Florida / South States visit – May 2023 – should I book now or wait?

18 comments

1. Book it. Don’t wait. Prices rarely go down on that sort of thing closer to the date.

2. What do you possibly have to gain by waiting? It’s only going to get more expensive and more likely to be booked full.

3. Why would you wait?

4. What southern states?

5. Our school tend to let out sometime in May so that’s basically the start of our high season.

   You should definitely book now. If you haven’t traveled for 3 years, this isn’t the time to just wing it anywhere,

6. May is going to be one of the busiest times of year for travel. Although it’s the off season in Florida. Either way you should book now and not wait.

7. Miami hotel booked (short stay just to get adjust to time difference) – then Orlando (already searching) – Thank you all for the info – at least the flight price is reasonable 😉

8. They generally only go up the closer to.

   If you’re visiting Universal, some of their hotels can come with complimentary fast passes and early admission.

9. Earlier is typically better for booking; things only get more expensive the closer to travel time that you wait. The time you’re visiting FL is honestly the best time to do so, after spring breakers have vacated but before summer tourists begin to show up. The weather tends to be bearable and the state isn’t too crowded.

   One suggestion: vacation rentals are a decent option if you’re going to be somewhere for a few days. The few times my friends and I have made trips down from the panhandle to Orlando, we usually grab a rental place, and it ends up cheaper and better than hotel accommodations would have been.

   Going to put in my blanket warning, though I’m guessing you might be familiar with this part of traveling due to your other comments. A thing to keep in mind: distances and travel times are a lot greater than you might guess looking at the map. Just going from Orlando to the panhandle is a long drive (6 to 8 hours depending on destination, not including food and bathroom stops), so make sure to really double check travel times between points of interest when planning things out. I have had the fun of having to explain to travelers both foreign and domestic that you cannot in fact make day trips between different corners of the southeast.

10. My suggestion – do not waste money staying in Disney. I’ve stayed in Orlando about 7 times to go to Disney. Staying in Disney was the most expensive and disappointing.

    Eat at the drive-in theater in Disney. It’s dark and kids are quieter and it’s a bit of reprieve from the madness.

11. If you make it up to Alabama and are interested in space at all, hit up the Hunstivlle Space and Rocket center! It’s def worth a stop.

12. Potentially saving a few hundred bucks is not worth missing out on the trip, book now.

13. Don’t wait. Book as soon as possible. I live in a very tourist area of the Gulf Coast of Florida. Book as soon as you know exactly where you want to stay.

14. Prices never go down.

15. I would stay at Airbnb’s myself. And if you do stay at a hotel, you can Google the hotel room # to see if there’s a history of bed bugs…

16. Now and use google flights or hopper

17. Book it. Airbnb’s can be quite nice. Prepare to drink sulfur instead of tap water, though.

    If you have any Q’s about Florida, Georgia, Alabama or the southern portion of the Appalachian Trail feel free to ask. I’ve lived 50 years in these states and have hiked the trail along with many other parks.

    Wish you the best! Have a great time!

18. Get rooms, get them now. They can and will sell out.

    Where are you planning to go after Orlando? The Atlantic South (eastern Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia) is very different from the Gulf South (western Florida, southern Alabama and Mississippi, Louisiana, parts of Texas), which is different from the Upland South (western Georgia and Carolinas, Tennessee, northern Alabama and Mississippi).