Make Your Money Stretch at Florida Theme Parks

Most visitors who take a trip to Orlando, Florida to visit some of the theme parks often leave exhausted. Why? They try to cram too much in too few days. The many theme parks in Orlando are huge and take time to fully explore. The last thing you want to do on vacation is rush, rush, rush.

If you're planning a trip to Orland, Florida, it's far better to take a longer trip and give yourself more time to explore. While this can be pricey, there are plenty of ways you can save money and stretch out your vacation.

Tickets

Orlando theme park tickets are not cheap. However, you can save a significant amount of money if you purchase Orlando ticket deals. For example, one ticket deal lets you visit SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Universal Orlando Resort. Buy a ticket deal, and you'll often pay less than if you bought tickets for each individual park.

Dining

Before you go to Orlando, subscribe to deal sites such as Groupon and Living Social. Snatch up any deals that'll save you on dining. Yes, you may have to get some of your meals outside the parks this way, but that is how you will save money. Restaurant.com is also a good place to look, especially when they sell severely discounted gift certificates.

Finally, for birthdays and holiday presents, ask family and friends for restaurant gift cards that you can use when you are visiting Orlando. That will save you a bundle when dining out.

P&O Cruises: Balcony Bonanza Double Upgrades

I was supposed to join my workmates in a two-day cruise adventure to celebrate the awesome 2012 we and the company had.  However, since I got sick [really really sick], I wasn’t able to make it.  Such a downer, I know.

To cheer me up, Bebe promised to take me on a two- or three- night cruise experience this year aside from the one week vacation in Spain.

If we will not be doing the Scandinavian cruise, I so want to try the dining and spa breaks aboard P&O Cruises.

Summer 2010: Furuvik Zoo and Amusement Park, Part 1

14 August 2010 – so finally.  My much awaited day arrived!  I woke up early, showered, dressed up, enjoyed breakfast, put on my makeup, fixed my hair, put on a pair of sandals and was on my way to Furuvik Zoo and Amusement Park with Bebe and my in-laws.  It was my very first time to experience Furuvik so feel free to picture out my excitement!

Furuvik Zoo and Amusement Park is located in Gävle, an almost two-hour drive from our town.  It has a wide range of amenities such as a promising amusement park, impressive zoo and safari, picnic and grilling areas, pool with slides, Adventure Island, fishing area, hotel and more!

● Entrance fees are priced just right. If I am not mistaking, fees are:

Kids and adults, 13 years old and above: 165 SEK [Swedish crowns]
Kids from 3 to 12 years of age: 135 SEK
Kids below 2 years old: free
Senior citizens: 145 SEK
Parking fee for the whole day: 35 SEK

● For those who visit Furuvik more than once a year, they usually grab multiple entry cards which are priced as:

Kids and adults, 13 years old and above: 425 SEK [Swedish crowns]
Kids from 3 to 12 years of age: 345 SEK
Kids below 2 years old: free

At Furuvik Zoo and Amusement Park, Gävle, Sweden:

With the Yellow Mascot who welcomed guests that year:

Manila Ocean Park: On Meeting Doctor Fish

Call me weird and a bit crazy but I find myself missing those tiny swimming doctors nibbling at my feet.  I am of course talking about Manila Ocean Park’s Fish Spa attraction.  If you have been there and experienced this cool fish spa thingy, then you get what I mean.

Anyway, the first time I tried it was in July of 2009 with my boyfriend and his best bud.  I was kind of hesitant in the beginning to dip my feet into the water thinking that it might hurt.  But then, with a spoonful of courage, I did it and surprisingly liked it!

While on my 2nd Philippine vacation in March 2010, I made sure to return.  This time, with my younger brother, my sissy-in-law and a common friend.  Before leaving ending the tour, all four allowed our feet to be attacked by the fish doctors!  Tickly but refreshing and definitely addictive!  Will definitely return for the third and not the last time.  In 2014, maybe?

There goes my feet surrounded with the big ones!  Uh-oh!

And did you know that you can actually proceed directly to Manila Ocean Park’s Fish Spa section without the need to pay the entrance fee of Php400?  Oh yes.  You can!  If you are only up for the doctor fish experience, then all you need to do is to pay for the Php120 Fish Spa fee and you’re all set for the 20-minute fish spa treatment.  Cool, yeah?

How about you?  How many times have you toured the entire Manila Ocean Park?  What are your favorite attractions?  Have you tried the Doctor Fish attraction?