International Visitors!

Enjoy the excitement of the International Drive Resort Area, Orlando's tourism corridor. World-famous theme parks, designer and outlet shopping, restaurants to satisfy every taste, non-stop evening entertainment, hotels and resorts for every budget and the convenient, fun I-Ride Trolley Service that provides easy transportation to all the fun!

The following information will assist in your vacation planning:

ATMs

Automated Teller Machines are conveniently located throughout I-Drive area in major hotels, grocery stores and shopping areas. There are also ATMs inside all of the major theme parks. Most ATMs are connected to national and international banking networks, allowing customers from around the world to access their money. Check with your bank to confirm the service charge applied to each transaction.

Currency Exchange

For first-time visitors, U.S. currency is available in units of dollars and cents. In this system, 100 cents equals 1 dollar. Bank notes are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars. Coins are available in 1, 5, 10 and 25 cent pieces. For information on converting your currency into US, go to www.currencyconverter.com.

International visitors find the I-Drive area has many convenient options for currency exchange. Upon arrival, Orlando International Airport has an exchange on-site with four locations and a Western Union office. For information go to www.travelex.com.

There are also exchange facilities in all major theme parks. Most major banks in the area offer this service as well as many hotels including Peabody Orlando, Wyndham Orlando Resort, Quality Inn International Drive, Staybridge Suites Hotel and Holiday Inn International Drive just to name a few. Your hotel will be happy to direct you to the nearest exchange facility.

Credit Cards

Attractions, restaurants and shops in the area accept most major credit cards.

Travelers' Checks

Travelers' Checks issued in U.S. dollars are accepted at attractions, most shops, restaurants and area banks.

Passport Requirements

Visitors traveling from Visa Waiver Countries to the United States holding a valid passport issued prior to Oct. 26, 2005, will not require a visa to enter the country as long as their passport is machine-readable. A machine-readable passport has two lines of characters at the bottom of the photograph page. Visa Waiver Countries are: Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom. (For citizens with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.)

Travelers who were issued a passport on and after Oct. 26, 2005, will be required to have biometric data on their passport. If not, they will require a visa to enter the United States.

Travelers from Non-Visa Waiver Countries (all of Latin America) are required to have a valid visa and passport to enter the United States. Each traveler, including children, must have a visa and passport. For questions and information regarding Visa and Passport travel requirements, please visit www.travel.state.gov/visa or contact the U.S. Embassy in your country.

Visa Requirements

For up to date information on current visa information, go to www.unitedstatesvisas.gov.

Driving

Americans drive on the right-hand side of the road! It is the law that everyone in the front seat is required to wear a seat belt and children under three years of age must travel in secured child-safety seats. Check with your rental car agent on where to obtain a seat. Right turns on red are permitted after a full stop, unless otherwise posted. Obey posted speed limits. Florida law carries a heavy penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol or having an open container of alcohol in the car.

Calling Home

Tip: To save money when phoning home, purchase an international phone card rather than phoning from your hotel room. They are available at most hotel gift shops.

Tipping

This is confusing in any country! It is customary to provide a 15 to 20 percent tip to service personnel such as table servers at dining venues, public transportation drivers, bartenders and beauticians. Porters are traditionally tipped $1 per bag. At many restaurants, the tip will already be added to the bill for groups of six or more. Ask if the tip has already been included when the server presents the check.