orlando trip planner

The ULTIMATE 2 week Orlando Itinerary

By: Author Wandermust Daddy

Are you looking for the ULTIMATE 2 week Orlando itinerary? In this guide we put together our favorite 14 day Orlando itinerary that includes Disney World, Universal Studios and the other best attractions that Orlando has on offer. 

Important Note: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click through and make a purchase I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you!

But before we get into the specific details on each of the 14 day itinerary we thought it would be a good idea to outline some provisos and planning tips for those who are in the early stages of planning their 2 week Orlando trip. 

Table of Contents

How to Plan a 2 week Orlando Vacation

2 week Orlando Itinerary / 14 day Orlando itinerary

If you are still in the planning stages of your family Orlando trip itinerary then some of the things you need to consider before travel include: 

• where to stay 
• whether you need a rental car 
• if you want express passes / fast passes / genie + and 
• how many rest days and day trips you want to add in your itinerary. 

We will look at these below: 

Where to stay for this 14 day Orlando itinerary 

When I am looking to put together any 14 day Orlando itinerary there tend to be 4 options in terms of where to stay. These are: 

• on-site at a Walt Disney World Resort
• on-site at a Universal Orlando Resort or 
• in a Disney good neighbour / partner hotel or 
• in a villa, VRBO or AirBnb in the wider Orlando / Kissimmee area. 

Personally I don’t feel that there is one right answer in terms of where to stay at Disney World as there are benefits to each option. 

By staying at an on-site resort, you do get added benefits such as Early Magic Hours which can be great for getting some of the rides with traditionally longer queues done before the crowds arrive.

Disney’s Port Orleans riverside vs French Quarter

For a full review of places we have stayed at Disney World check out the below posts:

• Port Orleans Riverside vs port Orleans French Quarter

Also it gives you access to on-site dining reservations earlier than off-site guests aswell as keeping you in the Disney or Orlando bubble. 

It is also very useful if you don’t want to a rental car while in Orlando as the on-site resorts have transport to the parks in the form of free shuttle buses, ferry and skyliner for those at a Disney resort.  

However the cost of the on-site resorts is certainly much steeper than its off-site counterparts and many of the on-site resorts also do not provide kitchen facilities or separate bedrooms outside of the suites which can become a challenge for a family with young children who are staying for 2 weeks in Orlando. 

Click here to see prices of Disney World on-site resorts

On the flip side staying off-site can give you more space and can be calmer than staying in the Walt Disney World bubble. However it will not come with perks such as the early entry and you will have to pay for parking . 

Best Time to Spend 2 Weeks in Orlando

Magic Kingdom Halloween

We always recommend checking a Disney World Crowd Calendar and a Universal Studios crowd calendar before cementing your 2 week Orlando itinerary. The reason for this is that the business of each park changes day to day and month to month with some obvious peak times such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Therefore you may want to alter the order of the days in this itinerary to try and avoid the worst of the crowds in specific parks etc. 

Make Park Reservations 

When we visited Disney World we got an offer of 14 days for the price of 7. It is therefore worth shopping around and looking out for offers. Click here to see current Orlando theme park ticket offers which may save you money. 

It is also worth checking with each park to see if you need to reserve park entry along with buying your ticket as this is sometimes required. 

2 Week Orlando Itinerary 

Note about this itinerary : while this itinerary outlines the order we prefer to do the parks please feel free to more the days around to suit your itinerary and your family priorities. 

Day 1 / 14 day Orlando itinerary – arrive

If you are looking at doing a 14 day Orlando itinerary changes are you are flying internationally or at least doing a long distance flight or road trip to Orlando. For this reason we recommend not trying to over fill your first day in Orlando. 

Most flights from the UK or Europe to Orlando land in the Early afternoon or evening which does not leave much time for you to do much exploring. 

Therefore on day 1 we recommend that you collect your hire car if you are getting one, check into your hotel or accommodation and sort out any groceries that you may need for your stay. 

When we arrive we usually also manage to find time for a quick dip in the pool to help us acclimatise to the Florida weather. 

Day 2 / 14 day Orlando itinerary – Animal Kingdom

Many people who go to Disney World will often try to head to Magic Kingdom first as this is the park that has the iconic Disney Castle. While you are certainly welcome to move these days around and head to Magic Kingdom first we recommend starting with Disney’s Animal Kingdom for several reasons. 

Firstly Animal Kingdom is usually the park at Disney World that opens first and that you can get an early morning in. Note : Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios tend to alter their opening times depending on expected crowds and time of year. 

Going to a park that opens early on Day 2 is definitely a good way to get over your jet lag if you are coming to Disney World from UK or Europe. 

Also this is a park where you will not need genie+ in our opinion. This makes it a good choice for an early visit where you may not want to do a full day in the park. 

Finally, the evening entertainment at Animal Kingdom is not as late or scheduled as in other parks. The evening show at Animal Kingdom is the lighting up of the tree of life which starts when the parks starts going dark so you are not waiting around until very late. 

Next read: be sure to check out our guide on what to wear at Animal Kingdom . 

Pandora at Animal Kingdom

When entering Animal Kingdom, we recommend heading straight for the World of Pandora which is to the left hand side of the park as you enter. But don’t worry most of the crowds will be heading there   if you have Early entry by staying on site. 

The most popular of the 9 rides at Animal Kingdom is Flight of the Passage which is why we head there first to beat the worst of the crowds. 

As we were traveling to Animal Kingdom with toddler in tow, I took my daughter on Flight of the Passage first while my husband and toddler went on the Navi’i River ride – one of the best rides for toddlers at Animal Kingdom.  We then did rider switch so my husband got to ride too!

Kilimanjaro Safari – best Animal Kingdom rides for toddlers

After that we recommend heading to the Kilimanjaro Safaris. It is a well documented fact that animals on safari are most active in the early morning and at dusk. Therefore you will want to head straight to this ride as soon as it opens which is usually at 9am. 

After riding this we heading to our breakfast booking at Tusker’s House. This is a character dining experience at Animal Kingdom and is the best place for both breakfast and lunch.  

This is available as both a breakfast and lunch experience however with our jetlag we found that breakfast time was the perfect time to take a break. 

Tusker’s House – Animal Kingdom Character dining

At Tusker’s House we met Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Daisy and Donald Duck all in their safari gear while eating a really great breakfast. We definitely recommend. 

Once breakfast is over we then headed back into the park to finish the rest of the rides and see some of the shows this park has on offer including the Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo and the Birds of a Feather show. 

If you only have 1 day in this park as we have suggested in this itinerary I recommend prioritising either the Lion King show or the Finding Nemo show. 

Triceratops Spin – Animal Kingdom Toddler Rides

Of all the rides here I personally found the Dinosaurland USA rides to be the most disappointing, therefore if you are running short on time these are the rides that I would cut from your itinerary. 

If you want to stay to see the Tree of Life light up then you will need to wait until it starts to get dark however if you are still suffering from jetlag head home when you are tired as there is no point overdoing it on the start of your itinerary. 

Alternatives : if you can’t get a booking at Tusker’s House then we recommend heading to Harambe Marketplace or to Yak and Yeti for lunch. If you plan on using a quick service restaurant at Disney World be sure to have the mobile ordering set up on your phone. 

Day 3/ 2 week Orlando itinerary – Magic Kingdom

How Many Days for Magic Kingdom do you need?

For your second full day in Disney World we recommend heading to the Magic Kingdom park. This is likely to be one of the parks that you come back to so you will want to spread out your days in this park and pace yourself as you are unlikely to do everything in one or even 2 days. 

Magic Kingdom has so much on offer whether you are traveling with a toddler , teenagers or even as adults. There are lots of toddler friendly rides at Magic Kingdom as well as thrill rides so depending on your priorities will influence your Magic Kingdom itinerary.

toddlers at Magic Kingdom

If you are traveling with toddlers the best places to start is obviously fantasyland which has the most toddler friendly lines. In particular I would recommend starting your day on Peter Pan’s Flight. This ride consistently has one of the longest queues in the park so is a good one to get on during early Magic house. 

However if thrill rides are more your thing, we recommend heading straight to Snow White’s Mine Train. This is one of the few Magic Kingdom rides that is not available on Genie+. It is however available as as one of the lightning lanes which can cost up to 20USD which really adds to your budget. Therefore we recommend trying to get to this queue as the park opens during early magic hours. 

From there on day one we recommend trying to complete as much of Fantasyland as possible. We recommend selecting rides with short queues in order to get as many done in the morning as possible. 

Also if you want to meet princesses it is a good idea to do these early in the day as the queues get longer as the day goes on. 

For lunch we recommend doing a quick service restaurant and utilising the mobile ordering as this will save you a lot of time. 

If you plan on catching the afternoon parade then we recommend heading to Casey’s Corner for hotdogs and grabbing a spot along Main Street in front of the Cinderella’s Castle to watch the parade. 

Then for your afternoon we recommend heading to one of the lands you have not yet done i.e. Frontierland or Tomorrowland depending on what you want to achieve most and what is available on Genie +. 

You can then go to dinner at one of the in-park restaurants or you can have Dinner outside of the park. 

Day 4 – Rest Day 

Now it can be tempting if this is a once in a lifetime trip and when you have spent a lot of money on tickets to want to be in the park every day. However I think it is important to plan some rest days. We think adding a rest day after two whole days in the park is a good idea. 

For this day we recommend spending some time at your hotel pool and heading out for some dinner or lunch. We like to have at least one lunch at Disney Springs. 

Disney Springs is outside of the parks Disney complex for dining and entertainment. In our opinion some of the best restaurants at Disney Springs include: 

• Rainforest Cafe – my kids love the animatronic animals 
• T Rex Cafe – my son loves the moving dinosaurs. But for something more high end you could try:
• Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’

Alternatives to Disney Springs could include heading to downtown Orlando for dinner or heading to International Drive. Our favorite restaurant on International Drive is Chuy’s. 

Day 5 – Epcot

Now that you are feeling well rested we recommend heading back into some of the Disney parks. For today we specifically recommend heading to Epcot. 

Epcot was designed as the world of tomorrow and has a mixture of rides and attractions from thrill rides such as the Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind and Test Track to more sedate rides like Journey into the Imagination with Figment and Spaceship Earth, to more informative attractions such as the World Showcase where you can wonder around the different countries. 

Note: we did not find that we needed Genie+ for Epcot however you may need it if you are visiting at a very busy time. We did however buy a lightning lane pass for Cosmic Rewind. 

Epcot with kids – best age for Epcot

We prioritised the rides in the morning. Generally speaking we recommend heading to the Frozen Ever After Ride or Ratatouille first as these are some of the longest queues in the park. As we are big fans and frequent visitors to Disneyland Paris we headed to the Frozen ride as we have done Ratatouille many times. 

After this we headed to Soarin’, another of the favorite rides in the park before ticking off some more rides. 

One of the things that I love about Epcot is the amazing food and drink options even if you aren’t visiting during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. If you want another character dining experience we recommend heading to Akerhaus to do Princess dining. Otherwise we recommend the table service in the the Mexico Pavillon. 

Once you have had lunch we recommend walking around the different countries and pavilions and meeting some of the characters. Some of the characters you can meet here include: 

• Jasmine in the Morocco Pavillon 
• Mulan in the China Pavillon
• Alice in Wonderland in the British Pavillon. 

though this is subject to change so be sure to check the app on your day of visit. 

We recommend staying in Epcot until the evening to see the current nighttime lightshow and fireworks. 

Further Epcot reading: 

• Best age to visit Epcot 
• Epcot Instagram Captions

Day 6 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios

Today is your day to visit the last of the Disney World parks you have not been to – Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 

Depending on your interests I recommend either starting your day at:

• Slinky dog Dash in Toy Story Land or 
• Rise of the Resistance in the Galaxy’s Edge land. 

These two rides consistently get at least 2 hour queues so it is important to do these early in the day. As Rise of the Resistance has a lightning lane we tend to head first to Slinky Dog Dash and grabbing a lightning lane for RoR for later in the day. 

Once we have ridden Slinky Dog Dash we finish the Toy Story Land rides such as Toy Story Midway Mania and the Alien Twirl.

For lunch we recommending hanging around in the Star Wars land called Galaxy’s Edge as this is one of the most immersive lands in any of the Disney parks. If you can snag a table at Oga’s canteen it is a great place for snacks and a drink otherwise use one of the lands quick service restaurants before heading onto SMuggler’s Run where you can pilot the Millennium Falcon. 

After that we recommend trying to complete some of the bigger thrill rides such as:

Hollywood Studios Rides for Toddlers

• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Note : if you are traveling to Hollywood Studios with a toddler and don’t plan on doing character dining you don’t necessarily need a whole day in the park. There are actually only 2 rides at Hollywood Studios that toddlers can ride on so you can probably limit your time to half a day and park hop back to one of the other parks. 

However if you like thrill rides it is definitely worthwhile buying a Genie+ Pass to make the most of your day. 

It is worth if you are able to stay to watch the evening entertainment at Hollywood Studios. The Fantastic Show and Fireworks are some of the best things to do in Disney World at night and shouldn’t be missed. 

Further Hollywood Studios Reading: 

• Best age for Hollywood Studios
• How to meet characters at Hollywood studios
• Instagram Captions for Hollywood Studios

Day 7 – Water Park 

Now you have visited each of the Disney World theme parks at least once it is time for another break from the parks. Today we recommend heading to one of the many waterparks that Orlando has on offer as the theme park capital of the world. 

The main water parks in Orlando are: 

• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon 
• Disney’s Blizzards Beach 
• Universal’s Volcano Bay and 
• Aquatica Orlando 

Personally I would choose one of the parks that is included in tickets you already have where possible to save on the budget. 

Note: if you are traveling to Orlando in the winter it may be too cold to use a waterpark. If this is the case for you please check out our list of alternative day trips from Orlando below for inspiration for your Orlando Winter itinerary. 

Day 8 Rest Day or Day Trip to Kennedy Space Center

Day Trip to Kennedy Space Center

After so many days in the park we recommend having today as a rest day or otherwise doing a day trip. 

For a great chance of pace one of our favorite day trips to do from Disney World is Kennedy space center. 

Kennedy Space Center is located on Merritt Island, Florida, USA on the Space Coast near Titusville and is just over an hour away from the Orlando theme parks. 

Kennedy Space Center is famous for launching the Apollo and Space Shuttle missions and you can explore the rockets in the rocket hall, and do a tour of the launchpads. Toddlers will also love the interactive play area and experiment booths. 

Just be sure to check that there isn’t a launch on your intended visit day as this can impact your visit. 

We recommend buying your tickets in advance. Click here to see current prices. 

However if this is not your thing some of our other favorite day trips from Disney World are: 

• Cocoa Beach – the closest beach to Disney World 
• An Airboat Ride 
• Everglades national park
• Busch gardens
• Seaworld – if you want to add more theme parks to your itinerary  or 
• Legoland Florida

Day 9 and 10 – Universal Studios 

2 week Orlando Itinerary / 14 days in Orlando Itinerary

After your break from the theme parks we are returning but this time heading to Universal Studios. Universal Studios is made up of two parks:

• Universal’s islands of Adventures and the 
• Universal Studios Park.

 As such we recommend having two days in the park concentrating on one park per day. However we do recommend getting at least one 2 parks one day tickets. The reason for this is so you can ride the Hogwarts Express, one of my favorite things to do in the park.   For the best value Universal Studios Tickets click here. 

If you do not have a 2 parks 1 day ticket you will not be able to ride the Hogwarts Express. 

For the first day we recommend starting at the universal Studios park especially if you are a Harry Potter fan. This park is home to the wizarding world of Harry Potter and Diagon Alley. We recommend heading straight to Diagon Alley and Olivanders Wand shop to do the wand experience first especially if you plan on using an Interactive Wand on your trip. 

The wands aren’t cheap so you want to have as much time with it in the park as possible. 

Once you have done the wand shop we recommend trying out the spells in Diagon Alley, doing some shopping and riding Escape from Gringotts. 

Once you have finished in Diagon Alley we recommend having lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before heading to the rest of the park. 

If you have budget, we recommend either buying the Universal Studios Express Passes or staying at a Universal premier hotel where these are included in the price of your stay.

Some rides I would prioritise in this park include: 

• Hollywood’s Rip Ride Rockit and
• The Revenge of the Mummy. 

If you have time today ride the Hogwarts Express over to the other park before heading out of the park to Unviersal’s City Walk for dinner and see if you can catch some live music too. 

Your second day in the Universal Park will be spent in the Islands of Adventure Park. If you love Harry Potter head straight to try and ride the Hagrid’s magical creatures Motorbike Adventure. 

This ride consistently has the longest queue in the park and is not available on the express pass system so it is worth doing first thing. 

Once done, enjoy wandering around Hogsmeade and ride the rest of the Harry Potter Rides. 

Once you have finished in the Harry Potter world head out to Jurassic World to ride some of the amazing rollercoasters such as the Velocicoaster and Jurassic Park the ride. 

After that depending on whether you are traveling to Island of Adventures with toddlers or thrill seekers will depend where you head next. For toddlers, head to Dr Seuss Land and for adrenaline junkies head to the Hulk Coaster. 

Once you have got everything you want done, head to City Walk for dinner again. 

Note: if you are traveling to Universal Studios with toddlers you probably will only need 1 day with an express pass. The reason for this is that many of the rides at Universal have high height restrictions. Instead you could replace 1 Universal Studios Day with a Legoland Florida day trip which is more orientated to little kids. 

Further reading for Universal Studios: 

• Universal Studios Instagram Captions 
• What to Bring to Universal Studios 
• Movies to Watch before going to Universal Studios

Day 11 – Day Trip or Rest Day

After a couple of intensive days at universal it is time for another rest day or a lighter day trip. 

Day 12 –  Repeat Disney World Day / Day Trip

Today is all about finishing a park that you feel you have more left to see in from Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios or Epcot. 

However if you feel that you have done everything you want you could replace this with a day trip.

Day 13 – Magic Kingdom 

Carousel – best things to do in Magic Kingdom with toddlers

Today is the time to go back to my favorite theme park Magic Kingdom. As you started the day on your last magic Kingdom day in Fantasyland we recommend heading to a different land, and doing rides you have not yet done. 

Popular rides that get long queues as the day goes on are:

• Jungle Cruise 
• Space Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain and 
• Peter Pan’s Flight. 

We recommend trying to get on any of these rides that you have not yet done first thing in the morning before the queues get too long. 

As this is your last day in the parks recommend staying late into the evening, even if that means resting back at your accommodation in the daytime, so you can end your trip with the fantastic firework show over the iconic Disney World Castle. 

Day 14 – Travel Home

Finish up any last bits of souvenir shopping you want to do and close up your suitcases and get ready to fly home. 

I hope you have found this 2 week itinerary useful and would love to hear how you like to spend 14 days in Orlando. 

FAQs about our 2 week Orlando Itinerary

Is 2 weeks in orlando enough.

Yes I think 2 weeks in Orland is enough to get a good overview of many of the theme parks and have some day trips. However if you really wanted to do more day trips and some extra theme parks then you might be better with our 3 week Orlando itinerary.

Is 2 weeks too long at Disney?

The answer to is 2 weeks too long at Disney for me is yes and no. 

Personally even as a Disney fanatic I could not spend 2 weeks solid in the Disney parks. However I find that 2 weeks at Disney with a couple of rest days and day trips is actually the perfect time and itinerary. 

Can you do Disney and Universal in 14 days?

Yes you can absolutely do Disney and universal in 14 days in Orlando. 

Do you have any other questions about spending 14 days in Orlando? Please let us know in the comments and we will do our best to answer. 

The Perfect 3 Days in Orlando Itinerary (2024 Guide)

• Last Updated: February 3, 2024

If you plan to travel to Orlando, this 3 days in Orlando itinerary will be the best place for you to start planning your trip!

Located in the middle of the sunny state of Florida , Orlando has become one of the most popular tourist destinations due to its variety of theme parks and central location to other popular attractions in Florida.

It is the perfect whole-family vacation spot and those who are a kid at heart!

The main attractions in Orlando are the two theme parks: Disney World and Universal Studios. But there are plenty of other fun things to do in Orlando to beat the theme park crowds!

Visiting the Kennedy Space Center is a great place to learn about the science behind space travel and it’s just a short 1-hour drive towards the east coast from Orlando. 

Whatever your reason for wanting to travel to this sunny part of central Florida, this 3 day Orlando itinerary will get you started on a magical stay!

READ MORE: Check out my other guide to the absolute best things to do in Orlando !

Table of Contents

Evening at Disney Springs

Evening at universal city walk, first option – explore i-drive activities, second option – explore downtown orlando: culture and arts, day 3 – day trip to kennedy space center (or theme park day #2), when to visit orlando, getting around orlando florida, budget accommodation – best western orlando gateway hotel, mid-range accommodation – universal’s endless summer resort – surfside inn & suites, luxury accommodation – castle hotel – autograph collection, budget – ana’s brazilian kitchen, mid-range – hard rock cafe, high-end – edie v’s prime seafood, how to spend a perfect 3 days in orlando itinerary.

Although you could easily spend your full 3 day Orlando itinerary on just theme parks, we’re going to give you a few more ideas on how to fill your time.

No doubt you’ll want to stop at Disney World, Magic Kingdom, or Universal Studios theme parks as part of your stay. But don’t get tied down spending all of your time in just one or two places. 

This perfect Orlando itinerary will give you lots of ideas for how you can experience most of what the city has to offer and leave you ready to come back to experience more! 

When it comes to theme parks, I highly highly recommend purchasing the Orlando CityPASS beforehand.

You can basically pick whichever theme parks you want to go to and save a bunch of money.

SPECIAL DEAL: Save money by buying the Orlando CityPass to get access to all the theme parks at a discount.

Day 1 – Theme Park of Your Choice

OK, so theme parks are likely the reason why you planned to visit Orlando in the first place.

You have your favorite theme park in mind, so we won’t try to talk you out of it.

We will share a few of our favorite things about each of the Disney parks to give you a better idea of how to spend your time on the first of your 3 days in Orlando.

You never know, maybe you’ll end up tacking on an extra day to visit another theme park! 

My favorite theme park in Orlando is Universal Studios Florida, also known as Universal Orlando Resort.

I’ve been going to Universal Studios since I was a little kid and the park has changed a lot over the years, but mostly for the better. It’s a great spot for a family vacation.

Since the recent additions of the Harry Potter rides, and Universal’s Islands of Adventure have become increasingly more popular!

I can’t say I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. But exploring Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Resort is a fun experience not to be skipped!

You truly feel like you’ve entered a different world. The butterbeer is delicious and plentiful and the thrilling rides are incredible.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure really does a great job of incorporating different themes and worlds. Imagination comes to life, movie and storybook characters become real, and the scenery is incredible. The different themes on the Islands of Adventure are so much fun no matter how old you are.

My favorite ride is the Hogwarts Express which transports you in between the parks. But don’t just go for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter alone!

Read Next: Check out our post on all of the best things to do in Florida!

The other areas of the parks and rides are great as well.

Though most of my favorite rides have since closed down (goodbye Back 2 the Future!), the new rides have fantastic modern technology.

The newly remodeled Incredible Hulk Coaster is a must, Revenge of the Mummy (my favorite!!), Spiderman and Transformer rides are a blast.

And kids will love Dr. Seuss Landing and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem .

But of course, there is also the whole Disney experience as well.

The Magic Kingdom is my favorite park in Walt Disney World. Magic Kingdom is home to Cinderella’s Castle and is the epitome of classic Disney!

I love joking around with the Pirates at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

And my favorite ride at Magic Kingdom will always be the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad .

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is another Disney theme park full of rides and characters. Most people visit Hollywood Studios for the Star Wars themed rides and attractions.

But the most fun of all at Walt Disney World is meeting and interacting with your favorite Disney Characters.

Definitely a must-do in the Magic Kingdom is having a character meal.

It is the best way to skip the long lines at the character meet and greets and you get to spend more time with your favorite Disney World characters!

You’ve probably had a fun-filled day at Universal Studios Florida or the Magic Kingdom.

At the end of the day, regardless of which theme parks you chose, you’re going to want to relax and enjoy yourself at the public boardwalk of either theme park.

You don’t have to have tickets to enjoy either place. But since you’ve spent the day in one of the parks you might as well round out the day at either Universal City Walk or Disney Springs. 

Read Next: Have some extra time in the area? Check out these awesome day trips from Orlando !

Plan on going to Disney Springs hungry as it’s a huge dining mecca and is also a great place to purchase your souvenirs.

It’s free to enter and if you’re staying at a Disney resort there will be transportation to and from Disney Springs.

T-Rex , a dinosaur-themed restaurant, offers a fun atmosphere that the kids will thoroughly enjoy.

If you are visiting without kids, there are plenty of restaurants and bars geared toward a more mature audience.

Try The Edison for great American cuisine, cocktails, and fantastic live entertainment, or The Boathouse for delicious seafood.

I really enjoyed my sandwich from Earl of Sandwich , a great place to grab something quick to eat!

There is also plenty of fun to be had at Disney Springs from nightly live entertainment to so many attractions like the vintage amphibious cars, bowling alley and the NBA Experience .

While walking around and enjoying the sights you may come across your favorite Disney Character too!

Be sure to check the calendar for special events taking place at Disney Springs

READ MORE: Plan to do these amazing things in St. Augustine .

If you spent the day at the Universal Orlando Resort then plan on having dinner and buying your souvenirs at Universal City Walk.

It’s located right outside the gates of both parks. In fact, you have to walk through City Walk to get to the entrances of the theme park!

You could plan on taking a break at your hotel after spending the day at Universal and then come back after 6 pm, parking is free then!

Universal City Walk offers great nightlife, live music and entertainment, fantastic restaurants, and shopping.

I recommend eating at Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar or Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville .

But save room for a decadent dessert at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium!

You may be able to catch an awesome rock concert at the Hardrock Cafe and don’t forget about the unforgettable Blue Man Group performance that shouldn’t be missed!

Be sure to check the calendar for special events at Universal’s City Walk.

There is so much delicious food and entertainment to enjoy in an Orlando itinerary!

Day 2 – Exploring Orlando’s International Drive

You can walk, or trolley, through today’s activities. They’re going to be numerous, and you’re going to spend a lot of energy enjoying yourself. 

If you prefer the trolley to save some calories for all the fun you’ll have, pick up your unlimited ride pass here .

To begin day 2 of your 3 days in Orlando itinerary you’ll want to make your way to International Drive (I-Drive) in downtown Orlando.

If your hotel doesn’t offer a complimentary breakfast, head to Denny’s at the north end of I-Drive and grab a quick and filling meal to start your day.

The first option for day 2 of your Orlando vacation is to start heading down I-Drive and check out the following places: 

The first stop on your list should be a fast and furious race on one of Orlando’s fastest electric go-karts at I-Drive Nascar .

Race down the indoor track at speeds up to 45 mph that will fulfill your need for speed and leave you wanting to race again and again!

Lucky for you they offer a 2 race special, so plan on spending at least 30 mins here driving the go-karts around the ¼ mile-long track.

Coming up next on i-Drive is the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition or you can choose to explore Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

Both are interactive museum-like experiences.

Titanic takes you on a journey back in time to experience what it was like to be on the enormous ship with authentic artifacts and full-scale rooms.

Go over to this website to buy your tickets for the Titanic exhibit .

Ripley’s Believe It or Not is an odditorium with bizarre events, oddities, and unusual artifacts collected from all over the world.

Choose to visit just one or both, but be prepared to spend a couple of hours at each attraction.

Next experience the extreme sport that is skydiving without actually jumping out of a plane!

At iFly indoor skydiving , you will suit up and enter a state-of-the-art glass wind tunnel and be suspended in the air.

Anyone from the ages of 3 to 103 can experience the weightlessness of free-falling or bodyflight as they call it at iFly.  Buy tickets here!

Or you can choose to do Wonderworks . It is the crazy looking upside building that looks like it was picked up by a tornado and dropped from the sky.

This is a fantastic place for families as it is an interactive science and learning museum with tonnes of hands-on exhibits created to make learning fun.

Wonderworks is one of my favorite places on i-drive and I don’t even have kids!

I enjoyed experiencing what a massive earthquake would feel like, lying on a bed of nails and trying on a spacesuit in the space discovery zone.

After exploring the different zones try your hand at the glow in the dark ropes course and a game of laser tag!

Another stop on I-Drive is the Chocolate Kingdom . But be warned, if you visit here before dinner time you may spoil your meal!

You will learn where chocolate comes from and how it is made into the delicious chocolate treats you enjoy from stores.

You can even make your own chocolate and devour it there or take home to enjoy later. 

READ MORE: Plan the perfect 3 days in Miami itinerary .

Alternatively, if you’d rather enjoy more culture and the outdoors you could skip the touristy areas of I-Drive and visit a few of Orlando’s several beautiful parks, gardens and museums .

Have breakfast near your hotel and then call a taxi or Uber to take you to downtown Orlando.

First, check out the Orlando Science Center . For families and those interested in natural science, interactive exhibits, and more, the Orlando Science Center is a fun place to go. The Orlando Museum of Art is just next door so you can head thereafter.

If you’re into shopping, check out the Florida Mall or the Orlando Premium Outlets .

For a bit of nature, head to the Harry P Leu Gardens , a beautiful and historic botanical garden and house.

If you still want to see more parks after the Harry P Leu Gardens, spend the afternoon relaxing at Lake Eola Park . You can rent paddleboats or simply chill out in the shade.

Lake Eola Park isn’t far from Thornton Park , home to the Orlando Farmer’s Market and lots of trendy cafes and boutique stores.

After you’ve had your fill of enjoying art and relaxing in nature, work your way to International Drive.

Last you will want to end up at Icon Park . Arrive near sunset and you can ride The Wheel while witnessing a beautiful sunset over the Orlando skyline.

The Wheel is a massive state of the art climate controlled Ferris wheel. It is the best place to observe the city skyline when visiting Orlando!

If this sounds like your cup of tea (and why wouldn’t it?!) then buy your ticket online here .

You can choose to eat dinner at Icon Park or go out for a night on the town at Universal City Walk or Disney Springs and enjoy dinner there. The choice is yours!

On the last of your 3 days in Orlando itinerary, you have the option to take a day trip to one of the most historic parts of nearby Florida or head back to your favorite (or the other) theme park. 

The Kennedy Space Center is NASA’s primary launch center .

You can hire a private tour of the entire center’s grounds and see the Launch Control Center , see where the rockets are prepared for launching, the astronaut dormitories, and the space station processing facility.

But the main area where all visitors are welcome is the museum. There you can see important rocket artifacts and memorabilia and get up close to the Space Shuttle Atlantis .

Tour the grounds in the morning and then enjoy the afternoon going through the interactive exhibits in the museum while learning what it would be like to be an astronaut.

You may also have the chance to see a rocket launch, as they are still actively using the grounds to launch SpaceX rockets!  

There’s always a massive group here though, so I’m going to share one of my favorite travel hacks for the Kennedy Space Centre:

Buy a ‘ Skip the Line’ ticket before you arrive , so you can just walk straight on in. 100% worth it.

Returning from KSC on Hwy 528 will bring you right back to the heart of Orlando.

From here you can pick up where you left off at any of the evening attractions.

Take a ride on The Wheel or spend the evening at either Universal City Walk or Disney Springs.

Depending on when you are there, you may even be able to catch a concert at the House of Blues or a Cirque du Soleil show at Disney Springs. Disney and Cirque du Soleil have a collaborative show called “Drawn To Life” which is a really cool option.

Or look for performers at Hard Rock Cafe at Universal City Walk. 

However you choose to wrap up the evening, you’ll be certain to have spent your 3 days in Orlando vacation in grand fashion!

Orlando Travel Guide

Now that you know how to spend 3 days in Orlando, here is a little more information about when to visit the city, how to get around, where to stay and what to eat. 

Whether you are on an Orlando family vacation or you’re visiting without kids, these accommodation, transport, and dining recommendations will suit anyone.

Winter and Spring are the most popular times of year to visit Orlando Florida with the busiest time of year being Spring break.

The weather is more predictable and the temperatures mild, thus more inviting for tourists to travel to the area. Just be aware, places like Disney World will be super crowded.

To beat the family crowds, plan on traveling to Orlando when schools are not on break, usually in the middle of November , beginning of December and most of January and February .

Summer and Fall can be very hot, humid, and expect thunderstorms in the afternoons.

If you can only visit in the Summertime, plan on hitting the outdoor theme parks in the morning when it’s still cool out and then spend the afternoons somewhere indoors in A/C and when it’s raining outside.

June through the beginning of November is hurricane season and is a very unpredictable time of year weather-wise. So be prepared to cancel plans or any outdoor excursions you have booked. 

Orlando is a spread-out city, but most of the top Orlando attractions and theme parks aren’t far from one another. So if the Disney World theme parks are the main activities on your Orlando itinerary, transport is quite straightforward.

If you are staying at one of the theme park resorts, you can count on there being a shuttle to transport you to and from either Disney World, Magic Kingdom or Universal Orlando and the other attractions.

If you are staying at a hotel on I-Drive, there is a great hop on hop off trolley you can purchase passes for that will take you to all of the best attractions on the main strip.

But since Orlando is such a popular destination for tourists, taxis and Ubers should be a dime a dozen and another great way to get around the city.

If you don’t mind finding and paying for parking at the different attractions then you could look into rental cars and have a more personalized experience touring different areas of Orlando. A rental car definitely gives you more flexibility, but parking can be pretty hectic, especially during peak season.

Orlando International Airport isn’t far from all the attractions, which is convenient as well!

The best way to get around is to rent a car and explore on your own! We recommend Rental Cars , which has the largest range of vehicles for the best value on the market.

Where to Stay in Orlando

Orlando is big and accommodation options stretch out across the city.

Because most of the activities we recommend to do during your 3 days in Orlando itinerary are close to the city center we’re recommending the following hotel options along International Drive.

This way you will spend less time driving around and more time enjoying your next family adventure in Orlando Florida! 

Located just one block off International Drive in the heart of Orlando, the Best Western Orlando Gateway Hotel offers you the most bang for your buck when it comes to proximity to things to do in Orlando.

But if you wanted to relax, you can do so with a heated pool, two outdoor hot tubs and onsite dining options.

Enjoy rooms with WiFi, flatscreen televisions and kitchenettes and catch a free shuttle from the hotel to attractions around town. 

If you’re a fan of Universal Studios then this is the place for you. At the northern end of International Drive, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort gives you great amenities for your stay.

But more importantly, you get early access to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay parks.

Free shuttles transport you to/from the park and Universal’s City Walk throughout the day.

And if you need some downtime at the hotel, relax by the pool, enjoy the on-site game room and feast on a variety of meal options at the food court.

This is definitely the place to stay for a binge on all things Universal. 

If you’re looking for luxury hotels when visiting Orlando Florida, check out the Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection .

Located on the southern end of International Drive, the Castle Hotel offers a luxurious feel just minutes from all of the Orlando attractions like Hollywood Studios, Universal Orlando, and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

With a pool, hot tubs, poolside bar and hotel room service it will be hard to convince yourself to go out and explore Orlando when you stay here.

But it will be nice to return to after the long and busy days in an Orlando itinerary. 

Best Restaurants In Orlando

Orlando has numerous restaurant options with choices of nearly every international flavor.

You can even find tasty meals of all sorts within the various theme parks you are bound to visit. 

Here are a few options worth checking out during your 3 days in Orlando Florida. 

For a great deal on a big Brazilian meal check out Ana’s Brazilian Kitchen .

Known for its traditional chicken and beef plates with delicious sides of various rice, beans and yucca, you’re not going to regret stopping in for a bite to eat. 

Located in Universal’s City Walk, Hard Rock Cafe will be sure to fill you up with some good, classic American food to keep you fueled up throughout the day.

Famous for delicious burgers and ribs and a wide selection of drinks, Hard Rock combines meals and entertainment in such a way that it’s worth stopping in while you’re in the area.  

As the name suggests, Edie V’s Prime Seafood offers a menu chock full of delicious seafood options.

From Chilean Sea Bass, salmon and lobster options to swordfish steaks and filet mignon, you’re covered when it comes to luxurious dining. 

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you book accommodation, tours or buy a product, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help us keep creating more free travel content to help people plan their holidays and adventures. We only recommend the best accommodations, tours and products that ourselves or our fantastic editorial team have personally experienced, and regularly review these. Thanks for your support, kind friend!

Chris Harvey

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

Love Travel?

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter for the best travel tips, ideas and deals!

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

READ MORE...

The Ultimate 3 Days in New York City Itinerary (2024 Update)

25 Best Things To Do In Santa Fe, New Mexico (2024 Guide)

The 21 Best Things To Do In Richmond, Virginia (2024 Guide)

Related Posts

The perfect 3 days in los angeles itinerary (2024 guide), 30 of the best things to do in boulder, colorado (2024 guide), 24 best things to do in birmingham, alabama (2024 guide), the ultimate 3 days in san antonio itinerary (2024 guide), 2 thoughts on “the perfect 3 days in orlando itinerary (2024 guide)”.

Excellent post you have here, these recommendations are great. Thank you for posting.

Thank you so much. We appreciate it. 🙂

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Work With Jen
• USA Bucket List
• Follow Us On Instagram

The Ultimate 6-Day Orlando Itinerary For Families

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Look no further for the best all-encompassing, family-friendly Orlando itinerary!

Not only is Orlando, Florida home to the world’s most iconic theme park, Walt Disney World, but it also draws visitors to Universal Studios, Legoland, Sea World, and so much more!

In this article, you’ll learn all about what to see, how to get around, and how to plan the absolute best 6-Day Disney World itinerary when visiting Orlando with kids.

Having a thought-out plan before your arrival in Orlando will assure that your vacation expectations are met and that you’re able to see and do all of the things on your Orlando bucket list.

With this ultimate Orlando itinerary, you’ll be able to maneuver the crowds and have plenty of time to experience the best that an Orlando family vacation has to offer.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.   For more info, see disclosure.

Table of Contents

Orlando Itinerary: Best Time to Visit

Orlando is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Florida.

The best time to visit Orlando is from March to May when temperatures average in the low 80s.

Another popular time to visit is between September and November when crowds and prices are more manageable, and when temperatures are in the mid-80s.

For those looking to visit Orlando during the summer months, Orlando offers the same great attractions, but with higher temperatures (90+ during the day) and humidity to deal with.

It is very important to learn how to stay cool in the Florida heat when visiting during these months.

Additional planning tip: The Orlando theme parks are most busy during the summer months and over holiday breaks when kids are off from school.

Orlando Itinerary Ideas

Due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, many of the Florida attractions you’ll read about have special health and safety measures in place. Likewise, some events may be temporarily suspended. Please check each attraction’s website for details before your travel.

Below you can find suggested Orlando vacation itinerary ideas from one to six days.

(Many people refer to this when planning an Orlando itinerary for 5 days, as that is a popular length of time to stay.)

The itinerary suggestions are based on our personal experiences and are filled with insider tips for visiting Orlando for the first time.

(Read here if you’re specifically looking for things to do in Orlando for adults !)

No two Orlando vacations will be exactly the same, however, so use these itinerary suggestions as a guide.

You’ll need to adjust your itinerary as needed to account for weather, where you stay, how much time you spend at each attraction, and the varying interests of your travel party.

Our recent Orlando itinerary was primarily a Walt Disney World vacation as well as includes some of the other most fun things to do in Orlando .

*All of our top recommended restaurants, landmarks, and attractions are bolded. Their physical locations fit into the flow of this itinerary. If you choose to substitute a restaurant or attraction in their place, be sure to adjust the timing of your itinerary accordingly.

Orlando Itinerary: Day 1

• Arrival day!
• Check-in to your Orlando accommodations and get settled in.
• Afterward, head to Disney Springs for an evening of shopping and entertainment. Have dinner at the #1 rated restaurant by USA Today, The Boathouse .

Where We Stayed in Orlando

We did not hit up a theme park or do anything crazy upon our first day arriving in Orlando (I recommend this!).

Instead, we simply checked into our hotel, spent the afternoon by the pool, relaxed, and got a good night’s rest.

We felt that this was vital in order to be energized for the days ahead.

Our choice of accommodations was Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista , which far exceeded our expectations.

Located a short distance from both Disney World (8 miles) and Universal Studios (9 miles), this resort is prime real estate for being central to all of the Orlando action.

Priced at less than $100/night, booking here was also one of the ways we traveled on a budget during this family vacation.

Find our detailed review and a recap of its family-friendly amenities on our dedicated post about Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista; our favorite off-site hotel near Disney !

Additional planning tip: A feature of IHG properties, kids eat free at Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista.

The presence of an on-site Applebees here means that with each paid adult meal, the kids get their own Applebees meal at no cost! This is incredibly convenient and cost-effective.

Disney Springs

No family vacation in Orlando would be complete without a stroll around the reinvented Disney Springs!

Disney Springs  is a themed retail, dining, and entertainment center inspired by Florida’s charming waterfront towns. Four distinct neighborhoods―The Landing, Marketplace, West Side, and Town Center—are built around bubbling ponds and springs.

Highlights here include Amphicar tours (a cross between a car and a boat), helium balloon rides, world-class shopping, and the biggest Star Wars memorabilia retailer known to man.

Additional planning tip: If you’re looking for some fun date night ideas (without the kids!) while you’re in Orlando, here are some fun things to do in Orlando for adults .

Orlando Itinerary: Day 2

• Start off your Orlando itinerary at none other than, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom !
• Grab coffee and donuts at Main Street Bakery as you head into the park.
• Once inside, you’ll realize there is so much to do and it is hard to pull yourself away. For this reason, plan to enjoy both lunch and dinner at one of the many Magic Kingdom restaurants on-site.

Magic Kingdom

Our trip to Orlando was primarily a Disney-themed visit with the intention of visiting 3 of the 4 Disney parks.

Ultimately, with this being our first time taking the kids to Orlando or any of the Disney parks, we undoubtedly had to start off with a visit to Magic Kingdom .

Knowing that we wanted to jam-pack as much as possible into our time there, we arrived first thing in the morning and executed our 1-day Magic Kingdom itinerary .

After an absolutely amazing day , we returned to our hotel for a night swim and a Disney movie by the pool before falling fast asleep.

Additional planning tip: Maximize your time at Magic Kingdom during your Orlando itinerary by utilizing our exclusive Disney Fastpass secrets to best structure your day!

Orlando Itinerary: Day 3

• Spend the entire day touring Epcot .
• Enjoy dining at one of the many delicious restaurants at Epcot (there are literally so many to choose from!).

Next up on our 6-day Orlando itinerary was to spend an entire day at Epcot .

We knew we were in for a real treat when visiting here, for Epcot is home to both rides and attractions, as well as the World Showcase.

Needless to say, we loved it here!

And once again, after making the most of our 1-day itinerary at Epcot , we left feeling happy and blessed – with a tummy full of pizza from world-famous Via Napoli !

Don’t forget to stay for the new  Epcot Forever  fireworks display that replaced 20-year park staple IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.

The best thing about Epcot Forever is that it can be viewed anywhere within Epcot that offers a clear view of the World Showcase Lagoon

Orlando Itinerary: Day 4

• Take a break from the theme parks and head to the beach. Daytona Beach that is! You’re in Florida, after all!
• Afterward, head back to Orlando and take a stroll around the Disney Boardwalk .
• Eat at the ESPN Sports Club or another nostalgic restaurant on the Boardwalk.

Daytona Beach

On the first of our Disney non-park days when visiting Orlando, we chose to spend the day at the beach.

Daytona Beach is located a convenient 73 miles from Orlando and provides so many amazing opportunities for family fun!

Though there is so much to see and do directly in Orlando, I could not go without dipping my toes into the ocean while visiting the beautiful state of Florida.

We have so many memories from the Daytona Beach family fun that we experienced during our 6-day Orlando itinerary!

Additional planning tip: Day 4 could be spent venturing 65 miles to Cocoa Beach instead. Pair it with a visit to the nearby Kennedy Space Center.

ESPN Sports Club

We spent the evening of day 4 walking around the Disney Boardwalk.

The Disney Boardwalk is home to several gorgeous Disney-themed resorts, shops, and restaurants.

And yes, you are walking on a real wooden boardwalk, complete with street performers and views of a gorgeous lake.

To appease the sports fanatics in my family we enjoyed dinner at ESPN Sports Club .

Additional planning tip: A visit to Disney’s Boardwalk allows you to scope out several of the higher-end Disney Resorts. The awesome scenery and nautical vibe made this evening one of the highlights of our Orlando itinerary.

I would totally recommend a visit here!

Orlando Itinerary: Day 5

• Enjoy an awesome day at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom !
• Grab coffee and pastries at Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery as you make your way in.
• Pack a picnic lunch in your Disney day bag !
• In keeping with the animal-theme, enjoy dinner at the gigantic Rainforest Cafe located on-site.

Animal Kingdom

Little did we know that day 5 would end up being our favorite day at our now favorite theme park, Animal Kingdom .

The combination of animals, rides, shows, and attractions brings this place to life while making you feel right at home!

The overall vibe at Animal Kingdom is laid back, yet bustling with plenty of activity.

The safari-themed landscape is welcoming, yet rustic. Simply put, we wouldn’t change our 1-day Animal Kingdom itinerary for the world!

Rainforest Cafe

To stick with the animal theme, we stayed on-site and had dinner at Rainforest Cafe .

If you haven’t been to a Rainforest Cafe before, prepare yourself to be wow-ed!

Dancing gorillas, simulated rain showers, and the famous Volcano dessert make this the perfect experience to add yet another couple hours of joy into your day.

Orlando Itinerary: Day 6

• Enjoy loads of other family-friendly activities located in Orlando.
• If you’re up for more theme park fun, visit Universal Orlando Resort! Hit up either Universal Studios or Universal’s Islands of Adventure (the #1 theme park in the world!).
• Don’t forget to end your trip by attending a world-famous Disney dining show, the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue .

Orlando Activities

There are literally so many attractions in Orlando that it is impossible to see and do them all in one visit.

This is very important to understand when planning your Orlando itinerary for 5 days if there are a lot of attractions that you’re looking to do.

In other words, spend day 6 doing various other activities to make your Orlando, Florida family vacation a memorable one.

For us, we visited off-site souvenir shops, went miniature golfing, and visited Gatorland (to see the ‘Florida gators’ of course!).

Other popular non-theme park ideas include Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park, Revolution Off-Road, and Discovery Cove.

Looking for a cool down? Consider some water park fun at either Disney’s Blizzard Beach or Universal’s Volcano Bay.

Last, you can opt for additional theme park options such as Legoland, Seaworld, and our favorites (with links to a full itinerary!) Universal Studios , or Islands of Adventure .

Orlando CityPass

Hands-down, if you plan on doing a lot of various activities while in Orlando, check out the  Orlando CityPASS .

You’ll save up to 50% at the top Orlando attractions listed above by purchasing the Orlando CityPASS here ! 

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue

*Temporarily unavailable. Check the Disney website for updates.

We ended our 6-day Disney World itinerary by attending a highly rated, incredibly popular Disney dining show.

The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue is Disney’s longest-running dinner theater show and continues to impress sold-out crowds on a daily basis.

Attending a dining event on a non-park day was fabulous as we did not have to rush through a park and/or worry about making our reservation time. We just got to si mply show up , and enjoy!

We loved our time at the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue so much that we wrote an entire blog post about it!

* Pack like a pro for your upcoming Orlando family vacation! Click the following image to get your FREE family vacation packing list that is both customizable and printable!

Orlando Vacation: Getting There

Here are my recommended travel resources to plan your Orlando itinerary whether it be arriving by airplane, personal vehicle, or RV.

Use the  Skyscanner  app to search hundreds of airlines, car rentals, and travel agencies to find unbeatable prices. Don’t forget to do a whole month’s search and to set flight alerts to keep you on top of securing a great deal:

Though most people arrive in Orlando by air (via the local Orlando International Airport), road-tripping to Orlando is also an extremely popular means of transportation to this vacation hub.

We decided to take on the road and travel 24 hours by mini-van from our home state of Minnesota to the city of Orlando.

Having gone into our adventure with a really good attitude, we loved experiencing this epic family road trip with one another.

Additional planning tip:  We have compiled our essential  tips for planning a family road trip  and how to create  road trip goodie bags  to help inspire you to consider a long-haul family road trip!

How to Get Around

Orlando is definitely not a walkable city, instead, it was planned as a car-friendly city.

The easiest way to get around Orlando is by car, which is why I highly recommend renting one when visiting there.

If not, check to see if your hotel/resort has complimentary transportation to Orlando attractions.

Likewise, look into rideshare services like Uber and Lyft as they are fabulous options for travelers who don’t want the expense or liability of a rental car.

Using Uber Orlando or Lyft Orlando can make getting around the theme parks easy, especially when you don’t want to rely on sporadic shuttle buses.

Where to Stay in Orlando

Where to stay when visiting Orlando may be one of the most complicated choices of your family vacation.

There are literally SO MANY places to stay in and around Orlando whether it be at high-end Disney-themed resorts, local hotels, or vacation rental condos, homes, and townhomes.

Your final selection will be based on price, availability, and on how far you’re willing to travel to the theme parks.

The most popular places to stay in Orlando include Hyatt Regency Orlando , JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes , Caribe Royale Orlando , and finally, Walt Disney World Dolphin .

For  current deals  and further inspiration on where to stay in Orlando, browse and book here:

Have you been to Orlando before? What was your favorite place or attraction that you visited? I’d love for you to comment below! Jen

If you enjoyed our 6-Day Orlando Itinerary , check out our Related Posts:

Disney World Touring Plans:

• 1-Day Magic Kingdom Itinerary: A Perfect Day At Disney
• 1-Day At Animal Kingdom Itinerary: The Perfect Family Touring Plan
• One Day Itinerary for Epcot: Family Touring Plan

Disney World Ride & FastPass+ Tips:

• ‘How-to’ Secrets and Tips for Booking Disney FastPasses+
• Top 5 Rides to FastPass+ at Magic Kingdom
• Disney World Magic Kingdom Wait Times (Longest and Shortest Lines)
• Top 5 Rides for Toddlers at Magic Kingdom

Disney World Planning Tips:

• The 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Our First Disney Vacation
• Disney Packing List: 9 Things You Can’t Forget
• 7 Things to do on a Disney World Non-Park Day
• Best Off-Site Hotel Near Disney World, Orlando
• Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue: Our Complete Guide

Disney World Cost:

• Disney World Cost Calculator: How Much Will it Cost?
• How to Save Money At Disney World: 15 Ways We Saved Big

*Before leaving, be sure to check our Travel Resources Page to find exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

Similar Posts

5 Stunning Maine National Parks for Your Bucket List

15 Best Midwest Family Vacations (The Whole Family Will Love!)

Disney World Magic Kingdom Wait Times (Shortest & Longest Lines)

Disney Essentials: Important Things to Pack In Your Disney Day Bag

1-Day Islands of Adventure Touring Plan for 2024!

11 Fun Things to do in Tampa For Families (+ 3-day Itinerary)

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

10 Comments

Love this suggested itinerary. It’s perfect.

Thanks to Nicole! There is so much to do in Orlando that it is impossible to do everything in 1 trip 🙂

I would really love to take my boys to Disney World someday. We took them to Disneyland Paris a few years ago, but I have fond memories of the one in Florida. It would be nice to go with my boys! 🙂

Thanks for sharing!

You’re welcome! Disneyland Paris would be a fabulous experience! Let me know if you ever make it to Disney World in Orlando 🙂

This is a great itinerary for 6 days in Orlando! I’ve been wanting to do the Hoop Dee Doo Review. Definitely saving for our next visit!!

Yes, the Hoop Dee Doo was a highlight! I enjoyed getting to tour around the Wilderness Resort just as much as the show itself. So much to explore on the Disney property!

What a fun-filled itinerary! I haven’t been to Orlando in well over 15 years. I remember that Universal Studios theme park was my favorite back then. I love the beach day suggestions on this itinerary – I didn’t realize that they were so close.

Orlando is definitely a family-fun packed destination! You definitely have to be ready for the crowds, however 🙂

Great itinerary! We would love to visit Orlando soon! Magic Kingdom would be at the top of our list. 🙂

I’m glad that you like it! Magic Kingdom was a hit…this year we are going to Universal Studios for more of the ‘thrill’ rides.

Find Even More

Find your next vacation destination!

Connect on Instagram

Find out where we’re traveling now!

Make the memories now

You don’t have to wait until your kids are more grown up or you have a ton of money saved to start traveling.

With a little planning and a lot of love, lifelong family vacation memories can be made at all ages, stages – and places both near and far.

Destinations

• Attractions
• Girls’ Trips
• U.S. Cities
• All-Inclusive Resorts
• Universal Orlando

Free Printable

Free packing list printable when you subscribe for the latest travel updates!

Travel With A Plan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Family Vacation Packing List!

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

The Best Time to Visit Orlando

Orlando Weather & Climate

Orlando International Airport Guide

Neighborhoods to Know

Top Things to Do

Free Things to Do

Things to Do With Kids

Orlando's Lake Eola Park

Theater in Orlando

Natural Springs Near Orlando

Beaches Near Orlando

Free Orlando Walking Tours

Best Restaurants

Breweries & Beer Halls

Your Trip to Orlando: The Complete Guide

Gina Pricope/Getty Images

Orlando is an ever-growing metropolis—a patchwork of interlocking communities—that also just happens to draw millions of visitors each year (a record 75 million in 2018  ) to experience its great weather, shopping, and numerous attractions.

If you're planning an Orlando vacation, learning a little bit about the area and what to expect will help you get the most from your time and vacation dollars.

Watch Now: Planning Your Visit to Orlando

Orlando basics.

Weather:  The Atlantic  hurricane season  begins June 1 and ends November 30   , with the highest storm probability from August through October. A first-hand account of  Orlando's weather by month  is another great resource for monthly average temperatures and rainfall.

Ideal Time to Visit:  If you are planning to visit Orlando on vacation, one of the hardest things to do is choose when to visit. While special events and promotions may have some influence on theme park attendance; historically,  Disney World's highest theme park attendances  tend to be influenced by certain holidays. These  month-by-month guides to Florida  will give you an insight into when are the best times of the year to visit.

When planning your Orlando vacation, how you're going to get there is an important consideration. These handy tools will help you  decide whether it is cheaper to drive or fly .

If you've decided to fly, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the airport and transportation options from the airport. If you're flying into Orlando International Airport on your way to one of the Disney World resorts, you can now take advantage of Disney's Magical Express—the complimentary airport shuttle and luggage delivery service available to guests staying on property and traveling via certain airlines.

If you're driving, use these  tips to plan your driving trip to Disney World .

Getting Around Orlando

If you're planning a vacation in Orlando and you've never been there before, it is important to get to know Orlando's neighborhoods and learn how to get around. No matter how you are getting around town—rental car, cab, or public transportation—these maps of the greater Orlando area will be helpful.

This driving distance chart will be helpful if you plan to visit beaches and attractions located along the coasts of Florida.

Disney World

Disney World is the most visited theme park in the world (particularly Magic Kingdom, which saw almost 21 million people in 2018)   , so it pays to plan ahead to see as much as possible and get the most from your vacation dollar. Here we'll answer your top questions, plus give you links to more information to make your vacation planning easier.

If you are planning a Disney World vacation, one of the hardest things to do is choose when to visit. While special events and promotions may have some influence on theme park attendance; historically,  Disney World's highest theme park attendances  tend to be influenced by certain holidays. These  month-by-month guides to Disney World  will give you an insight into when are the best times of the year to visit.

Where to Stay

While the Orlando area provides thousands of hotel rooms that cater to every budget, staying on Disney World property also offers accommodations for every pocketbook and  includes many perks and benefits  that add value to your vacation experience.

More Information

If you want instant information, try our  Disney World Vacation Planner  with information on how to book your vacation, where to stay, where to dine and more!

Universal Orlando

Universal Studios  theme park was once only a one-day destination for visitors to Orlando. Now,  Universal Orlando  is a destination resort in its own right. The addition of the spectacular Islands of Adventure theme park, the CityWalk entertainment complex and three luxury hotels offer guests a multi-day vacation destination.

One of the hardest things to do is choose the best time to visit a theme park. While special events and promotions may have a significant influence on theme park attendance; historically, Universal's highest theme park attendances tend to be influenced by certain holidays. These  month-by-month guides to Universal Orlando  should give you some insight into when might be the best time of the year to visit.

International Drive (I-Drive)

Location, location, location. The International Drive Resort area (I-Drive) not only offers over 100 hotels and resorts to satisfy every budget and more than 150 spectacular restaurants — it offers a superb location! You can't get much closer to the center of the action.

I-Drive's convenient location also puts visitors just ten minutes from the  Walt Disney World Resort  and a little over an hour's drive away from  Busch Gardens Tampa Bay , Kennedy Space Center and beaches on both coasts.

Best Place to Stay on International Drive

International Drive Hotels along this long thoroughfare provides a variety of lodging choices. One end seems to be geared more toward families and, although inexpensive, tend to offer perks like transportation to the major theme parks and free breakfast. Farther down, those nearer the Convention Center are geared toward business and luxury amenities and thus are more expensive.

If you'd like to make your own choice of lodging, it is easy to make a selection with the simple  hotel search  available on the International Drive website. Simply indicating the dates of your stay and the number of adults and children will return an ample list of available "book now" rooms in every price range—from Holiday Inn and Red Roof Inn to the upscale Hilton, Peabody, and Renaissance hotels—or, if you prefer, you can take the link to the  I-Drive Lodging Directory .

Besides being the location of the nation's second largest convention center, Orlando's world-famous attractions are all a short distance away, these include:  Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure ,  SeaWorld Orlando  and its newest water park Aquatica, and Discovery Cove. Also, located on International Drive are other attractions and entertainment such​ as Pointe Orlando, WonderWorks, Fun Spot Action Park, Ripley's Believe It Or Not Orlando Odditorium, and Pirate's Cove Mini Golf.

Where to Eat on I-Drive

• Buffet Restaurants on International Drive: Quick, easy and inexpensive dining options can be found along I-Drive for your family when you consider one of these all-you-can-eat buffets.

Where to Stay in Orlando

Even more important than how to get to Orlando is where you are going to stay. Orlando resort and hotel accommodations can accommodate every vacation budget. Even a stay at Disney World can be affordable when you stay at one of Disney World's  value resorts .

• Top 10 Kid-Friendly Orlando Hotels: These hotels and resorts are especially kid-friendly because they cater to families with special children's areas, supervised activities, family-friendly room layouts and suites, and fun kid-friendly theming.
• 10 Best Orlando Hotels: If you're coming to Orlando to have fun, then the place you stay should be fun too. These Orlando hotels have the recipe for a good time by combining location, price, amenities, and service.

Visit Orlando. "Orlando Announces Record 75 Million Visitors." May 9, 2019

National Weather Service. "Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources."

Themed Entertainment Association and the Economics practice at AECOM. "TEA/AECOM 2018 Theme Index and Museum Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report"

Orlando for Family Spring Break

Disney World Vs. Universal Orlando

Your Trip to Universal Orlando: The Complete Guide

A Travel Guide for How to Visit Orlando on a Budget

Disney Travel Planning: Disney World vs. Disney Cruise

Tampa Bay Vacation Planning Guide

10 Best Reasons to Stay at a Universal Orlando Hotel

Walt Disney World Guide: Planning Your Trip

Disneyland vs. Disney World: Which Is Better?

April at Universal Orlando: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

Islands of Adventure: The Complete Guide

December at Universal Orlando: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

December in Florida: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

The Grandparent's Planning Guide to Walt Disney World

Plan Your Visit to Universal Orlando

Your Guide to Visiting Universal Orlando During the Pandemic

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Orlando Trip Planner

Top attractions in orlando.

Other notable attractions

Top searches in Orlando

Popular road trips from orlando, all road trips from orlando.

• Orlando to New York City drive
• Orlando to St. Augustine drive
• Orlando to Tampa drive
• Orlando to Miami Beach drive
• Orlando to Washington DC drive
• Orlando to New Orleans drive
• Orlando to Sarasota drive
• Orlando to Savannah drive
• Orlando to Atlanta drive
• Orlando to Chicago drive
• Orlando to Charleston drive
• Orlando to Nashville drive
• Orlando to Toronto drive
• Orlando to Boston drive
• Orlando to Gatlinburg drive
• Orlando to Jacksonville drive
• Orlando to Naples drive
• Orlando to Myrtle Beach drive
• Orlando to Fort Myers drive
• Orlando to Philadelphia drive
• Orlando to Miami drive
• Orlando to San Antonio drive
• Orlando to Niagara Falls drive
• Orlando to Memphis drive
• Orlando to West Palm Beach drive
• Orlando to Montreal drive
• Orlando to Baltimore drive
• Orlando to Branson drive
• Orlando to Chattanooga drive
• Orlando to Saint Louis drive

Explore nearby places

• Winter Park
• Azalea Park
• Altamonte Springs
• Casselberry
• Wekiva Springs
• Winter Garden
• Winter Springs
• Celebration
• Saint Cloud

All related maps of Orlando

• Map of Orlando
• Map of Winter Park
• Map of Azalea Park
• Map of Eatonville
• Map of Maitland
• Map of Southport
• Map of Gotha
• Map of Fern Park
• Map of Windermere
• Map of Ocoee
• Map of Altamonte Springs
• Map of Casselberry
• Map of Wekiva Springs
• Map of Winter Garden
• Map of Apopka
• Map of Longwood
• Map of Oakland
• Map of Winter Springs
• Map of Oviedo
• Map of Heathrow
• Map of Lake Mary
• Map of Kissimmee
• Map of Zellwood
• Map of Celebration
• Map of Montverde
• Map of Chuluota
• Map of Ferndale
• Map of Saint Cloud
• Map of Sanford
• Map of Minneola
• Map of Sorrento

Orlando throughout the year

• Orlando in January
• Orlando in February
• Orlando in March
• Orlando in April
• Orlando in May
• Orlando in June
• Orlando in July
• Orlando in August
• Orlando in September
• Orlando in October
• Orlando in November
• Orlando in December

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Orlando?

Get inspired for your trip to Orlando with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

• 1-Day Orlando Itinerary
• 2-Day Orlando Itinerary
• 3-Day Orlando Itinerary
• 4-Day Orlando Itinerary
• 5-Day Orlando Itinerary

Q&A about Orlando

Weather in orlando, add places from guides with 1 click, collaborate with friends in real time, import flight and hotel reservations, expense tracking and splitting, checklists for anything, get personalized suggestions.

4.9 on App Store, 4.7 on Google Play

Select an option

MICHELIN Guide Honors 48 Orlando Restaurants in 2024

Seven Seas Food Festival at SeaWorld® Orlando

Virtual Tours

Look at this cool new tool for exploring Orlando!

Plan Your Trip Hero

Plan your trip.

Want help planning the perfect Orlando vacation? In addition to  our main trip-planning resources and additional guides  found here, our Vacation Guides can assist online or by telephone. You can also get help from  Visit Orlando’s brand-new Facebook group , where you can interact with other travelers, travel agents and influencers while planning your next Orlando getaway.

Our Vacation Guides are available via phone at +1 (407) 363-5872 and Live Chat Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET and Saturday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET. They can help you stay up to date on everything about your Orlando holiday with resources you can trust, including the latest news, expert trip-planning advice, insider information and more! You can also take advantage of our full-featured mobile app , which puts all the trip-planning power of our website at your fingertips, including free resources, valuable offers and more.

When you’re ready to travel, rest assured that the safety of you and your family and friends is top of mind for our theme parks, attractions, hotels, restaurants and other businesses, which are working together to help ensure a healthy experience. It goes to show that Orlando isn’t just the world’s most magical destination — we’re also one you can visit with confidence!

First-Timer Guides

Trip-planning ideas, u.s. entry requirements, special needs, transportation, weather & climate, planning your stay, get the app, orlando maps.

Orlando's Only Official Website

• Accessibility
• Copyright & Trademarks
• Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
• Cookie Preferences

Receive Visit Orlando news

and special offers.

© 2024 Visit Orlando

Help Center

How can we help you.

My Disney Experience – Frequently Asked Questions

How should I begin planning my Walt Disney World Resort vacation?

The first step in planning your trip is to browse disneyworld.com to discover all that Walt Disney World Resort has to offer: 4 incredible theme parks , 2 great water parks , attractions and entertainment for the whole family plus dozens of hotels , hundreds of restaurants and much more.

Next, shop for a Disney Resort Hotel Package —which includes multi-day theme park tickets and a Resort hotel stay—for the dates of your visit.

As you book and link your plans to your Disney account, use your My Plans page to manage your vacation details all in one place:

• Get next-steps and key planning dates.
• See your hotel and dining reservations and personal reminders organized in a daily itinerary.
• View your tickets at a glance.
• See which plans you share with Guests on your Family & Friends list.
• Add, modify or cancel plans with a few clicks.

Did you find this answer helpful?

Related Questions

What is My Disney Experience?

2024 Universal Orlando Planning Guide

Our 2024 Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure planning guide offers park & ride strategy. It features tips & tricks to help you save money & time, avoid crowds, and have the best vacation or side-visit from Walt Disney World as possible. ( Updated January 7, 2024. )

We’re Universal Orlando Annual Passholders and huge fans of those parks in addition to Walt Disney World. Universal has improved a ton and upped its game in the last decade. This began with the Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade lands of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which were further enhanced by Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

That has been taken to the next level with the debut of Jurassic World VelociCoaster, and to a lesser extent, with the new Minions mini-land last year. This is once again going to be another big year thanks to the DreamWorks Animation Land Opening in 2024 at Universal Studios Florida. These recent and upcoming additions, not to mention an all-new theme park in 2025, are among the reasons why some Walt Disney World fans are openly asking:  Is Universal Beating Disney?

Suffice to say, we highly recommend spending a couple of days at Universal when vacationing at Walt Disney World. This is guide to Universal Orlando Resort contains everything you’ll need to know. Whether you’re doing both parks in a single day or making a trip of it with an on-site hotel stay and multiple days at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, we have you covered with info and advice about attractions, dining, resorts, strategy, crowds, and more.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to make the most of a visit to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. We’re going to take a counterintuitive organizational approach to this guide, as we’ve found that many readers consult it while visiting Universal rather than during the planning stages of a trip. Accordingly, we’re going to front load with info you need to know if you’ve already touched down in Central Florida.

If you’re a Disney fan simply trying to determine whether a trip to Universal Orlando Resort is right for you in the first place, you might start by reading our Universal vs. Walt Disney World post, which covers some of the pros and cons of each, plus the differences between the two vacation destinations. Although they’re all theme parks located in Central Florida, each have strengths and weaknesses that will make them better or worse for certain types of families–ages, demographics, etc.

Similarly, if you’re debating between resorts at the two main theme park complexes, see our comprehensive breakdown: Universal Orlando vs. Walt Disney World Hotels . That should help you determine which is the better option for your vacation–or if a split stay might be best!

For what it’s worth, neither of these versus posts nor the one about whether Universal is “beating” Disney are pointless fan cheerleading or theme parks as polarizing team sports. The two versus posts are practical planning that objectively weigh pros and cons, whereas the “beating” one is an editorial (not useful for planning, but potentially interesting).

Anyway, here’s everything else you need to know about visiting Universal Orlando Resort…

What’s New & Next at Universal

If you have not been to Universal Orlando in a while (or ever), a lot has changed in the last several years. This includes a few attractions that have been added in the last several years: Bourne Stuntacular, Fast and the Furious: Supercharged, Race Through New York starring Jimmy Fallon, and Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

In terms of what’s new, there are two hugely popular coasters in Islands of Adventure: Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in the Hogsmeade side of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Without question, VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s are two of the very best roller coasters in Orlando. (I’d personally put both above TRON Lightcycle Run at Walt Disney World, but to each their own on that.)

As noted above, there’s also the new Minion Land at Universal Studios Florida . As the name suggests, this is an area based on the  Despicable Me  film franchise, and builds on the popularity of the existing Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem attraction. This is now an expanded avenue with the new Villain-Con Minion Blast ride and Minion Cafe restaurant, plus more retail, snack spots, meet & greets, placemaking, and more.

Next on the horizon is the aforementioned DreamWorks Animation Land that will feature characters like Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse  and explore themed, interactive play spaces and attractions that bring popular franchises like  Shrek ,  Trolls  and  Kung Fu Panda to life.

Although unconfirmed, this is expected to feature a “Trollercoaster” (a Trolls-themed roller coaster, hence the name) and a Shrek’s swamp area. Construction permits put the end of work in March 2024, which makes sense–have the DreamWorks land open by Spring Break. (That opening timeframe is also unconfirmed, though–permits can be extended, but construction appears to be progressing quickly.)

These new additions are appetizers to the main course, which comes in Summer 2025. Universal is building a third theme park in Central Florida and construction is progressing fast . It’s full steam ahead on this project, and Universal’s Epic Universe Park is Opening by Summer 2025! This will bring Super Nintendo World plus more Harry Potter, Universal Monsters, How to Train Your Dragon, and much more to Universal Orlando in the coming years.

In the here and now, another thing worth addressing in terms of what’s new is a return to normal in terms of attendance and crowds. After nearly two full years of pent-up demand driving wait times and prices higher, both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have seen a slowdown.

With this, both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have gotten more aggressive with discounts in an attempt to entice more people to visit their parks and stay in on-site hotels. We’ve mentioned repeatedly that  Walt Disney World already  has released a dozen different discounts for 2024 .

Universal has followed suit, shifting from discounts aimed almost exclusively at Annual Passholders and Florida residents to general public offers. There’s currently a “buy 2 days, get 3 free” ticket deal, resort discounts offering 20-35% off, and package deals offering up to $650 off.

These are worth pricing out for yourself, but we should warn that many have length of stay requirements of 5 days. That’s longer than most people will spend at Universal Orlando (which is part of why it’s being offered–to increase visit durations). In any case, we recommend using a travel agent– such as Be Our Guest Vacations –to price out different packages and deals, and help you figure out the best way to save, plan your trip, etc.

Now let’s turn to Universal Orlando’s advanced planning topics…

Where to Stay

There are a number of questions you have to ask yourself when planning a trip, and many of them will dictate where you stay. Do you want Unlimited Express Pass by staying at an eligible Universal Orlando hotel? Do you want to stay at a Walt Disney World hotel for the duration of your trip, or change hotels? Do you want to stay an an off-site hotel in the general vicinity of both Universal and Disney to save money?

We’ve recently stayed at every single on-site hotel at Universal Orlando Resort–here are our reviews:

• Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Review (recommended)
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando Review (highly recommended)
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando Review (good Express Pass eligible “budget” pick)
• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando Review (highly recommended)
• Universal’s Aventura Hotel Review
• Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review (highly recommended)
• Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn & Suites Review (good budget pick)
• Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn & Suites (2-Bedroom) Review (good for larger families)

For insight into all of these hotels, their pros & cons, and how they compare and contrast with one another, see our Universal Orlando Hotel Rankings & Reviews .

We are big fans of Universal’s hotels, and are particularly partial to the two “bay” resorts: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Both of those are in our top 10 hotels in Orlando, rivaling some of our favorite resorts at Walt Disney World.

Universal’s hotels provide great bang for buck, and even those that don’t include free Express Pass do offer Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay one hour before those parks open. That can be absolutely huge!

As for staying off-site, you generally will get the most bang for your buck when staying in an off-site hotel, as there are a lot of non-Disney and non-Universal hotels competing with one another. We have an Off-Site v. On-Site Walt Disney World Hotels article that goes into greater depth about the pros and cons of staying off-site, and it’s marginally applicable to Universal, as well.

As for simply staying at a Walt Disney World hotel for the duration of your trip regardless of where you go, we have written comprehensive reviews with our opinions and photos of the rooms. Check out our Walt Disney World Hotel Reviews page , for links to each of these reviews.

Ride Strategy for Universal Orlando

Next, what to know while you’re at Universal Orlando. For starters, we strongly recommend that you do not “wing it” for your daily itinerary due to the aforementioned crowd issues. You don’t need to plan every movement so that there’s no spontaneity in your trip, just make sure you have at least a loose plan of what you’re going to do.

We have the following plans for each park that cover our perfect days:

• 1-Day Universal Studios Florida Park Itinerary
• 1-Day Islands of Adventure Park Itinerary
• 1-Day Universal Park Hopping Itinerary ( both Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios Florida )

Those offer step by step touring plans for both theme parks at Universal Orlando, prioritizing the most popular rides and skipping what isn’t worth your time. Those will help you do Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk Coaster, Jurassic Park River Adventure, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and other must-do rides.

If you’d prefer to create your own itineraries and want an overview and review of every attraction at each of the parks, consult our Islands of Adventure Ride Guide and Universal Studios Florida Ride Guide . If you’re a fan spinners, you might want to check those out, as we don’t waste your time with that nonsense in the itineraries.

When to Visit

If you’re adding on a Universal Orlando visit to your Walt Disney World vacation, the answer to this is easy…whenever you’re visiting Walt Disney World. Crowd patterns at Walt Disney World translate pretty similarly to Universal Orlando.

The reasons are two-fold: first, because crowds tend to be predicated upon school schedules, which are the same for both; second, because Walt Disney World is the ‘whale’ in the Orlando market, so crowds for all theme parks are dictated by when guests plan their Disney vacations. In other words, you can refer to our 2024 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars post to determine when to visit, as that’s roughly applicable to Universal Orlando as well.

There are only some exceptions to this, and they’re largely predicated upon special events that are unique to each of the parks. For example, Walt Disney World sees its crowds spike due to runDisney events, when its hotels are hosting conventions or youth sporting events, or during EPCOT festivals. By contrast, Universal sees its own spikes around Mardi Gras, Halloween Horror Nights, and early December when it plays host to the Pop Warner youth football event.

In general, though, the big driver of attendance at both is school breaks. In particular, those of Orange County and other counties throughout Florida and the South. Of course, both are vacation destinations, so breaks for school districts in the Midwest and Northeast also have a significant impact. The obvious times like Spring Break, Easter, Summer, Fall Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are all busy.

More under the radar timeframes like MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Mardi Gras, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and more also see pronounced spikes in crowds. Again, reference the aforementioned crowd calendars if you’re looking to choose the best times to visit Universal Orlando.

Due to a surge of locals on weekends, we strongly recommend avoiding Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure on Saturdays and Sundays. Mondays through Thursdays are the best days to visit, with much lower crowds then. However, that goes out the window during holiday weeks or anytime school is out of session, when it’s disproportionately tourists and every single day of the week is busy.

The one exception to this is if you want to see or avoid Halloween season at Universal, namely Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). This is a hard ticket event that has a huge following among locals and fans of haunt season, in general.

During HHN, you step onto the set of some of your favorite horror movies, and walking through those sets as actors attempt to scare you. This event is not for children under the age of 13, and has absolutely nothing in common with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World. See our Guide to Halloween Horror Nights for more .

Aside from this, the only noteworthy events are Mardi Gras and Christmas. See our Guide to Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval at Universal Studios Florida . At this fun event, guests can experience a food festival with cuisine and entertainment inspired by international Carnaval celebrations.

Food booths serve up the flavors of Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Germany, Spain and other regions including, of course, New Orleans. Plus enjoy spectacular floats on display, street entertainment, music, beads and more throughout Universal Studios Florida.

Although HHN gets all the attention from the fan community, an equally popular seasonal event is Christmas at Universal Orlando . During this, Grinchmas and Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s are the main entertainment draws. There’s also the Christmas Tribute Store, which is essentially a walk-through exhibit, plus Universal Studios Florida’s iconic Christmas Tree.

Perhaps the biggest draw is Winter in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which features unique decor and projections on Hogwarts Castle. There are also decorations around both parks in Seuss Landing, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Hollywood, New York, and San Francisco.

How Many Days?

This one is going to vary widely based on a few variables. The biggest one is how receptive your party is to the type of attractions that are prominent at Universal Orlando Resort, namely, roller coasters and screen-based simulators. That’s reductionist, and there are many more things at Universal than those types of rides, but if your party is averse to either, doing more than 2 days at Universal is going to be tough.

If you love coasters or have teens, you can easily spend 3 days or more at Universal Orlando. Heck, I’m not huge on roller coasters or simulators, and I can easily do 2 days (or even 3) at Universal. Likewise, if you love Harry Potter, several days at Universal will be easy. The two Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter alone can fill a good chunk of the day. I mean, Diagon Alley has a fire-breathing dragon …not liking dragons is distinctly unpatriotic.

Islands of Adventure also has a Jurassic Park area, which is basically a tribute to our greatest national treasure: dinosaurs. It’s not as good as a real Jurassic Park (that would be like the San Diego Zoo meets the Lincoln Memorial meets Tokyo DisneySea), but it’s an enjoyable area to explore. In other words, there’s plenty to do if you’re an “ambiance person” at the Universal parks.

Then, there’s also the question of how much “extra” vacation time you have. Assuming you’ve already allocated your time at Walt Disney World and are looking at “other stuff” to round out your trip to Florida, I’d probably look to spending more time at Universal than other parks like SeaWorld or Busch Gardens. That’s personal preference and all of these parks definitely aren’t trying to accomplish the same thing, but I find the Disney and Universal parks to be in a different league than all of the rest.

Universal Orlando Park Tickets

If you’re looking for a deal on park tickets, Get Away Today will save you the most money on Universal Orlando tickets . This is especially true if you’re doing a longer trip, as Get Away Today has a ‘Buy 2 days, get 3 days free’ special. With more and more to do at Universal Orlando, spending several days in the parks is highly recommended–especially if you’re staying in a nearby hotel and want to do some partial days (also recommended).

I am a fan of the Park-to-Park tickets if you can swing spending extra. This is because Universal did something really ingenious when it built Diagon Alley, and that was connecting the two Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter via the Hogwarts Express.

You can only ride this train from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley (or vice-a-versa) if you have the Park-to-Park ticket. I’m no Harry Potter fan, but the experience of entering a train station in London, walking through a wall, and then taking a train to Hogsmeade is pretty awesome.

If you’re going for just one day and don’t want the park-to-park tickets, the best way to save money on Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida tickets is simply going to be buying tickets online on Universal Orlando’s website. The Universal tickets purchased online can be printed at home and used at the turnstiles–meaning no waiting in line to purchase tickets or exchange vouchers.

Express Pass

Express Pass is Universal Orlando’s version of Genie+ or Lightning Lanes (a way to skip the lines) and is available as a ticket add-on or with select hotel stays. You can purchase two varieties of Express Pass, regular or unlimited. Almost all of the most popular attractions in each park offer Express Pass.

The regular version allows you to skip the line once per eligible attraction in either park, and costs $90 to $350 per person depending on the date. Universal Express Unlimited offers line-skipping privileges, as the name suggests, an unlimited number of times per attraction, and costs between $100 and $380 per person. Even at its most expensive, Genie+ at Walt Disney World costs under $40 per person. So, what’s the difference? Well,  a lot. 

Unlike Genie+ or Lightning Lanes, there is no tech component to Express Pass. While it’s significantly more expensive, it’s also frictionless. You simply go up to the attraction and use your Express Pass entitlement. There’s nothing to reserve or hassle with in an app. Express Pass involves zero screen time and headaches–but you’ll pay a lot more for it!

Whether Express Pass is worth the money largely depends upon what day of the week and season you’re visiting, and how you value your time versus your money. Personally, we would not pay for Express Pass most days. However, we also avoid weekends and holidays, arrive for park opening, and utilize an efficient park itinerary.

If you really want Express Pass, staying at an on-site hotel that offers Express Pass with your stay is absolutely the way to go. Unlimited Express Pass is available at the Universal Premier category resorts–meaning Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel, and Portofino Bay–which are Universal’s most expensive hotels. Honestly, this is the only way we’ve ever “bought” Express Pass–we couldn’t justify the cost any other way.

All three of these hotels are nice, on par with Walt Disney World’s Deluxe Resorts, and generally cost less. They’re still pricey, but they’re cheaper than Disney’s higher-end hotels, and absolutely worth the money–especially if you want the Unlimited Express Pass perk or a good location within walking or boat distance of Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. If you’d be staying at a nice hotel anyway, this trio is definitely worthy of your consideration.

If you want to learn more about this line-skipping option and how it compares to Walt Disney World’s counterpart, see our guide:  Universal’s Express Pass v. Lightning Lanes & Genie+ at Walt Disney World .

Transportation

By far the most common questions we get concerning Universal Orlando Resort is: “what’s the best way to get from Walt Disney World Universal.” The answer is that there are a lot of options, but by far the best is Uber. We covered this in depth in our Uber vs. Rental Cars at Walt Disney World article. Here’s the pertinent portion of that post:

In the past, the best option we’ve found for those who don’t have rental cars the duration of their trips is either renting a car on-site for the day, or taking a pricey shuttle. Neither is cost-effective or all that appealing, especially when you add on that parking fee.

For those who aren’t renting a car for the duration of their trip, Uber or Lyft are the unquestionable best options for getting from Walt Disney World to Universal. The one-way cost of an Uber or Lyft from Walt Disney World will vary depending upon your exact location, typically costing under $25 each way and taking 20-25 minutes.

There are some good restaurants in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, but as a whole, I do not think the culinary experience is on par with Walt Disney World’s. The unquestionable highlights, in my mind, are the counter service restaurants in Diagon Alley (Leaky Cauldron) and Hogsmeade (Three Broomsticks) and the table service restaurant, Mythos, which is a great value.

Other in-park restaurants at Universal Orlando that we like include the Today Show Cafe (for lighter options) and Krusty Burger (for the exact opposite). Actually, there’s something for everyone in the Springfield area, which has a variety of dining options drawn from The Simpsons.

On the snacking front, you’re obviously going to want to try Butterbeer–perhaps all three varieties (frozen, hot, and regular). Most of the other snacks we enjoy are also in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour and Honeydukes.

Another thing you might want to consider is purchasing a refillable Coke Freestyle mug. I’ve done this, but I can really put down the Cokes to make it worth the money. I’m sure some day I will be toothless, but hopefully that’s at least 5 years away. These Coke Freestyle machines located throughout the parks are also a convenient way to get free water that’s cold and tastes great.

Other Things to Do

Volcano Bay is Universal Orlando’s water park. It’s themed to the South Seas and features a giant volcano (hence the name) in the middle with water slides in it. For Walt Disney World fans, it’s a bit like Typhoon Lagoon water park mixed with Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Adventureland.

All the rides at Volcano Bay feature a Virtual Line instead of traditional standby queues. You tap in with your TapuTapu wearable (think MagicBand) to grab a ride time. Then go float, swim, splash, eat, shop or relax around Volcano Bay. Your TapuTapu will tell you when it’s your time to ride.

You will either  love  or  hate  the virtual queue system at Volcano Bay. That pretty much comes down to whether you beat the crowds or not. That can be accomplished by arriving and/or staying late, buying Express Pass, or visiting during the off-season. If you don’t do any of those things, you’ll likely think the virtual queue system sucks, and you won’t accomplish much. It’s definitely a system that creates winners and losers–they key is (obviously) to be in the former group and not the latter.

In addition to the two theme parks and Volcano Bay water park, there’s CityWalk. This is Universal Orlando’s shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, which is a lot like Disney Springs. The big difference is that you walk through CityWalk to access Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure, and it’s incredibly easy to exit the parks and eat lunch or dinner at CityWalk. No bus necessary!

There’s also a lot of relatively new dining at CityWalk, such as Red Coconut Club, Bigfire, Voodoo Doughnut, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, and VIVO Italian Kitchen–among other things. Toothsome is a fan-favorite for its over the top milkshakes and dessert concoctions (as well as the fun steampunk theme), and Voodoo Doughnut is a fun spot. With that said, we think both are slightly overrated.

For our money, the sleeper hits of the list are Bigfire and Cowfish, both of which offer great food at reasonable (by theme park standards) prices. We’d also give honorable mentions to Vivo and Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food. While the latter is not our personal favorite, it’s better than the “blockbuster” touristy restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe, Margaritaville, and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Nothing against any of those–but they’re essentially Applebee’s with more wow-factor. Good enough for predictably-prepared comfort food, but absolutely nothing special.

One final note on attractions is that there are numerous attractions that don’t allow bags, but provide free lockers nearby for storing backpacks, cameras, small children, and whatever other random junk you might have on you. These are pretty convenient and there are larger lockers you can pay for at the front of the park, but the point here is for those of you who are used to bringing a small U-Haul worth of stuff into the Walt Disney World parks: you can’t do that at Universal. Pack for the parks a little lighter.

I think this is probably a good starting point if you’re planning on visiting Universal Orlando Resort as an add-on to your Walt Disney World vacation. If you would like to see some of these topics covered in greater depth, please let me know in the comments. We’re planning to tackle more on dining, special events, and Universal Orlando news in the coming months, so stay tuned for more of that!

Need trip planning tips and comprehensive advice for your visit to Central Florida? Make sure to read our Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for everything about those parks, resorts, restaurants, and so much more. For regular updates, news & rumors, a heads up when discounts are released, and much more, sign up for our FREE email newsletter !

Your Thoughts

Are you visiting Universal Orlando Resort in 2024? Excited for Epic Universe or other rumored additions in the next few years? What about Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Hagrid’s, or the new rides that have recently opened? Have a favorite on-site hotel at Universal? Do you prefer staying on-site at Universal, or commuting from Walt Disney World? If you’re a first-timer, is there anything else you’d like to know? Chances are if you have questions still, so does someone else! Please share your thoughts in the comments

Written by Tom Bricker

Do you have an itinerary for 1 day, 2 parks at Universal, with an express pass? That would be appreciated.

Have loved your site for years. We use it as a major planning tool for all of our trips to Disney, Universal and Disney Cruise locations. It seems like the ride guides, 1 day itineraries and Mardi Gras guide are all from a couple of years ago. Are there any updates we should be aware of that you do not reference in this article?

Thanks for sharing, would love to visit Universal.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Orlando, Walt Disney World Vacation Planner | Free Printable

CREATE , Disney Printables , Everything Disney , Free Printables

Please Share This Post!

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? You need my Disney Planner which will help you organise and plan your days at the Disney Parks, as well as all the other attractions that Orlando, Florida has to offer!

This planner is the original one that I created and shared with you, and have since updated to v2.0. However, they are both great to use, and so I keep them both available to download! Version 1.0 has got a Week-To-View Calendar and + 150+ Labels so that you can really plan your Walt Disney World and Orlando vacation!

Disney Planner

I created this printable planner because the time had come to start planning a Walt Disney World vacation , and I needed something tangible that I could use, rather than a digital product. I couldn’t find anything that I liked online, so I made my own Disney planner!

The first time we went to Florida we roughly planned what we would do on what days – what parks to visit, rest days, etc – scribbling them onto a sheet of paper.  We then shifted them around when we were there, mainly because for the first few days I wasn’t very well. Our plans are never set in stone, but using this planner and labels for our second trip meant I could switch things around easily in the planning stages.

Planning and Disney go hand in hand because there is much to think about in advance like FastPass+ selections, Advance Dining Reservations, and Special Events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (which are hard ticket events that are not included in your regular park tickets, but you have to buy separately. These events often sell out!).

You can check Disney’s website for Extra Magic Hours if you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort so that you can factor that information into your planning.

Another Disney Read: 20 Walt Disney World Essentials

While you’re busy planning why not treat yourself to a fun  Disney T-shirt  in my TeePublic store?

One of my personal favorite designs is the #SnackGoals tee because Disney Snacks are LIFE!

A quick note: Because this is my older, v1.0 Disney planner printable, the labels for the theme parks and attractions in Orlando are not as up to date as my v2.0 printable – that is the one I update with the latest stuff. However, there are blank labels that you can easily fill in if you prefer this printable over the other one.

• Magic Kingdom
• Animal Kingdom
• Hollywood Studios
• Blizzard Beach
• Typhoon Lagoon
• Disney Springs
• Fantasia Mini Golf
• Winter Summerland Mini Golf
• Busch Gardens
• Discovery Cove
• Kennedy Space Center
• Universal Studios
• Islands of Adventure

Before you visit Walt Disney World, make sure you have Everything You Need to Know About Disney MagicBands

A Must Read: 10 Tips For Your First Trip to Walt Disney World

I’ve also made labels for the major shopping sites:

• Mall at Millenia
• Premium Outlets

I’ve included generic labels for:

• Swimming pool

I’ve also included blank labels for you to fill in if you so wish:

• Dining Out (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks)
• Plus some completely blank labels

On top of that, I’ve created 5 different weekly calendars:

• Week (Blank)

The calendars are a week to view, with a space for you to write in your dates and space for morning, afternoon, and evening planning. All you have to do is cut out the labels and start planning your Orlando, Walt Disney World Vacation!

Download Free Printable Disney Planner (v.1.0 )

To download the ORIGINAL v1.0 labels: Orlando, Florida Walt Disney World Vacation Planner Labels (PDF, opens in new window)

To download the ORIGINAL v1.0 weekly calendars: Week 1 , Week 2 , Week 3 , Week 4 , Weekly (PNG, right click and save as)

A Disney Trip Report: How we visited 4 Disney Parks in 1 Day!

Version 2.1 planner.

Version 2.1 of my Walt Disney World + Orlando Vacation planner is here! this is the most up-to-date Disney holiday planning printable that I have, and the one that gets updated. v.1.0

It is now a week to view with space to plan your whole day – morning, afternoon, and evening, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus, even more labels!

DOWNLOAD v2.1 OF THE PLANNER HERE

The free printables are in PDF format and can be opened with the free-to-use Adobe Acrobat Reader (or other PDF Readers). If the download is a Zip File, it can be downloaded with WinZip, WinRar, or other software typically bundled on computers. Printables designed and created by The Purple Pumpkin Blog and its Designers are for PERSONAL USE ONLY and NOT FOR RESALE under any circumstances. Please read our full Terms and Conditions . You are welcome to print these free printables at an online print shop or print shop in-store if you don’t have access to a printer; however, some print shops may not print licensed characters. Colors may vary slightly on printing due to different screen and printer settings. You may share this free printable blog post on social media, including Pinterest, and on your blog/website with a link to this blog post. Please DO NOT share the PDF on social media or your blog/website. If you use any of our printables, it would be awesome to know about it! Post a picture on the social media platform you hang out on, and follow us on  Facebook ,  Instagram , or  Pinterest . Use the hashtag #TPPBprintables so we can find you!

Michelle Ordever

→ Michelle Ordever

10 Comments

Sopho February 13, 2020 @ 3:24 pm

It’s 2020 and yes you are still the ‘ish! Thanks for helping out “the little people” I.e. ME

Michelle February 14, 2020 @ 8:03 am

You’re very welcome! Enjoy your planning your trip!!

Sharon January 20, 2016 @ 2:36 pm

Thank you so much for these, I will use to play our trip to Orlando for this August :-) xx

Michelle Ordever January 20, 2016 @ 3:32 pm

You’re very welcome! Hope you find them helpful, and have a magical trip to Orlando! xx

Heather Bastable April 5, 2015 @ 4:21 pm

These are great I laminated mine and used glue dots to stick them on and I can use them again

Michelle Ordever April 6, 2015 @ 2:34 pm

That’s such a great idea! Saves on paper and ink :D

Colleen B March 18, 2015 @ 2:27 pm

These are fantastic. I am just getting ready to start our itinerary and wanted to try to do something like this so you can move stuff around as things get worked out, not keep erasing. Thank you for sharing them.

Michelle Ordever March 18, 2015 @ 2:30 pm

Glad you’ve found them to be helpful – have fun planning your days! Have actually printed off a new set for us to start planning our October trip :D

Becca_LoveOurDisney March 26, 2014 @ 1:31 am

Thanks for joining the Travel Tip Thursday Blog Hop. Be sure to check back this week as your adorable printables are being featured!

Michelle Ordever March 26, 2014 @ 5:02 pm

How awesome! thanks for featuring them – I’ll be sure to pop by again this week!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

TouringPlans

GUIDE ME THROUGH—

Questions? Our community can help!

Forums Thoughtful, engaging talk

Chat Quick answers while in the parks

Subscribe now to create a customized Touring Plan for everything you want to do.

• Crowd Calendar
• Disney Springs
• Transportation

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Early Theme Park Entry
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Extended Evening Hours
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Front-of-Line Services: Genie+, Individual Lightning Lane
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Character Greetings
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Rider Switch for Small Children
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Special Needs Guests (DAS)
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Live Entertainment & Show Schedules
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Refurbishment Schedule
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Lines Mobile App
• Attractions, Parades, & Fireworks
• Height Requirements
• Touring Plans
• Attractions & Fireworks
• Neighborhoods
• Attractions
• Cheapest Disney Tickets
• Park Reservations

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Basics
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Build-Your-Own Plans
• Magic Kingdom
• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Disney's Animal Kingdom
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Ratings for All WDW Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Overview
• Magic Kingdom Restaurants
• EPCOT Restaurants
• Hollywood Studios Restaurants
• Animal Kingdom Restaurants
• Disney Springs Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Hotel Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Reservations
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Tipping (Gratuities)
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Menu Search
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Disney Dining Plan
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Benefits
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Room Finder
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Compare Hotels
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House)
• Disney's Beach Club Resort
• Disney's BoardWalk Inn
• Disney's Contemporary Resort
• Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Disney's Yacht Club Resort
• The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
• Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter
• Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
• Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney's All-Star Music Resort
• Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney's Art of Animation Resort
• Disney's Pop Century Resort
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village
• Disney's Beach Club Villas
• Disney's BoardWalk Villas
• Disney's Old Key West Resort
• Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney's Riviera Resort
• Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort
• The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Early Park Admission
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Tickets
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Front-of-Line Service: Universal Express Pass
• Halloween Horror Nights
• Rock the Universe
• Gradventure
• Special Needs
• Kids and Babies

Universal Studios Florida

Universal's islands of adventure, universal epic universe.

• Universal Studios Florida Restaurants
• Islands of Adventure Restaurants
• Volcano Bay Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> CityWalk Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Hotel Basics
• Hard Rock Hotel
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort
• Universal Helios Grand Hotel
• Universal Stella Nova Resort
• Universal Terra Luna Resort
• Universal's Aventura Hotel
• Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort
• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
• Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
• Universal's Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites
• Downtown Disney

• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Early Entry
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="block text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Rider Switch
• Lunar New Year
• Food & Wine Festival
• Disneyland Park
• Disney California Adventure Park
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Ratings for All DLR Restaurants
• Disneyland Restaurants
• California Adventure Restaurants
• Downtown Disney Restaurants
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Disneyland Hotel
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Disney's Grand Californian Resort & Spa
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> Pixar Place Hotel
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
• sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo mouseover->sidemenu#activeChildLayerTwo" class="text-black text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-start gap-2 pt-[20px] leading-18"> The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
• sidemenu#activeChild" class="text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-between pt-3 md:pt-14 leading-30"> Planning Your Cruise
• sidemenu#activeChild" class="text-base font-eucliarSemiBold flex items-center justify-between pt-3 md:pt-14 leading-30"> Tips for During Your Cruise

Universal Orlando is a sprawling 735-acre resort with two theme parks, a water park, eight hotels, and the CityWalk dining and entertainment complex. It will soon add a third theme park (Epic Universe) and three more hotels, nearly doubling in size. It’s huge. And it’s different enough from Walt Disney World that it requires its own set of planning tools, advice, and strategies for saving time and money. That’s what TouringPlans does.

April 27, 2024 Saturday

UOR Overall Park Crowds

SWIPE LEFT AND RIGHT TO SEE ADJACENT DATES

Our Crowd Calendar shows when the Universal Orlando parks will have the lowest wait times.

With hotels ranging in price, theme, and location, there are a lot of options. Let us help you decide whether it’s worth staying on-site or off-site with in-depth overviews and photos of every on-site hotel, plus other ways to save money on your stay.

With three theme parks and a water park, there’s so much to do! Want detailed reviews of every ride, show, and attraction? Want to know the best times to visit each attraction, whether an attraction is right for your child, handicap accessibility features, and ratings? Our 70,000 reviews include comments from other families, so you can get a wide range of opinions on every experience.

Opens Summer 2025

A Universal Park-to-Park ticket lets you move from one park to another on the same day and is the only way to ride the Hogwarts Express attraction that connects the two parks.

Universal Express allows guests to pay (or stay in particular hotels) to “skip the line” at park attractions by using prioritized "Universal Express" queues (similar to Lightning Lane queues at Disney World). You’ll usually wait less than one-fifth of the posted standby wait, and usually no more than 15 to 20 minutes. Universal Express has its own rules and best practices. We’ll tell you what you need to know.

All the Harry Potter stuff was, in fact, incredible.

March 29, 2019

At Cabana Bay we had a spacious suite and a gorgeous pool area. We found Universal to be lots of fun and a great value.

August 30, 2022

Access to excellent, reasonably-priced dining at CityWalk was amazing; Vivo and Cowfish in particular were favorites.

August 23, 2022

Universal's rides are superior, especially for an 11-year old who loves thrill rides.

April 27, 2022

One definite plus at Universal was the Express Pass included in our hotel stay.

Christina M

July 21, 2021

Having three days at Universal was a wonderful vacation for my family. When it was time to leave we felt fulfilled and grateful for the long time we had to enjoy the individual areas.

Having three days at Universal was a wonderful vacation for my family. When it was time to leave we felt fulfilled and grateful for the long time we had to...

August 22, 2019

The Harry Potter areas are outstanding! Worth every single penny.

February 14, 2019

We loved Animal Kingdom, particularly the architecture and artistry of Africa. We did the Wild Africa Trek and it was the highlight of our trip.

February 11, 2022

Follow our Touring Plans (or create your own computer-optimized plan with our Personalized Touring Plan tool) to help you plan the best times to experience the attractions. Download our Lines app to your phone to help you build plans that let you experience everything the parks have to offer while spending the least amount of time waiting in lines.

We’re sure that you’ll save time and money and have a better Universal vacation with TouringPlans.com. If you don't, at your request we'll provide a full refund within 45 days of purchase.*

Disney Dish with Jim Hill Podcast

Learn more about the latest doings at Disney with Len Testa of TouringPlans & Jim Hill of JimHillMedia.com

Learn more about the latest doings at Disney with TouringPlan's Len Testa & Jim Hill of JimHillMedia.com

Copyright ©2024 TouringPlans.com. All rights reserved.

• Orlando Tourism
• Orlando Hotels
• Orlando Bed and Breakfast
• Orlando Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Orlando
• Orlando Restaurants
• Things to Do in Orlando
• Orlando Travel Forum
• Orlando Photos
• Orlando Map
• All Orlando Hotels
• Orlando Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Orlando
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Trip cancelled - Orlando Forum

• United States    
• Florida (FL)    
• Central Florida    
• Orlando    

Trip cancelled

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Central Florida forums
• Orlando forum

4 replies to this topic

Animal Kingdom lodge is beautiful and has fantastic dining. I also think the quick service there is one of the better ones. Combined with a deluxe resort at Universal it would make for a wonderful trip. Hope your wife continues to recover well and glad you had the insurance.

If I might make a suggestion…

Use Brightline to get from Miami to Orlando and enjoy nearly three weeks in Florida over Christmas and New Year, where it’s warm and twee. December 3rd sailing, January 4th returning, gone about six weeks if you can swing it.

No DVT worries and no jet lag. 😎

Sorry to hear of your issues hope everything works out..

Just give her the time she needs to heal before jumping the gun on a trip overseas. I had to cancel my plans this year too for a very similar, but much more serious reason.

• Virgin holidays using Hertz car rental not Alamo! 8:46 am
• Uber to Epcot from I-Drive? 7:42 am
• Itinerary Guidance 5:27 am
• Ticket discounts on UK sites 5:25 am
• Alamo premium elite suv 5:00 am
• New LYNX "Almost Direct" Bus Route From MCO to WDW/Universal 2:03 am
• Splitting the bill Disney restaurants yesterday
• Where to stay? Near the convention car and/or Universal.... yesterday
• Trip Report 3/21-3/25 yesterday
• Aer Lingus Manchester to Orlando yesterday
• Food and Wine Dates Announced yesterday
• Day trip to Tampa? yesterday
• Trip Report, Disney, April 17 - 22 yesterday
• Best place for 8 seater van / car hire yesterday
• hotel with nice waterslides 9 replies
• Best family beach near Orlando 27 replies
• Driving from Orlando to Miami 17 replies
• New Hotels / Resorts Opening in Orlando? 14 replies
• hotel near disney world with free shuttle??? 9 replies
• Beaches Near Orlando 19 replies
• Disneyworld tickets from Costco? 2 replies
• Discovery Cove promotional code 15% off 9 replies
• Weather in Orlando Florida in December 9 replies
• December weather 16 replies

Orlando Hotels and Places to Stay

• I’m about to leave…how’s the weather right now?
• How much does it cost to park?
• What Bus Services can I use in Orlando?
• Can I take food/drinks into the theme parks?
• Where can I find a map of Villa rental locations?
• What is Disney's PhotoPass? / How do I preorder the Photo CD? / PhotoPass+?
• Can you tell me more about refillable mugs at Disney World?
• Which Airboat Operators are Reputable
• Charges/cover and age at CityWalk???