RV Tips for Visiting Orlando Theme Parks
04-10-2020
Author: in Education
One of the most popular vacation destinations in the country is Orlando, Florida. Why? The amazing theme parks found there, of course! Disney World is the most obvious one that comes to mind for most people, but this city is also home to Universal Orlando, an amazing SeaWorld Park, and LEGOLAND Florida.
Each of these parks is well worth visiting, and any way you can manage to do so is just fine. That said, there are a number of benefits to visiting in your RV. For this reason, we highly recommend an RV getaway when it comes time to explore the Orlando theme parks.
If you’re in the process of planning a getaway to the Sunshine State, there are some things you ought to know. In this article I will discuss my top tips for visiting the Orlando theme parks in your RV.
This isn’t to say that one season is better than another. Any season you choose will be just fine. It is good to know what to expect going in though, so you can be prepared.
In summer, these preparations might include parking in the shade, ensuring you have a 50-amp electric hookup in order to run multiple air conditioners, and planning to be out during the hottest part of the day. In winter, you will need to book your campsite far in advance and be prepared to deal with crowded campgrounds.
If you are making the trek to Florida purely to visit Disney World, you might consider staying inside the “Disney bubble” at the Disney Resort’s very own campground, Fort Wilderness. This campground is by far the nicest I’ve ever seen and offers the same amenities all of the Resort Hotels offer. A stay here would be the ultimate glamping experience for sure and is the way to go if you’re looking for an immersive Disney vacation.
All that said, Fort Wilderness is incredibly expensive as far as RV parks go. Considering the fact that Orlando has a number of very affordable RV camping options available, many people find it difficult to justify the cost of Fort Wilderness.
Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake is a wonderful example of a lovely and incredibly inexpensive RV camping option, and it is down the road from Universal Orlando. Lake Louisa State Park is another affordable option in the Orlando area.
The biggest and best Florida resident discounts at the theme parks are the surprisingly cheap annual passes. For this reason, it makes sense to make Florida your home in more than one sense.
Instead of just having an address and a license in the state, why not spend a season in the area, making good use of an annual pass? By doing this, you’ll get to experience the parks in a very unique manner, and you can more easily justify admission costs and spread them out over time using a payment plan.
First, pack lunches whenever possible.
If you will be purchasing a SeaWorld annual pass, you might consider the meal pass they offer. Otherwise, we recommend taking small snacks and eating meals just before and after your visits to SeaWorld.
Dinner can be started in a slow cooker at the beginning of each park day. This is awesome because it means you’ll have an awesome home-cooked meal to return to at the end of your long day.
In all cases, dually trucks will fit in the garages and lots at these parks, and despite their width, these trucks should only be charged the regular fee. Meanwhile, RVs will need to go to special parking areas at each park and will be charged a higher rate.
In many cases, dining reservations are a must, especially if you are hoping to experience a character meal or some other sort of specialty dining. A visit to Disney World will include 3 FastPasses a day. These allow you to skip the lines, but should be scheduled in advance. You will also want to learn about the paid wait-reducing passes at each of the other parks and decide whether they are for you.
Each of these parks is well worth visiting, and any way you can manage to do so is just fine. That said, there are a number of benefits to visiting in your RV. For this reason, we highly recommend an RV getaway when it comes time to explore the Orlando theme parks.
If you’re in the process of planning a getaway to the Sunshine State, there are some things you ought to know. In this article I will discuss my top tips for visiting the Orlando theme parks in your RV.
Choose Your Season Wisely
The first thing you’ll want to do is decide when you’re going to visit. This should be done wisely. You see, summers in Florida are incredibly hot and can be difficult for RV air conditioners to keep up with. Meanwhile, Florida winters mean snowbirds and RV parks that are absolutely packed.This isn’t to say that one season is better than another. Any season you choose will be just fine. It is good to know what to expect going in though, so you can be prepared.
In summer, these preparations might include parking in the shade, ensuring you have a 50-amp electric hookup in order to run multiple air conditioners, and planning to be out during the hottest part of the day. In winter, you will need to book your campsite far in advance and be prepared to deal with crowded campgrounds.
Consider Your Campground Choices
Speaking of campgrounds, you will also want to carefully consider where you park your RV during your stay. Fortunately, Orlando has an enormous number of campgrounds and RV parks, meaning you will almost certainly find something that suits your needs perfectly.If you are making the trek to Florida purely to visit Disney World, you might consider staying inside the “Disney bubble” at the Disney Resort’s very own campground, Fort Wilderness. This campground is by far the nicest I’ve ever seen and offers the same amenities all of the Resort Hotels offer. A stay here would be the ultimate glamping experience for sure and is the way to go if you’re looking for an immersive Disney vacation.
All that said, Fort Wilderness is incredibly expensive as far as RV parks go. Considering the fact that Orlando has a number of very affordable RV camping options available, many people find it difficult to justify the cost of Fort Wilderness.
Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake is a wonderful example of a lovely and incredibly inexpensive RV camping option, and it is down the road from Universal Orlando. Lake Louisa State Park is another affordable option in the Orlando area.
Make Florida Your Home
Many RVers have addresses in Florida and claim the state of Florida as their residence. There are several benefits to doing this, including no state income tax. Another fabulous benefit is the ability to get Florida discounts on local attractions. If you have a Florida address, and especially if you have a Florida ID, you are likely eligible for some of these discounts.The biggest and best Florida resident discounts at the theme parks are the surprisingly cheap annual passes. For this reason, it makes sense to make Florida your home in more than one sense.
Instead of just having an address and a license in the state, why not spend a season in the area, making good use of an annual pass? By doing this, you’ll get to experience the parks in a very unique manner, and you can more easily justify admission costs and spread them out over time using a payment plan.
Pack Your Own Lunches and Set the Slow Cooker
Food in the theme parks is incredibly expensive. Not only that, but much of what is served in these parks isn’t even all that great. Instead of spending tons of money on mediocre food while in the parks, take advantage of the fact that you take your kitchen with you wherever you roam by eating food from home.First, pack lunches whenever possible.
- Disney World and LEGOLAND are both very laid-back about guests bringing in food and drink. Both ask that you avoid large or hard-sided coolers as well as glass items, but otherwise you should be good to go. (Note: For the safety of their animals, Disney’s Animal Kingdom may ask you to discard any plastic straws you’re using as you walk in.)
- Universal has a few more rules and may not allow large meals, but sandwiches and snacks are fine.
- SeaWorld is the most strict of the four, and will only allow small snacks.
If you will be purchasing a SeaWorld annual pass, you might consider the meal pass they offer. Otherwise, we recommend taking small snacks and eating meals just before and after your visits to SeaWorld.
Dinner can be started in a slow cooker at the beginning of each park day. This is awesome because it means you’ll have an awesome home-cooked meal to return to at the end of your long day.
Consider Parking Fees
Many people fail to consider parking fees when planning their vacation. Since you will almost certainly be driving your own vehicle in, parking fees are definitely something you will want to budget for, as parking fees at these parks are sky high.In all cases, dually trucks will fit in the garages and lots at these parks, and despite their width, these trucks should only be charged the regular fee. Meanwhile, RVs will need to go to special parking areas at each park and will be charged a higher rate.
Do Your Research
Lastly, we would like to note that the tips above are purely RV-related tips and don’t even begin to touch on the enormous job of actually planning your time in these parks. If you will have an annual pass to a park (or parks) and can visit often, planning is a little less crucial—but those visiting for only a few days will definitely want to sit down, do some research, and create a plan of attack.In many cases, dining reservations are a must, especially if you are hoping to experience a character meal or some other sort of specialty dining. A visit to Disney World will include 3 FastPasses a day. These allow you to skip the lines, but should be scheduled in advance. You will also want to learn about the paid wait-reducing passes at each of the other parks and decide whether they are for you.
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Author: Chelsea Barron
