Our 10-night Florida itinerary – Universal, Disney World, Legoland, a basketball match, five hotels, three waterparks and four days by the coast
A trip to Florida can be a once-in-a-lifetime holiday so if you are lucky enough to be going, you need to plan wisely.
There is SO MUCH to see and do that when you first sit down to organise this adventure for your family, it can seem overwhelming.
We’ve just taken our children to Florida – it was their first time in America and very special.
Our trip included Universal, Disney World, Legoland, a basketball match, five hotels (including one dream hotel – more of that later), three waterparks and four days by the coast staying on two of America’s best beaches.
I feel tired just writing all that! But it was manageable thanks to enthusiasm and some down time.
So here is our 10-day itinerary, we hope it inspires you.
Day 1
Travel and settle in at our first hotel
Hotel 1 – Springfield Suites at Marriott Village Orlando.
Springfield Suites
This was a great location – a 20-minute taxi drive to Universal and a free shuttle to Disney World.
The amazing attraction that is Universal Resort Orlando is made up of the theme parks Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure plus the Volcano Bay water park.
This had the edge over Disney World for us especially as three of us are Harry Potter fans. It’s where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is – Diagon Alley is at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is at Islands of Adventure. You can even catch the Hogwarts Express between the two.
Highlight: Our son being chosen by ‘Olivander’ to select a wand for him in the mini-show at Olivander’s Wand Shop.
Widely named the best hotel in Florida, this was a real treat. It is a very luxurious place to stay with such attentive staff, delicious food and sumptuous surroundings.
Best of all, there’s a little water park so it’s a great place to enjoy a more relaxing day amid all the busy parks.
It’s within Disney World grounds and has a free shuttle bus service there.
We had a fabulous day enjoying the five-star surroundings, trying out the water slides and the lazy river, before hitting Disney the next day.
Disney World is one of the reasons that Florida is so popular. There are four parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios plus water parks.
We did a long day here to maximise the value of the expensive tickets. We started at 8am and left Epcot at 8pm. Yes, it was tiring but we saw a lot in one day.
We bought a Park Hopper ticket and started at the iconic Magic Kingdom, leaving after the parade in the afternoon and heading for Epcot. This was a great decision as the Frozen Ever After boat ride there is amazing.
Day 6
Legoland Florida Resort
Now with a hire car, we drove 45 minutes to Legoland.
Legoland Florida
Fantastic for younger ones and without the queues of Universal and Disney World (at least not when we went), this was a slower-paced couple of days in the park and at its water park.
We stayed on site at its Pirate Island Hotel and our favourite part was the Ninjago ride, which we went on four times.
Our room opened out on to the beach and we enjoyed water slides and zip wires and an evening’s magic show.
Day 10
We headed into St Petersburg to enjoy its pier, markets, museums and laid-back harbour vibe and our final lunch overlooking the water before a last beautiful Florida sunset. For more ideas on what to do in Clearwater and St Pete, read our guide to the best attractions for families.
Sunset
Day 11
After pancakes for breakfast, we left for our flight home.
What do you like to do in Florida? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
All you need to know about Marriott Village Orlando and its three hotels SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn and Courtyard Hotel
We stay at Marriott Village Orlando – a great base from which to get to the top Florida attractions of Universal or Disney World.
Name
Marriott Village Orlando
Where is it?
Marriott Village is in the Lake Buena Vista area near Disney World. It’s in a quiet development just off the main International Drive road which runs from Orlando to Disney.
What is it?
A village with three different hotels, SpringHill Suites Orlando, Fairfield Inn Orlando and Courtyard Hotel Orlando.
Each hotel has its own pool with all three available to those staying. There is a shared food court, playground, shops and gym.
If you stay in one of the hotels you can use a free shuttle bus to Disney World.
Is it family friendly?
Yes, very much so. We stayed at SpringHill Suites Orlando which is probably the most family-orientated with large rooms, free breakfast, Disney shuttle and ticket outlet and an outdoor pool with splash pads.
The view from our room
The hotel could do with a slight modernisation on decor and furniture but was excellent value, very practical and a pleasant place to stay.
The rooms
All the rooms are the same and they are a great size with two double beds and a sofa bed if needed.
Our room
There is also a sink, fridge and microwave if you want to make your own food.
Kitchen area
The decor is a little dated and could maybe do with an upgrade in places but with a desk, bathroom with bath and shower, separate sink area and storage cupboard there is loads of room.
Desk in our room
There were also two televisions so our children could have one each and the free WiFi was fast and reliable.
Food and drink
Breakfast is self-serve and can get quite busy. We suggest going early.
The highlight is definitely the Mickey Mouse waffle makers which give you a Mickey-shaped snack to start your day.
Mickey Mouse waffles for breakfast
The queue to use them gets long but it is great fun for children to make their own, under supervision.
There is also plenty of other food with a good range of cereals, yoghurts, fruit, drinks and hot food.
There’s a shared food court area if you want a quick and easy lunch or dinner like pizza and fries. It isn’t a restaurant as such but there is a nice seating area outside if the weather is good and a few stools and tables inside.
The food court
There is a standard menu of family favourites and you can also buy drinks and snacks for your room.
Then there are three restaurants next door within walking distance next to the Marriott Village.
We ate at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse and had a tasty meal with a good children’s menu and an activity pack to keep them entertained.
About a five-minute walk away are five more restaurants including an Italian grill but it means crossing a very busy road which we weren’t too keen to do with young children.
There is also a small store attached to a petrol station for water and snacks.
Nearby
*Disney World is the nearest attractions with a daily shuttle from the hotel. Book as soon as possible the day before to guarantee a place.
The shuttle bus runs between Marriott Village and the Magic Kingdom Transportation Center.
The room size – there is lots of space and having two TVs, plus a fridge and sink gives you options for entertainment and self-catering.
Location – it is in a really nice, quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of Disney or Universal but near enough to get to both quickly.
The pools – being able to use three pools is a bonus. We found the one at SpringHill enough for our needs with a shallow main pool big enough for a proper swim, separate jacuzzi and splash pads for smaller children.
The pool
The play area – a small but well stocked play area with two climbing frames – one for ages two to five and another for six to 12-year-olds.
There is also a basketball hoop, giant chess set and hopscotch.
Marriott Village Orlando information
Address: Marriott Village Orlando, 8623 Vineland Avenue, Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, Florida.
We spend two sumptuous days with our children in one of America’s top luxury hotels fabulously located within Walt Disney World Resort
Name
Four Seasons Resort Orlando.
Where is it?
It is within the grounds of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, US, a short ride from the Disney parks themselves.
What is it?
Four Seasons Resort is one of the top luxury hotels in America – widely considered the best in Orlando with a price tag to match.
The AAA Five Diamond Award property has 443 rooms (68 are suites), fabulous restaurants and a small water park.
The lazy river
Guests staying here are able to get into any of the Disney parks 30 minutes early. And travel there and back by free shuttle bus.
Is it family friendly?
Oh yes, yes, yes. Our children adored this hotel, thoroughly appreciated the luxury and special touches and were thrilled with the water park.
Water slides at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Staff were so good with them. When we checked in, they received a bag containing a scavenger hunt.
This was a great opportunity to explore the hotel and find our bearings while they searched for various points to have their booklets stamped.
And the prize at the end? Free ice cream in a fabulous café/ice cream parlour on site, prettily named Lickety Split.
There’s also a great, free kids’ club for children aged four to 12, with enthusiastic staff and brilliant facilities.
The rooms
Our room was spacious and luxurious. It was a park view room which meant we could watch the Disney fireworks and lights displays from our balcony.
Our spacious room
It had two queen-sized beds, the largest hotel television we’ve ever seen and an iPad for contacting reception, booking restaurants, ordering extra pillows etc.
The big bathroom had two sinks, a bath, separate shower and a large mirror with a television in the centre, a great novelty, plus Bose surround sound.
Bathroom mirror television
There was a very useful changing and wardrobe area with space for luggage between the bedroom and bathroom.
Plus, there was seating, a mini fridge and a present waiting for our daughter on the bed.
Food and drink
There are six places where you can eat at the hotel. We dined at Ravello restaurant, a modern Italian, with exquisite food and helpful, knowledgeable staff who called us by name.
This is also where the delicious buffet breakfast is served and it was lovely to be eating such quality fare.
We also enjoyed a lovely lunch around the pool, a server collects your order and delivers it back to you where you are sitting.
Nearby
The Disney World Parks of Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are just a 10-minute ride away.
Hotel guests can enter the parks 30 minutes early – a huge bonus to be able to start exploring and queuing for the most popular rides when it’s a bit quieter – and travel there and back by free shuttle bus.
Our highlights
*The staff: From the moment we pulled up in our hire car and multiple staff appeared to help with our luggage and park the vehicle, through to those on reception, the concierge service, the Disney desk, those around the pool and the restaurant staff, we have never experienced such diligence and care.
*The Explorer Island water park: you can swim or float on rings along a lovely lazy river which loops around the grounds, there is a small pool off it with a volleyball net and basketball hoops.
There is a big infinity pool, which from a distance, blends into a lake behind it. There are two water slides in a separate area plus a big splash zone.
The main pool
An adults-only pool in a separate area looked especially peaceful and inviting.
*Games and sports: There’s a games room called The Hideout with pool table, games consoles, a tv and more. There are also pool and table tennis tables dotted around in other places along with a basketball court.
The Hideout
*Seating: It is invitingly placed around the pools and is a mixture of sunbeds, cabanas and egg chairs. And there are towels available on tap.
Anything else to note?
We didn’t have time to use them but there’s also three tennis court, a golf course (Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club), a spa with 18 treatment rooms and a fitness centre.
Splash zone
Top tips
*Be sure to check Disney park opening times and shuttle bus times the night before, the timetable comes out every evening. The buses usually run every hour. The Disney desk opposite reception can link your tickets to your resort booking so you can great straight into the theme park in the morning
*On set days, there are Disney character breakfasts at the hotel – The Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and Pals or you could even pay for a private breakfast or private meet and greet character experience with Mickey.
*Ask at reception for the times of Disney fireworks to watch, especially if you have a park-view room.
*This hotel isn’t cheap, rooms can cost up to $2,000 per night. That doesn’t include breakfast ($40 per adult and $20 per child). It is clearly aimed at the top end of the market but you are paying for an exclusive experience. There are no hidden costs here unlike other resorts with no resort fee and no costs for the kids’ club.
Sun lotion and water are freely available
The cheapest meals available on site were from the poolside restaurant with the most expensive at the top floor Capa steakhouse, which has two terraces with views across Disney World.
As it’s so expensive, it’s best to plan your days here when you can use the facilities and enjoy the tranquillity away from the crowds of places like Disney World.
Video
More information
Address
Four Seasons Resort Orlando, 10100 Dream Tree Boulevard, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 32836, USA.
