Orlando, FLBy ArrivLast checked
Plan a trip to Orlando
Four Disney parks, three Universal parks, and a space center an hour east. Rope drop matters. Park reservations and early mornings decide whether this trip works, because the families who ignore both spend the week in queues.
- Families
- Theme parks
- Group trips
Free to run, and you keep editing after. Add who's coming or a pace like “slow mornings” to shape the result.
Orlando at a glance
How long do you need? 4 to 7 days is what most people give Orlando, and what follows is the four stops worth building a plan around, Magic Kingdom first among them, plus the three neighborhoods worth comparing before you book a room. All of it turns into a map you can edit.
- How long
- 4–7 days
- When to go
- Late January to early March and September to early November have the thinnest crowds and the mildest weather. Avoid July entirely. Summer brings daily afternoon thunderstorms and peak crowds at the same time, which is the worst combination this place has to offer.
- Getting around
- Rent a car unless you are staying entirely on Disney property, where the internal buses, monorail, and Skyliner cover it. Rideshare between the resort areas is reliable.
What to build the plan around
- 1
Magic Kingdom
Arrive at opening, because the first two hours hold shorter lines than the rest of the day put together.
- 2
EPCOT
Best split into two visits, or one long day timed around the World Showcase in the evening if you can only give it one.
- 3
Universal Islands of Adventure
Where the bigger rides are, and the Hogwarts Express connects it to Universal Studios when you want both.
- 4
Kennedy Space Center
An hour east on the coast, and the best non-park day in the region once the queues have worn everyone down.
Where to stay in Orlando
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- Disney Springs / Lake Buena Vista
- Closest to the Disney parks, with hotel shuttles and dinner that needs no park ticket, which is worth more than it sounds. Browse stays in Disney Springs / Lake Buena Vista
- International Drive
- Between Universal and the convention center, with the cheapest rooms and the most chain dining, which is the trade for the rate. Browse stays in International Drive
- Winter Park
- A real neighborhood twenty minutes north, with good restaurants and a museum, so stay here if you want the parks to be only half the trip. Browse stays in Winter Park
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More itineraries to copy
Each one opens as a map with every stop already placed.
Orlando planning questions
- How many days do you need in Orlando?
- Plan on 4 to 7 days, though how you split them matters more than the total. Four days covers two Disney parks and one Universal park at a pace you can sustain. A week lets you add rest days, which matter more than another park does.
- What is the best time to visit Orlando?
- Late January to early March and September to early November have the thinnest crowds and the mildest weather. Avoid July entirely. Summer brings daily afternoon thunderstorms and peak crowds at the same time, which is the worst combination this place has to offer.
- Where should I stay in Orlando?
- Book Disney Springs / Lake Buena Vista if you are undecided, because it is the most convenient of the three and the choice you are least likely to regret. Closest to the Disney parks, with hotel shuttles and dinner that needs no park ticket, which is worth more than it sounds. Two others are worth comparing before you commit, and the difference is mostly rate against how far you walk. International Drive: Between Universal and the convention center, with the cheapest rooms and the most chain dining, which is the trade for the rate. Winter Park: A real neighborhood twenty minutes north, with good restaurants and a museum, so stay here if you want the parks to be only half the trip.
- How do you get around Orlando?
- Rent a car unless you are staying entirely on Disney property, where the internal buses, monorail, and Skyliner cover it. Rideshare between the resort areas is reliable.
- What should I see first in Orlando?
- The first thing to slot in is Magic Kingdom, because once you have given it a morning the rest arranges itself around that. Arrive at opening, because the first two hours hold shorter lines than the rest of the day put together. After that, EPCOT, then Universal Islands of Adventure, though the order between those two barely matters.
- Is there a free Orlando itinerary I can copy?
- Yes, and you can read it without an account. The Orlando itinerary on Arriv puts every stop on a map in a suggested order. Duplicate it and you get an editable copy for your own dates and your own group, so you can cut whatever you would skip.