Orlando by age: how to plan the best family holiday with toddlers, teens and everyone in between

With its theme parks, water parks, shopping, attractions and family-friendly resorts, Orlando is a spectacular choice for a family holiday, but there’s no denying that it requires some planning.

The choice is mind-boggling, the stakes are high. We’re in holiday-of-a-lifetime territory here, and when you’re travelling with kids of different ages, one child’s best day ever can easily look like another child’s epic meltdown. 

The good news is that Orlando is not a one-size-fits-all destination. Yes, the theme parks are a huge part of the draw. But the wider destination also has water parks, hands-on museums, nature, mini golf, dinner shows, family-friendly dining, resort pools with water slides and lazy rivers, shopping, live entertainment and quieter half-day options for when everyone needs a reset.

Plan well, and Orlando really does have the potential to be everyone’s favourite holiday - but be warned, you may end up not going anywhere else, ever again!

We went for the first time last year and I would do exactly the same again - and hopefully will be as we are hoping to go back next year (so much for the ‘once in a lifetime’ trip!) … My best bit of advice is to research and plan! I did a lot of this and it was worth the effort as when we got there we knew exactly what restaurants we were going to (as these had to be booked in advance), which rides were our priorities, which snacks we wanted to try and lots of other useful tips. Our holiday wouldn’t have been the same without doing this.

-Recommended by Mumsnet user greycross

Orlando with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers: gentle, visual, flexible

With very young children, Orlando works best when you stop trying to conquer it. This is the age for colour, characters, splash zones, short bursts of excitement and plenty of air-conditioned downtime.

Visit Orlando's toddler guidance points families towards attractions with fewer height restrictions, play spaces and practical features such as rider swap, family suites, resort childcare. Children under three also receive free entry to most Orlando theme parks, which can make the toddler years surprisingly affordable and practical, provided you factor in naps, shade and snacks.

Toddler-friendly attractions include Peppa Pig Theme Park at LEGOLAND Florida Resort, Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando, Disney Junior experiences, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, Crayola Experience, Gatorland, Orlando Science Center and the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

We have taken both our DC at 2 and 5. You have to tag-team parent if you want to go on rides, and and spend a lot of time going round the carousel type rides repeatedly with 2 year old. 2 year olds don't cost on tickets I don't think? So it can be a good time to go as it'll be cheaper compared to when they're older.

-Advice from Mumsnet user bunnyvsmonkey

This is also the stage where logistics matter as much as magic. Build days around naps, shade and food. Take the buggy, even if it barely gets used at home - theme parks involve a lot of walking. Choose one or two must-do moments, then treat anything else as a bonus. A half-day at Gatorland, ICON Park or Disney Springs can be much more successful than pushing through a full day.

-Tacocatgoatcheesepizza

For primary school children: make room for the first big thrills

Primary school age (around five to 11) is the golden age for a family holiday to Orlando. Children are old enough to remember the big set pieces, but still young enough to buy into the wonder and magic without too much teenage commentary from the back row.

This is a strong age for mixing theme parks with hands-on attractions. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has obvious appeal for children who like rockets, astronauts and anything space related. Orlando Science Center, WonderWorks, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and the Central Florida Zoo are all packed full of fun things to see and do while ticking educational boxes too.

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Water parks deserve a shoutout here too, especially if your child is old enough to want bigger thrills but not quite ready for a whole day of major rides. Orlando has options for different appetites, from Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park to Aquatica Orlando and Universal Volcano Bay. Think wave pools, lazy rivers, splash zones and slides - a useful reset after a park day that still feels like an event.

This is also the age when "first roller coaster" bragging rights come into play. Visit Orlando's family-friendly roller coaster guide highlights options with lower height requirements, from The Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom Park and Slinky Dog Dash at Disney's Hollywood Studios to Super Grover's Box Car Derby at SeaWorld Orlando and flight-themed rides at Universal Orlando Resort. You don’t need to make every child into a thrill-seeker. You just need enough choice that the brave ones can test their mettle while the cautious ones still have a brilliant day.

Away from the major parks, mini golf is another all-ages win. Orlando has more than 15 mini-golf courses, including Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf, Congo River Golf, Hollywood Drive-In Golf at Universal CityWalk and courses at Walt Disney World Resort. It’s competitive enough for older children, accessible enough for younger ones and low-key enough for parents with sore feet and decision fatigue.

For tweens and teens and beyond: give them (some) control

Tweens and teens are not too old for Orlando. If anything, they’re old enough to help shape the holiday in a way that makes it fun for everyone.

For this age group, Universal Orlando Resort, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal CityWalk and Universal Epic Universe are obvious contenders, especially for film, gaming and thrill-ride fans. Walt Disney World Resort still has major teen appeal too, from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to shopping, food and late-night atmosphere at Disney Springs.

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Water parks are also a strong choice for tweens and teens, not just a cool-down option. Universal Volcano Bay, Aquatica Orlando, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park all offer the bigger slides, wave pools and lazy rivers that let older children chase thrills without another full day of theme-park queues. Island H2O Live! is another option if you want a dedicated water-park day built around slides, tech and splashy set pieces.

By the tween and teen years, Orlando can feel a bit less like a holiday built around the big character meets and the first-time thrills of rollercoasters and more like a pick-and-choose adventure. The big rides and water parks still hold huge appeal, from stomach-flipping coasters to slides, wave pools and lazy rivers that can easily fill a whole day. But one of the best things about travelling with tweens and teens is that Orlando starts to open but beyond the parks too.

Older kids may be just as keen on escape rooms, virtual reality, indoor karting, laser tag, ropes courses, live sport, concerts, food halls and shopping as they are on another full day of rides. Visit Orlando’s family date-night ideas are particularly useful here as they include so many suggestions that can appeal to older kids - from food halls and bowling to galleries, museums and performing arts.

Shopping can become a major part of the itinerary at this age too, rather than a parent-led detour. Orlando International Premium Outlets and Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets are good options for teen-friendly brands including Nike, adidas, Coach and Kate Spade, while Disney Springs and The Mall at Millenia add more browsing, food and air-conditioned downtime.

Food can take centre stage at this age too and many teens and tweens will have a newfound appreciation for the huge choice of themed restaurants, dinner shows, The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savoury Feast Kitchen at Universal CityWalk. Then there are the simple wins - food halls where everyone can choose their own thing without the need for turning every meal into a family negotiation.

For teens looking for wild adventure, there’s plenty of outdoor fun on offer which is ideal for this age, from Wild Florida’s airboat rides and Drive-Thru Safari Park to the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line at Gatorland. You don’t get much wilder than a zipline over live alligators, after all!

This is also the age to think about a split itinerary. Mix it up with a few high-energy park days, a water park or resort pool day, Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex, mini gold, shopping and a few properly relaxed meals and you’ve got a holiday where everyone comes away happy.

I’ve been twice with my daughter. Both times she was in her 20s. It was years ago now but we still talk about some aspects of that trip. We also did a day trip to Miami, the Everglades and Kennedy Space Centre. The standout was the space centre, so much more impressive than you think it’s going to be. If you can, add on other excursions, but Disney itself was also great with fab things to do in Orlando if you choose to stay close by.

-Recommended by Mumsnet user RichPetuniaAgain

For the whole family: plan the pauses, not just the parks

One of the biggest mistakes you can make with a holiday like Orlando is not planning rest days. For most families, no matter how old your kids are, rest is what makes the best, biggest days just that.

Discovery Cove is a good example of a slower Orlando day: an all-inclusive experience with beaches, snorkelling, animal encounters, towels, food and drinks included, which reduces the amount parents have to carry, buy or negotiate. For families who want something active but lower pressure, mini golf, resort pools, water parks, outdoor dining and neighbourhood exploring can all make the itinerary feel less relentless.

For day trips from Orlando (if you would rather stay there) look at cape canaveral (Kennedy space centre), beautiful natural springs like Wekiwa plus loads of stuff in orlando that arent the parks - crazy golf, ripleys believe it or not, wonderworks, the crayons experience, gatorland etc

-Advice from Mumsnetter HorrorFan81  

Food is another place where Orlando is broader than expected. Family-friendly restaurants range from character dining and dinner shows to food halls, hotel restaurants, breweries with space to spread out and even MICHELIN Guide dining with children's menus or childcare-adjacent options. That does not mean every meal needs to be an occasion. It means you can make space for one meal that adults actually look forward to, which is not nothing.

The planning shortcut: use the free help

If the idea of planning all this makes you want to lie down in a darkened room, that is understandable. Orlando is brilliant, but like with all high-stakes holidays, it’s definitely not the sort of place you turn up and see what happens. 

This is where Visit Orlando’s online holiday planning tool comes into its own. Families can book a complimentary one-to-one appointment with Visit Orlando's Vacation Planners for personalised itinerary help, insider advice, special offers and multilingual support. They’re available by live chat, phone and email, with set opening hours during the week and on Saturdays.

There’s also OPAL - Orlando Planning Assistant by Locals - Visit Orlando's free AI planning tool. It can help families shape ideas around their children's ages, interests, pace and travel style. For a trip with a toddler, a thrill-seeking 10-year-old and a teen who wants independence, that kind of filtering is the difference between a plan and an overwhelming stack of tabs.

The best Orlando holiday isn’t the one where every theme park and every ride is ticked off. It’s not even the one where every family member agrees it was the ‘best holiday ever’. It’s the one where everyone gets a version of the destination that feels tailor-made for them. Toddlers get that first dose of big-holiday wonder. School-age children get the first thrill of world-class adrenaline. Teens get the freedom and control to do what they really want to, whether that’s a day at the water park, a hair-raising roller coaster or just chilling by the pool. And parents get to enjoy long days of fewer arguments, happy memories and a holiday budget well spent.

About Visit Orlando

Visit Orlando is a not-for-profit trade association that brands, markets and sells the Orlando destination globally, representing more than 1,600 member companies comprising every segment of Central Florida’s tourism community.

About the author

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, where she writes, edits and optimises family-focused content designed to make everyday parenting that bit easier.

As a mum of three, Jenny brings first-hand parenting experience to everything she writes, with plenty of trial-and-error along the way. Her family travels have ranged from UK camping trips to more adventurous long-haul breaks, giving her a clear understanding of what really matters when travelling with children - from location and layout to those small but crucial details that can turn an average family trip into the best holiday ever.

She regularly researches and reviews family travel options, combining expert insight with real parent feedback from the Mumsnet community to help other families plan holidays with confidence.