We travel a lot, we are truly blessed, but I must admit spending just over 2 weeks in Orlando, Florida at the end of Christmas 2024, start of January 2025 was by far the best 16 days we all spent together as a family on holidays. It’s not a cheap holiday; but I promise, if you ever get to go, you will not be disappointed.
I’m going to discuss the various activities we did, our accommodations and will, at the end of this article, detail the cost of it all so we can really see what a 2-week family of 6 trip to Orlando costs after Christmas. For context, we are a family of 6 consisting of my good self, my hubby John, Colum (14) Sadie (12), Arden (8) and Riley (3).
Press Trip
Part of this trip was work and part was personal so several of the activities were given to me in exchange for social media coverage and this article. For clarity purposes, I’ll list as I go the parts that were a press visit.
Travel Agent
I did try to book this by myself but it got to the stage that my head was fried so I called the wonderful Katrina in Keller Travel in Galway and between us we found exactly what we wanted. Katrina helped me secure flights at a great price, a fabulous car and booked my additional nights for me in Universal’s Endless Summer Resort- Surfside. I highly recommend Katrina. You can email her on [email protected] or give the office a buzz on 090 964 2131.
Flights
You can go directly with Aer Lingus to Orlando (MCO) from Dublin, and this would have been the ideal situation with four kids, but it was coming in thousands over budget, so we opted to do one stop each way. Katrina found us a great deal, going via New York (JFK) with Delta Airlines and the same return journey applied.
- Outbound flight- We left Dublin at 10.30am on December 26. This meant leaving Tipperary, where we live at 4am. That was difficult because I didn’t sleep a wink with the fear I’d sleep through the alarm. The airport was pretty quiet so we flew through the check-in process with Delta. I must say the ground staff were wonderfully helpful and kindly took our six x hand-luggage from us (such a win) and they were able to check us in for both the NYC-bound flight and the NYC to Orlando flight, ensuring that most of the family were near each other. John scored on the Dublin to JFK flight – he got a seat alone in the 30’s and I was below in the 40’s with the kids. To be fair the flight was a dream. The kids were entertained with the in-flight entertainment and the food and Riley (our 3 year old) slept for over half of it. I bought a fantastic hammock bed (see amazon link below) that ensured he could stretch out.
When we arrived at JFK it was just above freezing but we never got to experience any outside temperatures. We came from the plane (via the tunnel) into a terminal and we waited here for three hours until it was time to board our next plane to Orlando. We did have the option of doing a 1.5 hour layover but I didn’t want to risk missing the flight to Florida. In hindsight, three hours was too long but we had time to stretch our legs, let the kids run around and grab some food (Shake Shack).
We eventually got on our second flight to Orlando and three hours later we reached our final destination. I must admit this was the toughest one- I was beyond wrecked, (lack of sleep didn’t help) and Arden’s ears were at him for the descent. There were screens on this internal flight also BUT the inflight entertainment system wasn’t working so it did feel slightly long.
- Inbound flight home- On Saturday, January 11 at about 11.30am we left our hotel and set off on the journey back to Dublin again with Delta via JFK. Our flight departed Orlando (MCO) at 3.30pm, got us to New York where we again had Shake Shack, had a two-hour layover this time and spent the final leg of our journey travelling across the Atlantic back to Ireland, where we landed in Dublin at 9.30am Sunday morning. Our plane was 85 minutes late taking off (brake issues) but the crew were fantastic and invited us up to the cockpit to meet the pilots and see how it all worked. I found this leg of the journey super easy.
Car Parking at Dublin Airport
I had been asked in the past to work with Exemplar Automotive Experience so this was the ideal journey to avail of their services. After a quick chat over Instagram to confirm, I signed up on their website and booked to have them take care of our car from Dec 26th to January 12th. We met our lovely concierge, Costa, at the departures drop off area, I handed him over our keys and off he went to park the car at their off-site depot for the 16 days. This service is AMAZING. If we were to park (like we always do for a big trip) in the Blue car park it would have added another hour or so on to our journey so we were very grateful for this collaboration. Cost is below but it was more expensive than parking in the economy car parks but cheaper than choosing the short-term car park so I’ll definitely be using them again. For comparison, the Blue long-term car park came in at €220, and the airports short-term car park was €475.
Costa was there when we arrived back to Ireland 16 days later with the car ready to just jump into. I really appreciated this after our long journey.
This was a press collaboration/ad
CODE- if you do use their service use code GWK10 for an additional 10% off your booking.
www.exemplar.ie
Car Hire
As mentioned above Katrina from Keller Travel arranged the car for us with full insurance. The car company was Dollar and we were very lucky when we arrived in MCO Orlando because the Hertz and Avis desks were 30/40 people deep but Dollar was practically empty so we only had a 15/20 minute interaction to get us set up and out the door. We had a fabulous Chrysler Pacifica 7 seater, with captain seats and the whole bells and whistles. It was so spacious. The Dollar desk was inside the terminal and we just had to cross the road to collect the car.
Toll Pass
We had been advised by a friend to get the Sun Pass (think of it like an e-flow tag in Ireland) and that we did. John signed us up online beforehand but before we collected our car he trotted off to a machine inside the terminal near the car hire desks to finish the booking and collect the pass. I would highly recommend this so you don’t have to be queuing at each toll you come across trying to pay. We didn’t have to think about tolls for the rest of the trip and there are a good few throughout Orlando. www.sunpass.com
Accommodations
- Air B and B
For the first 4 nights, I booked us an Air B and B in the Four Corners resort so we could get ourselves settled and have enough space to acclimatise to our new time zone. It was a fabulous home and in great condition (you can see the tour of the home on Instagram) but in hindsight, I would skip the home and go straight to the hotel (unless I was with a group or extended family). It was fabulous and we had access to the resort pool (only used once over the weather being only ok) but I felt like I was cleaning a big house, and tidying it a lot and nagging at the kids to keep their rooms tidy so if I go again it will be straight to the hotel suite for us (despite it being a much smaller living space.) The link to the house we stayed in is on my Instagram feed.
- Universal Endless Summer Resort- Surfside
Now this stole my heart. First off we spent the first four days here as part of a press collaboration with our pals in Universal (a massive thanks to Kevin and Matt who I drove mad for a few years about this trip). I was then due to stay an additional two days at my own expense and move on to another house for the final six days but while going back to forth with Katrina in Keller Travel before Christmas (literally the week before) I changed my mind and we stayed an additional eight days (so 12 in total) at Endless Summer Resort and lads, it was the best decision I ever made.
The Family Suite
First off Katrina got us a savage deal (prices below) and secondly, we really really fell in love with the resort. It’s budget friendly but the décor (beachy vibes) is fabulous, so modern and clean and the room (suite) was everything we could have hoped for. I was concerned about moving from a big house to a small hotel room but as mentioned above it was the right decision. We had 2 x double beds for the kids and a little kitchenette with a bench in the main living space, a double sink off that and a toilet, bath (and shower in the bath) and John and I had our own bedroom off the main living space. The beds were super quality for the price we paid and we had a pool (and lake) view which was so pretty to wake up to every morning. The room was decorated like a surfers paradise and it had a microwave, fridge, tea and coffee maker and every day housekeeping would put in disposable knives, forks, and plates so when we got take away (UberEATS) a few of the evenings we had everything we needed. It also had a hair dryer attached to the wall beside the sinks and they provide shower gel, shampoos etc also.
The Downstairs
The lobby had a Starbucks that was open early until late, a fabulous seating area, a Beach Café where you can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and grab snack throughout the day and there was plenty of seats in the dining room. There was also a gym (which I used a few times when I woke early) and a games room (which we never used actually). Behind reception, they also had a fully stocked shop with mainly Universal memorably (which can be expensive).
The Pool
The pool being open all day and late into the evening was fantastic. An abundance of sun loungers, a lifeguard on duty all of the time, plenty of life jackets for the kids and toys to play with. Our lads used the pool about 50% of the time when the weather allowed and we weren’t out late at the parks. The pool is heated, so temperatures were never really an issue.
Other amenities
There is also a laundry on floors 4 and 7 (just past the ice-machines when you find them) with keycard access. It was $3 for a wash and $3 for the dryer if I can remember correctly. It was also a dollar for the powder. I did 3 washes while we there for the 12 days.
Universal Shuttle
There is also a fine-sized car park so you won’t be stuck for a space at any point in time. The cost to park your car is $19 a night plus tax. They have a free shuttle then going to Universal Studios every 10 minutes (when we were there it went from 7am to 1am) and we used this most of the time.
Across the road, there is a Walgreens (ideal for snacks and medicine) and an IHOP for breakfast. The Hotel is located on International Drive so if you walk up or down you’ll find plenty of other restaurants and shops – pretty scattered around- but you won’t need anything you can’t find there. There is also a few crazy golf places nearby (one next door to the hotel too).
We really loved Surfside and have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending it to you. Someone did message me to ask about the noise between rooms (she had read online it can be noisy) but we heard nothing on either side so our experience was very special. Press- 4 of these days were press stays and the remining 8 were paid for by us.
Christmas in Orlando
Although we went to Orlando the day after Christmas (and by the way I wouldn’t hesitate to go for Christmas the next time) it really was lovely to experience that Christmas feeling in the sun. The shops and theme parks were all blasting out Christmas tunes (by Jan 10th I was nearly getting sick of it) and the decorations were in abundance. Even when we landed at our Air B and B the homes around us were all decorated. But the most magical of it all was our trip to the town of Celebration which went all out for the holidays (as they call it in USA). Now it was only a 20 minute car journey from where we were staying but the first week in Orlando the traffic was pretty hectic (it was gridlock a lot but we didn’t mind at all- we were in go slow mode after all) so it took us double that to get there and home.
The town of Celebration, situated on a beautiful lake, felt like walking into a Hallmark movie. Now you should visit this little beauty at any point in your trip but Christmas was definitely magical. At 6pm each evening they had snow fall, on the hour, every hour. They also had Santa, a horse and carriage ride and an ice skating rink and lots more Christmas bits and pieces. We really loved it here and will certainly visit again.
Shopping
Oh guys, the shopping!!! The Outlets in particular. There are sales and then there are sales. Now of course our Euro was nearly 1:1 on the Dollar but the outlets prices (discounted about 40% on shop prices) had an additional 50% in most shops so there were bargains to be had. We went to two of the outlets nearby – all about 15-20 minutes from where we were staying in both places. Orlando Premium Outlet International Drive and Orlando Premium Outlet Vineland were just fabulous. Put it this way we ended up buying two large suitcases there and we all got lots of bargains. We also took several trips to Target and Walmart and got other bits and pieces here too. Sadie found a Sephora and may have done some damage there also. It was worth it alone for the shopping. All shops took Revolut and most (except Walmart) accepted tap so it was super easy. We did take some cash also.
Dezerland
Dezerland Park Orlando is a fantastic entertainment facility on International Drive. As well as Go Karting (which the older kids did) and food options, Dezerland is famous for being home to Orlando’s Auto Museum. I was pleasantly surprised to see the vastness of this place. I kind of thought we would be in and out in about 20 minutes but when you see the depth of the museum, you’ll understand why we spent nearly two hours exploring over 2000 classic, luxury and exotic cards, valued at $20 million and spread out over 20 different themed rooms.
We especially loved the Batcave and Bond Museum. We saw lots of cool vintage Corvettes and Lamborghinis, along with rare cars from various eras. Each display has detailed information about each car’s history and specifications. We had lots of fun taking pictures with our own personal favourites. The kids couldn’t believe that they got up close and personal with the Batman cars and the Ghostbuster car. A huge amount of the cars are the actual machines that featured in the various movies, and some are replicas.
This is well worth a visit when you’re having some downtime from the parks.
www.dezerlandpark.com
This was a press visit/ad
Kennedy Space Center
Let me tell you, Kennedy Space Center was such a fantastic experience! Located on Merritt Island, about an hour and 20 minutes from Universal Summer Resort, the Space Center turned out to be the perfect day trip from the theme parks.
Riley (3), in particular, was walking around amazed for the day and hasn’t stopped talking about it since we’ve come home.
Pulling into the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, we were greeted by a huge rocket towering above—an incredible first impression! Now the day was freezing (3-4 degrees so we were quick to get indoors and to be fair most of the exhibits are indoors). There is also a Starbucks on site so we grabbed some beverages to warm up when we arrived.
First up was Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex where we were blown away by all the space technologies that we saw in front of us and how their ambitious goals of NASA’s Artemis program is all laid out in front of our eyes.
We then went upstairs to Spaceport KSC where we did an interactive ride to Space (Riley just about made it on, and was slightly scared- but he know firmly believes he has been to space)
Then we continued our adventure by visiting the Heroes and Legends exhibit. It was inspiring to learn about the men and women who shaped the space exploration journey. The stories of astronauts and mission control operators were so engaging, and I loved how they made the exhibits interactive. We could wander through a gallery of space artefacts that felt like they were pulled straight out of a sci-fi movie.
We pottered around here for about an hour and then headed over to get a bus to our next destination in Kennedy Space Center. This was the best part, hands down; our experience in the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit. Walking through the entrance was like stepping into another world! The massive shuttle suspended above us was stunning. You could see all the details and get up close to the impressive vehicle that once soared into space. The exhibit had so many interactive components that the kids were busy all afternoon.
We spent some time in the Firing Room and relived the launch of Apollo 8 as history unfolded when the first Saturn V mission blasted into space.
Afterwards, we needed a little refuel, so we grabbed some lunch at the Orbit Café. The food was pretty decent (about $100 for 6 of us).
We also trained like an astronaut and one of the highlights for the kids was definitely the space simulator inside Space Shuttle Atlantis. They experienced a simulated shuttle launch, and WOW! I didn’t do it (vertigo) but the kids said it was “epic.”
They have a super fun space Planet Play room that I took Riley too for a while for some downtime where he ran himself to sleep. It spans out over three floors. Plenty of seating for the adults; a must for the smaller kids for sure.
We also had the chance to meet an astronaut- yes a real life astronaut – Julie Payette, a Canadian engineer who went to Space in 2017 and 2021! We got to ask some cool questions and take some pictures; it was such a unique opportunity to interact with someone who has actually been to space. Julie was super friendly and made the event feel personal and relatable.
Before wrapping up our day, we wandered through the Rocket Garden, which is like a mini museum outdoors. Tall, impressive rockets were lined up, each telling a different story from the history of space flight. Walking among them, I felt a rush of excitement thinking about all the adventures that had taken place before us.
As we made our way back to the car, I couldn’t stop smiling. The whole experience was surreal—from the thrilling simulator rides to the inspiring exhibits. Kennedy Space Center definitely left a mark on us. It wasn’t just a day spent learning; it was about feeling that sense of wonder and possibility. www.kennedyspacecenter.com/
This was a press visit/ad
Discovery Cove
Another wonderful day trip we did- and it was again only a 20-mintue spin in the car from our accommodations-was Discovery Cove. Discovery Cove is probably best known for its wonderful dolphin experiences but there is so much more to discover here including a 5,280 foot lazy river, lots of mini beaches, swimming with sting rays and fish, encounters with sharks, flamingos and so much more. But the definite highlight for sure was the chance to get up close and personal with those beautiful dolphin creatures.
We were invited by the PR team to experience Discovery Cove so not only did they give us entry for the family, they also give us a private VIP cabana which was beyond lush. There were two sunbeds, a hammock, a fridge stocked with minerals (and wine was also freely available) snacks, and our personal concierge Josie who looked after us all day. It even overlooked one of the dolphin pools.
Included in your entrance ticket is breakfast and lunch and snacks throughout the day including pizza and drinks, ice cream and so much more. Our bellies were full from morning till evening. Breakfast and lunch were buffets so we could go back for more if we wanted. The food was decent and the kids were back up for extra pizzas and burgers when they felt peckish.
But, as mentioned, the highlight was swimming with the dolphins. Riley (3) was too small to do the experience (6+) but the rest of us got to fully experience it and it was magical. We spent approximately 45 minute in the water (they provide wet suits and animal friendly sun cream) and in that time we got to learn all about the species, got to interact and touch the dolphins and at the end do a little swim with them. It was a terrific experience and one we will never forget.
Riley and I also took a walk over to the Swimming with Shark experience, and we watched as people got up close and person with them- I mean there is a grill separating humans from the sharks but we enjoyed looking at the whole experience. www.discoverycove.com/
This was a press visit.
Orlando Magic MBA Game
I’ve two basketball-obsessed teens so when I was offered tickets to an NBA game I jumped at the chance. We were lucky enough to see local team Orlando Magic (remember when Shaquille O’Neal played for them- well I do when I was a teen) v Timber Wolves.
Oh my Lord, the atmosphere was thrilling. Just like you see in the movies. From start to finish the energy was electrifying. It’s not just a game, it’s a full 3 hours of entertainment. In between an absolutely powerful game (that Orlando Magic lost unfortunately) was cheerleaders, mascots, kiss cams, games and music. We were on a high from the whole things and I would most certainly go to another game again if we return to Orlando.
There is a number of shops selling merchandise, so Colum got a pair of shorts and a jersey – $150 with tax- and the other kids got keyrings. Food was aplenty; it would have been rude not to have eaten our way through the whole thing!
I would highly recommend catching a game- it’s not cheap but something to save for if you or the kids like the sport and a bit of high-energy entertainment. www.nba.com/magic/
This was a press visit.
Universal Orlando
We started our park adventures with four wonderful, full filled days at UniversalStudios. There are two theme parks (and one water park- Volcano Bay which was closed for most of the time we were there due to cooler temperatures). Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. We worked with the team in Orlando for this part of the trip and we received our tickets and fast passes (if you can afford them GET THEM) in exchange for social media exposure and this article.
I have listed the heights of all rides so you can see what my kids could and couldn’t go on (or simply wouldn’t!) If there are no height restrictions mentioned it means anyone can ride, babies included.
Universal Studios Orlando is like a big movie magic park. I felt like I was on a movie set the entire time, meeting movie characters, and getting to be a part of the magic. We explored different areas like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (where the kids drank butterbeer and flew on a broomstick), Springfield (the fictional town from The Simpsons, where you can grab a Duff Beer and eat at Moe’s Tavern) and many other themed areas like New York City, San Francisco, and Hollywood Boulevard.
This was my favourite park of the two and we spent more time here than Islands of Adventure.
Diagon Alley is part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando, and it’s super cool! When you step into Diagon Alley, you feel like you’ve walked right into the Harry Potter movies. It was pure magic. Gringotts Dragon came to life every five minutes, breathing fire and exploding roars at us and it was fantastic, although Riley was a little bit apprehensive of him.
The kids rode the Escape from Gringotts(42 inches or taller), located inside Gringotts Bank, a number of times- they LOVED it. Myself and Riley visited Ollivanders wand shop, Riley wanted every wand in the place – we didn’t purchase. They were $65 but they are interactive wands that you can use both here in Diagon Alley and over in Islands of Adventure’s Hogsmeade so kids really loved them. We also visited Weasley’s Wizard Sheezes joke shop that had all kinds of funny and quirky prank items. We had a late breakfast in the Leaky Cauldron and here you can get Butterbeer as part of your meal deal.
There are also street performers, live shows, and other surprises that make you feel like you’re really in the wizarding world. Plus, the details on the buildings and shops are just incredible. Set aside 2-3 hours just to experience it all. We went back twice.
Dreamworks land was also great fun. I mean, who doesn’t love Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar? The theming is seriously on point. We did a few rides here but the kids’ favourite was the Trolls Rollercoaster (36 inches) for sure. Riley enjoyed the big Poppy’s Playground where he climbed for nearly an hour. Make sure to pop into the Far Far Away Candy Shop for, well.. candy!
I think Hollywood land stole my heart. They’ve recreated the energy and glamour of Hollywood from the 30s, 40s and 40s! Meeting Betty Boop was a big highlight! You can see the Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills depicted not-so-subtly throughout this land. My favourite ride was E.T. Adventure (34 inches) Colum’s was the Bourne Stuntacular and Arden adored the Horror Make Up Show (comedy). We had lunch in Mel’s Drive In diner and enjoyed the movie music throughout the park.
The smaller kids probably most enjoyed Minion Land where we got to go on Despicable Me (40 inches), Minion Mayhem and Illuminations Villain Con Minion Blast. Here we also got to meet some of the Sing characters and Gru outside the Illumination Theatre.
After living in New York for nine years, I was very excited to visit the New York land and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The Jimmy Fallon, Race Through New York (40 inches) ride was great fun but as much as I tried to convince the older kids to try Revenge of the Mummy (48 inches), and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (51 inches) they wouldn’t but they loved the Transformer 3D ride (40 inches) so much they went on again and again.
The San Francisco area had a slightly more chilled vibe and the kids enjoyed Fast and the Furious (40 inches) a few times. There is also some fantastic eateries in this section but definitely try out the San Francisco Candy Factory.
Another land we spent a long time in and went back again and again was Springfield, Home of the Simpsons. The Simpsons Ride (40 inches) was great fun and Riley enjoyed the Kang and Kodos Twirl n Hurl. I also spent a fortune here on game – where they won lots of teddys, that all had to come home to Ireland with us by the way!!!
And lastly, we really enjoyed the Men in Black ride (42 inches) in the World Expo section. We did the child swap option as Riley was too small to go on it. If both parents want to experience a ride but a child can’t go on, them the first parent and other children can go on, and then you can swap and your other half can get on the rides immediately after you. It’s a great system that both Universal and Disney have.
Islands of Adventure:
Islands of Adventure is like a fantasy land like no other, it’s for the thrill seeker and has something for everyone. As it was Christmas we got to experience The Grinch show- Highly recommend- but it’s Christmas season obviously. We started slow with all the magic of Seuss Landing. The Cat in the Hat ride (36 inches) was just fabulous (Riley especially loved it) and he wanted to ride the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train (36 inches) over and over again (if you’re lucky and you get this track, it will take you right through their famous Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous. We did have lunch here one day and the food was great. The water ride (for kids so they don’t really get wet) is One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and again this was a firm favourite with the smaller kids.
Marvel Super Hero Island is an action-packed one for everyone. While the older kids raced on The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (40 inches), Riley got his face painted and played in the arcade with his mom. We watched in terror as others boarded the Doctor’s Doom Free Fall (like why- 52inches) and as much as I tried to convince the older kids to brave the Incredible Hulk Coaster (54 inches) it was too much for them- go google it!
It was getting late when we found Jurassic Park and I do regret not making the time to go on the Jurassic Park River Adventure (42 inches) (I had a very tired baby at this stage) but the next time it will be top of my list. You do get wet! There is another major coaster here; Jurassic World VelociCoaster (51 inches), that was a no go for my gang. Most of the really big ones you had to be 51 inches or taller.
We loved the Skull Island (36 inches), Reign of Kong Island- a bit dark but thrilling all the same. Riley was also allowed on it- but he did close his eyes a lot.
Toon Lagoon was really fun. So much colour and energy. The most popular ride here (long queues) is Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (you’ll get soaked-44 inches) but Riley preferred the playground nearby. Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (42 inches) is another water raft ride that everyone seemed to love.
And, the second Wizarding World of Harry Potter Land- Hogsmeade is located here in Island of Adventures. Just fantastic, we spent some time every day here. Unfortunately, we never got to ride the most popular of all the rides in Universal- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (48inches), but the kids went on Flight of the Hippogriff (36 inch) and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (48 inches) a number of times.
We also went on the Hogwarts Express between the parks most days. It’s got lots of special effects as you travel between the parks.
We really look forward to going back again in a few years to visit EPIC Universe, a third park about the open in May this year. With five lands, it promises to be their best yet.
To be honest there are thousands and thousands of articles and even books written about Universal and what to do and all the tips so I would need a year but I hope the above will give you an idea of the various rides and the experiences we had.
This was a press visit.
Disneyworld
John and I had been to Disneyworld a few times in the past when we lived in New York- pre kids. I remember my favourite park being Animal Kingdom so this was definitely one I was going to bring the kids too. Because we’ve done Disneyland Paris a few time the older kids (and their dad) weren’t too pushed on going to all parks so we divided and conquered.
Tickets: Because I wasn’t sure of the dates I would be free to go to Disney parks I waited until the last minute to purchase the tickets. Now if you go on the Disney website or the Attraction Tickets website you’ll only get 7 or 14 day options but if you go on to the Disney Springs Hotels Website – https://disneyspringshotels.com- You can get day tickets there. It’s not easy but this is the way to bypass the 7 or 14 days. Now you can also buy tickets on the day at the gate and I would suggest doing this if you really don’t know the day you want to go and to which park.
So we decided that I would take the youngest two to Magic Kingdom one day (3 and 8), the second day we visited the whole family went to Animal Kingdom (we also met my cousins there for the day) and the last day, Sadie, Arden, Riley and I went to Hollywood Studios; John and Colum went to Top Golf and had a ball (they highly recommend it).
Parking- it’s $30 a day to park at the parks so be mindful of that when you are creating your budget. Also take into account that Disney is so big (especially Magic Kingdom) that you’ve to park the car, get a tram to the Monorail and then the Monorail to the park so you’re adding another 30 or so minutes before you get into the park and the reverse on the way back in the evening time.
Lightning Lane Multi Lane Passes
So instead of fast passes like Universal, Disneyworld uses Lightning Lane Multi Passes.
The Lightning Lane allows you to skip the standard wait times for popular attractions. To be honest, I felt it was slightly complicated but not overly expensive. A few times I tried to book three rides (you book your first one once you arrive in the park, and once you finish that ride you can book your next one) but I was never able to get a ride I wanted without it being 8 hours away. Now if I arrived the park at 7am I might have had better luck but I didn’t start the process until midday and it was just too late. Good option, I think three rides were $29 per person but limited availability.
Magic Kingdom
I mean, it really says it in the name; from start to finish it’s pure magic. The kids adored it and we spent 11 hours in the park, soaking it all up.
We started off with a character meet- Mickey Mouse- as we entered the park. It took place in the Tom Sawyer Theatre and we waited about 25 minutes to meet the big man. It was so worth it.
We went to Adventure Land after this, where we climbed a tree, and rode the Pirates of the Caribbean ride (no height restrictions)- it said the wait time was 45 minutes but we were through in 25 which was super.
Next up was Frontierland- now I had the small kids with me so there was a lot of rides we didn’t do in Magic Kingdom but we watched them and enjoyed looking at those queueing. Most had over an hour wait time. Big Thunder Mountain (40 inches) and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (40 inches) looked fantastic (the last is a wet ride).
We moseyed on over to Fantasyland and we were thrilled to see there was only a 25-minute wait time for It’s a Small World, this is adorable and one of my favourites. We did look at Peter Pan’s Flight but it was a 120-minute wait time each time we passed so we chose to skip it. Not ideal with a 3 year old- and again it was completely sold out on the Lightning Lane Multi Pass. We came back to Fantasyland later in the evening to experience Under the Sea: Journey of Little Mermaid and it was just magical – there are no height restrictions for any of these rides. We also got to ride the Walt Disneyworld Railroad around the park from Fantasyland too. This was cute and gave our legs a little break.
Our next adventure took us over to Tomorrowland- we were starving by this stage so we grabbed lunch in Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café – counter service and very fast and pretty nice tasting also. After we were fed and watered then it was off to explore the rest of Tomorrowland. The queues were massive, so we strolled on through watching people queue for various ride,s including Tron (48 inches) and Astro Orbiter (no restrictions). We happened upon the Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and there was very little queuing so we got on this and Riley loved it. Space Mountain (44 inches) also looked like it was a busy one.
We ended the day in Main Street USA, where there are endless themed shops and restaurants but this is also where we got to see Disney’s piece de résistance, their fireworks show on the castle. It was so spectacular I cried (twice) I was so moved. To be there with two of my boys, I was so emotional, so moved by the sights and music and even those around me and their positive energy. It was fabulous. It is a long day for smallies but having the stroller for Riley to rest (he didn’t nap) his little weary legs every now and then helped a lot.
Animal Kingdom
The whole family (and my uncle, aunt and cousins) spent the day exploring Animal Kingdom. We did this at very slow pace. Our cousins also have a little 3 year old so we weren’t running and racing. This park closed at 6pm so we did the most we could in the timeframe that allowed without running from pillar to post. Animal Kingdom is the largest of all the parks, and is divided up into various continents.
We started off with another character meet – again very little wait time at the Adventurers Outpost in Discovery Island and afterwards we spent some time exploring the wonderful Tree of Life. Once we met up with our Kerry cousins, we headed over to Africa to join the queue for the Kilimanjaro Safari. This was over an hour wait but it was well worth it. We enjoyed a leisurely ride in a safari jeep through an African wildlife reserve and got up close with zebras, giraffes, rhinos and elephants to name but a few. It was approximately 20 minutes long so it’s worth the long wait time.
After the slow pace of the safari, the older kids were ready for some speed so we ventured over to Asia so some of the group could enjoy Expedition Everest- Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (44 inches). While the more adventurous of group went on this rollercoaster I took the smaller kids to the Finding Nemo show in DinoLand. This show lasted over 30 minutes. We then stayed in DinoLand and rode the Dinosaur ride (40 inches). We also spent a long time in the playground here taking in the sunshine and letting the kids explore. Next up was It’s Tough to be a Bug in Discovery Island. The day was drawing to a close and there was a lot we didn’t get to experience like Na’vi River Journey in Pandora, Kali River Rapids (38 inches) in Asia and Avatar Flight of Passage (44 inches) also in Pandora. But we really enjoyed the slower pace of this park and wouldn’t hesitate to come back again.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Ok, I’m going to say it; this time around Hollywood Studios was my favourite park at Disneyworld (FYI we didn’t to EPIC on this trip). Like Universal Studios Orlando, the movie parks just have my heart. From the moment we entered the gates to the moment we left I was on a high.
First off it was over to the Animation Courtyard where we met so many wonderful characters from Pluto himself to Doc McStuffins and Fancy Nancy. But the highlight was to get up close and personal with the Star Wars characters, especially Chewbacca. They all opened at 10am so we were there in great time and there was zero queues.
Next up was Toy Story Land- the smaller kids had been waiting for this all week. We got to see Woody and Buzz stroll around the park. The older two went on the Slinky Dog Dash (38 inches) while Riley and I queued for over an hour to get on the Alien Swirling Saucers. (32 inches). We grabbed some hotdogs and after about two hours here we moved on to Echo Lake to ride Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (40 inches), and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (40 inches) in Galaxy’s Edge and Millennium Falcon; Smugglers Run (38 inches)
It was these rides my gang decided to do Single Riders so they got in much quicker. When they saw the 80-minute lines they opted to go alone- but they ended up on it together anyway. Star Wars- Galaxy Edge is super cool. You feel like you’ve stepped into a Star Wars movie (and I’m not a big fan). Storm Troopers kept everyone entertained with shows and just general interactions and lots more photo opportunities with Star Wars characters.
We continued on, had a late lunch, and then grabbed one of the last entries into the stunt show, Indiana Jones (it was okay, I’ve seen better). But we did see the Fantasmic show in Sunset Boulevard and that was great. We did come across the Rock n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (48 inches) and The Twilight Zone, Tower of Terror (40 inches) here too but it was a firm no for my kids.
We ended the day in the wonderful shops where I bought two Disney rings and some other cute merchandise. They have Pandora sections and so much other beautiful bits and pieces.
So that concluded our Disneyworld experience. We missed a lot, could have done so much more shows but I really did feel we got through a lot.
Food
Right, where to start on this. I’d be lying if I was to say we ate anyway healthy when we were away. We did have a few nice meals out and about (and I had one delicious meal in Disneyland in Disney’s 50’s Prime Time Café and a fabulous Mexican, Antojitos Authentic Mexican in Universal but overall we ate a lot of fast food. Now we didn’t eat McDonald’s but the kids had a list of Tik Tok fast food outlets they “had” to try so we spent a lot of the time visiting their list of fast food outlets- and to be fair we weren’t complaining. Raising Canes was our favourite (gosh, that sauce) but Chick-Fil-A was a close second. John really enjoyed Panda Express and the kids loved PF Changs too. A few nights at the hotel we got Uber Eats and had it back at our hotel room (the picnic bench in the room was ideal for this).
We also had a number of breakfasts out (some on the go) but we ended up a few times in IHOP and Dennys (on our last day). Dennys won me over and was half the price of IHOP.
I’ll discuss costs below but for comparison purposes. A take out for a family of 6 with drinks was approx. $60 including tax and tip and a proper sit down was about $110-120 with tax and tip.
We had a fabulous press dinner invitation to one of the Rock & Brews restaurants and that was a lovely treat. It’s a sports bar but extremely family-friendly. We visited their Kissimmee location (3284 Margaritaville Blvd). The games were on the TVs, pictures of rock-stars donning the walls and such a great energy about the place. Kids meals are only $7 and there is an endless menu to choose from for adults. There cocktails aren’t bad either – John was driving. Colum loved their chicken wings and I adored their salmon. John had “the best steak” of his life he commented. And he doesn’t say that lightly. This was a press visit.
TIPS
There are probably 100 things I can think of to tell you but here are a few of the most important ones:
Apps- Download the apps for anywhere you go (Universal, Disney etc) so you can check on wait times for rides, see restaurant availability etc. The Apps are great.
WIFI- Everywhere (including the theme parks) has wifi so make sure to save your data and log in to theirs.
Buy WIFI- So before we got there John downloaded Go Mo and bought us all some internet. Mine was $25 for 35GB and I had excellent WIFI for the whole holiday. The kids got a WIFI for $15 but had less GB. We were able to call each other all the time on What’s App too.
Toll Pass- John downloaded the Sun Pass app before we left. This is their version of E-Flow. When we got to the airport then, after we collected our car, he went to a machine inside the airport to collect it and type in all our car details. He paid $10 and it took the money off it as we went. There is a lot of tolls so this is super handy.
Refillable items- At our Universal Hotel we purchased ONE refill drinks cup for 12 days. It cost us $30 plus tax and you can refill after 10 minutes. We really got bang for our buck on this one. At the park then you can also get a refill cup there for $18 upfront and then $11 every day- these are a super-size and again we all took turns with our favourite drink so it was well worth it. We also bought a refillable popcorn bucket that was $12.29 plus tax upfront and $2.29 each other time we wanted to refill it. Make sure to get all these on day one!
Rope drop- “What is this” I hear you say. This only applies if you are staying at a Universal Hotel or a Disneyworld hotel. Basically you get one hour early entry to the parks but you want to get there before the queues begin so it’s advised to be there (and at the front of the line) super early to make a dash for your favourite ride or two so you can ride it a lot. A lot of people do this to get on the Hagrid Motorcycle ride at Universal Studios BUT we didn’t make it on time. At Christmas time the gates for us opened at 8am (park opened at 9am). One morning we left at 7.15am and still didn’t get anywhere up near the line so it’s advised but you need to be on the ball (and fast)!
Air Tags- This is something I WISH I did for all my kids; including my 14 year old who didn’t have his phone with him and he disappeared for 45 minutes one day. I know they aren’t cheap but I’d love to pop them on their clothes or somewhere. Riley wandered off on us twice (once in a playground in Universal) and once in Discovery Cove (yes where there is lot of water!!) An air tag would have been handy to find him.
Power Banks- I know I was on my phone a lot for work so by lunchtime most days my battery was drained but to be fair, all visitors have the phone out all the time capturing their own memories so definitely bring an extra power bank and leads to charge up when needed.
Cup Holder- I would advise buying a cup holder for either around your neck (I got one in the park one of the days $20) or for the stroller. We drank a lot so it was handy to store the sodas etc.
Lanyards- It’s handy to buy a lanyard for everyone to either pop your park ticket on or even your phone- ideal to have it around your neck and safer also.
Empty water bottles- Bring empty bottles as all parks have free water filling stations so you won’t go thirsty in the heat.
Uber- Download Uber so you can grab a taxi easily enough without any hassle. If you haven’t used it before you link it to a card and it automatically takes the money (and you can add a tip this way). Ideal if you don’t have cash.
Uber Eats- Also download Uber Eats. We used it a few times to get dinner delivered to our hotel. There is a massive selection of restaurant on it. It’s very handy after a long day at the park.
Picture of car park- If you drive to any of the parks, make sure to take a picture of the space and area you are in. The parks are beyond massive. I read somewhere the car parks can hold 20,000 cars- good luck trying to find your rental (and thousands of similar make cars) in a carpark like this. You’ll thank me late at night for this tip after an exhausting day at the park.
Disney merch- My advice would be to buy your Disney merch beforehand either in Penney’s here before you go or in Orlando when you get there (there is a massive Primark in the Florida Mall – that we didn’t get to- there with a whole floor dedicated to Disney merch.) There is also several stores all over the place with Disney reduced merchandise- including one across from the Endless Summer Resort. If you don’t, you’ll get caught up in the excitement and beauty of the park merchandise and you’ll splurge. I promise!You can also get great deals in the likes of Walmart and Target.
Ponchos- I would also suggest buying cheap ponchos in one of the above stores before going to the park, yes for the rain, but also for the wet rides. They are super expensive in the parks.
Park restaurants- If you have your heart set on a specific restaurant in the parks then I suggest booking on the app (or if you are on a Disney package) beforehand. There is so much to choose from its mind boggling. I managed to get a reservation in Disney’s 50’s Prime Time Café about three hours beforehand but it’s not always possible so if you are set on a specific restaurant then book ahead.
Single riders- My older two copped on pretty quickly that if you go on the single riders lane you’ll get on much quicker (and more often than not they put the two together anyway) so instead of a 40-60 minute wait, they were on in 15-20 minutes. There is the risk of course that they don’t go on together and are with others but they were absolutely fine with it.
Jet lag app- If there is one tip you take from all of the above it’s this- download an app called Time Shifter. I had absolutely zero jet lag when I came home from the States, I mean, I’d nearly argue that I settled back into reality very quickly and had more energy than I do now a few weeks later. I followed the suggestions on the app to the letter of the law- it basically tells you when to sleep, when to wake, when to drink caffeine and when to get light. It was fantastic and I highly recommend it. The first trip is free but it’s something like $25 a year if you are jet-setting a lot. Well worth it.
Costs
So one of the biggest questions I get asked all the time is what a trip like this would cost so let’s break it down. Now please do take into account that a good part of this trip was press so I didn’t pay all the prices that are quoted below but it will give you an idea of what you would spend if you did all of the above – and of course you DON’T have to do all of them either. These costs are an approximation for each item I break down. Everything will depend on supply and demand, the time of the year and a whole lot of other factors but this will give you an idea what it costs for a family of 6 for 2 weeks in Orlando.
Exemplar Concierge Service Dublin Airport
Car park for 16 days- €345
Flights (one stop)
€3,500 for 6 with luggage (booked via Travel Agent)
Accommodation
4 nights in an Air B and B – €1000- booked direct
12 nights in Endless Summer Resort Surfside- €2000 (booked via Travel Agent)
Car Hire
16 days 7 seater with Dollar – €1800 (booked via Travel Agent)
Universal Orlando Tickets
6 people for 4 days
Approx €3000
Disneyworld Tickets
We mixed and matched parks, dates and people, so in total it cost us €1700
You can do a 14 day all parks (Disney and universal and ONE day at EPIC) for approx. €7000 for a family of 6 unlimited via Attractions Tickets (see link below)
Kennedy Space Center
Family of 6 day visit- approx. €470
Discovery Cove with Dolphin Swim
Day pass (no VIP Cabana) family of 6- approx. – €1,600
Deezerland – Orlando Auto Museum
Family of 6- approx. €170
Orlando Magic Basketball Game
Family of 5- Approx €500
Food/Daily Spend for a family of 6
We set aside €500 a day for food and snacks, diesel, and bits and pieces. Most days we had half of that left over and other days we spent it all but whatever money I had left over at the end of each day I popped it into a Revolut shopping fund that found its way to an Outlet before we left for Ireland! I set up a daily spend vault on Revolut and a second one that I dumped the balance in each evening.
Shopping
We had been saving our birthday money and Christmas money and lots of other bits in the lead up to this big trip so we all had a few pounds to buy stuff and we weren’t shy with it. I won’t include it in the overall cost as it’s completely up to the individual if they want to splurge on shopping also.
OVERALL COST FOR A FAMILY OF 6 FOR 14 DAYS €23,000.
Now this is the worst case scenario, lots of Travel Agents do package deals, as mentioned Attraction Tickets do super ticket packages, you don’t have to set aside €500 a day spending so you can certainly do it for a lot less. You also don’t have to do ALL OF THE ABOVE attractions.
Links to some of my travel purchases (affiliate links)
The perfect travel cabin bag (we call it the Ryanair cabin bag- 40x20x25. Ideal hand luggage 20L – https://amzn.to/4hxc47Y
I used this toddler airplane hammock style seat for Riley (3) the whole way and back and he slept like a baby. Would HIGHLY recommend for toddlers. https://amzn.to/4fuWO9D
This was a cute little bag that Santa bought Riley- he stored all his bits in it on the way to the USA and back. https://amzn.to/4f6O3Tw
I bought this really smooth, comfortable eye mask- I’ve used it more at home than on the plane but it’s fantastic and cheap. https://amzn.to/3NUWMfw
Attraction Tickets- Discounted park package and you can also book a full stay in Orlando also and pay it off over time. attraction-tickets.sjv.io/KjMQ59
