Thanksgiving Sales

Hopefully you will have got the impression that there are some great shopping opportunities in Florida - there are plenty of reviews on the various shops, superstores and shopping malls in this guide.

But one thing we reckon is better than shopping at great prices - is shopping at even lower prices!

Thanksgiving
European visitors to Florida may not be too familiar with Thanksgiving. It is a major celebration for Americans, and is the fourth Thursday in November. A few shops continue trading for the day, but the majority of shops and many restaurants close for the day.

The Thanksgiving sales traditionally start on the Friday following Thanksgiving. But be prepared for an early start - the best bargains are to be had at 5am (yes, really, 5am - that's 5 o'clock in the morning).

But is it worth an early start? Many Americans certainly think so, as the shops are busy from the start.

Where to shop
The choice of where to shop for bargains is overwhelming. The best way to find out where the best offers are is to buy the local newspaper 'The Orlando Sentinel' during the week before Thanksgiving. The Sunday edition is packed with adverts for all the local stores, and makes great reading over a cold drink, lazing by the pool at your villa. Examples of shops which have fabulous discounts are Wal-Mart, Super Target, Michaels, Best Buy……and many others.

What to buy
Villa owners are often to be found buying electronic goods. Brand name televisions, video and DVD players enable them to provide extra luxury for guests. We were delighted to pick up an additional DVD and video combination unit for just $48 (typical price in the UK at the time £75 or much higher). But these may not be so attractive to visitors from overseas, who have different voltage to contend with. European visitors may look for portable items such as laptop computers, MP3 players - but do check the voltage required to recharge the batteries.

To avoid concern about voltages, there are bargains to be had on toys, crafts (40% off any one item, or 20% off total bills are typical offers) etc. DVDs and music are often on offer (the Shrek 2 DVD for $5 was a welcome addition to our choice of films - usual cost of Blockbuster films around $14, which is still great value) - but don't forget to check if your DVD player at home plays Region 1 discs.

Getting up early
These bargains require a very early start - numbers are limited (but still there are often many hundreds of each item). We recommend shopping, and then catching up with breakfast at one of the excellent offerings, such as the I-HOP (International House of Pancakes).