From booking your airport transfer to finding the perfect hotel and knowing how to skip the lines, here's our guide with Orlando Theme Parks Tips and Tricks to ensure you and your family have a fantastic theme park vacation.
Disney parks
It's easy to see why over 50 million people flock to Orlando Florida each year to experience the exhilaration that 'Theme Park Capital of the World' bring.
At the Disney's Magic Kingdom , kids can meet their favorite Disney characters, while the Universal Studios Florida gets excited about toys based on popular movies and TV shows, including Men in Black and The Simpsons .
O Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure lets you explore the magic of Hogwarts castle and dine at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade Village, while you can explore the giant structures in the world of LEGOLAND and dive into thrilling water rides in the SeaWorld Orlando's Water Park.
And that's just the beginning.
With so much to offer, adventure and excitement around every corner, it's easy to feel a little overwhelmed when you visit Orlando. With the help of our guide, learn local tips and tricks to ensure your theme park vacation is smooth and seamless and fun for the whole family.
Pre-book your airport transfer
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the closest airport for traveling to and from Orlando's theme parks. The easiest and most convenient way to get from Orlando International Airport to your hotel and back is via the airport shuttle.
Other nearby airports in Florida include Orlando Sanford Airport (SFB), located in nearby Sanford, and Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), where you can easily book an airport transfer to and from your hotel.
Spend less time waiting in long airport taxi lines and more time on your favorite theme park rides.
If you plan on taking the rides right away or staying at the theme parks, simply enter the address of the theme park you are traveling to and choose from the shuttle companies that will take you straight there. Easy!
Hotel on site vs hotel off site
While, at first glance, staying at a theme park venue might seem more expensive, there are many benefits to staying at a theme park hotel, plus you'll have a range of uniquely themed accommodation options depending on where you want to stay. .
If you want to be on the side of Disney, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Caribbean Resort, All-Star Movies Resort and Beach Club Resort are great options, especially for families, and offer easy access to all Disney parks; Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and the two most visited water parks in the world; Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.
At Universal, hotels like Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel and Royal Pacific Resort are all conveniently located at Universal's theme parks, including Universal Studios – home to the Rip Ride Rocket roller coaster's 90-degree drop – and Islands of Adventures, where you can explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Some of these hotels also have the added bonus of a free Universal Express Pass for hotel guests, so it's worth asking hotels about this before you book.
The benefits of staying on-site (plus many on-site resorts offer park passes as part of their accommodation package) means you can easily head back to your hotel for a break and take a dip in the pool or just lay back and relax. between sightseeing and exploring.
This is especially useful if you're trying to avoid the midday rush hour crowds by getting to the parks early and staying late for shorter wait times.
If you prefer to stay in an off-site hotel, you have plenty of options. You can easily find airport transfers to and from popular hotels including the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, Orlando World Center Marriott, Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando and Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa.
Buy your tickets online in advance
You have several options when purchasing Disney and Universal theme park tickets, and buying them online saves you from having to wait at the gate to purchase them. For Universal Orlando Resort you can buy single-day tickets, multi-day tickets and Universal's Volcano Bay tickets.
If you buy multi-day tickets online, you'll save $$20 off the ticket price at the front gate. If you want to skip the lines, you can also buy a Universal Express Pass, which allows you to maximize your fun and get to your favorite rides even faster.
THE disney world it also has multiple ticket options to access its four parks, and you can also save money by purchasing 3-day or longer tickets online.
Disney's FastPass+ option is also available for purchase online and allows you to reserve access to certain attractions and rides.
Timing is everything at Disney
Some of the more popular attractions often have wait times of more than an hour, then there are some tips for avoiding the big crowds.
If you're happy to skip the parades and fireworks shows, you'll find that attraction wait times are generally lower.
Plan for an early or late lunch; not only will you miss the crazy lunch rush at the theme park restaurants, but you'll also benefit from the smaller crowds at the attractions.
If you're staying on-site, you'll have the added benefit of getting early access, so you can beat the crowds and see top attractions an hour before the general public.
The best times are early morning and late afternoon for shorter queue times, so plan to arrive early, stay late, or both.
It's worth looking for less popular attractions to visit during peak times.
O CityWalk at Universal empties in the afternoon and has great shopping and fun photo opportunities.
There is a 'live' raptor photo opportunity on the Universal's Islands of Adventure that all dinosaur fans will love and the Fievel's Playground allows children to play in a whimsical playground while parents can relax.
There are also benefits to going to theme parks on a cloudy day, as many people choose to skip a visit if the weather isn't as good.
Cloudy weather means it won't be as hot either, so you'll be more comfortable running around the theme parks.
We recommend bringing a raincoat, as Florida is known for rapid rainfall.
Helpful tip: all outside attractions close when lightning strikes within 15 kilometers of the parks, so check the weather forecast before you go.
Take food with you to the Disney parks
While there are some fantastic restaurants and dining options at Orlando's theme parks, there's no doubt that theme park dining can be very expensive, especially if you're feeding a family for several days (even a bottle of water can cost up to US $ 5!).
By bringing food and drink with you, you'll not only save money, but you'll also spend less time waiting in long food lines and more time on your favorite rides.
Orlando theme parks are pretty lenient with how much food you can bring with you, so pack some sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, and other snacks to eat throughout the day.
It's important to note upfront that portable coolers and alcoholic beverages are not permitted in any of Orlando's theme parks.
That said, there are some culinary delights that you simply cannot miss.
Try an iconic Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (there are three varieties to try!), challenge yourself to finish a giant pink Lard Lad donut (from The Simpsons) or try basically anything from the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, located in Universal's CityWalk.
Helpful tip: try a theme park meal plan, a prepaid meal plan that offers two meals a day and unlimited drinks.
Bring water and sunscreen to Disney
Nothing ruins a holiday more than sunburn and heatstroke. Avoid both by stocking up on sunscreen and bottled water before heading to the theme parks. It's possible to get sunburned even on cloudy days, so stay out of the sun and stay hydrated.
Helpful tip: it's a good idea to also pack band-aids for any blisters you get from hiking, anti-nausea pills in case anyone in your group starts to feel a little queasy on the walks, and a sun hat to keep the sun off your face.
Take advantage of the single rider line
The single rider line is designed for people traveling on their own or who are willing to take rides with strangers, as single riders are placed in single seats left empty on the rides.
This is a huge time saver as the wait time is often just a fraction of what you would spend in the regular queue.
The single-passenger queue is usually unmarked, so many people don't know how to use it.
Use the Child Changing Area at Disney
Another underused option is the child swapping scheme.
Child Exchange allows families traveling with young children (who may be too young or too young to travel on certain tours) wait in line together.
One parent stays off the ride to care for children who cannot participate, while the rest of the family goes on the ride.
After that, the parents switch roles so that both parents can take a ride on the ride without having to wait in line again.
Also, the second parent can usually bring up to three guests, so other family members can travel twice.
Download the theme park apps
Both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have launched smartphone apps, making it super easy to book tickets, check attraction wait times, review restaurant menus, and much more.
Universal's app lets you search show times and make meal reservations, while the Disney app lets you locate on the map interactive, in addition to find locations greeting cards to help maximize your time at the parks.
Orlando Theme Parks Tips and Tricks
Did you like our guide?
Enjoy and also read:
Pingback: 10 essential things to take on a trip - Wenttrip