Florida Theme Parks - Arguably the Best in the World?

Florida theme parks are arguably the best in the world, so famous that they attract visitors from all over the United States and from around the world. They are the ultimate form of escapism that allow visitors to forget their day to day lives and immerse themselves, and their kids, in a make believe world. Whilst many of the theme parks in Florida are roller coaster based, others have attractions that will appeal to the non-thrill seekers too. Generally you pay one price to enter the theme park and then all rides are included in that price. Remember though that extras such as food, photos and gifts will be an additional charge. The Theme parks in Florida can take many different forms and which you visit depends on what you want to experience. Some of the more popular parks are;

• Walt Disney Magic Kingdom
• Busch Gardens
• MGM Universal Studios
• Kennedy Space Centre - giving visitors an outlook on how life in space is and what astronauts truly experience on their space voyages
• Sea World - the largest marine park in the world where you can swim with dolphins, snorkel with rays or just relax on white sandy beaches
• Gatorland - where visitors can watch alligator shows as well as gator wrestling and learn how to handle dangerous reptiles

To help you get the most from you Florida theme park holiday or vacation, consider the following tips;

• Visitor numbers (and prices) tend to be lowest in January, early February and April as well as in the Autumn after the school summer holidays
• Generally, whilst staying inside a theme park is more expensive than staying in a hotel outside of the park, it also gives you advantages such as early admission
• When booking accommodation decide how far you want to travel to the theme park each day and book somewhere accordingly
• Consider renting a villa which will give you access to a kitchen. Preparation of your own meals rather than eating out is much cheaper and research has shown that holiday makers tend to spend more money each day on food than they do on accommodation!
• Consider camping as a cheaper alternative. There are campsites available at Disney's fort wilderness resort
• Buying passes for several days is cheaper than buying single day passes - a three day pass is usually ideal
• Consider tie-ups between major Florida theme parks that allow you to visit two Florida theme parks during your holiday
• Look for deals on Fast Passes and Express Plus Passes to reduce queuing times
• If it's your birthday, tell the park as you may get free admittance!
• Eat well before you get to the park or buy Meal Deal tickets (around $20). Buy it in the morning and you can eat all day long for 1 price
• Consider taking in snacks and foods that are pre-packaged and won't trigger any security problems. People often make the mistake that they can't take outside items into the park!
• Think about car parking when visiting sister parks on the same day. If you are visiting Sea World in the morning and Universal Studios in the afternoon, you can transfer the car parking ticket for all day free parking
• Disabled drivers/passengers should take their disabled parking permit as well as some form of identification with them to gain free parking
• Buy your toys and clothing in the theme park from the sale rack. Out of season long sleeved tops will generally cost less than an in season t-shirt

Whilst there are many Florida theme parks, you need to remember that visiting a theme park is not all about the attractions, gifts and shows, it's about having fun and enjoying yourself without spending a fortune!