When you think about vacationing at Disney World in Orlando, the thing that comes to mind is the magic of Disney characters and just having fun. What many people don’t realize is that you can really pamper yourself while at Disney. Disneyland is not just action and excitement it is also about relaxation and pampering. The pampering you receive at Disneyland is not the same that you get at a spa but it is relaxing and it does make you feel special. (photo courtesy: destination360.com)

The best thing to do to get pampered on your next Disneyland vacation is to book your room at one of the Disney resorts and upgrading it to a room that includes concierge services. Yes, it will cost you more but the service you get will be a memorable experience. Rooms that include concierge service at Disney are much nicer and included in the price of the room are free bottle water, coffee and tea, and soft drinks at all times. There is a concierge counter so you will be able to check in and out faster.

Once you have access to the concierge lounge, you will be able to enjoy continental breakfast every morning in the lounge or if you prefer you can also choose to take your breakfast back to your room. There are lots of Disney videos for the kids to watch and while they are busy enjoying the videos you can enjoy a wine tasting event in the lounge as well. There are many more concierge perks available but these differ from one resort to another, so be sure to contact the resort you have an interest in to determine if the services provided will benefit you and your family. When you call the resort, ask to be connected with the concierge desk to make sure that you get accurate information. (photo courtesy: babble.com)

As stated before, the cost to upgrade to concierge service is more expensive but it will be worth it for you and your family. Just think of it this way. When you start adding up the cost for breakfast, coffee or tea, bottle water and even renting videos for the children you may find out that your entire Disney vacation may be a little less expensive for you. Once you’ve experienced the concierge service provided at Disney resorts, you may not be satisfied with anything less on future Disneyland vacations. The concierge service is great and can make your trip more enjoyable and relaxing.

Are you taking a summer vacation this year?  If you are, have you already started preparing for your trip? Whether you travel to Florida or any other destination, you need to prepare for your summer vacation. Online, there are a large number of preparation tips available for summer travelers. While preparation advice and tips may be of assistance to you, they are often hard to go by. The reason for this is that not everyone vacations at the same location. When preparing for your summer vacation, you are encouraged to keep your destination in mind. (photo courtesy: flickr)

No matter what your vacation destination is, you will need to take the climate into consideration. If you are visiting a tropical location like Florida, you will need to bring along the appropriate clothing. Bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts, and tank tops are common apparel found at beaches and aboard cruise ships. While you may be expecting warm and sunny weather, it is still advised that you prepare for the worst. Raincoats and an umbrella may be a great addition to your summer clothing.

Whenever you leave home, no matter where you are traveling to, you are always encouraged to have the proper forms of identification. If you do not have a driver’s license, you can easily obtain an id card from your local county office building. In addition to the proper identification, it is advised that you bring along all health insurance and auto insurance cards. Should you need care or get into an automobile accident; this information will come in handy.

Perhaps, the most popular summer vacation destination is the beach. Each year millions of individuals and families flock to beaches. When vacationing at the beach, it is important that you bring along the appropriate clothing and sunscreen. Many vacationers do not realize the dangers of sunbathing without sunscreen and during the summer, the sun in Florida can be brutal. In addition to sunscreen, you will need to make sure that you have beach towels and plenty of water on hand. (photo courtesy: coastrentals.com)

Cruise ships are a popular vacation choice for many individuals and families. When preparing for your cruise, it is important to keep in mind where your ship will be headed and what stops are planned along the way. When on international waters or traveling to a foreign country, a passport is required. If you do not already have a passport you will need to obtain one. Passports can easily be obtained, but they do require approval and you should apply for a passport as soon as you make your cruise ship reservation. (photo courtesy: easytravelcentral.com)

In addition to the above mentioned preparation tips, you are urged to inform friends and family members of where you are headed to. If you have an itinerary, you are encouraged to give this information to someone that you know. In the event that something happens back home, you can easily be reached. Also remember that if you have any pets, you will need to make the proper arrangements for someone to care for or feed them.

It cannot be emphasized how important the preparation for your summer vacation is. Preparing for your vacation may seem overwhelming, but if you do your preparation in steps the process becomes easier to manage.

If you are planning a Florida travel vacation to Disney World in Florida, there are some ways that you can save some money. A family vacation to Disney World can be expensive and it starts with airfare and lodging for the whole family. You then have to set some money aside for admission tickets, meals and snacks, strollers for young children and souvenirs. If you do some planning prior to your vacation, you can save some money without having to sacrifice that dream vacation to Disney World. To help you with your vacation planning, here are some money saving tips. (photo courtesy: Walt Disney World)

Airfare
Like everything else, you have to shop around for the cheapest airfares available especially if you have a large family. Check out Orbitz online as they charge no booking fees and offer price assurance on your purchase. Also check out cheapoair for guaranteed low prices. Although both of these companies offer reasonably priced lodging and family travel deals, also check the hotels combined website for some great lodging packages.

Food and Snacks
Food and snacks expenses can add up quickly. But, did you know that are allowed to bring coolers to the theme parks at Disney? Yes, you can and this can save you a ton of money. Alcohol and glass containers are not allowed but you can bring water, sodas and juice boxes for the children. If you bring a couple of coolers to the theme park, you can also bring lunch for the whole family. Keep in mind that there is a baggage check at the theme parks so just be patient. Imagine saving all that money and not having to wait in long lines to buy some food. If you drink a lot of water, don’t throw away the empty bottles. You can refill water bottles at various fountains and most restaurants will give you some free ice.

Children Strollers
If you have young children that need strollers, try and bring your own to the theme parks. You can rent strollers at the theme parks, but you can same money by bringing your own. Try and keep the children in the stroller while walking around but if you don’t want to walk around with the stroller all day, there are central locations where you can park it. The main thing to keep in mind is that you can save money by bringing your own strollers for young children.

Buying Souvenirs
This is a tough one to deal with because most people want to bring home souvenirs from that dream vacation they just had but it can be expensive. Let’s face it, every little girl loves the Disney princesses and want those outfits. But when will they wear them and how long will these last before they outgrow them? An idea here is to buy your daughters a princess outfit before the trip and let them wear them while at Disney. You will save lots of money by not buying these outfits on the property.

The same goes for little boys who love to wear a Mickey Mouse hat and shirt. And when will they wear these? My advice here is to buy these prior to your trip and have the boys wear them while at Disney too. You can shop online at the Disney store for children’s outfits and find some real bargains, or look around your local stores that carry Disney merchandise. Your children really don’t care where the merchandise is purchased so save some money and buy it ahead of time.

If you feel that your children should have something from Disney World, then consider looking for books about the various characters. This is definitely much cheaper than buying expensive outfits or shirts. The neat thing about books is that your children can have them autograph by the characters in the book. Don’t forget to take pictures while the children are having the books autographed. The photos will always be a keepsake of your unforgettable Disney World vacation.

Planning to travel to Florida soon? If so, here is a must see event that the whole family can enjoy. There is a yearly flower and garden festival that takes place at Epcot Center to celebrate the coming of spring. This event is scheduled for March 3 to May 16, 2010 and it is filled with magnificent colorful flowers, huge gardens, live music and even educational events. It has been said that you don’t have to be a gardener to enjoy this yearly event as it is perfect for anyone including children of all ages. (photo courtesy: Epcot)

At the Epcot International flower and garden festival you will see millions of blooming flowers and a huge collection of Disney themed topiaries. Take your children to Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden and have them get close to hundreds of very colorful butterflies. During weekends, you will have a chance to meet well known horticulturists made possible by one of the many Garden Town Programs available and you can learn valuable gardening tips that you can take home with you and put to use. (photo courtesy: Epcot)

The Flower and Garden Festival is been held two weeks earlier this year in order to feature more brilliant color than ever. The event this year will include gorgeous petunias, snapdragons, violas and many more beautiful flowers. At this event, you will also find public demonstrations of advanced gardening techniques from all over the world so be sure to attend these too. During the festival, from Friday to Sunday there will be a Flower Power Concert Series where you can enjoy music from the 60′s and 70′s. (photo courtesy: Epcot)

This will be an unforgettable event for the whole family. Here are a few new features announced by Disney for this event.

•    The topiary in the front entrance will include a live waterfall and pond, Goofy fly-fishing, Daisy Duck roasting marshmallows and Pluto in his pup tent.

•    A new topiary will be an American gothic Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse based on the Grant Wood painting.

•    The size of the butterfly house will double to 3.500 square feet.

•    There will be more characters in the Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden and it will be larger in size.

•    The Great American Gardeners series and Flower Power concerts will return this year.