Obviously for those travelling by car, you will have plenty of activities at hand to amuse the children and play plenty of games e.g. spying certain colours of cars etc. For those of you flying a small bag for each child to carry on board with their favourite books/colouring pads/playing cards. Most airlines offer young flyers an activity pack to help amuse them and of course there are the in flight movies- often including a children’s option and sometimes a dedicated children’s channel. Plan ahead and order a child’s meal when you book your flight. Children will be more likely to eat if it is something that appeals to them.
On arrival make sure you comply with the law having your children safely strapped into your rental car- whether it is just by wearing the existing seatbelts or if you need to rent a child car safety seat.
Where to stay?
For the same price as a single hotel room you could rent a very spacious condominium or small vacation villa where everyone has their own individual bedroom, there is a lounge in which to relax, a kitchen where juices and snacks are available 24/7, plus a patio/balcony or pool terrace. Just think the children could have a room of their own to watch all their favourite programmes while you relax in the lounge to watch an alternative programme or just to sit and read a book undisturbed. If you have very young children, it is great to be able to put them down for a nap in a completely separate room.
Try renting a privately owned vacation home…
Many of the privately owned homes cater well for children and most offer a crib/cot, high chair and sometimes even a stroller for you to use FREE OF CHARGE during your stay.
Naturally, if you visit Orlando with children, Walt Disney World will probably feature high on your list of “things to do”. All the theme parks are extremely child friendly. If you do not have a stroller, they are available for hire at the entrance to the parks. All rides have clearly written signs saying suitable age/height restrictions. For those with very young children, they offer a service whereby one parent can go on a ride (perhaps with an older child) then come off and swap with the other parent who was holding the baby- all without the second parent having to join the end of the queue again. All restaurants- both full-service and counter-service cater well for younger tastes/appetites. There are also Baby Centres clearly marked in each of the parks for feeding/changing very small babies.
Be assured after a busy day at a park, it is a delight to return to your own vacation condo/villa for a dip in the pool, a cool drink, some time on the computer or just to sit around chatting with all your friends and family and anyone has the added bonus of being able to go off to bed whenever it suits them, safe in the knowledge that their sleep will not be disturbed by everyone else chatting. Also you can toss your clothes into the washing machine in your vacation home- ready to put on again another day. Let’s be honest- this alone is a huge ‘plus’ when travelling with children!
Peter Kenny has been travelling to Florida for the last 20 years. You can find more articles on renting and buying private vacation homes here <a href="http://www.windsorpalmsflorida.com">http://www.windsorpalmsflorida.com</a> and <a href="http://www.reunionresort.us.com">http://www.reunionresort.us.com</a>
