Orlando from Des Moines, 16 – 18 Oct: £843 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- $430 per person round trip, $105 below the typical fare
- Avanti International Resort: 7.6 from 8,790 reviews, free cancellation
- October brings the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival and Halloween events
The catch: The Frontier outbound has 1 stop and takes 14h 54m, landing Saturday at 12:19 PM, so you won't use Friday's hotel night.
Worth it if you want a quick theme-park weekend and don't mind an overnight connection; skip it if you need two full days there.
Worth it if you can handle an overnight connection: $1,119 for two, all in, with the Frontier flights at $860 plus Avanti International Resort at $259, taxes and fees included. It's Oct 16–18, 2026, 2 nights, and the outbound has 1 stop and takes 14h 54m, leaving Friday at 8:25 PM and landing Saturday at 12:19 PM. A checked bag, any resort fee and spending money aren't in that total.
The total, before you go
£843 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £648 |
| Avanti International Resort, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £195 |
| The total, before you go | £843 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £181 |
£79 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £45 each way per bag on Frontier, £181 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£324 per person, return
£648 for two, taxes and fees included · Frontier · 1 stop · 14h 54m
Out Fri, Oct 16, 8:25 PM – Sat, Oct 17, 12:19 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | £324 | 1 stop | 14h 54m |
| G4 + F9 | £497 | 1 stop | 29h 43m |
| Frontier | £501 | 3 stops | 27h 13m |
Prices checked 13 Oct 2026, 11:06 GMT-5. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
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Why now
At $430 per person, the Frontier fare is $105 below the typical fare on this route. Our earlier checks put typical at $535, and we saw fares for these dates as high as $797. With the hotel, the trip comes to $1,119 for two, all in. A checked bag (about $240 for two), any resort fee and spending money are on top of that. October is when the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival and the Halloween events run. The weather also cools off by the time you land: Saturday has a high of 82°F and a 19% chance of drizzle, and Sunday has a high of 76°F and a 24% chance of showers. Friday's forecast shows thunderstorms at 72%, but you'll be traveling then. This works for one full park day, not a full Disney vacation.
The kind of trip this is
This is a fast theme-park weekend for two. You land Saturday at 12:19 PM, so plan on one big park day: EPCOT for the Food & Wine Festival or Universal for the rides. Then keep Sunday easy. It suits couples or friends who like rides, festival food and Halloween events and don't mind a busy pace. If you want a slow, restful reset, this schedule is too tight.
Weather in Orlando, 16 – 18 Oct
Highs 76–92°F, a small chance of rain
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct | 92 °F | 76 °F | 72% |
| Sat 17 Oct | 82 °F | 73 °F | 19% |
| Sun 18 Oct | 76 °F | 71 °F | 24% |
Where to stay in Orlando
We picked Avanti International Resort as the best value: $259 for the 2 nights ($130 a night), 7.6 from 8,790 reviews, free cancellation and room only. It's in the Universal Orlando area, which is walkable to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe. Wyndham I-Drive Avanti Resort & Conference Center is the budget alternative in the same area. It's $268 for the stay ($134 a night), scores 7.4 from 11,416 reviews and also has free cancellation. Westgate Town Center Resort is the top rated at 8.5 from 1,757 reviews: $272 for the stay ($136 a night) for a Deluxe Studio Villa in Celebration, but it doesn't offer free cancellation. International Drive, the central strip with outlet malls, restaurants and attractions, is another easy base.
Avanti International Resort
£195 for 2 nights, two guests · £98 a night
See roomsWestgate Town Center Resort
£205 for 2 nights, two guests · £103 a night
See roomsWyndham I-Drive Avanti Resort & Conference Center
£202 for 2 nights, two guests · £101 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Orlando for these dates
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Where in Orlando
- Walt Disney World Resort: On-site hotels with early park entry and free transport.
- Lake Buena Vista: Hotels a short shuttle from Disney with lower rates.
- Universal Orlando area: Walkable to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe.
- International Drive: Central strip with outlet malls, restaurants and attractions.
- Kissimmee: Vacation villas with private pools for larger families.
What to do in Orlando
- Spend Saturday at EPCOT's World Showcase during the Food & Wine Festival
- Ride Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal
- Explore the Epic Universe park, walkable from the Universal Orlando area
- Watch the fireworks over Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom
- Take a kayak or airboat tour on the Wekiva River
Also worth it
- Spend a day at EPCOT's World Showcase
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Des Moines | Des Moines International (DSM) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Orlando | Orlando International (MCO), Orlando Sanford International (SFB) |
| Flight time | 14h 54m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 1,137 miles each way |
| Time difference | +1 hour |
What 2 nights in Orlando costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £648 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Avanti International Resort) | £195 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,235 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Des Moines to Orlando
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £324 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £237 (13 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £403 |
| Price checks | 15 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Orlando.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- EPCOT Food & Wine Festival and Halloween events
- No passport needed, and you'll pay in US dollars.
- Orlando is 1 hour ahead of Des Moines.
- The outbound flies from Des Moines International (DSM) to Orlando International (MCO) with 1 stop, 14h 54m in total.
- A checked bag is about $240 for two and isn't in the total; neither is any resort fee.
- Westgate Town Center Resort has no free cancellation; the two Avanti hotels do.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Yes, if you're fine with an overnight connection. The fare is $105 per person below the typical $535 on this route. The catch is that you land Saturday at 12:19 PM after 14h 54m with 1 stop, so you get one full park day.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$1,119 for two, all in: $860 for the Frontier flights plus $259 for 2 nights at Avanti International Resort, taxes and fees included, as we found it. A checked bag is about $240 for two and isn't included. Neither is any resort fee or spending money.
What is the weather like?
Friday shows thunderstorms, a high of 92°F and a 72% chance of rain, but you'll be traveling then. Saturday has a high of 82°F with a 19% chance of drizzle. Sunday has a high of 76°F with a 24% chance of showers.
Is 2 nights enough?
It's enough for one park day. You land Saturday at 12:19 PM and you won't use Friday's hotel night, so pick one park, like EPCOT for the Food & Wine Festival or Universal, and don't try to fit in more.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, you pay in US dollars, and Orlando is 1 hour ahead of Des Moines.
Can I cancel the hotel?
Avanti International Resort and Wyndham I-Drive Avanti Resort & Conference Center both have free cancellation. Westgate Town Center Resort, the top rated at 8.5, doesn't.
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All trips from Des Moines · Orlando from every city · Prices on this route · Trips in October 2026 · Home
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
- Photo: Simon Steiner / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Connor Scott McManus / Pexels, Pexels License
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