France → Orlando travel guide

Your Orlando Travel Guide from France: Where to Go, How to Get There, and What It Costs Per Day

Thinking about flying from France to Orlando for Disney, Universal or just some Florida sun? Let’s walk through the big questions: what to see, how to get there from France, and how much you should expect to spend per day in both euros and dollars.

Quick snapshot
For most travellers from France, a realistic daily budget in Orlando (excluding flights) is usually around:

• Budget trip about 110–150 EUR (125–175 USD) per person per day
• Comfortable mid range about 170–240 EUR (195–275 USD) per person per day
• Theme park heavy trip about 250–380 EUR (290–440 USD) per person per day

These ranges line up with recent estimates that put the average Orlando daily cost around 350–380 USD per person including hotel, food and attractions. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

1. Best places to visit in Orlando if you are coming from France

Orlando is built around theme parks, but there is more to do than just rides. Here is how to prioritise your time if you are flying in from France for the first time.

Walt Disney World Resort

Must see Family Couples

The Walt Disney World Resort is basically a small city. It has four main parks:

• Magic Kingdom iconic castle, parades, fireworks, classic rides
• EPCOT technology, culture and the World Showcase which feels like a world food festival
• Hollywood Studios Star Wars Galaxy Edge, Toy Story Land and big shows
• Animal Kingdom Pandora Avatar area, safari and lush scenery

One day tickets for 2025 start around 119 USD and can climb close to 200 USD per person on peak dates, before tax and extras. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Universal Orlando Resort

Thrill rides Teens Harry Potter

Universal is the other giant. You get:

• Universal Studios Florida movie themed rides and shows
• Islands of Adventure big coasters and the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Volcano Bay water park for hot days
• Epic Universe new mega park, opening with lands like Super Nintendo World :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

One day tickets often run from around 140 USD for a single park up to around 220 USD for park to park access on busy dates. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Other parks and attractions

• SeaWorld and Aquatica marine shows, coasters and a good water park
• ICON Park and International Drive giant observation wheel, bars, restaurants
• Gatorland classic Florida wildlife experience with alligators and zip lines

These can be cheaper than Disney or Universal and are good add ons if you already did the main parks on a previous trip.

Orlando city and day trips

• Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando for a slower day and skyline views
• Winter Park for cafes, boutiques and scenic boat tours
• Kennedy Space Center about one hour away on the coast
• Beaches Cocoa Beach to the east, Clearwater and St Pete Beach to the west

If you are flying all the way from France, it often makes sense to add at least one beach or space center day.

2. How to get to Orlando from France

The easiest way is to fly into Orlando International Airport MCO. Coming from France, you will usually connect through another hub.

Typical flight routes

• From Paris CDG most options
  • Paris – a US hub New York, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte then Orlando
  • Sometimes seasonal or charter style direct flights Paris – Orlando
• From other French cities Lyon, Nice, Marseille usually connect via Paris, Amsterdam, London or a US hub before reaching Orlando.

For planning, assume:

• Flight time from Paris to Orlando with one connection usually around 12 to 15 hours of travel including the layover
• Time difference: Orlando is normally 6 hours behind France most of the year

Rough flight cost idea
Prices jump a lot by season. As a very broad range, economy return tickets France – Orlando often land somewhere between 600 and 1 100 EUR per person outside the busiest holidays, and more in July August or around Christmas. Always check current fares, as airline pricing changes constantly.

Getting from the airport to your hotel

• Rideshare or private transfer easy if you have luggage and kids, usually around 35–70 USD from MCO to most tourist areas
• Taxi similar price level to private transfer for resort areas
• Hotel shuttle sometimes included for off site hotels, but check if it runs from the airport or only to Disney and Universal
• Rental car makes sense if you plan to explore beyond the parks; parking fees at hotels and parks will add to the cost

3. What does an Orlando trip cost per day from France

Here is the thing. The biggest part of your budget is usually flights and theme park tickets. Once you are in Orlando, daily costs depend on where you stay, how often you eat in the parks and how many paid attractions you do.

Exchange rates move, but around late 2025, 1 EUR is roughly in the area of 1.15 USD

Daily budget overview per person excluding flights

Style	USD per day	Approx EUR per day	What it looks like
Budget	125–175 USD	110–150 EUR	Off site motel or budget hotel, simple breakfast, quick service meals, occasional park days, more free or low cost activities.
Mid range	195–275 USD	170–240 EUR	Decent hotel, mix of on site and off site dining, several theme park days, maybe one sit down restaurant daily.
Theme park heavy	290–440 USD	250–380 EUR	Popular on site or higher end hotel, Disney or Universal most days, paid extras like Genie Plus, Express Pass or character meals.

Note: recent estimates put average Orlando daily spending in the high 300 USD range for many travellers when you mix hotel, park tickets, food and transport. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Sample breakdown for a mid range park day

Category	Approx cost in USD	Approx cost in EUR	Notes
Hotel (shared double)	120–180 USD per room	105–155 EUR	Per person this is about 60–90 USD if two share the room.
Disney or Universal ticket	140–200 USD	120–175 EUR	Varies by date and park; Disney one day tickets currently range from about 119 to 199 USD. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Food and drinks	50–80 USD	45–70 EUR	Simple breakfast, park lunch, casual dinner and some snacks is often in this zone. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Transport	10–25 USD	9–22 EUR	Hotel shuttle, rideshare or fuel parking if you rent a car.
Extras	10–40 USD	9–35 EUR	Souvenirs, photo packages, small upgrades.

On a typical theme park heavy day, it is very easy to land between 260 and 350 USD per person if you include a one day ticket and a share of the hotel. For quieter days by the pool, shopping or exploring non park areas, your daily cost may drop to 120–190 USD per person.

How many days do you really need

• Short break 4–5 nights, focus on 2–3 park days and one slow day
• Classic first Orlando trip 7–10 nights, enough time for Disney, Universal and at least one beach or space center day
• Two week stay makes sense if you treat Orlando as your main holiday and hate rushing, especially with kids

4. Tips to keep costs under control as a traveller from France

Travel timing

• Avoid Christmas, New Year and Easter if you want lower airfares and cheaper park tickets
• Look at late January, early February, early May and parts of September for better deals and lighter crowds
• Be flexible by one or two days; sometimes shifting your dates by a day can change flight and ticket prices noticeably

Hotel choices

• Off site hotels around International Drive or Kissimmee are usually cheaper than staying inside Disney or Universal
• If you only plan two Disney days, staying off site and driving or using rideshare can be more cost effective than paying for a full Disney hotel week
• Check resort fees and parking charges before booking; these can add a lot to your nightly rate

Park ticket strategy

• Do not feel forced to visit a park every single day. Mix pool days and free activities to spread the cost of tickets over more days.
• For Disney, multi day tickets and special UK EU style offers sometimes bring the per day cost down if you are staying longer. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
• For Universal, consider whether you really need park to park access every day or only on one or two days for the Hogwarts Express and the biggest ride days.

Food and shopping

• Use supermarkets for water, snacks and simple breakfasts instead of buying everything inside the parks
• Share large portions at some restaurants; US portion sizes are often bigger than in France
• Set a souvenir budget in advance, especially with children, so small impulse buys do not quietly eat your daily budget

5. Is Orlando worth it for travellers from France

If you love theme parks, American style entertainment and warm weather, Orlando is one of those destinations that feels like a once in a lifetime trip, especially with children or teens. It is not a cheap holiday, but with a clear plan and realistic daily budget, you can avoid most surprises.

The key is to decide early how many Disney and Universal days you truly want, estimate your hotel and food costs using the ranges above, then add flights on top. From there you can see whether you are comfortable with the total or whether you want to adjust the length of stay or the number of park days.

Next step: pick your rough dates, count how many Disney and Universal days you actually want, then build a simple budget: flights from France plus daily budget from this guide. Once those numbers look right for you, start watching airfares and Orlando hotel deals and lock in when prices look reasonable.