Orlando, Florida - The Destination

Get ready for the most exciting holiday experience in the world. Guaranteed!

Orlando is most definitely the theme park capital of the world, offering a vast mixture of adventure rides, thrills, fun and fantasy that has no equal anywhere on earth.

There are no less than eight major theme parks, all of which take a least a day to enjoy and most two. So you’re talking at least 14 days of adventure-mania! Add a host of night time attractions, sumptuous dining options as well as dinner shows and of course some fabulous shopping and you start to get an idea of the awesome scale of entertainment and activities on offer in Orlando.

Organising your time in Orlando is key and no matter how long you want to stay, we guarantee you’ll want to stay for longer!

Orlando Accommodation

Within Orlando there are five broad areas to stay - each with its own benefits.
Click here to see a map of the Orlando area.
You can stay in the heart of the magic in the Walt Disney World Resort area. Choose from over 20 brilliantly themed Disney Resort Hotels and take advantage of the on-site Disney Resort benefits such as Extra Magic Hours, Disney’s Dining Plan and the unlimited complimentary Disney transportation.

Popular Kissimmee is in an enviable position, just minutes from Walt Disney World Resort. Kissimmee offers great value accommodation from budget hotels to deluxe villa accommodation (for those who prefer a more independent experience) and since its beautification project, Kissimmee is now easier than ever to walk around.

International Drive is the centre of the action, with lots of bars, restaurants, attractions and, of course Wet ‘n Wild Water Park. Stretching from the Lake Buena Vista area all the way up to Universal Orlando® Resort, International Drive offers a range of accommodation from budget to deluxe.

Universal Orlando® Resort is ideal for making the most of the state-of-the-art Universal theme parks; Universal’s Islands of Adventure® and Universal Studios®. Universal Orlando® Resort offers three superbly themed resort hotels, Hard Rock Hotel, Portofino Bay Hotel and the Royal Pacific Resort.

And then we have Lake Buena Vista, an attractive, green landscape on the doorstep of Walt Disney World Resort. Lake Buena Vista offers good value resort hotels and suite properties ranging from the popular SpringHill Suites to the resort-style Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort.

Orlando Theme Parks

Walt Disney World Resort: Where it all started in 1971 with the opening of the magical Magic Kingdom Park. Now Walt Disney World Resort consists of four amazing theme parks (Animal Kingdom Park, Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios). Disney also has two incredible water parks; Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Water Park, both offering different experiences but just as much as fun as each other!

Universal Orlando® Resort: With two amazing theme parks - Universal’s Islands of Adventure® and Universal Studios® and three world-class Loews Hotels, Universal Orlando® Resort is where the extraordinary happens every day!

SeaWorld Orlando®: There’s no place in the world like SeaWorld® Orlando. Where else can you challenge a thrill-a-second ride one minute and touch a dolphin the next?

Aquatica: SeaWorld’s new water park (opening March). Let’s face it, no one does it like SeaWorld® and their new state-of-the-art water park is going to set new standards for water parks not just in Orlando, but the world!

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay features an unparalleled combination of world-class thrill rides and scenic animal habitats.

Discovery Cove®: Discovery Cove® Orlando is a wonderful, all-day experience and a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to swim and touch a beautiful bottlenose Dolphin - amazing!

Orlando Shopping

Nobody thinks of Orlando as a shopping break destination but they should, especially considering how strong the pound is! Enjoy bargains galore!! From themed intimate boutiques to outrageously huge outlet shopping malls, from luxurious to practical and everything in between, Orlando has it all. Orlando really is a shopper’s paradise!

When you’re done with the theme parks, and you need some retail therapy, then Orlando is the place. In fact, go to a theme park all day, then shop all night. Most shopping malls in Orlando are open till late.

Click here for more shopping ideas and information

Orlando Dining

Whether its breakfast, lunch or dinner, eating out in Orlando is a big deal. Dining in Orlando is varied, great value and above all, there’s lots of it!

Whatever your budget, whatever your taste you’ll be sure to find the right place to eat. The variety is endless. Cafés, diners, restaurants, fast-food chains, snack bars and of course the ever popular coffee shops such as Starbucks can be found all over Orlando. Don’t forget to check out the hotel restaurants too, as many of the hotels in Orlando have some of the best restaurants in Florida. Check out Bluezoo in the Swan & Dolphin Hotel or Victoria & Albert’s in Disney’s Grand Floridian. If you’re looking for Italian food there’s nowhere better than Bergamo’s. As you eat, your delightful waiters belt out songs from your favourite West End shows and operas!

Orlando Nightlife

When it comes to night time fun, Orlando has a dazzling collection of possibilities, from its purpose built entertainment complexes, through to its range of dinner shows, to a full array of bars and nightclubs. The choice is suitably widespread and almost high in quality. There’s non-stop fun and action at the elaborate and sophisticated Universal’s CityWalk, and then there is Disney’s Pleasure Island in Downtown Disney and also Disney’s BoardWalk.

Whatever you do though on a night out, do not forget to take some ID, regardless of your age, otherwise you could find yourself having an early night.

Orlando Climate

A common question is ‘when’s the best time to visit Orlando’? Florida’s weather varies from bright but cool winter days generally from November to February, with the odd drizzly day, to hot steamy summers with sporadic tropical downpours. The most pleasant option is to visit between the two extremes, in spring and autumn (when you will also avoid the crowds) however we appreciate that school holidays may dictate your travel dates. Easter and July and August remain the most popular months.

Best Things For Free

While it is usually the case that ‘you get what you pay for,’ there are a handful of things which don’t cost you a penny in Orlando, and which may be worth building into your holiday plan as a little ‘extra’ when you need a breather from the parks (or you simply want to stop spending money for a while!).

click here to read our current ‘top 10’ of free things to do in Orlando

Have some questions? Click here to see our Frequently Asked Questions.