14 Days in Orlando: Disney World & Universal Itinerary

With so much to see and do in the theme park capital of the world, Orlando is like nowhere else. With incredible shopping malls, unbelievable cuisine and of course, the most amazing theme parks! Two weeks is an ideal amount of time to spend holidaying in Orlando to visit the majority of the attractions.

A lot of research and planning goes into organising a family trip to the Sunshine State; therefore, we thought we’d help make it a little easier by putting together an example itinerary! Our 14-day itinerary is a rough guide on how to split up your time in Florida at Disney World and Universal. Feel free to change things up to suit your family.

Day 1 – Adjust

After the nine-hour flight from the UK, the first day is the perfect time to unwind and adjust. Orlando is five hours behind the UK, so it can take a few days to get used to the time difference. When you arrive at your villa, take the time to unpack, enjoy a dip in the pool and discover the community in which you are staying.

Once you’re all settled in, head to the local shop or supermarket to stock up on food for your stay, including some classic American snacks! Depending on the time your flight arrives, you may wish to head out for an evening meal, whether this is picking up some fast food or finding a sports bar!

Day 2 – Explore Epcot

On day two, you’ll still be adjusting to the time difference, so our suggestion would be to start small and not head straight for the big theme parks. Spend the day exploring the different countries at Epcot, which is often overlooked when it comes to the Disney parks, but offers some fantastic educational and cultural experiences.

Take to the skies on Soarin’, gliding across the world and visiting places such as Australia, Egypt and Paris. Sail into a Frozen adventure and sing your heart out to the film’s iconic soundtrack on Frozen Ever After, which is a firm family favourite! Epcot is centred around a number of different countries, and at each of them, you’ll find the cuisine to match!

Day 3 – Get Magical at Disney’s Magic Kingdom

By day three, you’ll likely start to feel adjusted to Orlando time. Therefore, it’s time to visit one of the most popular places in Orlando, Disney’s Magic Kingdom! The park is huge and usually busy (over 15 million visit Magic Kingdom every year!), so we’d suggest getting to the park early to make the most of the day.

If this is the first time you’re heading to Disney World, ensure you make use of FastPass+, which allows you to reserve a time for your favourite rides and means less queuing!

As you walk through the gates, visit one of the most iconic parts of Magic Kingdom, Cinderella Castle. Then, spend your day wandering around the six themed zones; Liberty Square, Main Street USA, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland and Fantasyland.

Looking for thrill-seeking rides? The twists and turns in the darkness of Space Mountain will have you screaming for more! When visiting with younger children or those who may not be a fan of heart-stopping rides, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will be a popular choice, allowing you to shoot a laser canon at targets to defeat the evil Emperor Zurg!

The parade is always spectacular, usually taking place at 3pm every day (check the entertainment schedule or Times Guide as it is subject to change). The 12-minute show allows you to bask in the magic of the Disney characters! The best way to finish the first day at Magic Kingdom is to catch the Happily Ever After fireworks. Watch as Cinderella’s Castle becomes illuminated in the 18-minute extravaganza!

Day 4 – Discover Animal Kingdom

Divided into seven lands; Oasis, Discovery Island, Pandora – The World of Avatar, Africa, Asia, DinoLand U.S.A. and Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one of our favourite parks! The park itself covers 580 acres and is one of the largest animal theme parks in the world!

The two most popular rides are Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey. If possible, we’d suggest trying to get your FastPass+ tickets for these two attractions as the queues tend to be quite long. If you are unable to, we’d advise heading straight for Flight of Passage as soon as you arrive! This thrill ride is fun for all the family, taking you on a 3D journey over Pandora. Then bask in the music as you drift slowly down the magical river on Na’vi River Journey, which is also situated within Pandora - The World of Avatar.

We’d recommend staying until dark to experience the night-time shows. Every ten minutes until the park closes, watch in awe as the Tree of Life Awakenings enlivens the Animal Kingdom with music and mystical images!

Day 5 – Cool Off at Volcano Bay

After an amazing few days exploring three of the Disney parks, you may wish to mix it up and head to one of the Universal parks. Spend the day cooling off at Volcano Bay, the most unique park at Universal. As soon as you arrive, you’ll be given a TapuTapu; a device you wear on your wrist. This allows you to make the most of your day by placing you into a virtual queue for the rides; so while you wait, there’s the option of enjoying the rest of the park!

Krakatau Volcano is at the centre of Volcano Bay, which stands at 200ft tall and is surrounded by three villages; Wave Village, Rainforest Village and River Village. Krakatau Aqua Coaster is our first ride recommendation; the four-person canoe will have you racing through the dark inside the astounding volcano with lots of twists and turns! If you’re a fan of heart-stopping rides, the Ko’kiri Body Plunge is perfect, as you stand upon a drop door, ready to plummet 125ft (38m) at a 70-degree angle!

The perfect way to end your first day at the Universal Resort is to head to CityWalk for the finest food and the best entertainment. Open until 2am, you’ll definitely be able to make an evening out of it too!

Day 6 – Sit Back, Relax & Discover International Drive

After an action-packed five days, time spent relaxing at the villa will most definitely be needed! Spend the morning lounging around and splashing in the pool.

Following a relaxed morning, head to International Drive to leisurely spend an afternoon exploring. Home to many weird and wonderful attractions, I-Drive (as it is known locally) is the most dynamic place in Orlando. Spend your time discovering Ripley’s Believe It or Not, known as the strangest place in Orlando, partake in Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf or scout 180 Premium Outlet shops! There are also many restaurants around the area for you to stop by for some lunch or dinner, before heading back to your villa.

Day 7 – Explore Universal Studios

After a more relaxed day, you’ll likely feel rejuvenated and eager to get back to the parks, so we’d suggest visiting Universal Studios, which is not only a theme park, but has also been used as a working studio!

Split into eight areas; Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, Production Central, World Expo, Springfield: Home of the Simpsons and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, the park is home to some incredibly thrilling rides for all the family, based on movies and TV shows.

The most thrilling rides include Revenge of the Mummy; at high speed, you’ll be plunged into complete darkness (it’s not one for the faint-hearted!), and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which starts with a 90-degree climb! The Diagon Alley section of the Wizarding World is a firm favourite, where you can sip on Butterbeer and take a ride on Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, which is the most popular ride at Universal, so we’d recommend trying to head to this one first.

To make the most of your trip, download the Universal Orlando App to access the Virtual Line. For a select few rides at both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, there is the option of placing you and your party into a virtual queue. You can explore more of the park while you ‘wait’!

To finish your day at Universal Studios, we’d suggest ending with a show! The Blue Man Group, which takes place on CityWalk, is a mix of comedy, dance and music all rolled into one, which everyone should try and see once. This show is ticketed separately, so if you’d like to make a visit, we’d recommend booking in advance. Tickets are available to book with us.

Day 8 – Live Out Your Wizard Dreams at Islands of Adventure

The third and final Universal park, Islands of Adventure, is home to many of the favourite Marvel characters, including Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk. This park is also split into eight areas; Marvel Super Hero Island, Port of Entry, Toon Lagoon, Skull Island: Reign of Kong, Jurassic Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, The Lost Continent and Seuss Landing.

The Harry Potter sections of both parks are joined by the Hogwarts Express, connecting Hogsmeade (in Islands of Adventure) with Diagon Alley (in Universal Studios). If you have park hopper tickets, which we’d recommend, there’s the option to travel between the two and ride the famous train! You can also revisit any rides which you may have missed the previous day in Universal Studios.

We’d recommend making Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure your first ride of the day; with Hagrid as your guide you’ll be whisked off into the Forbidden Forest for a truly incredible adventure! Please note, this ride can get extremely busy as it only opened in June 2019!

Our next suggestion (and a ride we’d try to fit in early) would be Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey as it’s another one of the must-visits at Islands of Adventure. Wander through the iconic Hogwarts corridors as you cast your eyes on sets modelled on those used in the movies!

Day 9 – Do Something Different

Although Orlando is renowned for theme parks, there is so much to see and do other than Universal & Disney! On day nine, why not do something different? Spend either the morning or afternoon relaxing in your villa, and fill the remainder of your day with a trip to WonderWorks, or float around in a vintage car at Disney Springs, or visit the Tupperware Museum. Orlando is full of surprising, and unusual, things to do!

After exploring something different, to end yet another wonderful day in the Sunshine State, make the most of your villa and enjoy a barbecue! If your villa doesn’t have a barbecue already, you’re able to hire one for your stay. Watch as the sun sets while you cook your favourite food in Orlando!

Day 10 – Rediscover Magic Kingdom

Disney’s Magic Kingdom, take two! This park has a lot of rides, more than most parks, so we always recommend spending at least two days exploring (if not more!).

On your second visit, enjoy any attractions you may have missed on your first day. Engage in a show full of laughter at Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, get immersed in the tales of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and partake in a scavenger hunt to stop Disney villains taking over the park in Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

You may wish to watch the parade and the Happily Ever After fireworks again (they’re both extraordinary experiences!); however, there is also the option of using these times to jump on your favourite ride. Many will be occupied watching the shows, which tends to mean that ride queues are much shorter!

Day 11 – Uncover Disney Springs

The entertainment available at Disney Springs is world-class. As of August 2019, the NBA Experience has opened; practise your slam dunks and take part in an NBA trivia quiz. Spend an evening catching one of the live shows, whether that’s at Sunshine Highline, The Edison, Marketplace Stage or House of Blues.

Food is a significant part of a holiday to Orlando; with a diverse range of places to eat, Disney Springs is home to many mouth-watering places. Sprinkles, a hugely popular cupcake bakery in the US, is located here, with over 15 delicious cupcakes to devour. Pick up an iconic pretzel from Wetzel’s Pretzels, with both savoury and sweet options! Grab some snacks to enjoy back at your villa!

Day 12 – Lights, Camera, Hollywood Studios!

Adults and kids alike will love Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Split into eight lands; Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Grand Avenue, Commissary Lane, Toy Story Land, Animation Courtyard, An Incredible Celebration and Sunset Boulevard, the park is based on some classic Disney films.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is now open at the park! Home to two new rides, the option of building your own lightsaber and sipping on the famous coloured milk Luke Skywalker drank in the films. This land is already incredibly popular; therefore, we’d recommend exploring here early on in your visit.

Visit a show or two; why not belt out Let It Go in the 30-minute For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration spectacular, before celebrating 90 years of Pixar and Disney as you watch the theatre come alight in the 12-minute Wonderful World of Animation?

Day 13 – Revisit Your Favourite Park!

On your penultimate day in Orlando, we’d recommend revisiting your favourite park! Whether that’s heading back for a third day at Magic Kingdom, exploring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, or taking one last tour through the Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom.

Day 14 – The Final Day

The time of your flight will determine how you spend your last day. If your flight is later on in the day, we’d suggest squeezing in another activity, such as visiting ICON Park or Old Town. Rather than carrying your luggage around on the final day, there are a few options where you can leave your luggage securely, read more in our previous blog.

We hope that this 14-day itinerary has helped inspire your own plan. Adapt our suggested schedule, spend longer in your favourite parks, change up the days or follow it to a T!

Here at Debbie’s Villas, we have an array of tickets on offer. Our recommendation would be the Disney and Universal Combo ticket, which gives you admission to all of the theme parks we’ve included in this itinerary. Once you visit a park, your ticket will be activated from that point for 14 days, allowing you to visit each park however many times you wish within that period!

We have an abundance of villas near Disney World, perfect for a trip of a lifetime. Make your dream holiday become a reality and browse our range of quintessential villas, which are the ideal base for your stay exploring Orlando. If you have any questions or need advice on anything to do with planning a trip to Orlando, get in touch today and we’ll be more than happy to help!