Planning your first trip to Florida can feel overwhelming. There are so many decisions to make that it’s easy to wonder where to start. When should you go? Where should you stay? How do you get the best value?
Having travelled to Florida many times over the past ten years, I’ve learned what works (and what doesn’t!). So, if you’re planning your first Florida holiday, here are my top tips to help you get started.
When is the Best Time to Visit Florida?
The first decision is when you want to travel.
For many families, school holidays dictate the dates. That used to be me too! We often travelled during the May or October half-term holidays and simply took the children out of school for a week. If that’s not an option, I’d recommend looking at the last two weeks of the summer holidays, when the crowds start to ease slightly.
If you’re lucky enough to have complete flexibility, here’s how I would break down each season.
❄️ Winter
Florida stays pleasantly warm throughout winter. One of my favourite times to visit is late November, just after Thanksgiving. The Christmas decorations are up, the parks feel magical and, compared with December, the crowds are generally much more manageable.
🌸 Spring
Spring is another lovely time to visit, but I’d try to avoid the Easter holidays if possible, as they’re one of the busiest periods of the year. If Easter falls in March, I’d look at travelling in April. If Easter is later, then early May can be a fantastic choice before the summer heat really starts to build.
☀️ Summer
If you’re travelling during the summer, I’d recommend late August into early September. Yes, it’s hot and humid, but crowd levels become much more manageable as schools begin to return.
🎃 Autumn
This is my favourite season to visit Florida and the one I’ve experienced the most.The Halloween decorations transform the parks, the weather is close to perfect and events such as Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party make it a really special time to visit. It can still be busy, but if you avoid the school holidays, you’ll find the crowds much easier to manage.
Where Should You Stay?
Once you’ve chosen your travel dates, it’s time to decide where you’ll stay.
There are three main options:
- Disney or Universal on-site hotels
- Hotels around International Drive (I-Drive)
- Private villa rentals
Each has its advantages.
Villa Rentals
Although I haven’t stayed in a villa myself yet, I’ve researched them extensively. They’re ideal for larger families or groups and perfect if you’re planning a more relaxed Florida holiday rather than spending every day in the theme parks. You’ll enjoy plenty of space, privacy and often your own swimming pool. The downside is that you’ll almost certainly need a hire car, and travelling to and from the parks each day takes longer.
International Drive Hotels
We’ve stayed around International Drive during longer holidays when we wanted to explore more than just the Disney parks. These hotels are usually much more affordable than staying on-site and offer a great balance between convenience and value. They’re ideal if you’re planning to visit Universal, Busch Gardens or simply explore more of Florida during your trip.
Staying On-Site
This is where I’ve spent most of my Florida holidays. Over the years I’ve stayed in Disney Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, and on my next trip I’ll finally be trying one of the Value Resorts. I have also stayed at Deluxe and Value Universal resorts. One thing I’ve learned is that there really isn’t a bad Disney resort. Every one has something special to offer, so I’d always recommend choosing the resort that fits your budget rather than worrying about finding the “perfect” one. The biggest advantage is convenience. Being able to use Disney transport, return to your hotel for a break during the hottest part of the day and head back into the parks later makes for a much more relaxing holiday. Done properly, you’ll come home feeling refreshed instead of needing another holiday to recover!
How Should You Book Everything?
Now you’ve decided when you’re travelling and where you’re staying, it’s time to start booking.
Personally, I usually begin planning around 10–11 months before departure. I’ve found this gives me the best choice of flights and accommodation, although my upcoming trip was booked around nine months in advance and still worked out brilliantly.
If You’re Staying in a Villa
I’d look at package holidays with British Airways Holidays or Virgin Atlantic Holidays, combining your flights, accommodation and hire car. A hire car is, in my opinion, essential for a villa stay.For park tickets, if you’re only visiting Disney, I’d book directly with Disney. If you’re planning to visit multiple parks such as Universal and Busch Gardens, I’d compare prices with trusted ticket specialists like AttractionTickets.com and Floridatix to see who has the best offers.
Keep an eye out for sales around Black Friday and again in January, and if possible, try to buy your tickets before the annual price increases that usually happen around March.
If You’re Staying Around International Drive
I’d generally follow the same approach. I’ve even combined a week on International Drive with a Disney stay, booking the flights and International Drive hotel or Universal hotel through the airline while booking the Disney portion separately. British Airways Holidays’ “customise your holiday” option can work really well for this type of trip.
If You’re Staying at Disney
This is usually my preferred option. I normally compare flight prices between British Airways and Virgin Atlantic before booking whichever offers the best value. For Disney hotels and park tickets, I usually book directly through Disney. Interestingly, for my upcoming holiday, Disney actually offered the best overall package, including flights, thanks to a special promotion that I simply couldn’t beat elsewhere. Many people love Disney’s famous Free Dining offers, and we’ve enjoyed them ourselves. However, I’ve found that outside those promotional periods, booking the hotel separately and paying for food as you go can often work out cheaper. I am also a member of the Disney Vacation Club which means that whilst I sometimes stay in deluxe resorts, I am unable to get free dining offers. As always, it’s worth comparing all the available options before booking.
Final Thoughts
Planning your first Florida holiday doesn’t need to be stressful.
Once you’ve broken it down into three simple decisions—when to go, where to stay and how to book—everything starts to become much easier.
This is just the beginning of my Florida planning series. Over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing more tips on budgeting, choosing the right Disney resort, planning park days, saving money and avoiding some of the mistakes I’ve made over the years.
If you’re currently planning your own Florida adventure, I hope this has helped.
Happy planning, and I’ll see you in the next one!
