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Orlando itinerary with kids: 7 days at a pace children can manage
The short answer
A good 7-day Orlando itinerary with kids has four park days, not seven: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, a Universal day and EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, with a pool or Disney Springs day in the middle and a space or beach day at the end. Arrive at each park before it opens, leave for a midday rest at the hotel, and come back in the evening only if everyone still has the energy.
The week at a glance
| Day | Plan | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive, groceries, pool, early night | Gentle |
| 2 | Magic Kingdom | Big |
| 3 | Pool morning, Disney Springs evening | Rest |
| 4 | Animal Kingdom | Big, early finish |
| 5 | Universal | Big |
| 6 | Slow morning, EPCOT or Hollywood Studios | Medium |
| 7 | Kennedy Space Center or the beach | Medium |
Flying home on day 8. If you have fewer days, drop day 6 first, then day 7. If you have more, add another rest day before you add another park.
Before you book
- Tickets. Multi-day theme park tickets cost less per day than single days, so decide how many park days you really want first. Four is plenty for most families with young children.
- Skipping queues. Disney and Universal both sell paid options for shorter waits on some rides. The rules and prices change, so check the current options when you buy tickets, and decide whether you need them for one day or every day.
- Where to stay. Disney's own hotels come with transport to the parks and early entry on some days. Villas and hotels off-site, around Kissimmee and International Drive, are usually cheaper and more spacious, but you'll want a car.
- The weather. Summer is hot and humid, with short, heavy thunderstorms most afternoons. Spring and late autumn are kinder. Whatever the month, plan the big things for the morning.
Day by day
Arrive and settle in
Nothing booked but the journey
- 2:30pmLand at Orlando International
Times on your ticket are local, so this is what the clocks at the airport will say. Allow an hour for immigration if you're arriving from abroad.
- 4:00pmPick up the car, or the transfer
Child seats booked with the car. Collect on the arrival date, not the departure date.
- 5:00pmSupermarket stop
Water, breakfast, snacks for the park bags and sun cream.
- EvePool, pizza, bed
The children will want to go to a park tonight. Don't. Day 2 starts early.
Magic Kingdom
The big one, done in two halves
- 7:45amGet to the gates before opening
The first hour has the shortest queues of the day. Breakfast before you leave.
Rope drop beats any skip-the-line pass - 9:00amFantasyland first
The rides for younger children have the longest queues later. Do them now, while the big kids' rides are quiet too.
- 12:00pmEarly lunch, then back to the hotel
The hottest, busiest hours. A nap and a swim now saves the evening.
- 5:00pmBack for the evening
Shorter queues as day visitors leave. Stay for the fireworks if everyone's up to it; leave before the crowd if not.
A day off
Pool, then Disney Springs
- MornLie-in and the pool
The day that makes the rest of the week work. Nothing booked before lunch.
- 4:00pmDisney Springs
Free to enter: shops, live music, the boats and plenty of places to eat. Good for a gentle evening out.
- 6:00pmDinner, booked
Book a table for the middle of the week so there's one evening you don't have to think about food.
Animal Kingdom
Early start, early finish
- 7:45amAt the gates before opening
The animals are most active in the cool of the morning.
- 8:30amThe safari first
An open-sided truck ride through the savannah, best early on. Then the walking trails while it's still cool.
- 12:30pmLunch and the shows
Sit-down shows in the shade are the best way through the midday heat.
- AftBack to the pool
Animal Kingdom often closes earlier than the other parks, so this is an early night.
Universal
Pick the park for your children's ages
- 8:00amAt the gates before opening
Universal Orlando has Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and the newer Epic Universe, each with its own tickets. The train between the first two needs a ticket that covers both parks.
- 9:00amThe headline rides
Do the most popular first. For under-sevens, Islands of Adventure's Seuss Landing is the gentlest corner.
Check height limits before you queue - 12:30pmLunch, then a break
If you're staying nearby, go back for a swim. If not, find the shade and the shows.
- EveThe rides you missed
Queues often shorten in the last two hours.
Slow morning, then EPCOT
Or Hollywood Studios for Toy Story fans
- MornPool and pancakes
Four big days in, everyone needs a slow start.
- 1:00pmEPCOT in the afternoon
The World Showcase's country pavilions around the lake are made for wandering and snacking. Hollywood Studios suits families who want Toy Story Land and the big rides.
- 6:30pmDinner in a pavilion
Book ahead for the popular ones.
- 9:00pmFireworks over the lake
If the children have napped. If not, there's no shame in going home.
Space, or the sea
A change of scene before you go home
- 8:30amDrive to the coast
Kennedy Space Center's visitor complex is about an hour east of Orlando by car.
- 10:00amKennedy Space Center
Real rockets, a space shuttle and astronaut stories. Check the launch schedule: you might see one.
- 3:00pmCocoa Beach
About half an hour south. Feet in the Atlantic before the drive back.
- EvePack
Check the flight home's date and time tonight, especially if it's an overnight flight.
Tomorrow: fly home. Late flight? Ask for a late check-out, or plan a last swim and a long lunch.
Tips that make the week easier
- Be at the gates before opening, every park day. It's the single biggest difference to how many rides you do.
- Go back to the hotel at midday. It feels like losing time. It isn't: it's how you get a good evening.
- Carry ponchos and a spare set of clothes for the children. Summer storms are short, heavy and frequent, and water rides soak.
- Refill water bottles all day. Heat catches children out faster than adults.
- Write the park opening times into the plan the evening before. They change by season and by day.
Questions people ask
How many days do you need in Orlando with kids?
Seven days gives you four park days with rest days between them, which suits most families with young children. Five days works for three parks; ten lets you add Universal's second park or a water park without rushing.
What is the best order to do the Disney parks?
Many families start with Magic Kingdom while excitement is highest, put Animal Kingdom early in the week for its early-morning animals, and keep EPCOT or Hollywood Studios for later. Rest days between big park days matter more than the exact order.
Should we take a midday break at Disney World?
Yes, especially with young children or in summer. Leave around noon, rest or swim at the hotel through the hottest, busiest hours, and come back in the late afternoon when queues often ease.
Do you need a car in Orlando?
If you stay at a Disney hotel, its transport covers the Disney parks and you may not need one. Staying off-site, or visiting Universal, Kennedy Space Center or the beach, a car is much easier.
Is Universal or Disney better for young kids?
Disney's parks have more for under-sevens overall. Universal's Islands of Adventure has Seuss Landing for younger children, while much of Universal suits older children and teens. Check height requirements before you choose.
