Travel
/ September 2018

Orlando Vacation Planning Guide

‘If you have been following along my Instagram page youll know we just spent the BEST week in Orlando at Encore Resort. After our first trip to Orlando, just about two years ago, it became one of our favorite vacation spots. Thanks to Spirit airlines, it is a really inexpensive place to visit. We get flights there for under $100/person, and are able to put the money we save towards having a better vacation once we get there.

Since we have visited so many times (and I’m really trying to be better about publishing more travel blogger posts) I thought I’d share an Orlando vacation planning guide. Below you will find all my top places to see when visiting Orlando, information on the best place to stay in Orlando, how and when to plan Disney, favorite Orlando shopping destinations, the best free attractions in Orlando and more!

Orlando Vacation Planning Guide

Where to Stay in Orlando

We absolutely LOVE staying at Encore Resort at Reunion. Encore Resort offers the luxury of a five star resort, and the comfort of your own home. This beautiful community of large homes is situated surrounding a giant waterpark. The waterpark offers fun for the whole family in the slides for adults and kids, splash pad, pool and poolside service. Every home at Encore Resort has its own private pool and spa. You never have to leave the comfort and privacy of your home away from home, for a quick dip in the pool on a hot Orlando day. This was my favorite feature of Encore Resort!

Some other luxurious amenities offered at Encore Resort are:

In home chef services
Free shuttle to Disney
Finn’s Restaurant
A kids club
8+ bedroom homes (our home had 8 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms!!)
Celebrity homes!
A gym
A business center
Restaurant delivery to your home
A cute gift shop
5 minutes to Disney
Spa services
And sooo much more. Read about all the amenities offered here, or book your stay here.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Orlando

You may think that airfare would be the most expensive part of your Orlando vacation, but for us it is always the cheapest! I have already shared an in detail post about how we travel on a budget here, but I had to highlight this again!

Thanks to Spirit, our roundtrip tickets to Orlando only cost about $90/per person. Myy husbands brother and his wife, who joined us coming from Chicago, only paid $70/ticket. The reason we get them this cheap is because we always fly with Spirit. I have flown with so many different airlines, but Spirit is my favorite. Their service is friendly, their planes are new and shiny, and the best part, they always save us money!

Spirit fly’s to Orlando from several different places around the states, check for flights near you here.

Here are a few tips for flying with Spirit:

Print your boarding passes 24 hours in advance!
If you pay for your luggage in advance online it is cheaper.
Bring your own water bottle and snacks on board. One of the ways Spirit saves money so you can get a super cheap tickets is by cutting unnecessary costs – like offering free in flight beverages and snacks. Basically you spend a few extra dollars on your snacks, and save $100’s on your airfare!
Review the baggage sizes, checked bags are a 40lb limit and carry-ons aren’t free. The only free baggage with Spirit is a personal item like a small backpack or purse. This is another way they cut costs to save YOU money on your ticket!

Free Attractions & Places to Visit in Orlando

Orlando is known for Disney World. But there are actually a lot of free attractions in Orlando to keep you and your family entertained during your visit.

Our favorite free attractions include:

Downtown Celebration

This is one of our favorite places to visit near Orlando! We visited Celebration on our first Florida vacation (pictures and details of that trip here) and it has become a tradition every time we go.

Celebration was a town originally started by Disney. It is no longer owned by Disney, but still has that magical feel. Our favorite things there include the splash pad in town center, the ice-cream store, the candy store and driving around the neighborhoods to see the gorgeous mansions!

The Disney Boardwalk

This is another must see place in Orlando. The picturesque Disney Boardwalk surrounds a small lake. There are shops and attractions the entire way around. If you go at night parking is free, and you can watch the fireworks from the boardwalk! Last time we went there was a magician performing on the boardwalk. Our favorite thing to do there (not free) is rent one of the four person + two kid bikes, and bike all the way around the boardwalk.

You can learn more about visiting the Disney Boardwalk in my post about it, here.

Universal CityWalk

This is another fun place to visit in Orlando. At Universal CityWalk parking is free after 6pm. Free activities here include dance parties set to live DJ sets, cooling splash areas for kids, and water taxis that travel between CityWalk and Universal’s theme parks, including Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay.

Disney? Yes or No?

Whether or not you want to do Disney while you are in Orlando depends on what type of vacation you are looking for. Disney is busy, fast paced and fun. If you are hoping for a quiet and relaxing vacation, it probably isn’t the place to go. We did the Magic Kingdom and Epcot on our most recent Orlando trip. Honestly, the days we just stayed home and enjoyed Encore Resort were much more enjoyable! Walking around in 80+ degrees all day long with this giant belly was a lot for me. Don’t get me wrong, I had fun! But probably won’t plan another Disney + pregnant trip. We did Disney 2 out of the 5 days we were there and that was just enough.

Shopping Destinations

We absolutely love visiting Disney Springs while we are in Orlando. Not only does it have amazing shopping, it also offers restaurants, live music, theaters and more. And like everything in Disney, every detail is designed perfectly and with magic in mind. When you are walking through the indoor portion of the walkway between the shops, don’t forget to look up at the amazing chandeliers overhead. There are also absolutely picturesque bridges and boardwalks over ponds, with lights and fountains everywhere! You will find lots of delicious treats at Disney Springs, including to die for cupcakes at Sprinkles, and the international Coca Cola drink platter at the Coca Cola bar!

Time of Year to Visit

What time of year to visit depends on your goals! Are you hoping for the best weather, or the shortest lines at Disney? We have visited in the winter, early spring and late summer. Spring break at Disney was BUSY! The lines were long. Late in September, on the other hand, Magic Kingdom and Epcot had much shorter lines. Because school had started, we never had to wait longer than half hour. Weekdays during the school year are the best time to avoid Disney lines, but may not be the best for weather. My favorite weather in Orlando is when we visit in the spring!