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Frequently asked questions about Florida
Be in the know to make the most of your trip |
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Top tips for holidays for Florida |
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- Buy your attraction tickets in the UK. This will save you a lot of money compared to walking up to the gate of an attraction and paying there |
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- Buy your attraction tickets from a brand you can trust. When purchasing your tickets in the UK, ensure you are buying from an official supplier such as The Co-operative Travel. Check the credentials of the company before you buy tickets, there is nothing worse than getting to an attraction and finding out your tickets are invalid or your ticket agent has gone bust or disappeared. The Co-operative travel has been operating since 1920 and is part of The Co-operative group, and has been voted the most ethical brand in the UK. |
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- Buy a discounted bulk ticket if you are planning on visiting more than one attraction. At The Co-operative travel we offer many types of tickets for all the major attractions in Florida. Buying a "Florida One" ticket gets you access to Universal resort, Disneyworld resort, Seaworld and Busch gardens amongst many others. An Orlando Flex ticket provides great value but does not include entrance to Walt Disney World. |
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Depending on where abouts you are flying from the average flight to Orlando or Sanford airport takes around 8hrs from the UK. Flight to Miami are a little longer at around 9hrs.
London Gatwick, Glasgow, London Heathrow and Manchester airport all offer direct flights to Florida. Other airports do offer routes but via a stopover. For the latest flight iteniaries call us today.
For Orlando most flights will fly into Orlando International (MCO) whilst most charter flights will fly into Sanford (SFB). Both airports are around a 25 minute drive to International Drive, Universal Orlando resort and Disneyworld.
If you are heading on a cruise chances are you will fly into Miami International and for Gulf coast holidays either take a flight to Tampa or head to either airport in Orlando with roughly a 90 minute drive to the Gulf Coast.
All British Citizens headin to the USA need to complete an ESTA (Electronic System Travel Authorisation) form online. A Visa Waiver Form must be completed online using the new Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). This is only accessible via the internet and must be completed at any time before travel, but we recommend no later than 72 hours prior to departure. You will need to have the address of the first hotel/accommodation that you will be staying at in the US, as well as your passport number and other basic biographical information (date of birth etc). An application form can be found by going to: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
In most cases you will receive an automated response within a few seconds of completing the application, generally stating that travel has been approved. If for any reason a visa is not authorised (for example you are not a British Citizen), then you will receive a response stating this. A visa approved via ESTA is valid for up to 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. If you plan future trips, or your destination/itinerary changes after your visa has been approved, you can easily update the information by re-visiting the ESTA website. If you do not have the internet at home, we recommend asking friends or family, or visiting your local library, where you can normally find computers available for public internet access. If you are still unable to get onto the internet to complete the form, then you should inform us at your earliest convenience, certainly well before 72 hours prior to your departure.
If you do not apply for and receive travel authorisation via the ESTA system prior to travel, you may be denied boarding or admission into the USA. Please note that from the 8th September 2010 the US government is going to charge $14 per ESTA Additional information regarding the visa waiver programme and ESTA is available at www.cbp.gov/esta.
These Visa's are available online. Please visit the offical website www.cbp.gov/esta for the latest upto date information.
In September 2010 the cost of a ESTA Visa per person was $14. Please visit the offical website www.cbp.gov/esta for the latest upto date information.
Florida is a great places for kids and there are many types of accomodation available accross the state. Basing yourself in the Orlando area or Kissimee is ideal for visiting all the major theme parks including DisneyWorld and Universal Orlando resort. Both DisneyWorld and Universal Orlando resort offer on site hotels meaning your only a short walk (or water taxi) from the action.
International drive provides a wide range of cheaper accomodation with many offering free transport to the major theme parks as well as the option to use the i-trolley, a type of tram that drives up and down International drive and only costs $1 per person per trip.
Most theme parks and attrcations in Florida offer some kind of discounted ticket for children. However if you are planning on visiting more than one attraction we strongly advise giving us a call to purchase your tickets in advance. Tickets such as the Orlando flex ticket can save you a fortune if you buy them in the UK.
You can pay on the gate for all major attractions but we strongly advise against this. Paying on the gate generally means you'll pay a much higher price than if you bought your tickets in the UK. Call us today to discuss what ticket options are available.