At the end of May, our family went on a much needed vacation and were hosted by Visit Orlando.
It was our first time flying to the east coast (as a family) and first time visiting Florida! We were literally counting down the days until our trip and wishing there was more time in the day when we were there. If you haven’t already, check out my Instagram page for some of the photos that I have already shared from our trip. I also have a highlight reel saved titled as “Orlando, FL”. Today, I’ll be sharing our ultimate nine day itinerary and family packing list!
Day 1: Arrival
We booked a nonstop flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Orlando (MCO) early in the morning so that we had time to settle into our hotel and adjust to the time difference. It was about a 5 hour flight (we landed a little earlier than expected), and Auggie even took a 3 hour nap during the flight (which was amazing). Tip: We always prefer flying nonstop flights with a toddler to make the travel much easier, rather than scrambling around to the next flight and waiting around the airport during layovers.
We checked into the Summer Bay Orlando Resort and stayed in a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom suite. Our view was amazing and overlooked the Big Kahuna restaurant and pool.
Day 2: Free day
We spent the day sleeping in, adjusting to the time zone, and exploring the resort. Jesse had class so Auggie and I went swimming in the pool in front of our hotel room. We also ate at the Big Kahuna for lunch before Auggie took a nap. You can read more about the Big Kahuna in my blog post here. While he napped, I went on a walk to check out the arcade and clubhouse.
Day 3: Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida was about a 40 minute drive with light traffic. We had also experienced a true Floridian day because it began to downpour a few times when we visited. The first time it rained, we were eating lunch. Unfortunately, we didn’t get so lucky toward the end of the day because we were drenched by the time we walked back to our car. Definitely recommend checking the weather and buying a poncho to be prepared!
Overall, Universal Studios exceeded our expectations and we had a blast! I was most excited to explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (where are House Slytherins at?!) and get a wand. Because of the humidity, I don’t recommend wearing cotton/fabric masks since they’re not as breathable. Universal Studios consist of seven spectacular themed islands: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Lost Continent, Seuss Landing, and the Port of Entry.
Day 4: Legoland
Legoland was an hour drive with light traffic (safe to say Auggie and I took a nap both ways, thank you Jesse for driving haha). The park was essentially empty and Auggie had a BLAST. We rode on almost every ride with him, and spent a good hour in one of the rooms to let Auggie build structures with the LEGOs. There are over 50 rides, shows and attractions for families with children age 2 to 12 and ultimate LEGO fans. LEGO NINJAGO World was Auggie’s favorite area and we even got to see Emmet from The LEGO Movies!
Day 5-9: Check out of Summer Bay Orlando, Check into Disney World Resort
For Days 5-9, we checked out of Summer Bay Orlando and checked into the Walt Disney World Resort. We honestly would have extended our entire stay in Orlando at Summer Bay Orlando because the resort was PERFECT for us, but we also really wanted to experience staying at a Disney Resort. For the last half of our trip, we explored Walt Disney World ourselves and I will be sharing more about it in a separate upcoming blog post! We visited Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom, and it was nothing short of magical.
