The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare, five nights' accommodations, and a five-day car rental, from $429 per person—plus an additional $94 in taxes.
When: Through Dec. 15, 2008, and Jan. 4-March 31, 2009.
Gateways: Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale; add $60 for Baltimore, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia; $80 for Boston, Chicago; $100 for Kansas City, St. Louis; $220 for L.A., San Francisco; additional gateways available.
The fine print: Does not include taxes and fees of $94 per person, which breaks down to $49 in airfare and hotel taxes and $45 in taxes on the car rental. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $199. Kids ages 17 and under stay free in the room; they will be charged only airfare. Prices based on a four-door economy-class car with automatic transmission. The hotel serves a breakfast buffet at an additional charge, though kids 10 and under eat free. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: No deadline; based on availability.
Contact: Travel Themes and Dreams, 877/870-7447, travelthemesanddreams.com.
Why it's a deal: We priced out the elements of this package independently. For early November, we found a $277 round-trip flight between Atlanta and Orlando (AirTran). We also found a five-day car rental (automatic transmission) from $160 (Ace). A five-night stay at the Clarion Hotel Kissimmee Maingate costs $320 per room. All this together equals $517 per person, before hotel and rental car taxes. In comparison, the Travel Themes and Dreams package comes to $523, including all taxes—a savings of about $55 per person. When you book this package, you also save the time (and hassle) of putting everything together on your own.
Trip details: The Orlando As You Like It package begins with airfare on a major airline such as Southwest, Delta, or American. You will pick up your rental car at the Orlando airport.
Your base for the five-night stay will be the Clarion Hotel Kissimmee Maingate. The hotel is about a mile and a half from DisneyWorld and has an outdoor heated pool, free Wi-Fi service and parking, and shuttle service to several of Orlando's main attractions: the Disney parks, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores. The concierge can help you with discounted park tickets.
Of course, you won't have to depend on the shuttle thanks to the package's included rental car, which also gives you the freedom to explore some of Orlando's non-theme-park fun, such as the Orlando Museum of Art, which focuses on American art from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Or try Gatorland, a 110-acre park that's devoted to all things alligator.
The weather in Orlando is warm year-round—even in the winter, temperatures will top out in the 70s and bottom out in the high 50s. The city usually has a burst of rain showers in the afternoons.
For more ideas on what to do, visit the Orlando Travel & Visitors Bureau or Florida's official tourism site.
