The first thing to do before booking your dream 14 day itinerary in Orlando is to decide which parks you want to visit. This will then determine what tickets you'll need to buy, and how to organise your days. It's always recommended to incorporate at least a couple of rest days into your holiday, as 14 days of non-stop parks in the heat and humidity of the Florida sunshine can leave you needing another holiday as soon as you arrive home! If you plan to visit all the parks at both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, then it can be an idea to plan out your time before you arrive. There’s a total of nine parks you could visit, and that's just Disney and Universal. If you add trips to Busch Gardens and The Kennedy Space Center to this then your free days will be limited.

There are four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort: Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. If that’s not enough, there are also two water parks; Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. Bear in mind if your holiday falls within the winter months then one of the water parks is usually closed for annual maintenance on an alternating basis.

If you want to experience all 6 Disney parks we recommend buying when you book your holiday as it is better value than purchasing locally. You’ll also get other benefits, such as Memory Maker, and you’ll be able to set up your MyDisneyExperience Account, personalise your holiday and make your daily theme park reservation using the new Disney Park Pass system. 

Although Walt Disney World Resort is approximately the same size as San Francisco, it’s easy to get around using the free transport links. Ride the world-famous monorail between parks, glide across the sky on The Disney Skyliner or feel the wind in your hair on a relaxing boat ride.

With the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter^TM and Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park at Universal Orlando Resort over the last few years, Universal has now cemented itself as one of the must-see attractions in Orlando. There are three main parks; Universal Studios, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park. Each one of these parks now has so many attractions and rides within them that you'll require at least one day in each to get the most out of your experience. Pre-purchase the Universal Orlando All Parks Ticket to enjoy 14 consecutive days of unlimited park to park access to Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay and the all-new attractions at Universal Epic Universe. This ticket is not available at any park’s entrance.

I would always suggest visiting a water park on your first full day in Orlando, for a couple of reasons. You’ll have arrived in Orlando the day before, after a full day of travelling, and the effects of jetlag will slowly kick in throughout the day. Visiting a water park is a lot more relaxed; crowds should be smaller and you can leave in the afternoon to head back to your hotel or villa. In the evening, perhaps take a trip to Disney Springs or Universal City Walk to discover an eclectic mix of unique shops, restaurants and lively entertainment. Get up the next day, refreshed and ready to hit the parks!

It’s a good idea to add in a couple of rest days between parks and use that free time to visit additional nearby attractions such the Kennedy Space Center or shop til you drop at Central Florida's largest shopping centre The Florida Mall. Visit International Drive for a host of restaurants and entertainment plus take a ride on the Wheel at ICON Park for amazing views. By adding in these different experiences you're giving yourselves a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks, and also experiencing the other areas Orlando has to offer.

1. Don't tire yourself out with a busy park on the first day - your jetlag won't thank you for it.

2. If possible try and have rest days between parks.

3. Do as much planning beforehand as possible to get the most out of your days.

4. Make the most out of the free transport between parks.

5. Utilise the extras included on Disney’s 14 day Ultimate Ticket, such as Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf or Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Miniature Golf.