We are all hoping that the crowds work with us while we are there being that we are only getting 1 park hopper each.  It will be nice to see the lights throughout the parks, and the Osbourne light display at Hollywood Studios.

Have you ever done Disney World during the holidays?  What did you think?

We leave from New Jersey and I drive as much as possible.  My wife has been driving a few hours here and there so that I can take a snooze.  As long as she has the car gps on she is alright.  We can get to Florida for under $400 for all three of us.  I know that flights are not that cheap.  Some people have even said that they pay $9 for their airline membership.  Well I know better.  They also need to understand that they are flying on the airlines schedule.  They may have to go at a totally different time than they wanted in order to get that pricing.

We enjoy what we do, and that is that.  We also save on not having to get a rental car.  We go off grounds from time to time.  Shopping is also necessary.  We did recently get involved in Amtrak Auto Train.  We earn points for using their credit card.  We just booked our return trip for all 3 of us from Florida with the car for $275.00.  Find a flight, and rental car for that.

What do you do when you travel?  Do you drive, or fly?

The figures

Although these figures are representative of the hotel industry, we can still recognise general tourism trends that are likely to impact the vacation home industry. Hotel Horizons magazine published a variety of predictions for the 2012 year. These figures and estimate are courtesy of PKF Consulting USA, a real estate firm and advisory that specializes in the hospitality industry.

• All markets will exceed the previous peak level of demand in 2012.
• Demand for vacation accommodation will rise an estimated 3.1%, with a 0.7% increase in room inventory. This shows that although new accommodations are still being developed, the demand for them is rising by a much higher margin.
• Occupancy in hotels in America is expected to rise to 61.2% in 2012, as the demand for growth surpasses that supply.

These figures indicate that the amount of tourist is growing much quicker than the amount of room space available. This means that there is scope for a more extensive hospitality industry in Orlando, including that of vacation homes.

In the midst of a recession, the rental of vacation homes in Orlando may become even more popular as people shy away from expensive hotels and expensive meals and choose self-catering options.

The benefits of renting a vacation home

• Many have amenities such as pools, spas, and more so you don’t miss out on hotel facilities.
• Cooking your own meals means saving money.
• Orlando Vacation rentals are often cheaper over a longer stay.
• Parking is usually free and accessible.
• You have your own private space.

In these times of real estate crash, one could even consider buying a rental home in Orlando, as real estate prices are far less than they were three or more years ago.

Considering all these benefits, the outlook of the vacation rental industry in Orlando is a positive one, as people continue to seek some Disney magic in an economic downturn.

We originally started our travels to Florida by driving there.  One year we were leaving Florida and dropped my mother off at the airport.  Before we even got out of Florida my mother called and said that she was home.  After that we flew via Spirit for the next few years.  When the cost of flying got too much we started driving again.  This year when our insurance was cancelled we starting hunting through cheap car insurance quotes to find a price that would be good enough for us to have our camper on the insurance for when we ever do get to drive down to Florida with our camper.  Campers aren’t cheap to have on insurance.  We got lucky.

The last time we camped in Florida we drove down in my truck, and rented a camper from El Monte.  The prices were good, and we have been trying to decide if it is easier to rent one over towing one down to Florida.  The increased cost for gas, speed, and other factors make us not sure of what we want to do in the future.

We setup in Fort Wilderness, and we ended up enjoying ourselves very much.  Previous to this trip my wife, and I only stayed in Ft. Wilderness once before.  That trip was a disaster, as we got flooded out, and we ended up getting a hotel room for the remainder of the trip.  My parents were in a camper on the opposite side of the road.  Now that we are DVC members we don’t think much about doing this type of vacation anymore.  The labor involved in camping is a bit much for me.  (Especially when I am on vacation.)  Even going camping now is a bit of a chore, but I have been teaching the wife, and little one how to help me hook up, and unhook.