Orlando

Theme Parks:

• Walt Disney World – 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom) and 2 water parks (Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach)
• Universal Orlando – 3 theme parks (Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, EPIC Universe) and 1 water park (Volcano Bay)
• Sea World Parks – 1 theme park (SeaWorld), 1 water park (Aquatica), 1 unique natural park and animal experience (Discovery Cove)
• Legoland (About an hour away from Orlando) – a LEGO-themed park and water park

Lesser Parks:

• FunSpot parks – typical amusement parks
• ICON park – a 400ft observation wheel and a few other attractions
• Gatorland – tons of alligators and other animals to see, plus activities like zip lining

But wait, there’s more!

On Disney property:

• If you’ll mostly be at Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary is the closest and most convenient because you can take the monorail OR walk.
• Our favorite moderate-level resort is Caribbean Beach Resort because it’s at the Skyliner hub and has a great pirate-themed pool.
• Our favorite value resort is Art of Animation for the fun theming and pools and it has access to the Skyliner.
• We also like all the Boardwalk-area resorts because you can walk or take a boat to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. These include Boardwalk Resort, Yacht and Beach Club Resorts (this is the best pool area on property), or save money by staying at the Swan & Dolphin resorts, which give you premium resort perks at a smaller price because they are Marriott properties.
• For more info about the many resort options on Disney property, please visit our Disney World Planning Guide.

On Universal property:

• We recommend staying at Loews Pacifica Resort because it is usually the most affordable of their top-tier resorts that come with Express passes for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. These passes let you skip the regular lines and are a huge perk! You can also take a boat to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, which is nicer than riding a bus.
• If you’ll mostly be focused on EPIC Universe, the newest of the Universal Parks, you may want to consider staying at Helios Grand Hotel because it’s right next to the park, so you can walk there in the morning for early entry and be near the front of the pack to ride popular attractions that get long lines.
• The more affordable Universal hotels are also good, but your only means to get to the parks will be buses, or you can drive yourself. These also get you early entry where you can enter the park an hour before official park opening.

Near SeaWorld: 

• Renaissance Orlando Sea World is great because it has a lovely pool area with a kid’s waterslide and splash area.
• Our favorite to fit a family of 5-6 comfortably is Residence Inn Sea World because they have multi-room family suites.

If you have a car, get more space and/or better amenities for less by staying off of theme park property:

• Sheraton Vistana Resort – Multi-bedroom condos with full kitchens, multiple pools, and close to Disney Springs.
• Gaylord Palms – They have an incredible atrium, great pools and a water park area, a spa, and many restaurants on site. It’s also right across I-4 from Disney World, and has quick access to get to the others.
• The Grove Resort & Water Park – Multi-bedroom condos plus multiple pools and waterslides.

PRO TIP:

• Theme Parks: The theme parks can get very expensive! Look for deals from all the major theme parks at Undercover Tourist, a authorized ticket reseller.
• Multi-Day Bundles: Most of the theme parks offer ticket bundles for multiple days, and typically, your price per day goes down the more days you purchase. So doing 6 days at Disney World will usually be more affordable than 2 days at Disney, 2 at Universal, and 2 and SeaWorld. But the latter could be more fun!
• Hotel: If you will mainly only be sleeping at your hotel, you may want to save money by staying at a more affordable hotel and using your savings on theme park tickets.
• Pay to Skip Lines: All of the major parks have an option to buy something extra that lets you skip the regular queue and save time waiting in lines. These can get very expensive very fast. They are not necessary if you follow a good plan of action and can be patient. Check out our theme park itineraries that will help you navigate crowds without skip-the-line passes.
• Food: Theme park food is expensive! If you don’t have a huge appetite, you can split meals or order off kids menus to save. You can also save money by eating breakfast before you get to the parks and packing your own snacks.
• Getting there: Drive if you can! Florida is not in driving distance for everyone, but if you can handle a road trip, driving is the best way to save money. Plus it means you have a car and have the flexibility to save money by staying off of theme park properties and driving yourself to the parks, AND being able to easily mix and match theme parks. You won’t feel stuck to ONLY Disney or ONLY Universal.
• Find more budget tips for Disney World >

• Don’t overdo it! Doing a lot of theme parks back-to-back is exhausting. Build in a day or two of rest where you can sleep in and relax by the pool at your resort.
• Bring a stroller for kids 6 and under, even if they haven’t used a stroller at home in a while. There is SO much walking at theme parks and younger kids will get exhausted. A stroller is a great place for them to sit and relax, plus you can store stuff in them. We recommend strollers that are lightweight, collapse easily and have a storage area. Favorites: Single: Kolcraft Cloud Plus Lightweight Baby Stroller, Double: Baby Joy Double Lightweight Stroller
• If you have younger kids, Disney parks will have the most for them to do. Disney parks are also best for multi-generation groups because of the variety of attractions and shows that aren’t thrill rides. All of the parks have things for younger kids, but if you can’t do them all look at park maps and watch videos to see what parks have the most that would interest you and your kids.
• Universal Parks are better for older kids based on the height requirements of attractions and the themes. But if you have a mix of ages in your family and your older kid(s) really want to go, there will still be enough for younger kids to do. You just may have to divide up a bit and have one adult go to attractions with older kids and the other stay with smaller kids.
• Discovery Cove (one of the Sea World parks) is almost like a rest day. It will feel completly different from every other theme park day and you’ll get to relax and have some fun and feel like you’re in a tropical paradise. It’s a great day to plan mid-week to break up typical theme park days.
• If you have teens that are all about roller coasters, we recommend Sea World. Sea World often gets overlooked compared to Disney World and Universal, but it has the best and most roller coasters in Orlando.
• How to beat the crowds without paying extra: 1. Arrive at the parks BEFORE they open. If you’re one of the first ones in the park, you can often knock out several attractions without big crowds. 2. Stay until the end of the night. Crowds taper out toward the end of the day and you can jump in line for one last attraction one minute before park closing, no matter how long the posted wait time is, and you’ll still get to ride it. Doing this method may mean you need to take a mid-day break at your hotel or doing more relaxing activities like seeing shows or sit-down meal to recharge.
• The wrong way to do theme parks: Sleep in, show up an hour or two after the park opens, get tired around 5pm and leave. Mid-day is always the most crowded. Either get there early, or stay late, or both!
• Orlando Weather: It’s hot most of the year. The months that aren’t hot are often more crowded. There is no magical week that has perfect weather and no crowds. If you can’t handle heat, visit in December-February. If you visit during hotter months, check out our tips for surviving theme parks in the heat >
• Most crowded weeks: Christmas and New Years, the week of President’s Day in February, the week before and after Easter.
• Least crowded months: May and September. But both are hot and can be rainy. September can also mean hurricanes.