USEFUL VISITOR INFORMATION

We have included some information that you may find useful, particularly if you are visiting the United States for the first time. Click on the topic of your choice.

Visa Information
Visitors to Florida from Britain, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland traveling on valid national or EC passports do not need a visa for holiday or business travel of 90 days or less. However, all visitors must hold round-trip or return tickets especially if they enter the US on an airline or cruise line that participates in the no-visa travel program. For longer stays, all international visitors should obtain a B-2 (non-immigrant, pleasure tourist) visa, which is valid for six months.
Citizens of visa exempt countries may visit Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, as well as the Caribbean islands and then re-enter the US by any mode of transportation without needing a visa.
Citizens of countries other than those listed above will require a US visa, which can be applied for through the nearest US embassy or consulate.
In the case of loss of documents, report the loss promptly to your national embassy or consulate in the US, and local police. It is advisable to make photocopies of your passport and other documents, leaving one copy with someone at home, and carrying the other. Replacement of original documents is generally quicker if you can supply photocopy data of the originals.

Lost or Stolen Passports
If your passport is lost or stolen, you must take immediate action to obtain travel documents from the British Consulate. First, notify the police who will make a report, then contact the British Consulate. They will issue you with a temporary passport to get you back home. You may not be allowed to leave the United States without a valid passport or the appropriate documents from the British Consulate.
Their address and telephone number is:
The British Consulate,
Sun Trust Tower,
Suite 2110,
200 S. Orange Avenue,
Orlando FL 32801

Telephone: 407-426-7855

Money
The US Dollar is divided into 100 cents. Paper notes come in $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 - unfortunately they are all the same size and colour. Coins come in 1 cent (penny), 5 cents (nickel), 10 cents (dime), 25 cents (quarter) and 50 cents (half dollar) denominations.

Travellers Cheques
Dollar traveller's cheques are readily accepted as cash, although not always in large denominations. Currency exchange is normally available at most of the larger tourist attractions and banks. There is a Money Exchange Bureau on International Drive and Hwy 192, Kissimmee.
Remember to take your passport or other photo ID when changing money or cashing cheques over $50.

ATMs - Cash Point Machines
You should be able to withdraw cash in US dollars from any ATM located in stores and banks provided your UK bank card bears the "Cirrus", "Maestro", "Matercard" or "Visa" logo. Don't forget that you will need your PIN as issued by your UK bank. Please note that you may incur a small service charge by both the service provider and your bank.

Credit Cards
Nearly all the major credit cards are accepted in the larger hotels and in most tourist areas. Remember you may be asked to produce your passport as ID when using your cards. Always check your credit limit before using your cards since authorisation is always sought first.
When using credit cards in restaurants the registered cardholder must write the tip on the transaction slip. (see tipping)

Tipping
Do not forget that it is customary to tip when ou're out and about in the United States!
When dining out, check the bottom of the bill and if it states "service tip or gratuity included" then there's no need to leave a further tip. Never be embarrassed to ask if the tip has been included. The usual amount is 15% of the total bill -

You are also expected to tip in other situations and here a few suggestions -

Weather
As you will see, and contrary to some tourism guides, May through to October is the wet season and the temperatures are almost never cold; from November to April is the dry season and the temperatures are cooler. The following are the regional mean temperatures and rainfall as provided by the National Weather Service.

Orlando/Kissimmee Weather Averages Table

Florida is also known as the lightning capital of the world because of the high number of strikes associated with thunderstorms and the many people who are injured or killed by them. Don't stand under trees during a storm, seek shelter inside of a building, and don't play golf in the rain or stand in an open field during a storm.

Also, if your vacation occurs between June through November, it may be helpful to watch the weather reports covering Atlantic ocean hurricanes; Florida's Hurricane season occurs during this period!

Children at Theme Parks
In Orlando everyone seems to want to be a child but the theme parks have different ideas as to who qualifies as a child. The current information we have is:

Public Holidays
Offices, banks and some shops are closed on public holidays. The main public holidays in the United States are:

• Memorial Day - the last Monday in May
• Independence Day - July 4
• Labor Day - first Monday in September
• Thanksgiving Day - last Thursday in November