Orlando is world-famous for its huge theme parks and water parks, but they can get very crowded, so it’s best to get there before 8.30am, or go after 4.00pm in the afternoon. You’ll still have plenty of time if you go late afternoon, since most are open until 10pm or later, depending on the season. Be sure to plan your day at the park ahead of time, and take plenty of water and sunscreen.
Sea World
At this popular theme park you can feed dolphins, seals and sea lions; visit a man-made ‘Arctic’ ocean, with seals, polar bears, beluga whales and walruses, and take a moving walkway through a naturalistic snowy Antarctic habitat, with more than 200 penguins. You can also get close to sharks, eels, and barracuda; and visit new dolphin mothers and their calves in the popular Dolphin Nursery.
Wet ‘N’ Wild
Wet ‘N’ Wild’s new water ride, ‘Brain Wash’, has a 53-foot vertical drop into a 65-foot domed funnel, where you are bombarded with light, sound and video, as you swirl around the funnel before you finally make your escape. And an exciting new raft adventure joins the popular Surge, Bubba Tub, Black Hole and The Blast. Children love the Kid’s Park, featuring smaller versions of the adult rides.
Discovery Cove
Here the focus is on interacting with dolphins, birds, and marine life, and the big attraction is a swim with a bottlenose dolphin. You will have to make a reservation to visit this popular park, since attendance is limited to 1,000 guests per day. Go for a snorkel among thousands of rays and tropical fish, then visit the huge, free-flight aviaries, where you can feed and touch hundreds of tropical birds.
Islands of Adventure – Universal Studios
Innovative rides and attractions are scattered throughout this Universal theme park: Marvel Super Hero Island where Super Heroes battle diabolical Super Villains; Suess Landing with its Dr Suess characters; Lost Continent, a land of heart-stopping adventure; Jurassic Park where dinosaurs co-exist with humans; and Toon Lagoon where everyone gets soaked on wild water rides.
Magic Kingdom – Disney World
There are seven ‘lands’ here, surrounding the Cinderella Castle, where you and the kids can visit imaginary lands of adventure – take ride on a magic carpet, plunge down waterfalls, hurtle through space – or visit the all-time classics ‘It’s a Small World’, ‘The Haunted Mansion’, and the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.
Universal Studios
This huge entertainment park has over 40 computer animated rides, and the world’s largest movie studio outside of Hollywood. Don’t miss the popular Nickelodeon studios and the movie sets. At the CityWalk there’s lots of entertainment, top restaurants, nightclubs and shops, in fact something for everyone.
Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
Both of these water parks have big water slides, a pool at the centre, a huge play area, and a ‘lazy’ river, where you can take a relaxing tube ride around the park. Typhoon Lagoon is the world’s largest wave pool, where waves can reach six feet tall and you can surf here after hours. At Shark Reef you can snorkel with sharks, rays and tropical fishes.
Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex
A visit to Florida wouldn’t be complete without taking a daytrip to NASA’s launch headquarters, just 45 minutes from Orlando. Here you can tour launch and landing facilities, take a close-up look at huge rockets, train in interactive simulators, and even meet an astronaut. Try to time your visit to coincide with a launch or landing.
Busch Gardens Africa
This theme park, about an hour from Orlando, has more than 2,700 animals and is one of American’s largest zoos. There are also many exciting rides and attractions: SheiKra, the world’s highest vertical dive coaster; Gwazi, the southeast’s fastest double wooden roller coaster; Rhino Rally, Scorpion, and Edge of Africa.
Hot air balloon ride
The perfect ending to your exciting Orlando holiday would be an unforgettable early morning hot air balloon ride, with one of Orlando’s many ballooning companies. These fantastic tours usually finish with a delicious champagne breakfast and certificates and photos for all.