Orlando
Theme parks, warm beaches and the Everglades — the relaxed first RV trip.
Flying and arriving
Orlando International (MCO) lies southeast of the city, half an hour from the main theme park zone. From Amsterdam and Brussels you usually fly in with one connection; in certain seasons there are also nonstop flights, so compare the options for your dates. Florida is in the Eastern time zone, six hours behind the Netherlands and Belgium — the smallest time difference of all the starting points, which makes the jet lag easier on children.
You usually land in the afternoon or early evening local time. MCO is a busy family airport, so expect queues at immigration and crowds at the baggage belts. The heat and humidity hit you in the face as you step outside; in summer that is serious, from late autumn to spring it is pleasant. Keep the arrival evening empty: hotel, pool, early to bed.
Picking up the RV
The RV depots are spread around Orlando, usually twenty to forty minutes from the airport, some towards Kissimmee close to the theme parks. Most rental companies offer a shuttle from a number of hotels or a fixed pickup point; otherwise you take a taxi or rideshare. So choose your hotel for the first night near the depot.
The 24-hour rule applies here too with almost all rental companies: no pickup on the day you land. Plan the pickup for day two and, at the handover, have the air conditioning and power supply explained above all — in Florida you want an electric hookup at the campground and to know how the cooling works. Also ask how the generator works for the road and whether there are restrictions on parking at the theme parks.
The first night
Stay in the Orlando area itself for the first night in the RV: the large RV resorts around Kissimmee and the theme parks are a short half hour from most depots and have pools, shuttles and full hookups, exactly what you want after a long journey. Prefer nature? Then the spring-fed state parks north of the city, such as Wekiwa Springs, are a quiet alternative at a similar distance. Reserve via the Florida State Parks reservation system or directly with the resort, and do so well ahead in the holiday months.
Supplies and gear
Around Orlando you find large supermarkets and big-box stores of the Walmart, Target or Costco type on every corner, plus outdoor stores for camping chairs, mosquito repellent and beach gear. Ask the rental company in advance what the RV includes: a kitchen kit and bedding are often an optional package, chairs vary, and firewood you buy at the campground — although in the Florida heat you will want a fan sooner than a campfire. Stock up on plenty of water, sun protection and insect repellent and buy a cooler for the beach days; inside the theme parks everything is expensive.
Frequently asked questions
Can we take the RV to the theme parks?
The big theme parks have parking lots where RVs are generally accommodated, but it is more comfortable to leave the RV at the resort and take the shuttle. That way you avoid parking hassle and heat inside the vehicle, and you do not have to pack anything up.
Can we pick up the RV on the day we arrive?
With almost all rental companies, no: the 24-hour rule requires a hotel night after the intercontinental flight. Book that hotel near the depot or near the theme parks and treat day one as a landing day.
When is Orlando the best starting point?
From late autumn through spring: drier, milder and outside the hurricane season. That fits the autumn half-term, the Christmas holidays, the February and spring breaks and the Easter holidays. The summer holidays work too, but expect heat, showers and full parks.
Routes that start here
- 11 daysUnited States
Florida theme park hop
Orlando → Space Coast → Keys
Rides, rockets and beach days
Starts in Orlando (MCO)
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