I’m NikkyJ and I’m happy you’re here!
If you’ve been looking to plan the perfect trip to any of the Florida theme parks, then you’re in the right place!
I’ve helped lots of theme park goers jump start their solo vacations to parks around the world, by providing concise, detailed gems to make the most out of any trip.
That’s what I’m all about and that’s what you’ll find on ThemeParkHipster.
Welcome once again to the Theme Park Planning Guide where my mission is to help you maximize and enjoy your Florida Theme Park vacation.
Many of the tips listed here are essential to making the most out of your time in Orlando. Before digging into the incredible tips for vacation planning, check out an important disclosure.
While on your internet search you’ve probably learned that planning the perfect vacation is a bit overwhelming with conflicting advice from all sources.
Don’t worry anymore.
ThemeParkHipster is here to help guide you to planning your solo theme park vacation.
Are you planning a Disney vacation soon? Read the Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for your next dream trip!
HERE ARE TOOLS YOU’LL NEED FOR A GREAT VACATION!
To me, traveling solo to a destination like Walt Disney World is my own form of therapy.
Whether you’re unexpectedly about to embark on a solo trip or if you’ve been thinking about it for a while, I want to give you a few key benefits.
Perk #1: Freedom. There’s an incredible sense of independence when you’re exploring the parks by yourself.
Perk #2: You Become a Better Problem Solver. With the solo experience you gain the advantage of becoming a better problem solver.
Perk #3: You Meet Incredible Solo ThemeParkHipsters. Since I started going to theme parks by myself, I’ve noticed that I’ve become more confident in other social settings.
My Top Theme Park Travel Tips for You
Use these articles to help you get started quickly with your planning:
- Solo Travel Tips for Beginners
- Universal Studios Florida
- Islands of Adventure
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Magic Kingdom
- Epcot
- Hollywood Studios
- Animal Kingdom
- Busch Gardens Tampa
- Hersheypark
- Ultimate Bucket List! 5 BEST Roller Coasters in Florida You Must-Do!
- Cedar Point
- Disneyland
- Universal Studios Hollywood
Flight + Hotel Packages under $499 Per Person. Book now at Expedia.com TODAY!
Safety When Traveling Alone
Always keep in touch with your love ones or someone that’s close to you.
Safety in solo traveling should always be at the top of your priority list.
The theme parks are definitely safe places to be, especially here in Florida. Tighter security measures have also been added to the theme park protocols.
Also let people know what your itinerary is, the park you will be attending, and ways to contact you.
This is one of the best theme park planning tips I can give you for your solo trip.
Solo Theme Travel Based on Your Destination
- Disney’s Magic Kingdom
- Animal Kingdom
- Epcot
- Hollywood Studios
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Universal Orlando Resort
- Cedar Point
- Busch Gardens Tampa
- Universal Studios Hollywood
Recommended: The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide
7 Easy Theme Park Planning Tips for Beginners
As you make your way through the blog, YouTube, or podcast, you’ll find all the steps and tips you need for planning your next theme park trip.
Start here with my podcast to get you caught up quickly and read through the steps of this page as your easy cheat sheet.
1. Decide Which Park to Attend
Before you start planning your vacation, you will want to figure out which theme park you’d like to attend.
2. Choose the Best Time
Planning a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth is always an exciting experience. And finding the best deals, tips, and tricks to making each theme park adventure is everything ThemeParkHipster is about.
While you’re searching for discounted theme park tickets, and taking advantage of deals at Universal Studios, have you considered what are the best times to go?
Holiday seasons, theme park crowd sizes, weather, and a few other factors have a lot to do with your experience, including how long you’ll be waiting in line for your favorite rides.
This is one of the best theme park planning tips I can give you.
Here are a few tips to get you started on picking the ideal times to travel to Disney alone, or with friends and family:
- Avoid ALL holidays and peak seasons (summer time, spring break, and Christmas break)
- Make your itinerary early
- Use mobile ordering for food
- RSVP to special events or restaurants early
You can get the full story here!
Choose the BEST Day to Go to Walt Disney World with This Crowd Calendar!
3. Purchase Your Tickets
Purchasing park tickets doesn’t have to be such a hassle as one might think. Today’s technology gives us the power to shop around for the best theme park deals right at our finger tips.
How to find the best theme park ticket prices:
- Shop the Internet: Many theme park websites are available to help you find specials and discount coupons. ThemeParkHipsters can sometimes receive a discount for purchasing advance tickets online with sites such as The Park Prodigy, Undercover Tourist and Groupon.
- Don’t Forget the Special Deals and Discount Clubs: Companies and clubs such as AAA offer special ticket pricing when their product is purchased, such as a bottle of soda or a fast food meal. Florida residents can also receive discounts just for residing in Florida, which are usually significant in price savings.
- Save with Vacation Packages: Many resorts and hotels offer discounted theme park and attraction tickets through a package deal when booked in advance. You can also get a price quote on your theme park vacation package here!
Links to discount online ticket sellers for top theme parks:
- Busch Gardens Tampa
- Cedar Point Tickets
- Disneyland Resort theme park tickets
- Legoland
- Knott’s Berry Farm
- SeaWorld Orlando Tickets
- Six Flag Theme Parks (Magic Mountain)
- Universal Orlando Resort theme park tickets and deals
- Universal Studios Hollywood theme park tickets
- Walt Disney World special offers
Overall, remember to look around the web to find the best deal. You can find discounts to many of the world’s popular theme parks by doing just a little bit of digging.
4. Budget for Your Trip
You can save money by budgeting for your vacation in so many ways. Don’t stress yourself out about breaking the bank for a chance at experiencing the famous mouse or wizard.
Tips to do theme parks in a cheap way:
- Shop around
- Use professional or club discounts
- Stay at an all-suite hotel with an in-room kitchen or vacation home
- Look for a flight leaving on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays
- Take advantage of freebies
- Book vacation during the off-season
- Use discount websites for cheap city activities
You can read the full list of money saving tips here.
Once you have the itinerary set, figure out how much food, tickets, transportation, lodging, souvenirs, and entertainment will cost.
When budgeting for your solo trip, be sure not to forget to include miscellaneous items like souvenirs.
The price of souvenirs can get really costly.
Hipster Power Tip: Always remember that Orlando can truly be done on a budget as long as you stick to it. This is one of the best theme park planning tips I can give you.
5. Start your 6-month savings plan right away!
If you’re going to make this a big trip or just an extended weekend trip, then you probably could save in 3 to 6 months.
The cost of a solo four-day Disney vacation is about $1500 (if you have a smaller budget).
Disney Savings Jar for Your Solo Trip
You don’t have to use this savings plan just for Walt Disney World. You can apply it to any solo theme park trip you have planned.
The goal is to just get started and make your dream vacation happen.
Join the Conversation on the Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Community on Facebook!
6. Decide Which Hotel or Resort You Will Stay At
The wide array of hotels in Orlando can be comparable to the quantity of hotels in other destination cities.
For the amount of hotels here in central Florida, I recommend researching the many specials out there before committing to a reservation.
Always remember that due to the large amount of hotels and resorts, there is always a better deal available.
Staying off site from the major theme parks in areas such as, International Drive, can offer constant specials to lure you away from the competition.
For a longer trip, the smartest solution may be to split your stay between two hotels or consider renting a vacation home, which is much cheaper than many extended stays at the major resorts.
Disney World Hotels
The Walt Disney World Resort has over twenty hotels, including Moderate, Deluxe, Deluxe Villas, and a campsite for theme park guests to choose from.
The perk of staying onsite is the ability to experience Extra Magic Hours in Walt Disney World theme parks, allowing for more time to conquer the must-do attractions.
Read NEXT: The Ultimate Guide to the Three Disney World Monorail Resorts
Universal Orlando Hotels
There are many Universal Studios Hotels to best fit your theme park vacation plans and budget.
If you choose to stay at one of the Universal Studios Hotels, you may receive pretty cool free perks including Universal Express.
For Universal Express, all you have to do is show your room key to ride attendants to get front of the line access at both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios.
Read NEXT: Ultimate Guide to Universal Orlando Hotels: Which One Should You Stay At?
Don’t forget about a vacation home rental!
A vacation home is another great option where you can get a wonderful deal on lodging for your Florida vacation.
Top Villas is one of the world’s leading luxury villa rental specialists with more than 4,000 luxury villas in over 50 of the world’s finest vacation destinations.
I am a fan of vacation home rentals with resort amenities for families or friends traveling to Disney, Universal or SeaWorld on an extended vacation.
See how you can pick the best vacation home for you here!
7. Review the Dining Options
Remember on your trips to see if any of the parks offer discounts on food and beverages with some type of dining deal as most do.
Below are a few things to think about when eating at theme parks.
Walt Disney World Dining Plan
The Disney Dining Plan is a prepaid meal plan for restaurants on the Walt Disney World Resort property.
You can buy a pre-set amount of meals and snacks “credits” ahead of time for each traveling person, per night.
The amount of meals and snacks you receive in each plan depends on the type of plan you choose, and each type of meal or snack can be redeemed using a credit from your meal plan.
It sounds like a lot, but meal plans can be very simple and a great money saver if you do things right.
WATCH: The 5 BEST Snacks at EPCOT You Must Try on Your Visit! 🧁🍕🥂🥳
Universal Orlando Dining Experience
Universal Orlando Resort also has also offered some type of dining plan for guests in the past.
I am also not sure when it will return but I will keep you updated. In the meantime, you can check out this guide where I go over the best places to get food at Universal Orlando Resort for under $10!
WATCH NEXT: Top 5 BEST Food at Universal Studios UNDER $10!!! 🍟🍦🍻🍕
All-Day Dining Deals
For dining at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, purchase an all-day dining pass.
This option allows you to spend a certain amount of money with an opportunity to eat at any of the participating restaurants and quick services spots throughout the same day.
You can find a similar one at Cedar Point too. Just think of them like your very own theme park buffet!
WATCH NEXT: 10 Best Things to Do at SeaWorld Orlando! 🎢💦🐬
The Best Things to Do in Orlando Besides Theme Parks
When you arrive into the Orlando area don’t be distracted by only the glitz and glamour of the theme parks.
Orlando offers so much more for visitors to enjoy way beyond the parks.
Explore the nightlife in Downtown Orlando, the beautiful town of Winter Park, or the wonderful beaches such as New Smyrna and Daytona Beach. This is one of the best theme park planning tips I can give you.
There are also local attractions outside the major parks throughout the city.
Groupon helps you enjoy even more local attractions such as Fun Spot, Kennedy Space Center, and TopGolf for the low!
Top 13 Things You Must Do in Orlando
- Challenge yourself at Wonder Works
- Discover Ripley’s Believe It or Not
- Have fun and compete at Topgolf
- Shop at Orlando Premium Outlets
- Visit Old Town Kissimmee
- Take the Paintball Challenge
- Become an Astronaut for a day at the Kennedy Space Center
- Take a stroll around Lake Eola Park
- Discover marine life at SEA Life Orlando Aquarium
- Enjoy the thrills with the Indoor Skydiving experience
- Try a variety of chocolate at The World of Chocolate Museum
- Battle with knights to the end at Medieval Times
- Celebrate Your Birthday on the Town in Orlando, Florida!
Read NEXT: 11 Fun (and SCARY) Things to Do in Orlando Besides Theme Parks
Packing for Your Theme Park Vacation
Below I’ve listed a few things for you to remember to pack and what to wear for your theme park trip.
- Bring older, broken-in shoes.
- Pack flip-flops/Crocs in case it rains.
- Bring Ziploc bags of many kinds and sizes (will keep items protected from water)
- Do not underestimate the Florida sun and heat.
- Prepare to drink lots of water.
- If you buy a souvenir and are staying on grounds, use the free package delivery service to your room.
- Bring a portable phone charger.
- Don’t schedule late night magic hours, coupled with early morning breakfasts (you will not be a happy vacationer).
Remember! For your Orlando vacation, you want to have a general idea of what you want to do and where you want to go.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me and I will get back with as soon as I can!
Recommended: Ultimate Florida Packing List: What to Pack for Your EPIC Trip!
My Story: From Tragic Loss to Top 50 Theme Park Blog
All of us have faced challenges in life, and I’m no exception.
I’ve overcome depression and tragic loss, to building a top 50 theme park blog that continues to help thousands everyday with their vacation goals.
The Creator has took me out of many dark places and I am a living testimony of what His grace and favor has done for me.
If you want to read my whole comeback story, then you can go here to see it.
Now that you know a little bit more about me and ways you can start planning your dream theme park vacation, it’s time to get started and have the BEST trip ever!
Thank you for hopping on the adventure with me and the 12,500+ solo theme park travelers in this community. Feel free to subscribe and join us for weekly solo theme park travel tips here!
My Recommended Theme Park Books and Freebies for You
Below are FREE travel planners with itineraries to some of the MOST popular theme parks across the country just for you!
If you’re ready to get courageous and start planning your first or next solo theme park vacation, then read the following cheat sheets below:
- How to Plan for a Solo Day at a Theme Park
- Magic Kingdom for Adults the Complete Guide
- Universal Orlando Solo
- First Timer Tips for Doing Disney Solo
- Solo Dining: Tips for Eating Alone at Disney World
- How to Be Alone at Disney Without Feeling Lonely
- 9 Safety Tips for Women Traveling Alone to Disney World
- 5 Best Disney Resorts for Solo Travelers
- Where to Stay in Orlando: Top 10 Hotels and Resorts for ALL Budgets
- Top 25 Best Restaurants in Orlando You MUST Try
Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!
NikkyJ
(Original Date: May 19, 2016/Updated on June 9, 2024)