The 5 Best Vacations for Families this Fall

PENNINGTON, N.J., Aug. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With shorter lines, lower travel costs and cooler temperatures, Family Vacation Critic^® (http://www.familyvacationcritic.com) recommends fall as one of the best times to visit many popular family vacation destinations. The site has released its picks of the best places for families to visit this fall, with Orlando, Fla. taking the number one spot, and Hawaii, U.S. National Parks, East Coast beaches and San Diego, Calif. also recommended.

According to Lissa Poirot, editor of Family Vacation Critic, "September through November is Orlando's low season, and a great time for families to visit. Crowds thin out, and hotel and flight prices drop pretty significantly. While taking kids out of school is a decision best made on a case-by-case basis, this is a good time to travel with pre-school aged kids or over long weekends."

For families planning on taking advantage of this travel opportunity, Family Vacation Critic offers this list of the 10 Best Orlando Attractions for Kids:

1. Walt Disney World: The Magic Kingdom's attractions are beloved by all ages, with rides even for the little ones. Parades, musicals and fantastic nightly fireworks add an extra-special touch.
2. Discovery Cove: Swim with dolphins, hand-feed exotic birds and snorkel a tropical reef surrounded by thousands of fish.
3. Cirque du Soleil: Permanently housed in Downtown Disney, Cirque du Soleil performs nightly for visitors to Orlando.
4. Disney's Hollywood Studios: Kids will find their favorite characters, as well as experience their favorite movies first-hand.
5. Epcot: Travel around the world, dining and shopping in 11 different countries, while taking in a number of rides and educational attractions.
6. Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Kids and parents can explore Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, and fly with Hippogriffs, at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure.
7. Disney's Animal Kingdom: The safari adventure takes guests in open-air Jeeps across the rugged grounds where rhinos, giraffes and zebras roam.
8. Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach:  Cool off on water slides, in lazy rivers and in wave pools.
9. SeaWorld Orlando: Kids can get up-close-and-personal with dolphins, beluga whales, sea lions and other aquatic life, before enjoying roller and water coasters.
10. Universal's Islands of Adventure: One thrill-seeking ride after another, including Doctor Doom's Fearfall and the Incredible Hulk Coaster.

For additional information on planning a family vacation to Orlando, including resort guides and upcoming travel deals, visit Family Vacation Critic's new Orlando Family Vacation Guide.

About Family Vacation Critic
Family Vacation Critic^® is a comprehensive online travel resource for families that offers reviews of family hotels, resort and destinations. The site features vacation ideas, family travel tips and an online forum for family travelers. Family Vacation Critic is published by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

Family Vacation Critic and The Independent Traveler are either trademarks or registered trademarks of TripAdvisor, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2012 The Independent Traveler, Inc. All rights reserved. 

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor^® is the world's largest travel site,* enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 60 million unique monthly visitors*, and over 75 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 19 other travel media brands, and together the sites attract more than 74 million unique monthly visitors.** TripAdvisor, Inc.'s travel media brands include www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn. 

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, Worldwide, July 2012 
**Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Worldwide, July 2012
©2012 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE Family Vacation Critic