Grab Your Jackets Travel Blog: The Happiest Place on Earth

So I know things aren’t going so well on the football field, but hey, not all of life is a football game (for most of us anyway). There are many other things to enjoy there. Speaking of which, we’re going to Orlando this weekend…maybe it’s time to enjoy a nice theme park. Orlando only has 3 or 4 of the damn things, so let’s go.

Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

How to Travel: Getting from Atlanta to Orlando

Have you ever noticed how big Florida is? Although Florida is a remote state, it takes about the same time to get from Atlanta to New Orleans as it does to get from Atlanta to Orlando. It sounds weird, but maybe that’s just me.

You will need to be prepared to pay tolls if you want to take the fastest route to Orlando. It takes about 6 hours and 15 minutes to get down I-75, but there are many optional toll roads and what I would describe as sneaky toll roads. Essentially, a road you’re on can suddenly turn into a toll road and you’ll see it coming, but you won’t have enough time to change your route until you’re already on the toll road.

Fort Lauderdale Florida, I-75 Interstate toll with car and boat toll free, Sun Pass change provided

Frontier and Spirit have cheap flights from Atlanta to Orlando, under $100 if you can afford to fly on either of these airlines. You will need to hire a car but that was an option.

Places to stay:

There are different types of hotels to stay in Orlando. There are resort hotels, luxury hotels, budget hotels, and there are also options like Airbnb. We’ve already checked for this weekend, and it’s pretty much sold out, but we’ll list prices as if they were available for argument’s sake.

Budget hotels usually cost between $50 and $150 a night for a single room. Luxury hotels cost between $200 and $500 a night, but offer nicer perks such as spas, restaurants, and other on-site activities that usually have vouchers for staying at the hotel. If you are exploring the city I would go for a more economical hotel as you will only be spending in the hotel for sleeping.

There are also the theme park hotels. Their prices are varied but usually range between $150 and $400 a night for their more reasonable locations. Most parks also offer perks for staying on sight, such as ticket discounts or early access to the park, so do your research for the park you’re staying at. These hotels are generally more expensive than other Orlando hotels, but the atmosphere and perks can often be worth it.

Disney World employees launch petition urging theme park to delay reopening

Airbnb is cheaper than most hotel options, most Airbnb’s are under $150. However, they don’t offer any benefits and are usually farther from the city center, so keep that in mind. Costs are clearly a factor, but what’s also important to consider is how close hotels are to what you want to do. Finding a budget hotel is fairly easy, but you may encounter some traffic depending on where it is.

There are specifically standard hotels near the UCF campus that are within walking distance of the campus. Hotels cost between $100 and $200 and are your standard business hotels (Double Tree, LaQuinta, etc.).

Things to do and see:

I’m sure there are plenty of other things to do in Orlando, but I really only know the resorts, so that’s what I’m going to focus on. If anyone from the area would like to provide ideas outside of these areas in the comments, that would be appreciated. While all of these theme parks are fun, they are also very expensive, so other options for things to do are always appreciated.

sea world

I would say this is the lower tier of theme parks in the area. Sea World used to be a bigger deal, but due to a recent controversy (not covered here), Sea World no longer enjoys the same popularity as it once did. If you like animals, it’s always a fun environment to see animals up close. There are a few thrilling rides, but you can pretty much do it all at Sea World in a day.

Universal Studios

Universal Studios is Orlando’s second best-known theme park. I would say this is the most thrilling theme park as most of their rides tend to be more thrill based. Universal Studios is one of my favorites although it has seen many changes over the years with intellectual property rights shifting and large sections for Harry Potter being added. If you’re an adult and don’t like the Disney aesthetic, I would actually say Universal is the best set of parks to go to if you want to have fun.

disney world

Do I really need to say anything here? It’s the happiest place on earth and there’s something for everyone. It’s got Magic Kingdom to relive your childhood, it’s got Epcot to explore the world without having to buy a plane ticket, it’s got Animal Kingdom for safaris with animals you won’t see up close, and it’s got Hollywood Studios. .. Star Wars and thrill rides I guess? Disney is awesome, check it out.

game day

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 01 SC State at UCF

Once you’ve had your fun, get ready for Saturday’s game and enjoy the campus. I don’t have much to say this week, if you’re a fan and you show up, make sure you stay hydrated because it’s hot. Good luck to all of our traveling fans this weekend and no matter what, make sure you have a great time.

As always, Go Jackets!