Budget Orlando Fun!

[Our 2 Princesses]

I would love to hear about your ideas for budget family fun in Orlando. We are going to surprise our dds 12 and 16 with a trip in April. We are staying offiste and only going to the WDW parks 2 days. We were thinking of going to the ocean for a day as well. So, what budget-minded activities does your family like to do?

 

[arthur06]

If you are going to the beach, I recommend the Gulf side, especially Siesta Key! SK is wonderful, great water, sand and overall environment. Its about 2 hours from Orlando, but worth every minute.

If you make it to SK's, try to eat at Yoder's. It's an Amish restaurant, featured on Man vs. Food! Absolutely wonderful!!! We will be there in a little over 2 weeks.

 

[Macprincess]

I second Siesta Key & Yoders but I live a few minutes from Siesta Key and we're locals at Yoder's so I may be a bit bias. (FYI -Yoder's is closed til 9/22 for a remodeling.)Siesta Key beach was recently voted #1 in FL. It really is beautiful. Stay for sunset, if you can, the sunsets here are breathtaking. Locals often hit Captain Curt's just after sunset. It's hole in the wall on the corner of Midnight Pass and the Stikney Point (bridge). The place is a dive but the chowder and grouper are to die for. It's very casual and family friendly.

For cheap things to do in Orlando there are several outlet malls, Old town is fun and free to walk around (rides cost), downtown Disney, City Walk and touring the Disney hotel's come to mind. Animal Kingdom Lodge is a great hotel to tour and you can do a cheap lunch at Mara (food court). My kids also like to go to Disney's Boardwalk at night to watch the free entertainment.

 

[arthur06]

I second Siesta Key & Yoders but I live a few minutes from Siesta Key and we're locals at Yoder's so I may be a bit bias. (FYI -Yoder's is closed til 9/22 for a remodeling.)Siesta Key beach was recently voted #1 in FL. It really is beautiful. Stay for sunset, if you can, the sunsets here are breathtaking. Locals often hit Captain Curt's just after sunset. It's hole in the wall on the corner of Midnight Pass and the Stikney Point (bridge). The place is a dive but the chowder and grouper are to die for. It's very casual and family friendly.

For cheap things to do in Orlando there are several outlet malls, Old town is fun and free to walk around (rides cost), downtown Disney, City Walk and touring the Disney hotel's come to mind. Animal Kingdom Lodge is a great hotel to tour and you can do a cheap lunch at Mara (food court). My kids also like to go to Disney's Boardwalk at night to watch the free entertainment.

you had me worried, but we arrive in Orlando on the 23rd and are going over to Siesta either Monday or Wednesday depending on weather.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

Thank you for all the suggestions so far. Siesta Key sounds wonderful and so does Yoders! I feel lost with this trip because we have always (since we were adults anyhow) stayed onsite and never ventured out of Disney! Thanks so much again!

 

[bankr63]

One of our favorite spots is Blue Spring State Park ($6/car for entrance). You will be too late in the year to see the Manatee in the springs (they tend to head out to the St Johns River in late Feb/early March), but once they are out of the springs, you can swim and tube there.

There is guided boat tour of the St Johns leaving from the park as well that is FANTASTIC. Our guide was incredibly knowledgable and skilled at spotting wildlife, and the gators just kept getting bigger and bigger! One starts to suspect that they may be animatronic. We got some great shots of a bald eagle from about 20 feet away. This is a bit more expensive ($22 adults/$16 kids) but in Disney cost terms, that's pretty cheap!