When it comes to containing costs, it's always better to rent out a vacation home than make hotel reservations for your entire family, only to stay amidst the maddening crowd of other vacation seekers. If you're planning a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, then renting a vacation home is probably your best option - especially if you're looking to save some money.

By far the most expensive of them all, the Disney owned vacation rentals are also the most fun for the family. They often have character dinners, special discounts on theme park tickets, free transportation and other perks that can make a Disney vacation truly memorable-especially for the kids. These are available on many sites, and can even be booked through a travel agent if that is who you have handling your travel affairs.

You can rent an Orlando vacation home for less than the cost of 2 hotel rooms - which means that you will be able to spend your hard-earned money on other things, such as visiting an extra theme park or a special dinner out. In addition, Disney area vacation rentals are a lot more spacious than hotel rooms - there is space to stretch out and relax, cook, play and just spend more quality time together.

If the on location experience is a bit too much for you price wise or otherwise, there are vacation rentals that are a bit more affordable and are placed right outside the theme park walls. These are often privately owned rentals that usually come at a substantially better price tag than the Disney owned rentals that are right on the property. In many cases these are just as nice and are still very conveniently close enough to all of the Disney attractions and traveling distance away from other Orlando fun.

If you are okay with having to travel a little further to get into the Disney parks, perhaps the vacation rentals in the Orlando area that aren't right outside of the Disney walls may be a good idea. This is great for the family who has other plans for their Orlando vacation, plans that do not necessarily include one of the Disney parks. Believe it or not there are plenty of things to do in Orlando and not all of them are owned by the Walt Disney family. For this reason, it may be a good idea to stay somewhere other than on or near Disney property-especially if you have older kids in your party.

By cooking in just half the time, you'll have extra money to spend on little splurges, such as trinkets and souvenirs, or even a short side trip to the Kennedy Space Center or Busch Gardens. Just because the economy isn't the best doesn't mean that you can't take your family on an affordable vacation. Rent an Orlando vacation home, surprise your family by giving them the time of their lives, and save some money in the bargain!