comfortable sandals do the job much better.

General:	1.	Kissimmee is pronounced "ki-SEM-ee." It has nothing to do with kissing and should not sound like you are trying to speak Italian.

	2.	Outside food is discouraged at the parks, but rarely is it actually banned. There is a Publix supermarket on 192/Irlo Bronson, to the east of WDW and right at the beginning of International Drive.