Florida
First time
in Florida?
Everything you need to know before planning an extraordinary first visit.
A smoother first visit
Confident planning for
an extraordinary holiday.
Florida offers far more than one kind of holiday. The right first trip balances the experiences you have imagined with the space to enjoy them.
We help choose the right bases, explain the real travel times and shape a pace that works for every person travelling.
Plan this journeyAt a glance
Explore the guide
See the possibilities.
Move through the parts of the journey that matter to you. Each section replaces the panel above, keeping the page calm and focused.
Choose geography before a hotel.
The right base is the one that protects the experiences, pace and travel time that matter to your party.
Explore Choose your base →
Service, space — or both.
Compare the whole daily experience, not just the nightly rate or bedroom count.
Explore Hotel or villa →
Choose the worlds before the tickets.
The right ticket and access strategy follows your party’s real interests, heights, energy and travel dates.
Explore Parks →
Give Florida a second rhythm.
A second base should feel meaningfully different and deserve the transfer time it adds.
Explore Coast & beyond →A smoother first visit
Begin with five decisions.
A first Florida holiday becomes much clearer when the big choices are made in the right order.
What matters most?
Parks, beaches, city, nature or a balanced combination.
Explore →Where should you base yourself?
Orlando, the coast, South Florida or a thoughtfully connected pair.
Explore →Hotel or villa?
Choose between daily service and shared space — or use both.
Explore →How many park days?
Build around genuine priorities and protect time to recover.
Explore →Do you want a second destination?
Add another Florida only when it creates a real change of mood.
Explore →Farr explains
Good to know before you go.
Clear answers to practical questions, with the details confirmed personally for your plans and travel dates.
Walt Disney World parks
Walt Disney World Resort currently has four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Universal Orlando parks
Universal Orlando Resort currently presents four parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay and Universal Epic Universe.
Disney Lightning Lane planning
Walt Disney World currently uses Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Single Pass and Premier Pass. Eligible Disney Resort and select hotel guests can currently purchase up to 7 days before a stay; other eligible guests can currently purchase up to 3 days before a park visit. Admission and other conditions apply.
Orlando arrival airport
Orlando International Airport uses the airport code MCO. Transfer choice should be matched to the stay location, flight time, party size and luggage.
United States entry requirements
UK travellers need the correct current permission to enter or transit the United States; whether that is an ESTA or visa depends on individual circumstances.
Atlantic hurricane season
The official Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, although tropical systems can occur outside those dates.
Rental vehicles and Florida tolls
Rental-car companies use different toll programmes and charging arrangements. Florida’s Turnpike advises travellers to check the rental agreement and provider fees; standard TOLL-BY-PLATE invoices are sent to the vehicle owner rather than the rental driver.
Choose your geography
Choose geography before a hotel.
The right base is the one that protects the experiences, pace and travel time that matter to your party.
Ask us about choose your baseOrlando resort area
A service-led base for park days, pools and easy evenings, with the exact location chosen around your priority parks.
Villa communities
More bedrooms, private space and a home-like rhythm; daily driving and community location must be judged honestly.
Universal & International Drive
Useful for Universal-led stays, entertainment and a more urban resort atmosphere.
Lake Buena Vista & Disney area
Strong for Disney-led plans, resort facilities and selected transport connections.
The coast
Gulf calm, Atlantic energy, South Florida style or the island character of the Keys.
Two carefully chosen bases
Often the strongest first trip: energy first, then a genuine change of pace without constant packing.
Choose how you want to live
Service, space — or both.
Compare the whole daily experience, not just the nightly rate or bedroom count.
Ask us about hotel or villaChoose a hotel
Daily housekeeping, restaurants, pools, concierge support and selected transport can make a shorter or park-led stay simpler.
Choose a villa
Separate bedrooms, a kitchen, private pool and relaxed shared time can suit longer, family and multi-generational stays.
Watch the hotel trade-offs
Room layouts, resort charges, dining costs and distance from the parks vary. A prestigious address is useful only when it fits the itinerary.
Watch the villa trade-offs
Driving, parking, groceries, check-in support, pool heating and community location all need to be understood before booking.
Use a split stay
A park hotel followed by a villa or coastal resort can create two distinct experiences without compromising either.
Build the park plan
Choose the worlds before the tickets.
The right ticket and access strategy follows your party’s real interests, heights, energy and travel dates.
Ask us about parksWalt Disney World
Four distinct theme parks. Decide which stories and experiences matter before allocating days or considering Lightning Lane products.
Explore →Universal Orlando
Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe and Volcano Bay create a very different mix of film, thrills and water.
Explore →SeaWorld, Discovery Cove & Aquatica
Wildlife, water and more relaxed formats can balance the headline parks. Current access and inclusions are always checked.
Kennedy Space Center
A substantial Space Coast day rather than a small Orlando add-on; allow for travel and the experiences you most want to see.
Create contrast
Give Florida a second rhythm.
A second base should feel meaningfully different and deserve the transfer time it adds.
Ask us about coast & beyondOrlando + Gulf Coast
Park energy followed by white sand, softer sunsets and a slower resort rhythm.
Explore →Orlando + South Florida
Family icons paired with design, city dining and Atlantic coast.
Explore →Miami + Florida Keys
A stylish city beginning that flows naturally into island time and open water.
Explore →Orlando + Palm Beaches
A refined Atlantic finish with an easier pace and elegant resort stays.
A single excellent base
For shorter holidays, doing one area properly may feel far more luxurious than adding another check-in.
Practical Florida
Plan the movement before the moments.
Florida is easy to underestimate on a map. Airport, park and inter-region travel all need their own realistic plan.
Ask us about getting aroundAirport arrival
Keep the first evening light and match transfer or car collection to the flight, luggage and children travelling.
Car hire
Often useful for villas and multi-centres; car size, child seats, tolls, fuel and parking belong in the plan.
Private transfers
A calm choice for arrivals, selected park days or journeys when nobody wants to drive.
Park and hotel transport
Official transport can be valuable, but routes, eligibility and operating patterns are checked for the exact stay.
Transfer days
Treat every move as part of the itinerary and avoid demanding drives immediately after long-haul travel.
Seasonal perspective
Choose dates with eyes open.
There is no universally perfect month. Heat, humidity, school calendars, events and storm risk change the character of a visit.
Ask us about when to go
Winter
Comfortable temperatures and strong demand, especially across South Florida and holiday periods.
Spring
Warm days, popular school breaks and a useful window for combining parks and coast.
Summer
Heat, humidity and afternoon storms reward slower days, shade, water and flexible planning.
Autumn
Seasonal events can be compelling; tropical weather and event-led park hours need active monitoring.
Farr planning
Eight details that protect the holiday.
The luxury is not fitting more in. It is removing avoidable friction before you travel.
Ask us about plan it well
Set the priority
Name the experiences that would make the trip feel worthwhile.
Choose the geography
Decide bases before comparing individual hotels or villas.
Build the park rhythm
Alternate demanding days with lighter ones where the party needs it.
Compare stays honestly
Service, space, transport and location matter more than category labels.
Reserve selectively
Protect the dining and experiences that matter without filling every hour.
Plan the movement
Airport, park and multi-centre transfers need realistic timing.
Keep rules live
Admission, apps, opening hours and hotel benefits are checked for the exact dates.
Leave room to enjoy it
A free afternoon can be one of the most valuable parts of the itinerary.
Planning answers
First-time questions, answered.
Clear, practical answers before you commit.
Ask us about faqHow long should we spend in Florida?
For a first visit, ten to fourteen nights gives room to combine Orlando with a coast, villa or second region without rushing.
Can Farr arrange a multi-centre Florida holiday?
Yes. We can combine regions, stay styles and experiences into one considered itinerary, with travel time and handovers clearly explained.
When should we start planning?
School-holiday dates and larger villas reward early planning. We can still help with nearer departures, subject to current availability.
Are the ideas on these pages live availability?
No. These guides are editorial inspiration. Price, availability, inclusions and supplier terms are confirmed personally for your dates.
Do we need a car?
It depends on your bases and confidence driving. Villas and multi-centres often favour a car; some resort-led stays can combine hotel transport and private transfers.
Your first Florida, made personal
Let us make the choices feel simple.
Share who is travelling, your preferred dates and the one thing you do not want to miss.