How Do I Plan My First Holiday To Orlando?
If you’re an Orlando first time visitor, it can be hard to understand just how big it is. Just Walt Disney World alone is over 25,000 acres, which is around 43 square miles. That’s pretty much the size of Greater Manchester!
Now add in all the other cool things such as 2 theme parks at Universal Studios Orlando and their brilliant water park – Volcano Bay, SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens, Legoland, International Drive, The Kennedy Space Center, all those outlet shopping centres and you’ve got a jam-packed adventure.
If you’re like most people, it can be very confusing to book a trip to Orlando and even regular visitors can struggle too. There’s so many things to think about. Some common things Orlando first time visitors think about are:
Where do I stay? When do I go? How long do I need in each park? Should I stay onsite at Disney? Is a villa better? What car should I hire? Do I even need a car? Do they have allergy-friendly dining? What on earth is Genie+? Can I go to the beach? How much walking will I do? How can I cut-down the queues? Is there a bad time to go? What happens if my flight is cancelled or delay? And more……….
Common Orlando First Time Visitor Mistakes
4 Hours
Amount of time wasted per day in the parks each day
72%
Didn’t know important things before going to Orlando
83%
Were given the wrong or old information
What’s The Best Way To Plan My Orlando Holiday?
You probably already know that Orlando looks really confusing to book and plan. Its not like any other holiday on the planet. And it constantly changes so what used to work, might not be true now or even work for you.
You may already have a travel agent you normally book with or usually do it yourself online. But this isn’t like going for 2 weeks self-catering in Benidorm. Your special holiday requires special assistance. Your travel agent might have visited Orlando, once, 6 years ago. This doesn’t make them an expert. So much has changed in the last few months, let alone 6 years.
Or maybe you normally book your holidays all online? Again, that’s fine for an all-inclusive in Turkey, but who are you going to ask all your questions to?
That’s why thousands of Orlando first time visitors each year choose to plan and book their holiday with a travel agent that specialises in Disney & Universal.
No pressure
I find Martin Ross excellent to work with he understands my requests and always comes up with a brilliant solution. There is no pressure and he is more than happy to work through different requests until we get the right holiday for us as a family. Many thanks Martin x
Vicky, North West
Can’t Wait To Go
It’s my first time planning a trip outside the UK. I’m quite apprehensive. Hence, I sometimes feel like I need more support with this plan; this is why I ask so many questions, or go back and forth with clarifying things.
London, UK
I’ll only book with them
Wouldn’t book a holiday with anyone else now. Really happy with my experience. Not only a lovely guy to deal with but also gets back to you straight away with brilliant advice and good prices.
Sarah, England
Another brilliant trip to Orlando
Martin Ross has been amazing. Really helpful, listens to what we want and then finds us the perfect holiday. Have already recommended and will keep doing so.
Anna, UK
Made Orlando Easy
As always prompt service with Martin allowing us to explore a couple of different options before booking. Clear information and prompt replies – all in all excellent customer service.
Kate
Two ways to plan your trip to the Disney World Parks
There are two types of people who plan a trip to Orlando. Which is way is best for your first holiday to Disney World?
Do It All Yourself
Lots of hard work & Stress
You could try and piece it all together yourself. That could involve potentially countless hours of research, asking Facebook groups for advice (and getting conflicting and multiple opinions) and watching so many videos you already feel like you’ve been there before stepping foot on the plane.
How would you feel if your first time in Orlando was spoilt by some bad Facebook advice? Orlando planning can be really tricky.
Most savvy Orlando first time visitors avoid this option.
Someone Else Helping You
Hassle-Free Orlando first time Holidays
The easiest way to plan a trip to Orlando is just let someone who knows the place like the back of their hand do all your hard work for you. Our Orlando Gurus are here to help you plan and book your dream holiday.
They’ll guide you on how to save up to 4 hours a day queuing, snag hard-to-get restaurant reservations, which parks to visit each day, where to stay and be there 24/7 in case of any emergencies.
Plus, it’s all included as part of your holiday – it won’t cost you a penny extra. Seems like a bit of a no-brainer doesn’t it?
Over 82% of our guests tried to do it all themselves, then decided it was too much hassle and they’d have a better holiday if they left all the work to one of our Orlando Gurus. Isn’t it better to have an Orlando Expert help you rather than doing it yourself? Be a savvy Orlando first time visitor and leave all the hard work to us.
Which Sounds Best For You?
As an Orlando first time visitor, would you rather do everything yourself, including solving any unexcepted problems such as cancelled flights?
Or take the Hassle-Free option and let one of our Orlando Gurus do everything for you? Just imagine taking your dream trip without all the usual stress and hassle. And it won’t cost you anything extra too!
| Book it yourself | Book with Orlando Insider | |
|---|---|---|
| Your Own Orlando Expert |  |  |
| 24/7 Help Desk | | |
| ATOL Protected |  | |
| Save up to 4 hours a day in the parks | | |
| Disney Dining Help | | |
| Orlando Podcast & Guides | | |
| Have to ring a call centre to ask a question | | |
| One reliable source of information | | |
| 100% Financial Protection | | |
| 5 Star Rated on TrustPilot | | |
| Custom Park Plans | | |
A Few Excellent Reasons To Book With Us
Fully Protected
Relax knowing your holiday and money are safe and sound – phew!
24/7 Help
No matter what happens, our duty office are here around the clock for you
Orlando Podcast
Listen to hotel reviews, the latest news, guides and more
What you need to know before going to Orlando?
There’s so many things to know before going to Orlando for the first time. The most important is get your ESTA visa. This lets you enter the USA. If you don’t have one or another type of visa, you won’t be allowed in the country.
Other than that, it’ll come down to what you want to see and do whilst you’re there. Always buy your tickets in advance.
Most parks don’t even sell tickets at the gates since Covid. There are exclusive tickets just for the UK for Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld and more. These are much better value than the gate prices.
Some Disney tickets require a park reservation too.
Florida is hot and humid, plus it can rain a lot too so pack for this. Make sure you have sun cream and hats, especially for little ones.
What month is best for Orlando Florida?
As an Orlando first time visitor, you might be wondering if there’s a best month to visit. There really isn’t a bad month to visit Orlando. Each month has it’s good and bad points.
For example, May is pretty quiet in the parks and usually cheaper too, but it does rain a lot! If need to visit during the school holidays, Easter and Christmas are amongst the busiest times of the year. Mid-August onwards is one of the best times for your trip that works well with the UK school holidays.
You can read our guide to the best and worst times to visit Walt Disney World in the Orlando Travel Guides.
What month is cheapest to go to Orlando?
Planning a family trip to Orlando, Florida on a budget sounds impossible doesn’t it? There is a basic cost that a holiday physically can’t cost less than. There’s a minimum cost for the flights, hotel and park tickets.
For example, tickets to Walt Disney World vary in price depending on the season, but expect to pay around £549 – £609 for an adult 14 day Magic ticket. We also ask you to be realistic too. if you’re looking for a holiday that you ultimately can’t afford, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
The trick is to find a time when there aren’t school holidays in key markets such as the USA, United Kingdom, Canada and Brazil. There are random public holidays in the US too such as MLK or Presidents day that spike attendance.
How much money do I need for 1 week in Orlando?
There’s so many things to do in Orlando and that’ll make a big difference to how much money you’ll be spending whilst there.
Are you going to be having a table-service meal once or twice a day or will you get by on quick-service? Will you be driving and paying to park?
There’s isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this. Your Orlando Guru can help you once your holiday is booked with rough guides to how much things cost.
What do you want to do on your holiday?
Which Disney park has the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?
This is a question that a lot of Orlando first time visitors ask. Harry Potter and co are at Universal Orlando which is around 10 miles away from Walt Disney World.
Don’t worry, our Orlando Gurus have heard all these questions before and can help create a holiday to Orlando including all the parks you want to do. They also have some amazing Universal Orlando tips to share with you too.