Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ultimately be much more relaxing than staying in a hotel. You have plenty of room to
spread out, you don't have to worry about eating in restaurants for every meal, and many
homes are right on the beach or boast private pools. On top of that, Florida is particularly
overflowing with vacation-home rentals - you'll find options in every nook and cranny of
the state, from riverside cabins to urban bungalows to Mickey-themed extravaganzas. Be
sure to peruse the listing details carefully and always ask about cancellation policies before
committing to a rental.
VRBO
(
www.vrbo.com
) Reputable and user-friendly vacation-home rental.
Airbnb
(
www.airbnb.com
) Quirky and eclectic selection and your best bet for rentals of less
than a week.
Home Away
(
www.homeaway.com
)
Easy-to-use with a dizzying number of choices.
BABYSITTING & CHILDCARE CENTERS
Traveling with children doesn't necessarily mean doing everythingas a family. Several
Disney- and Universal-recommended
Kid's Nite Out
,
offer in-hotel babysitting by certified
sitters, and full-service resorts often have childcare centers, organized kids' camps and
local sitter recommendations. At Walt Disney World, you don't need to be a resort guest
to reserve a spot at a
Disney's Children Activity Center
; five centers, located at resort ho-
tels, welcome kids aged three to 12.
What to Bring
Pack light rain gear, a snuggly fleece (for air-conditioning and cool nights), water sandals
(for beaches, fountains and water parks), mosquito repellent and a simple first-aid kit with
band-aids, antibiotic cream, tweezers (for splinters), anti-itch cream, children's Tylenol and
Vaseline (perfect for little faces after too much sun and wind). If you have infants, a pack-
and-play can be helpful, especially if you're road-tripping or sticking to amenity-poor,
budget-range motels.
Most importantly, bring and use sunscreen. We've tried them all, from thick white goos
that never seem to rub in to fancy stuff from the cosmetic aisle, and our hands-down favor-
ite is the made-in-Florida Sun Bum and their naturally-sourced Baby Bum line.
