How to Spend a Week in Orlando

Orlando. How I love you Orlando. This city in Central Florida may have started out as a sleepy provincial town, but its now the most popular tourist destination in the United States of America (it first surpassed New York in that category in 2014). If you know anything about Orlando, I’m sure you know the reason for its exponential boom as America’s tourist capital – theme parks. Its one of my favourite places in the United States, and I’ll never turn down a trip to Orlando. There’s lots to know when planning a trip to Orlando. A week is a good amount of time to spend. In this post I’m going to give you an overview of some of the best things to do.

Don’t worry – there’s going to be plenty more Orlando content on the site to come. For now, lets introduce you to the most fun filled city on earth. I truly do love you, Orlando.

When to Visit Orlando

This section could really be headed “when to visit Florida”. If you’re planning a trip to the Sunshine State, the one thing to be aware of is hurricane season. Technically, hurricane season runs from June to early November. With that said, I’ve been to Florida in the middle of summer and had no problems at all. The time of year that you really need to be careful with planning a trip is in September and October, as this tends to be the peak of the season.

If you’re planning to hit up all the theme parks (and lets face it, you definitely are), you should try to avoid busy times of year like Spring Break and School Holidays. If its the only time of year you can get to Orlando, you should still do it, but just bear in mind that things will be more crowded than usual (and probably more expensive).

Florida gets really hot and humid during the summer (we’re talking 30s Celsius). You can also expect at least an hour of rain (sometimes more) in the late afternoon/early evening pretty much every day at this time of year. Personally, I’m not phased by the heat and really enjoy summer in Florida – just stay hydrated and apply that sunscreen. Conventionally though, the best time to visit Orlando tends to be from March to May, when its not as hot and crowds are more manageable.

Getting to Orlando

As the major tourist hub that it is, it should come as no surprise that getting to Orlando is extremely easy. Orlando International Airport (MCO) is one of the largest airports in the United States and sees direct flights from all major cities across the country, as well as a series of international flights from Europe, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The airport is huge, but also really easy to navigate. It is quite spread out though, and you’ll have to board the MCO People Mover to transfer between terminals, so keep that in mind when flying out and give yourself plenty of time.

MCO Airport is about 20 kilometres east of Downtown Orlando and International Drive (the main tourist hub). Its about 40 kilometres from Walt Disney World. There’s various shuttles that can get you from the airport to your resort. One of the most well known is Mears Transportation (which used to run the no longer operating Magical Express shuttle to Walt Disney World). Rates vary depending on where you’re going, but in general you can expect to pay around $15 – $30 per person.

I tend to use Uber to get into Orlando from MCO. Its more expensive, but really efficient. Depending on traffic, you can be at your hotel within 30 minutes.

If you’re travelling internationally to the United States, make sure you check your travel requirements. You’ll need a passport and probably either an ESTA or visa. Do your research well before leaving, and if you need to get an ESTA, apply on the official website.

Where to Stay in Orlando

If you’ll be doing all the Disney theme parks during your stay in Orlando, I really recommend staying at a Disney resort on the Disney World property. There’s so much to know about Disney World, so I’m going to cover that in a separate post. For now, just know that there’s various priced options depending on what you’re after (though even the cheapest Disney resorts will be more expensive than what you can find away from “the World”).

Assuming you’re staying in Orlando itself, I feel the best area to base yourself is International Drive. This is Orlando’s ultimate tourist district. Its filled with resorts, bars, restaurants and a whole gambit of attractions. No matter what you’re into, you’ll be able to find something to do on International Drive. If you’re looking for an affordable option in the area, I recommend staying at the Avanti International Resort. I’ve stayed here quite a few times when I’ve been in Orlando. Its a family friendly resort which is conveniently located and has a great swimming pool, as well as a fully stocked bar, cafe, games room and fitness centre. The rooms contain all the basic amenities, including coffee makers, mini-fridges and microwaves.

I personally think one of the best ways to do Orlando is to spend part of your trip in International Drive, and then stay at a Disney resort for the time that you intend to spend at Walt Disney World.

Generally speaking, you can expect to pay the following per night for a (non-Disney) double room in high season in Orlando:

• Budget: less than $150 USD.
• Mid-Range: $150 – $250 USD.
• Luxury: more than $250 USD.

Getting Around Orlando

You’ll be spending most of your time in Orlando at theme parks. That means you’ll be doing lots of walking. I think every time I go to Orlando I set a new record for my amount of steps taken in a day! As far as getting between the Disney theme parks, there’s plenty of options. I’ll cover Walt Disney World itself separately in another post.

When it comes to Orlando itself, there’s no really efficient public transport system. Most hotels will offer shuttle services, though I tend to use Uber a lot in this city. Its just super convenient.

International Drive itself is fairly walkable, though the I-Ride Trolley does get you from one end of the tourist strip to the other and everywhere between. It even goes up to Universal Boulevard, which as you can guess is the site of the Universal Studios parks. It operates daily from 8.00am to 10.30pm.

What to Do in Orlando

Theme parks, theme parks and more theme parks. That’s how you’ll be spending most of your time in Orlando. Between Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, there’s 6 major parks in total (and that’s just dealing with those two resorts). While there’s others like SeaWorld, you can see that you’ll need more than a week in Orlando to get through those. Here’s the places I recommend you visit on a week’s trip to Orlando (especially if its your first time here).

Walt Disney World (at least 4 days)

As the largest collection of theme parks in the world, people come to Orlando to visit Walt Disney World. Its actually located in nearby Lake Buena Vista, and is a massive 40 square mile region with its own postcode. Disney World contains a plethora of resorts, theme parks, water parks, restaurants and other attractions, all run by the Walt Disney Company. I plan to write a lot more about Disney World in the future, but for now, you should know there are 4 full scale theme parks, all of which take up at least a day (if not more) to explore.

• To read more about Walt Disney World, check out my post covering the basics HERE.

When people think of Disney World, they normally mean the Magic Kingdom park. Opened in 1971, this is the traditional castle style theme park which attracts the most visitors of any theme park globally. Its based heavily on the original Disneyland in Anaheim, but is much bigger. Its where you’ll find the classic Disney rides, meet all your favourite Disney characters and see the incomparable parades and firework displays. If you’re here for the highlights, you can squeeze them into one (very busy) day, but for a comprehensive tour of the park, you’ll need at least two days to do everything.

• You can read more about the attractions at the Magic Kingdom in my detailed blog post HERE.

EPCOT was the second theme park to open at Disney World and is my personal favourite of the bunch. Its different to traditional theme parks in that its not as ride dependent as the others. The front of the park (currently Future World, but in the process of being rebranded) is filled with an assortment of pavilions devoted to educational concepts, though more and more thrill rides have opened over the years), while the World Showcase is an amazing permanent world fair, in which 11 countries are represented by permanent immersive pavilions, filled with local cuisine, shopping and cultural displays.

• You can read more about EPCOT and its many attractions in my detailed guide HERE.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the park for thrill ride enthusiasts. It draws its main theming from the bright lights of old Hollywood, complete with its own Chinese Theatre and Sunset Boulevard. More recently, the park has expanded to include immersive lands themed around the Toy Story and Star Wars franchises (the latter actually being like taking a trip to a galaxy far, far away). Some of Disney World’s best rides, such as Rise of the Resistance and the Tower of Terror can be found at Hollywood Studios.

• I’ve written about the attractions of Hollywood Studios in this post HERE.

Rounding out the bunch, you’ve got Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This unique park is a blend between a traditional theme park and a zoo. Divided into an assortment of regions such as Africa, Asia, and the fictional realm of Pandora (from Avatar), Animal Kingdom is arguably the most beautiful of the Disney World parks and contains a healthy mix of animal exhibits and thrill rides. It even includes a large scale safari adventure out on a replicated African Savannah!

• I’ve written a guide to the attractions found in Animal Kingdom that you can read HERE.

On a one week trip to Orlando, you should dedicate one full day to each of the above parks. If you’re on a longer vacation, there’s even more to do at Disney World. If you’re transferring to a Disney Resort during your stay (or just need a rest day during your trip), Disney Springs is a really great shopping and dining precinct, featuring probably the largest range of Disney merchandise in the world. There’s also the Disney Boardwalk, which contains a further assortment of great restaurants.

Universal Studios (1-2 days)

As the main competition, Universal Studios Resort also has some really good theme parks in Orlando. Unlike the spread out nature of the Disney parks from one another, Universal Studios’ two major parks are right next to each other (with a third being constructed nearby). Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure are lots of fun, filled with a huge range of attractions based on popular film franchises. The headline attractions are those in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – a completely immersive section that can be found across both parks (they’re even connected by the Hogwarts Express train!) where you can tour Hogwarts and Diagon Alley.

• You can read all about the attractions of Universal Studios Florida in my detailed post HERE.
• As for Universal’s Islands of Adventure, I’ve covered those attractions in another post HERE.

Since both parks are next to each other, it makes sense to buy a park hopper pass, allowing you to jump between the two parks in the course of a day. If you’re spending two days at Universal, you can easily cover one park each day, though it is possible to do all the highlights of both in one day if you’re super efficient (plan to be there from open to close). If money is no issue, I highly recommend upgrading your admission to include the Universal Express pass, which will let you skip the queue on most attractions, really cutting down on the amount of time you’ll spend in lines.

At the front of the Universal Studios theme parks is the Universal CityWalk. This is Universal’s dining and entertainment district, as well as where you’ll find the resort’s official hotels. Its a nice place to chill out with a drink after a busy day at the parks. You’ll find all your favourite American food chains here.

International Drive

Depending on how much time you have in Orlando, you may want to spend a relatively relaxing day by the pool at your resort and also wander out onto International Drive. While there’s a slower pace here compared to the big theme parks, you definitely won’t run short on things to see and do. This 5 kilometre thoroughfare is filled with restaurants, shops, theatres and tourist attractions.

The most popular spot for tourists on International Drive is the ICON Orlando 360 Complex. Renowned for its ICON Orlando Observation Wheel, it can’t be missed as you head along the strip. This huge ferris wheel offers amazing views of Orlando (including its theme parks) from its 30 air conditioned capsules. The onboard recorded commentary tells you all about the surrounding landmarks as you rotate about the wheel. With Orlando being a very flat city, a ride aboard the Orlando Observation Wheel is a great way to get the lay of the land from above.

There’s tons more to do near the Observation Wheel. If you’re after a more thrilling ride, the Starflyer is swinging chair attraction that takes riders up 450 feet into the air, high above the city (I skipped that one!). If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground, there’s the SEA Life Orlando Aquarium and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, which are always a fun way to spend an hour or so (and escape the Florida heat).

Further south from the ICON Complex, you’ll come across a gigantic upside down mansion. This unique sight contains WonderWorks, a fully interactive science centre, which makes for a huge hit with families. The centre is filled with educational exhibits that even include an earthquake and hurricane simulator. The nearby Titanic: The Experience is the world’s first permanent attraction devoted to the famous ship, filled with recreations of the legendary vessel’s interior and artefacts salvaged from its shipwreck.

When you’re done exploring, there’s no shortage of places to eat on International Drive. You’ll find all your American brands along the strip – think Denny’s, Shake Shack, Outback Steakhouse and more. There’s also a whole heap of bars and clubs for those looking to continue on (don’t party too hard though – you’ll probably be waking up early the next day for another theme park’s opening time!).

Spending a week in Orlando is a recipe for a super busy vacation. Its so much fun though. There’s lots more to know about the specific theme parks that you’ll spend time visiting on a trip to this vacation hotspot in Central Florida, and I’ll be covering that going forward, but as you can see, there’s no shortage of things to do in Orlando. If you’re wanting to do it all, a week isn’t enough, but for a first time visitor, its a good amount of time for the highlights. How do you feel about Orlando? Do you love it as much as I do?