As a mom, and now as a grandma, I've been to the big Orlando theme parks 20+ times. And along the way, I've learned a few things about what you need (and what you don't need) when taking a vacation to the Disney and/or Universal parks in Florida.
As a mom, and now as a grandma, I have been to all the big theme parks in Orlando more than 20 times.
I have taken on the theme parks with babies, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary-aged kids, preteens and teens. I have even gone with our adult children and their spouses; we've taken our teens close friends. From 9 months old to about to graduate from college, our kids have been to Disney and Universal and SeaWorld many, many times. And now we are enjoying trips to sunny Orlando with our grandchildren.
Some years I drove the entire 1,397 miles each way (honestly, when we had so-much-stuff to take for longer stays in Florida, driving was a must-do for our large family...especially when we traveled with our dogs). Other years, I have flown. In fact, we have flown to both major airports near Orlando (Orlando International and Sanford International).
Our family has used military benefits for some aspects of our vacations, and we have paid "non-service member" prices for other aspects.
We have packed all our lunches, and we have eaten all our meals in the parks.
We have park-hopped to as many as three parks in one day, and we have done half a day in a park and called it good.
We have had car problems on the drive, come down with the flu mid-trip, and have tried to calm a very unhappy toddler on a flight that lasted way-too-long.
We have stayed at dozens of locations in the Orlando / Kissimmee area. And we have opted not to stay at a couple of places once we saw the state of the rental property. Check-in and check-out happened at lightning speed on at least one occasion. And we have even paid full price for a second resort because the one we booked online was not, ahem, hygienic.
And these are a few things our family has found trip-worthy on our many adventures in Orlando.
#1 - You need good shoes for walking...and walking...and walking. (We have walked up to 15 miles in one day - and your feet will not be happy if you don't have good footwear.) Flip-flops are not a good choice. And brand-new walking shoes may not be the best option, either. Break them in a bit first. If you are going to be in a park where you are likely to get wet (SeaWorld and Universal's Islands of Adventure), consider shoes that are made for walking and getting wet, like Keen Sandals. Yes, they are a bit pricey for sandals, and they aren't the most attractive shoe - but they last forever (I still have and wear my original pair of Keens that I purchased nearly 15 years ago and they are hands-down my favorite shoe to wear for long days in the parks, even on days when there is zero chance I will get wet. Comfort is king when it comes to Orlando theme parks. So buy good shoes. (Keen - Skechers - Adidas - women's shoes I recommend).
#2 - Use a blister prevention glide-on stick because, again, all that walking takes a toll. Similar looking to a deodorant bottle, the glide-on anti-friction balm is something we have used on almost every trip theme parks...and when we forget to apply it to our feet, we end up with blisters. Especially if your feet get wet and you are wearing sneakers and socks (and there are regular sudden downpours in Orlando that can soak you to the bone in a matter of minutes). There are also anti-friction balms that help if you have bigger thighs or your shorts / pants tend to bunch up. Here are a couple of ones we have used: Foot Glide - Blister Blocker - Anti-Chafe Balm - Gold Bond Friction Defense.
#3 - If you go to Disney in the spring, summer or fall, you will sweat. These items help for those hot days in sunny Florida. I prefer loose and flowy tank tops and underneath I wear a tube top bandeau strapless bra - this is my preferred option because it stays in place very well, does not make me any sweatier than the Orlando sun and humidity already do, and it doesn't look awkward if some of it peeks out via the arm holes or back side of the tank top. I've only purchased these once and they have lasted for well over a decade. A rechargeable neck fan for the kids is nice to have, like this one or a stroller fan that has a misting option, like this one. And for adults, these options for fans are good, too: Clip-On Fan - Adult Neck Fan.
#4 - A good crossbody that is lightweight makes a huge difference over the course of a week or more of theme park adventuring. LeSportSac has been my personal go-to for decades. They wear well with lots of use and are comfortable to carry for hours at a time. Here's a link to the style I use on Amazon, to give you an idea of what works best for Disney and Universal.
#5 - Whether we drive or fly from Kansas to Florida, it seems as if the opportunity to get sick always prevents itself. So, for a couple of days before I travel, in addition to when I am in Florida, I mix two packets of Kidz EmergenC Crystals with 1/2 cup of pineapple juice and 3/4 cup of water once a day. I find that this helps me not to get sick. Sometimes I drink this daily for a few days after we get home from our trip, too. The old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is true to large extent. I also pack some electrolyte mix, because of the heat and the sweating and the walking. LMNT and Liquid I.V. are my usual choices.
#6 - If you go to Orlando during the summer months, you may get hit by rain. Here are a couple of things we pack in order to be prepped for those rainy days. Ponchos are lightweight and do a pretty good job of keeping you dry in the midst of a wildly sudden and soaking Florida downpour. A lightweight umbrella is easy to find in most of the gift shops in the parks, but it is going to be cheaper to buy one ahead of time and bring it along on days when rain is in the forecast. And we have used shoe covers at times, too - they do work well to keep your socks and shoes dry when trudging along in a rainstorm (and some of my children preferred this option to wearing Keens... so it's just one more option for you to keep in mind!). Children's ponchos - Multi-pack of all sized ponchos - Adult ponchos - Shoe covers - Another shoe cover option - And here's a link to affordable, lightweight drawstring backpacks to carry the ponchos in (or we tuck them in the bottom of the stroller, but the waterproof bag is useful for so many things on these trips).
The last thing I'd like to recommend to you for a Disney / Universal / SeaWorld trip is a simple reminder to take a lot of pictures. It costs you nothing but a few moments here and there, and sometimes the random, non-posed pics are the best ones you'll snap of your loved ones. The memories of these vacations are what we have when the trip has ended, and they are what we revisit as a family when we reminisce about our now-grown kids' childhoods. So, take all the pics. Use the phone for that purpose on your Disney trip, rather than doom-scrolling or checking your work email inbox.
I'll wrap things up with a couple of specific tidbits for each park:
~ SeaWorld is its own beast among Orlando theme parks. It gets really hot there, probably due to all the greenery in that park (Disney's Animal Kingdom is a scorcher, too, for the same reason). Stay hydrated. As in, far more hydrated than you think you need to be. Purchase a refill cup and get ice water all-day-long. Wear sunscreen - we usually burn in this park, even if we haven't gotten so much as a red nose at the other parks. And keep moving at a steady pace; SeaWorld is very spread out, and there is a wooden bridge over the water that gets crazy-hot and feels like it goes on forever. If you have little ones, try to go to this park on the coolest, least humid day of your trip. Also, catching a show and taking a break in some shade is a great way to recharge and reset before going back out into the heat.
~ Universal's Epic Universe is beyond busy all the time. As a new park with Nintendo Land as its biggest draw, you can expect to wait in very long lines and ride very few rides. The park itself is beautiful and there are some good food options, too. But when you enter Nintendo Land... well, it's a bit of a madhouse. Just an FYI!
~ Universal Studios Orlando is undergoing renovations as of spring 2026 and may not have as many rides open as you might expect. However, Universal works quickly on refurbishes and new rides, so check their website or their app to know what's running and what's not. It's a fun park that is easy to navigate and leaves our family the least tired of all the parks we go to. Good food and coffee options, ride options for all ages, and a good place to spend a more "chill" day in Orlando.
~ Universal Studios Islands of Adventure is busy in the summer and during spring break season, because it has some amazing thrill rides that draw kids, teens and adults. Lines for rides like VelociCoaster and Hagrid's are usually long, but worth waiting for. The Suess Land is great for younger kids, and the Marvel rides are a lot of fun. There are a couple of water rides that are worth getting soaked for (and you will get soaked!). And the Jurassic Park area is always a hit for our family. Parking for Islands is connected to parking for Universal Studios (and Epic Universe is at a different location, so the parking garage for these two parks is not where you park for Epic Universe).
~ Disney's Animal Kingdom does indeed get plenty warm in the summer months, as I mentioned earlier. It also is not a park our family has ever spent an entire day at; we tend to do what we want to do early in the day and then relax at the resort pool or park hop to another Disney park. As of spring 2026, some of the rides are in transition and that means the lines for rides like Expedition Everest and the Avatar ride will be long. The Lion King Show is great, but it does fill up for every single show, so don't plan on walking in to see it at the last minute.
~ Disney's EPCOT park is one that has grown on us over the years. They have added some terrific rides to this park, like Guardians of the Galaxy and Ratatouille's Adventure. The food options are the best you'll find (we love grabbing a cheese plate in France, a great cup of coffee at Joffrey's, and a mango slushie on those hot summer days). If you need a break from the heat, the Hall of President's in America has the most amazing AC I've ever encountered (and the bathrooms in America are great, too). Plenty to do in this park, and there are things that will entertain youngsters and teens and adults alike. Check out their seasonal events to see if anything special is going on during the dates of your trip.
~ Disney's Magic Kingdom is always busy. Period. The character breakfasts allow you to be in the park a bit before opening, if you can get a reservation. But that won't be a way to beat the crowds throughout the day. The Lightning Lane options are helpful, and you can buy those in the My Disney Experience app once you've purchased your park tickets and set those up in the app. But the Lightning Lane is really only worth the money if you can set up your selections a couple of days in advance (meaning, choose the first 3 rides available with your Lightning Lane pass two or so days before you go to that park...otherwise, the availability ends up being filled completely, and you won't get much use out of the pass; since you pay for Lightning Lane ON TOP OF your park ticket, only buy it if you can make the most of it). But it is Magic Kingdom, and as my husband used to say when our kids were very young, if you make up your mind that the day in Magic Kingdom is a success if you get to ride ONE ride, then you won't find yourself getting frustrated by the crowds. And that, my friend, is really good advice. If it's going to bother you that you spent a lot of money and didn't get to ride a lot of rides, then Magic Kingdom may not be a great experience for you. Just something to keep in mind!
~Disney's Hollywood Studios is a must for so many Disney vacationers. The Toy Story Land experience is really amazing. Really, it's fantastic seeing your little ones light up as they enter that part of the park. The characters are so good with the kids, and even though it is always crowded, it is also always a lot of fun. The Star Wars area is also fantastic. You literally walk into another world, and that's exactly how Disney wants you to feel. There are some great shows at Hollywood, too, like Beauty and the Beast and Indiana Jones. Thrill rides like the Hollywood Tower of Terror make the park a good option for all ages. We never miss out on this park during our trips. Also, if you have a Park Hopper ticket, you can take the ferry or the Disney Skyliner to go from Hollywood to Epcot. These are accessible near the rear of the park, close to France and the United Kingdom if you are in Epcot, and if you are in Hollywood, access to both of those is to the north of the parking lot, just outside the park entrance.
And lastly, if you are a military family, even if you are retired, there are some amazing deals that Universal, SeaWorld and Disney make available to you. For info on that, visit your ITT office, or search "Military" on the websites for each park, or visit Shades of Green (Disney's military resort and golf course located near Magic Kingdom). I'll add some links for info. But when it comes to Epic Universe and military tickets, the price will vary day to day, and it is sold as an add-on to your ticket to their other parks and you need to buy those tickets at Guest Services at Epic Universe. I recommend stopping by there in the evening, when parking will be free, and getting that all taken care of. It takes a minute to set up those tickets, as they need to verify the armed forces service member's information and they will need the DOB for every ticket holder. The lines at Guest Services are very long in the morning when Epic Universe opens, so doing this at an earlier time really is the only good option in order to maximize your time in the park. And for lodging options, you may want to check out the Armed Forces Vacation Club site. Also, Allegiant has some great military benefits with their flights. Now, here are some military info links: Shades of Green / Armed Forces Vacation Club / Walt Disney World Military Ticket Info / SeaWorld Military Ticket Info / Universal Studios Military Ticket Info. / Allegiant Air Military Info
Those are all my tips for trips to the Orlando theme parks for now - but drop a comment if you have any questions!
Happy Vacationing!
Jan L. Burt
Comments
Post a Comment