A week will fly by in Orlando, thanks to its many theme parks, attractions, and activities you can enjoy throughout your stay. For this reason, you likely will not want to waste one second of your vacation to ensure you don’t look back on the experience with regrets.
As you will only have seven days to spend in the city, you will need to squeeze in every activity you want to experience during a visit. Find out how to plan a successful one-week trip to Orlando.
Day One: Explore Your Resort
Beat tiredness at your resort on day one of your trip, as you can have fun and relax before enjoying many days at the theme parks.
Depending on your flight, you might not have the time or the energy to visit a theme park or attraction in Orlando. Rather than twiddling your thumbs at a boring hotel, check in to an expansive resort that will allow you to relax, have fun, and make memories from the moment you arrive.
Before you book a break to O-Town, you would be wise to learn about the various Florida Orlando hotels that provide exceptional accommodations, amenities, and activities. For example, you will be happy to step inside a spacious villa after a long flight or car journey to the city. You can then spend the rest of the day in a pool, splashing in a water park, or dining at one of many restaurants.
Day Two: Visit Magic Kingdom Park
Magic Kingdom Park is a natural starting point when visiting theme parks and offers plenty of fun attractions, such as the world-famous Space Mountain and, of course, Cinderella’s Castle. Don’t forget to stay until the evening to watch the nightly fireworks show.
Don’t make the mistake of trying to squeeze two Disney theme parks you are excited to visit into one day. If you do, you might need to skip superb attractions, rollercoasters, and cuddles with Mickey Mouse, which will cause you to look back on the experience with regret.
Instead, dedicate a day to the theme parks you have your heart set on. The iconic Magic Kingdom Park is at the top of most people’s bucket lists, which is why it might be a natural starting point.
You will then have plenty of time to visit Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Peter Pans’ Flight. Plus, you will not need to rush the selfies outside Cinderella’s Castle, and you’ll have time to stock up on Disney souvenirs and snacks.
Day Three: Go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios should be the next theme park on your list, as it will bring your favorite movies to life with cool backdrops, fun rollercoasters, and immersive dining experiences.
After an epic day at Magic Kingdom Park, you will likely feel eager to explore the rest of Orlando. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the next best theme park to visit; it’s home to many unforgettable movie attractions and rides.
You will never forget a visit to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which offers rollercoasters, attractions, and a cool backdrop inspired by the movie franchise. Also, you and the kids will scream with joy on the Slinky Dog Dash rollercoaster and Alien Swirling Saucers at Toy Story Land.
To top it all off, the theme park also features immersive dining experiences, which will make you fall more in love with Orlando.
If some Disney theme parks don’t fill you with as much excitement as others, combine them into one day to maximize your itinerary.
Unless you have your heart set on spending a whole day at Epcot or Animal Kingdom, you might need to squeeze both theme parks into one day. If you had more time, you would probably want to spend a whole day at each theme park. However, doing so on a week-long trip might mean you need to say goodbye to other theme parks or activities on your itinerary.
Research each theme park to identify the activities you want to experience and the attractions you are happy to skip. For example, you might be more than happy to avoid Frozen Ever After or Turtle Talk with Crush if it means you can enjoy Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind or Spaceship Earth.
Research each option to identify the two theme parks you would happily combine into one day.
Day Five: Visit Disney Springs & ICON Park
Spending the day at Disney Springs will provide a fun break from the popular theme parks, as there are many restaurants to visit, stores to explore, and entertainment options to enjoy.
If you want to shop until you drop, the Marketplace and Town Center are two areas you must visit, as they feature many superb stores and restaurants. If you prefer to catch a movie or enjoy a fun activity, the West Side area has plenty of things to do, such as an AMC-24 Theater, a 30-lane bowling alley, and the NBA Experience.
If you are happy to split the day between Disney Springs and another attraction, don’t overlook ICON Park, which is a short walk away. You could even buy a Play Pass to save money on seven of the entertainment destination’s most popular attractions, such as:
- The Wheel
- SEA LIFE Aquarium
- Madame Tussauds
- Museum of Illusions
- 7D Motion Theater
- Pearl Express
In particular, The Wheel is one attraction you will not want to miss. At 400 feet, it offers incredible views of Orlando, which you can enjoy for 20 minutes with your friends or book a private capsule for groups of up to 10. It is a sight you are bound to remember once your trip is over!
ICON Park is also home to more than 40 restaurants serving global cuisines from across the planet, so you will find a dish to match your cravings. For instance, you can dine at the brand-new Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips, Blake Shelton’s Ole Red, Shake Shack, and Tapa Toro Spanish Restaurant.
Day Six: Universal Orlando Resort (Part 1)
It’s a sin to spend only one day at Universal Orlando Resort due to the sheer number of exciting things to see and do. If you are a Harry Potter fan, then chances are The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be at the top of your list. Even if you are not a fan of the ‘Boy Who Lived,’ it is worth a visit alone for its rollercoaster rides, such as Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and Flight of the Hippogriff.
The Hogwarts Express will make it easy to visit the Harry Potter attractions across the various theme parks, too. You can easily hop on and off to enjoy non-Harry Potter rides and attractions, such as Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and Jurassic Park River Adventure.
Day Seven: Universal Orlando Resort (Part 2)
Spend your last day at Universal Orlando Resort ticking off all the attractions you couldn’t visit the day before – or enjoy another ride on an exhilarating rollercoaster.
As mentioned, you can’t spend one day at Universal Orlando Resort due to its size and many attractions, rollercoasters, and entertainment options. Don’t leave Orlando until you have properly scratched this theme park off your itinerary; otherwise, you will spend your days wishing you’d have spent more time at the popular resort – it is the perfect way to end a fantastic trip to Orlando.
Conclusion
Fitting every fun attraction into a week-long trip might seem like an impossible task, as Orlando is full to the brim with world-class theme parks and attractions. The key is to pick activities at the top of your bucket list, which might mean missing out on some experiences in the city.
Yet, try not to squeeze too much into the seven days, as it might cause you to rush through each attraction, which may lead to regret and disappointment. It is better to dedicate one day to one theme park or activity (sometimes two) to spend quality time at each destination. If you have time left over, squeezing in an extra experience will be a bonus.
Also, choose your resort carefully because the right venue will help you maximize every minute in O-Town. For instance, you can have fun at a waterpark after an exciting day or restore your tired muscles with a massage at the spa to feel fighting fit the next morning.
In any case, don’t feel disheartened if you have only booked a week in the city – you can trust you will never forget it.
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