< Exploring Florida

Orlando and the Parks

Family Guide
With more than a dozen theme parks, central Florida might seem like one big roller coaster, but there is also much natural and cultural beauty to explore. Orlando and its upscale neighbor, Winter Park, have museums, world-class restaurants, festivals, and sporting events that enhance the joy of the thrill rides, and add to the experience of visiting this colorful area.


Family Guide
The iconic Sorcerer Mickey Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®

Highlights

Walt Disney World® Resort

See Walt Disney’s vision come alive in four famous theme parks (see Walt Disney World® Resort).

Universal Studios Florida® and Universal’s Islands of Adventure®

Meet the Simpsons™ or visit Harry Potter’s™ Hogwarts™ at these entertainment theme parks (see Universal Studios Florida®).

SeaWorld®, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove®

Take a closer look at penguins and sea lions at SeaWorld®, swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove®, and hop aboard thrilling water rides at Aquatica.

The Orlando Eye

Soar high above to get a spectacular bird’s-eye view of Central Florida from this observation wheel (see The Orlando Eye).

Orlando and Winter Park

Visit museums of art and science, watch championship basketball, and marvel at leaping alligators–a combination possible only in Orlando (see Orlando Science Center).

LEGOLAND® Florida Resort

At this LEGO®-themed park, kids can learn how many Lego® blocks it would take to build the Statue of Liberty, and how they could do it at home (see LEGOLAND®).

The Best of Orlando and the Parks

Family Guide
Crazy curves and weird shapes at High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride™, Universal Studios Florida®
The fantasylands, wild animals, movie history, and world culture of the Walt Disney® theme parks have been drawing millions of visitors since 1971. Universal Studios Florida® adds to the adventure, celebrating movies and the world of Harry Potter™, along with the water wonderland of SeaWorld®. The city of Orlando, and its suburb Winter Park, have excellent historical museums, cultural sites, and entertainment options.

The wonderful world of Disney

Look up in Magic Kingdom® to see the soaring castle towers where Cinderella and Beauty’s Beast live, or get an adrenaline rush on the Space Mountain®, Splash Mountain®, and Big Thunder Mountain® coasters. Ride with Ariel on Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, and on a flying carpet in The Magic Carpets of Aladdin.
Soarin’™ lets visitors glide over the Californian landscape in Epcot®, while Test Track allows them to design and test custom vehicles, and Mission: Space® goes beyond the atmosphere. World Showcase displays the cultures of 11 countries in a 2-mile (3-km) circle and features booming taiko drummers in the Japan Pavilion, and the Off Kilter bagpipe band in the Canada Pavilion.
Visit Muppets, living toys, and Indiana Jones™ in Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. All Kermit fans will love Muppet*Vision 3D, and thrills await at the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, Festival of the Lion King blends music and theater. Take the Kilimanjaro Safaris® to see lions and wildebeests.

Movie magic

Universal Orlando® Resort offers entertainment for the whole family, featuring the amazing Universal Studios Florida® and Universal’s Islands of Adventure®. Men In Black™ and The Simpsons™ rides bring movies and TV to life at Universal Studios Florida®, while Harry Potter fans will enjoy visiting Gringotts Bank™ at Diagon Alley™. Over at Universal’s Islands of Adventure® kids can cast a spell aboard Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™ or travel at 40 mph (64 km/h) on The Incredible Hulk Coaster®.

Culture vultures

International Drive, Orlando’s bustling strip of restaurants and hotels, features The Orlando Eye, Wonderworks, which includes a simulated earthquake and an upside-down building, and the fascinating Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium. Downtown Orlando’s big draw is the 20,000-seat Amway Center, home of NBA basketball, arena football, concerts, and circuses. Check out the fine restaurants and music clubs nearby, as well as the charming Lake Eola Park, which has plenty of space to run around. While Downtown Orlando holds the Orlando Museum of Art, and the Orlando Science Center, Winter Park is home to the world’s best collection of Tiffany art at the Morse Museum, and a wonderfully casual main street filled with shops and restaurants called Park Avenue. The Scenic Boat Tour winds through the picturesque lakes and canals of this historic area, with views of grand mansions and beautiful natural life.

The best of the rest

Seaworld® boasts exciting animal encounters and thrilling water rides, while Discovery Cove® offers a relaxed resort-like experience, and a close encounter with dolphins.
Kids can walk through the amazing LEGO® city replicas at Miniland USA in LEGOLAND® Florida Resort, unearth Egyptian treasures in the Lost Kingdom Adventure, and have an exciting driving experience at the Ford Driving Schools.
The Orlando Eye offers stunning views of Orlando and its landmarks.
Family Guide
Kids playing with LEGO® dinosaurs, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort

< Orlando and the Parks

Orlando and the Parks

Family Guide
LEGO® pirates at the entrance to Pirates’ Cove, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort
Entertainment, gardens, and the promise of warm winters have been luring visitors to Orlando since the 1880s. About an hour’s drive from both east and west coasts, it usually escapes the worst of the hurricane season while benefiting from pleasant temperatures in winter.
Orlando is the undisputed theme park capital of the world, with Walt Disney World® Resort, Universal Orlando® Resort, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort, and the water parks making the city a family-oriented fantasyland. But it has a lot more to offer. International Drive is chock-full of kid-friendly attractions and good restaurants, and sports fans will delight in the spectacular basketball arena at the Amway Center. Bordering greater Orlando, Winter Park’s appeal lies in its great museums, cafés, and scenic waterways. With so many sights spread out over the city, it is best to hire a car to get around.



1. Walt Disney World® Resort

Magic Kingdom®

Epcot®

Disney’s Animal Kingdom®

Disney’s Hollywood Studios®

Blizzard Beach

Typhoon Lagoon

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Disney Springs®

2. Universal Studios Florida®

3. Universal’s Islands of Adventure®

4. SeaWorld®, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove®

5. The Orlando Eye

6. Crayola Experience

7. International Drive

8. Gatorland

9. Orlando Science Center

10. Loch Haven Park

11. Downtown Orlando

12. Winter Park

13. Winter Park Scenic Boat Tours

14. LEGOLAND® Florida Resort




< Orlando and the Parks

1. Walt Disney World® Resort

The house of The Mouse

Family Guide
DinoLand, U.S.A., Disney’s Animal Kingdom®
Walt Disney changed Orlando from a sleepy cattle-rearing and orange-growing town into a family vacation hot spot. Spread over four exciting theme parks, the resort’s attractions are based on cartoon animals invented 80 years ago, as well as characters out of 3-D movies. While Magic Kingdom® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® play with the imagination, Epcot® showcases world culture and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® entertains with animal-themed rides.

Family Guide

Key Sights

1. Magic Kingdom® Splash down a 52-ft (16-m) mountain, learn the ways of a pirate, or wander through Cinderella Castle at the best known of the Disney parks.

2. Epcot® This park is divided into two sections: the modernistic Future World, with the iconic Spaceship Earth ride, and the World Showcase, which features the attractions, shops, and cuisines of 11 countries.

3. Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Besides thrill rides, musical shows and parades, and animals from Africa and Asia in re-creations of their natural habitats, this unique zoo also has dizzying roller coasters zipping through mountains.

4. Disney’s Hollywood Studios® High-speed rides, thrilling stunt and stage shows, and film extravaganzas – from The Muppets to Beauty and the Beast – lure visitors of all ages to this theme park.

5. Water Parks Cool off aboard one of the world’s tallest waterslides at Blizzard Beach, a snow-covered ski resort. The tropical Typhoon Lagoon has water-soaked attractions to suit all ages, including a surf pool with 6-ft (2-m) waves.

6. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground This resort has some of the best kid-centered dining options. Mickey’s Backyard BBQ offers a chance to dance with Mickey Mouse.

7. Disney Springs® Live music at the House of Blues, the thrilling Cirque du Soleil®-La Nouba™ show, and video games at the DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park are some of the highlights of this entertainment and shopping complex.

8. Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course™ Play putt-putt in two Santa Claus-themed courses: the sunny Sand Course or the wintry Snow Course.

Family Guide
Left Cooling off at a water park Middle Stunt show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Right Toy Story ride at Magic Kingdom


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Disney parks trivia

Family Guide
  1. Which hotel does the Walt Disney World® monorail system go through, where you can see people having lunch?
  2. What occupied the piece of land before Walt Disney World® Resort was built on it?
  3. Which is the fastest roller coaster in Disney World?

Shoot for the sky!

Family Guide
At 200 ft (654 m), the Expedition Everest® roller coaster in Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, is Disney’s highest ride. It is even taller than the 185-ft (56-m) Spaceship Earth® “golf ball.”

Happy Birthday mickey!

Family Guide
Mickey Mouse’s birthday is officially November 18, 1928, even though he first appeared in a cartoon in May 1928. He was originally voiced by Walt Disney himself.

Riding the monorail

There are 12 trains in the Walt Disney World® Monorail System, riding on almost 215 miles (346 km) of tracks high above the Seven Seas Lagoon™ and Epcot®. The loop around the lagoon stops at three Disney hotels; ride the complete circle and see if you can name them all.

< Orlando and the Parks

Magic Kingdom®

Let the enchantment begin!

Family Guide
Balloon vendor at Main Street, USA®
A world full of the romance of princesses and magicians, and the frights of haunted houses – with a few nerve-testing roller coasters thrown in – Magic Kingdom® is the most popular Disney park. Divided into six areas, it is filled with rides and attractions that show off Walt Disney’s best-loved characters, and a Disney-style cartoon version of the future.

Family Guide

Key Features

1. Main Street, USA® Shop, dine, and see dazzling parades on Main Street, USA®. Visitors can board a steam train or a horse-drawn trolley from here for a relaxing trip around the park.

2. Adventureland® A mix of tropical jungles and Colonial buildings, this area features the ever popular Pirates of the Caribbean® and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin carousel.

3. Fantasyland® Attractions in this delightful area include the Storybook Circus, with the Great Goofini Coaster.

4. Frontierland® Ride a runaway mining car through the Wild West, then board a wooden raft to look for hidden treasure on Tom Sawyer Island.

5. Splash Mountain® This log flume ride runs through swamps and caves before plummeting 52 ft (16 m) down into a pond.

6. Liberty Square Themed around the Colonial era, this area features the thrilling Haunted Mansion® and the educative Hall of Presidents.

7. Cinderella Castle This most-photographed Disney attraction houses glass murals depicting the fairy tale. At night, spectacular shows illuminate the stunning castle in a riot of colors.

8. Tomorrowland® From the sharp turns and steep drops of Space Mountain® to the humor of Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, this area is filled with attractions for all ages.

Family Guide
Left Teacups ride in Fantasyland Middle Cinderella Castle Right Magic Carpets of Aladdin carousel in Adventureland

Top 10 Attractions

  1. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin®
    Shoot a laser cannon at aliens from a spinning XP-37 Space Cruiser on this ride in Tomorrowland®.
  2. Splash Mountain®
    A theme park in itself, this water-soaked ride in Frontierland® has a track running through swamps, caves, and bayous.
  3. Pirates of the Caribbean®
    Find Captain Jack Sparrow aboard a boat cruise in Adventureland®, meet pirates, and see blazing cannons before plunging down a 14-ft (4-m) waterfall.
  4. Haunted Mansion®
    Ride through dark and dusty rooms looking for – or trying to avoid – 999 ghosts, ghouls, and goblins in Liberty Square.
  5. Stitch’s Great Escape!™
    This slightly scary audio and video extravaganza in Tomorrowland® recruits riders as Galactic Federation Security Agents to guard an alien called Stitch.
  6. Tomorrowland® Speedway
    Drive mini gas-powered sports cars around a 2,000-ft- (609-m-) long track on this exciting ride.
  7. Enchanted Tiki Room™
    Hundreds of singing Animatronic® birds – from crooning parrots to Aladdin’s wisecracking Iago and The Lion King’s Zazu – delight the audience at this musical show in Adventureland®.
  8. Space Mountain®
    Climb into a rocket ship to blast into outer space and spiral through a black hole on this intense ride in Tomorrowland®.
  9. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad®
    Zip through an abandoned Wild West-themed mine, with extreme twists and steep drops, on board this dizzying roller coaster in Frontierland®.
  10. Magic Carpets of Aladdin
    Work the controls of a flying carpet to ride high or low around a giant genie bottle in Adventureland®. Watch out for the spitting camels!


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Can you find the following in Magic Kingdom®:

Family Guide
  1. Walt Disney’s brother Roy sitting next to Minnie Mouse.
  2. An alien piano player.
  3. A singing parrot.

Cast a spell

Family Guide
Go to the Fire Station on Main Street, USA® and sign up for the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom® game, which travels around the park with Merlin the magician to battle villains, find magic portals, and collect spell cards.

Welcome to the show!

Family Guide
Get up early to see the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show, held in front of Main Street Station 15 minutes before the park opens. Mickey and Pluto open the park, with lots of dancing and singing!

Good guys and bad guys

The Magic Kingdom® parking lots are named after heroes and villains. Can you match them with the movies they are from:
  1. Rapunzel (a) Toy Story
  2. Simba (b) Tangled
  3. Hook (c) Lion King
  4. Zurg (d) Peter Pan

< Orlando and the Parks

Epcot®

Back to the future

Family Guide
Visitors enjoying the Test Track ride
The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (Epcot®) was Walt Disney’s neighborhood of the future, designed to connect people with technology. Enjoy exploring the history of science and technology in this complex of two different, but connected, parks. Future World takes visitors from the bottom of the sea to the outer reaches of space, while World Showcase introduces the cultures of 11 countries through their food, architecture, and music.

Family Guide

Key Features

1. The Seas with Nemo & Friends In this tribute to the world’s oceans, the eponymous ride leads to the majestic Caribbean Coral Reef, a 5.7 million gallon (22 million liter) saltwater aquarium home to 6,000 underwater inhabitants.

2. The Land Parasail over Californian landscapes in the Soarin’™ flying simulator, and take the Living with the Land boat tour through a simulated rain forest to experimental working greenhouses.

3. Imagination! Make a dragon sing just by moving, operate the world’s largest digital camera, and watch Figment create mischief in Journey into Imagination.

4. Innoventions Learn how science affects daily life in this interactive museum of the technology of the past and future. Design a roller coaster and then “ride” it at The Sum of All Thrills™ in Innoventions East.

5. World Showcase These country-specific pavilions have architectural models and replicas from Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. They house a variety of ethnic restaurants and shops.

6. Universe of Energy Ellen’s Energy Adventure, starring Ellen DeGeneres, is a 45-minute journey by film – featuring animatronic dinosaurs and theater seats that move – of the history of energy production and the search for new energy resources.

7. Mission: SPACE® This motion-simulation thrill ride blasts off on a realistic training mission for space travel, which leads to the Advanced Training Lab for testing of skills in space-related games, and culminates in a landing on Mars.

Family Guide
Left Saltwater aquarium in the Seas with Nemo and Friends experience Middle Replica terracotta warriors in the China section of the World Showcase Right Mission: SPACE simulation thrill ride

Top 10 Attractions

  1. Spaceship Earth
    This ride travels through the 40,000-year history of communications, from hieroglyphs to computers, while Project Tomorrow, an interactive play area, lets guests play virtual reality games.
  2. Test Track
    On this Future World ride, kids go through rigorous crash tests before riding a self-designed car along a three-story high track at 65 mph (105 km/h).
  3. Mission: Space®
    Dodge meteors, feel the force of twice the Earth’s gravity, and train for a Mars landing on this motion simulation ride.
  4. Soarin’™
    Hang-glide over California in this ultra-realistic simulator ride in the Land Pavilion, suspended in a giant panoramic movie theater filled with the sights, sounds, and feeling of flying.
  5. The Seas with Nemo & Friends
    Join Dory and Marlin in their search for Nemo on the sea floor aboard a “clamobile,” among live fish and colorful coral reefs in this massive saltwater tank in the Seas Pavilion.
  6. Ellen’s Energy Adventure
    Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye, the Science Guy, travel through time, exploring the history of energy and taking visitors from the Big Bang to laser views of outer space.
  7. Journey Into Imagination with figment
    A flying dragon explores and plays with sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste in this whimsical tour of the senses, in the Imagination! Pavilion.
  8. Frozen Ever After
    Climb onto the ancient Norwegian ship of Arendelle and sail through the sparkling, wintery land of Frozen.
  9. Turtle Talk with Crush
    Interact with Crush, Finding Nemo’s surfing turtle, about the wonders of the ocean at this live 3-D show at the Seas Pavilion.
  10. IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
    This nightly sound and light show uses spectacular fireworks and lasers to tell the history of the world.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Find the chatterboxes!

Family Guide
There are three talking water fountains in Epcot®. See if you can find them.

Thirsty?

Family Guide
Club Cool in Innoventions West is the coolest place in Epcot®, offering free samples of soda from all over the world. Try lemon soda from Israel and a Japanese bubbly vegetable drink.

Peek-a-boo!

A surprise treat awaits at the Germany Pavilion. Stand in the middle of the square to see hidden cuckoo clocks emerge from almost every building to strike the hour.

Go around the world

Family Guide
  1. Be sure to get a World Showcase Passport, which you can have stamped at each “country” you visit.
  2. Make your way through the hedge maze in the hidden park behind the United Kingdom Pavilion.
  3. Don’t miss the acrobat show in front of the China Pavilion, the juggling waiters of Serveur Amusant™ outside the France Pavilion, and the drummers of Japan.

< Orlando and the Parks

Disney’s Animal Kingdom®

Explore the world’s jungles

Family Guide
Primeval Whirl® in DinoLand U.S.A.
Disney invented the term “notazoo” to describe Animal Kingdom®, and it is certainly different from a traditional zoo. Families can see Asian tigers padding through ruins, daintily swimming hippos, and majestic mountain gorillas, all of whom live here happily. In addition, there are thrilling rides for the adventurous, and lots more to entertain everyone.

Family Guide

Key Features

1. Pandora – The World of AVATAR Experience the world of Pandora, with its floating mountains and glowing plants, as you ride down the mystical Na’vi River.

2. Discovery Island® Wooden bridges and cave-like tunnels lead to giant tortoises, lemurs, kangaroos, and other exotic creatures. There is also a glass-paneled viewing area where playful otters can be seen.

3. The Tree of Life This 145-ft- (44-m-) tall structure is decorated with around 325 super realistic animal carvings. It also houses the It’s Tough to be a Bug® show.

4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge This majestic lodge, located close to the park, has a six-story lobby with a view of the surrounding savannas, and some of the best African cuisine around.

5. Rafiki’s Planet Watch Pet the goats, sheep, and llamas in the Affection Section, then head to Habitat Habit! to meet frisky South American cotton-top tamarins.

6. Asia The Asia section of the park thrills with the Expedition Everest® roller coaster, and is the setting for tigers, Komodo dragons, and a bird show.

7. DinoLand, U.S.A. Travel under the sea with Finding Nemo – The Musical, and into the prehistoric past on the TriceraTop Spin carousel and Primeval Whirl® – two facing coasters with spinning cars.

8. Africa Explore the African savanna in the Kilimanjaro Safaris® Expedition, walk along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail® to the gorilla habitat, and then take the steam-powered Wildlife Express Train.

Family Guide
Left Flamingos at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Middle DinoLand, U.S.A. Right Asia section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Top 10 Attractions

  1. Festival of the Lion King
    This elaborate 30-minute musical show in the Harambe Theatre, in the Africa zone, features puppets, dance, and music, and occasionally invites children from the audience to dance along.
  2. Pangani Forest EXPLORATION TrAIl®
    Walk this self-guided trail in Africa to see massive silverback gorillas, exotic birds, meerkats, and hippos.
  3. Kali River Rapids®
    Enter a lush rain forest, in a ride that leads through steaming geysers and misty waterfalls, on the churning Chakranadi River in the Asia section, before dropping down a 30-ft (9-m) waterfall for a soaking good time.
  4. The Affection Section
    This petting zoo is the only place in Animal Kingdom® where kids can touch and feed a variety of friendly, domesticated animals, such as goats, chickens, and sheep.
  5. Finding Nemo – The Musical
    Performers dressed as colorful fish bring the much-loved animation to life with music, puppets, and Elton John tunes, in this live 30-minute show at DinoLand, U.S.A.
  6. It’s Tough to be a Bug!®
    Inside The Tree of Life, see what it means to be a bug, as A Bug’s Life characters turn this 3-D movie into a creepy, crawly experience.
  7. Kilimanjaro Safaris®
    Hop aboard a jungle taxi to ride across a dry savanna in Africa, within feet of live zebras, giraffes, rhinos, and elephants.
  8. Primeval Whirl®
    Spin on two dipping, twisting coasters that go back to the age of the dinosaurs, in DinoLand, U.S.A.
  9. Expedition Everest®
    A leaping Abominable Snowman interrupts this hair-raising coaster as it goes up a treacherous mountain in Asia, at which point the car slams into reverse, to travel downhill at 50 mph (80 km/h).
  10. The tree of life
    Spot elephants, iguanas, lemurs, sea horses, and serpents among the 325 animals carved into this exquisite man-made tree in Discovery Island®.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Gorilla facts

Family Guide
  1. Gorillas are great apes, not monkeys.
  2. The male gorillas are called “Silverbacks” because of the patch of gray hair on their backs. They can live up to 50 years, and weigh as much as 500 lb (230 kg).
  3. A group of gorillas is called a “band” – but they don’t play any instruments!

Hanging out

Family Guide
Look up above the windows in the tiger habitat in Asia … those are Indian fruit bats, with wings up to 5 ft (1.5 m) across.

The Yeti’s roar

Like North America’s Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti, is a mythical giant ape, said to inhabit the Himalayas near Nepal and Tibet. The Yeti howling inside Expedition Everest® is an Audio-Animatronic beast 25 ft (7.5 m) tall and weighing 20,000 lb (9,000 kg).

Tall green woman

Family Guide
As you go through Africa, keep an eye out for a woman on stilts. She’s covered in foliage, so even though she’s very tall, it’ll be hard to spot her. Her name is Divine, and she hangs out on the pathway between Africa and Asia, and sometimes in the Oasis near Rainforest Café.

< Orlando and the Parks

Disney’s Hollywood Studios®

Hollywood magic meets the wizardry of Disney

Family Guide
Arched entrance leading to the park
From adventuring treasure hunters and swashbuckling spacemen to living toys and friendly monsters, the attractions at Hollywood Studios® immerse visitors in the history of Hollywood, Disney-style. Opened in 1989 as a working film- and TV- production facility, today the park features shows and rides based on famous films and TV shows.

Family Guide

Key Features

1. Hollywood Boulevard The whole family will love the Citizens of Hollywood improv acting troupe, which calls the audience into play while bringing the silver screen to life.

2. Sunset Boulevard Ride a runaway elevator on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ or zoom away on the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith, before ending the day at a fireworks show.

3. Echo Lake The American Idol® Experience re-creates the TV show with new singing stars chosen by the audience. The Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular! offers pyrotechnics of another sort.

4. Muppet Courtyard Enter the madcap world of the Muppets, where the Muppet*Vision 3D film, with its hilarious pre-show and 4D special effects, entertains young and old alike.

5. Star Tours® – The Adventures Continue The most popular attraction in this park, Star Tours® uses characters and scenes from the Star Wars™ films and leads guests on a multiple-storyline intergalactic adventure in the Backlot.

6. Animation Courtyard Meet Disney and Pixar characters before the Magic of Disney Animation show. Puppets take the stage during the Voyage of the Little Mermaid live show.

7. Pixar Place Board a spinning car in Toy Story Mania!® to practice pie-throwing and play ring toss with Toy Story characters and giant green Army men.

Family Guide
Left Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Sunset Boulevard Middle Arched entrance leading to the park Right Visitors at the Pixar Place

Top 10 Attractions

  1. Star Tours® – The Adventures Continue
    Board a Starspeeder 1000 and ride along with C-3PO and R2-D2 from Star Wars™ through a 3-D universe.
  2. Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular!
    Amid explosions and fire, daredevil stunt artists re-enact scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark in this 30-minute show in the Backlot.
  3. Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
    The magic and romance of the film are re-created in this kid-friendly live show in Sunset Boulevard, featuring dancing, music, brilliant colors, and hilarious characters.
  4. Voyage of the Little Mermaid
    Experience the land of Ariel and friends in this 15-minute live show in Animation Courtyard, in which water, lasers, music, and glow-in-the-dark puppets re-create scenes from the movie.
  5. Toy Story Mania!®
    Located in Pixar Place, this carnival-themed ride is straight out of the beloved Toy Story movies. Kids can shoot virtual darts and eggs at 3-D targets, as Woody, Buzz, and Jessie offer helpful hints and cheer them on.
  6. For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
    This 30-minute live show is a crowd favorite, with live actors and a movie screen bringing to life the Frozen saga and inviting the audience to sing along to some of the movie’s popular songs.
  7. Muppet*Vision 3D
    Join Jim Henson’s creations on a 17-minute, multiscreen kids’ delight while Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Fozzie sing, dance, and play along inside the theater, in Muppet Courtyard.
  8. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
    Take a ride on an out-of-control elevator in the Hollywood Tower Hotel, where guests are taken to a height of 170 ft (52 m) in a dizzying combination of lifts and faster than gravity drops.
  9. Magic of Disney Animation
    Go behind the scenes with real Disney animators and discover the tricks of making cartoons like Mulan, Aladdin and The Lion King, in Animation Courtyard.
  10. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
    Rock out on this very fast, very loud roller coaster in Sunset Boulevard, where guests sit in souped-up limousines and are launched from a full stop to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 2.8 seconds, upside down, in the dark.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Hollywood quiz

  1. Who originally wrote The Little Mermaid?
  2. On which book is the movie The Wizard of Oz based?
  3. What is Indiana Jones’s profession?
  4. Can you name the icy kingdom where the story of Anna and Elsa in the movie Frozen takes place?

Mind your manners

Family Guide
Don’t tell your parents, but when eating at 50s Prime Time Cafe in Hollywood Boulevard, the servers watch to see if anyone puts their elbows on the table – they could even send your dad or mom to stand in the corner!

A big hat for a tiny mouse

Family Guide
The gigantic Sorcerer’s Hat is 100 ft (30 m) tall and weighs 312,000 lb (141,520 kg). Mickey would have to be 350 ft (106 m) tall to wear it – and have a very strong neck!

Hidden fun

Family Guide
At the entrance to Muppet*Vision 3D, where the sign says “Closed – Key is under Mat,” look under the mat. What did you find? Outside the Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular!, there is a warning sign near an archaeological dig site asking you not to pull the rope – What happens if you pull it?

< Orlando and the Parks

Blizzard Beach

A water park – with snow

Family Guide
The thrilling 90-ft- (27-m-) high Slush Gusher ride, Blizzard Beach
Walt Disney World® Resort’s creatively designed winter ski resort-turned adventure park looks like a snowy wonderland, and has plenty of thrilling rides. The waterslides of Summit Plummet shoot straight down 120 ft (37 m) at 60 mph (97 km/h) and the twisty-turny double slides of Downhill Double Dipper are 50 ft (15 m) high and 200 ft (61 m) long. Try the family white-water raft ride Teamboat Springs, which drops down 1,200 ft (366 m) of waterfalls, or take a water-slicked bobsled ride down Mt. Gushmore on the eight-lane Toboggan Racers. The Winter Summerland mini-golf course is right at the entrance.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Spot from the top

Family Guide
Pause at the top of Mt. Gushmore at Blizzard Beach and see if you can spot all four Disney Parks in different directions. Look for:
  1. The spires of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom®
  2. Epcot®’s giant sphere, Spaceship Earth®
  3. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®
  4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom®’s Tree of Life

< Orlando and the Parks

Typhoon Lagoon

Ten ways to get really soaked

Family Guide
Scuba diving in Shark Reef, Typhoon Lagoon
This Disney water park has everything from gentle raft rides for the whole family to daredevil waterslides for the fearless. The tropical island theme is reflected in the park’s lush palm trees and the white-sand beach. Visitors can snorkel among benign sharks in Shark Reef, while the Surf Pool with its 6-ft (2-m) waves tempts experienced board riders. The roller-coaster-like slides of Crush ‘n’ Gator let three people take the plunge, and the slides of Gang Plank Falls can take four people for a wet ride. Go over the edge at the three raft rides of Mayday Falls, the winding waterways of Storm Slides, or the five-story high-speed drop of Humunga Kowabunga.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Surf in a water park

Family Guide
The Surf Pool at Typhoon Lagoon holds 3 million gallons (10 million liters) of water – or 44,000,000 cups! For a special thrill, stand at the big red line in the pool – that’s where the wave comes down.

< Orlando and the Parks

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Hoop-Dee-Doo!

More than just a themed camping resort, the Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground offers visitors the opportunity to hike, ski, and take horse-drawn carriage rides, or sit by the campfire and sing along with Chip and Dale behind the Meadow Trading Post. Families come year after year, and during the holiday season, the campground is ablaze with lights. Kids will enjoy the dinner show Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

One on top of the other

Next to the Wilderness Lodge Mercantile is a totem pole, featuring several very rugged Disney characters. Can you name them all?

< Orlando and the Parks

Disney Springs®

Everything here is really big

Family Guide
A variety of plush toys in the World of Disney® store, Disney Springs®
Disney Springs® has no shortage of options to occupy your time. In addition to some superb dining venues, West Side is home to Cirque du Soleil®- La Nouba™, the five-story DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive theme park, and the 24-screen AMC. Marketplace has the world’s largest Disney merchandise outlet, a Harley-Davidson store, a gigantic LEGO® Imagination Center, and a three-story Planet Hollywood®. To sample world cuisine, head to Morimoto Asia, Raglan Road Irish Pub and Paradiso 37.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Brick snake

Family Guide
The 30-ft (9-m) LEGO® sea serpent at Disney Springs® Marketplace is made of 170,000 bricks.

< Orlando and the Parks

2. Universal Studios Florida®

Rock ‘n’ roll and lots of aliens

Family Guide
Universal Globe at the entrance to Universal Studios Florida®
This Universal Orlando® Resort theme park takes movies and television very seriously, but in a fun way. See Hollywood’s history come alive through classic horror films, characters from famous movies, and vintage cartoon creatures that younger guests may not know. The thrilling rides, based on Harry Potter’s adventures, mummies, earthquakes, and animated ogres, incorporate state-of-the-art technology in themed zones.

Key Features

Hollywood

Hang out with Hello Kitty and her friends at the Hello Kitty Shop, and meet a cyborg time traveler at Terminator 2®: 3-D Battle Across Time.

Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone®

Everything young kids could hope for is here, from Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster® and the E.T. Adventure®, to the Curious George Goes to Town℠ playground, with its cartoonish buildings and plenty of activities for toddlers.

Production Central

Shrek 4D lets guests ride a dragon, while Despicable Me Minion Mayhem hosts a dance party. But the highlight is the thrilling 17-story-high Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit® coaster.

London

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™: Diagon Alley™ is a hair-raising ride from Gringotts Bank™, through Platform 9¾™, and onto the Hogwarts™ Express, heading to Hogsmeade™.

San Francisco

Embark on a thrilling adventure in the heart-stopping world of Fast & Furious: Supercharged. Guests can enjoy high-octane underground racing on this Hollywood action series ride, or alternatively, face realistic fears in the interactive Fear Factor Live show.

World Expo

Wily aliens await in the streets of New York in MEN IN BLACK™: Alien Attack™, and Bart and the gang hang out at Krustyland at the simulated The Simpsons Ride™.
Family Guide
Left Despicable Me Minion Mayhem Middle Simulated The Simpsons Ride, World Expo Right Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone

Top 10 Attractions

  1. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™: Diagon Alley™
    Ride the rails at Escape from Gringotts™, shop for quills, robes, Quidditch™ brooms, and wands, then hop on the Hogwarts™ Express and head for Hogsmeade™.
  2. The Simpsons Ride™
    There are many surprises and twists on this flying, crashing visit to the Krustyland carnival with the Simpson family, in World Expo.
  3. Men in Black™: Alien Attack™
    Join the famous alien hunters in their underground headquarters, and then ride through the streets of New York blasting escaped aliens – who may shoot back.
  4. Terminator 2®: 3-D Battle Across Time
    Join forces with Terminator robots in this live show that pits humans against futuristic cyborgs in Hollywood.
  5. Revenge of the Mummy®
    The mummy awakes, along with fiery fireballs, and attacks in total darkness during the coaster’s twists and turns on this New York ride.
  6. Shrek 4-D
    Ride on a fire-breathing dragon, plunge over a churning waterfall with Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey, and gallop through a haunted forest in Production Central’s hilarious motion simulation movie adventure.
  7. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
    The mischievous minions, as well as other characters from the hit film, join guests on a tour of Gru’s house in this Production Central ride that ends in a wild dance party.
  8. Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster®
    Visit the woodpecker’s Nut Factory for a wacky kid-friendly ride full of small thrills, silly jokes, and gentle ups and downs.
  9. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit®
    Pick your music and then strap in to a high-tech car on Orlando’s highest coaster, which climbs 17 stories above the park before plummeting at 65 mph (104 km/h).
  10. E.T. Adventure®
    Bring E.T. back to his home on this part-movie, part-virtual flying bike ride that ends with a personalized farewell from E.T. himself.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Keen eyes

  1. Look carefully in the treasure room of the Revenge of the Mummy® ride for a golden King Kong statue. This building was once an ape-themed ride called “Kongfrontation.”
  2. Pick your targets on the Men In Black™ ride: shoot Frank the Pug near the Crashed Spaceship, and zap the alien holding up Steven Spielberg’s head next to the Locksmith.

Say cheese

Family Guide
Make sure you collect the pictures taken of you on these thrilling rides – Revenge of the Mummy®, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit®, and The Simpsons Ride™.

A melodic coaster

Family Guide
It took an entire year to build the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit® roller coaster, where you get to pick a song out of 30 choices for the ride. But pick fast, because you get only 45 seconds before the coaster blasts off!

Create your own amusement park

  1. Which movies do you like the best? Can you plan an amusement park around them?
  2. What kind of rides would you like in your park, and which characters would you want there? Try drawing the rides and then color them in.

< Orlando and the Parks

3. Universal’s Islands of Adventure®

Where superheroes hang out

Family Guide
The Pharos Lighthouse at the entrance
When the snow-covered Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ opened here in 2010, Potter fanatics snatched up a year’s worth of Butterbeer™ and Ollivanders™ wands in its opening weeks, and it continues to be a popular draw. But there’s a lot more at this Universal Orlando® Resort theme park, including stunning pyrotechnics, thrilling roller coasters, and rides for younger kids, inspired by everyone’s favorite movies.

Key Features

Wizarding World of Harry Potter™

Explore Hogwarts™ Castle, ride a dual-headed dragon and the one-of-a-kind Hippogriff™, enjoy a thrilling Quidditch™ match, or shop in Hogsmeade™ Village.

Lost Continent®

Witness legends, myths, and heroes at the Eighth Voyage of Sindbad® Stunt Show, or talk to the Mystic Fountain, which squirts water in reply.

Marvel Super Hero Island®

Meet your favorite superheroes and villains on the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man® 3-D ride, the Incredible Hulk Coaster, and Doctor Doom’s Fearfall®.

Jurassic Park®

Dinosaur-fueled excitement awaits, from the 85-ft (26-m) drop inside the Jurassic Park River Adventure® to the fun of the sky-high Pteranodon Flyers®.

Toon Lagoon®

Children love the crashing log-ride adventure of Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls® and the water-based action of Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges® and Me Ship, The Olive.

Seuss Landing™

From the house of The Cat In The Hat™ to the spinning fun of the Caro-Seuss-el™ and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish™ rides, this is the place for Dr. Seuss fans. Don’t miss the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!™.
Family Guide
Left Seuss Landing Middle Toon Lagoon Right Incredible Hulk Coaster

Top 10 Rides

  1. Incredible Hulk Coaster
    Dive underwater and rocket upside down on this thrilling coaster on Marvel Super Hero Island®.
  2. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™
    Fly a broomstick with the Hogwarts™ gang in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, an amazing 3-D experience that is one of the most popular attractions here.
  3. Dragon Challenge™
    Choose a Chinese Fireball or a Hungarian Horntail dragon on this upside-down, dual roller coaster ride in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™.
  4. Skull Island: Reign Of Kong
    Enter the wild terrain of King Kong, and voyage through an ancient temple and a series of caves, to eventually meet the legendary ape.
  5. Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®
    Spidey and his friends swing off the page in this 3-D living comic book on Marvel Super Hero Island®.
  6. Popeye and Bluto’s bilge-Rat Barges®
    Head to Toon Lagoon® for a ride along rapids on giant rafts, as onlookers shoot water cannons.
  7. Jurassic Park River Adventure®
    Journey on a river, past quiet lagoons, before the raptors attack and the only escape from a giant T-Rex is an 85-ft (26-m) dark plunge.
  8. The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!™
    The storytelling trolley in Seuss Landing™ roams over carousels and roller coasters, and even through the Circus McGurkus Café.
  9. The Cat In The Hat™
    Join Things One and Two on this wacky tour of The Cat’s home in Seuss Landing™.
  10. Pteranodon Flyers®
    Fly under the outstretched wings of a pteranodon as it glides over the playground in Jurassic Park®.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Where can you find these characters on Marvel Super Hero Island®?

  1. Dr. Bruce Banner
  2. Professor Xavier and Magneto
  3. Peter Parker
  4. The Fantastic Four

Water fight

Family Guide
The Me Ship, The Olive playground has water cannons and hoses that can be aimed right at the riders on Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges®. Go get ‘em!

It’s a wonky world

Family Guide
There’s something odd about Seuss Landing™ – look at the trees, buildings, and streets and you’ll see that there aren’t any straight lines anywhere!

Wonders of the wizarding world

  1. Stand by the Owlery clock when it strikes the hour to see the owl “cuckoo clock.”
  2. Watch the big boar head hanging on the Hogshead Bar – you might see it moving!
  3. Want to see a screaming mandrake root? Check out the Dogweed and Deathcap shop.
  4. Watch your fingers when you’re in Dervish and Banges™ – The Monster Book of Monsters is kept in a cage for a reason!

< Orlando and the Parks

4. SeaWorld®, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove®

A splashing good time

Family Guide
Logo of SeaWorld® Orlando
SeaWorld®, and its sister parks Aquatica and Discovery Cove®, are located close to each other, and provide opportunities for families to learn about marine life while having fun. Kids will enjoy the entertaining seals, sea lions, and penguins, and the thrilling rides at SeaWorld® and Aquatica, while Discovery Cove®, a resort-like park, allows visitors to snorkel and interact with dolphins.

Key Features

Thrill Rides

SeaWorld® offers some of the fastest, wettest rides in town, such as the high-flying Manta®, the upside-down Kraken®, and Journey to Atlantis®, a flume-ride and roller-coaster hybrid – filling the air with screams of delight.

Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin®

follows the fictional adventures of a penguin named Puck, before exploring the icy world of a penguins’ colony.

The Animals

Feed bottlenose friends at Dolphin Cove®, pet velvety rays in the Stingray Lagoon, and play with sea lions at Pacific Point Preserve®, in SeaWorld®.

Undersea Life

SeaWorld®’s Manta® Aquarium holds 3,000 animals, from sea horses to octopuses. In Shark Encounter®, see thousands of sharks through glass.

Aquatica

This water park features giant surfing pools, zooming underwater mazes, and racing rapids, as well as Loggerhead Lane, the laziest river in town.

Discovery Cove®

Swim with dolphins, take an underwater stroll in a diving helmet, and meet otters and marmosets.

Clyde & Seamore’s Sea Lion High®

is a fun-filled show that follows the comic adventures of sea lions, walruses, and otters in an aquatic-themed high school.
Family Guide
Left Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin® Middle Visitors at the Discovery Cove® Right The flying Manta ride

Top 10 Attractions

  1. Clyde & Seamore’s Sea Lion High®
    Enjoy the fun adventures of these amazing animals in their wacky quest of high-school diplomas.
  2. Manta®
    Ride this manta ray-shaped suspended coaster in SeaWorld® that includes an up-close encounter with manta rays and other sea life.
  3. Journey to Atlantis®
    Travel through the ruins of a sunken city on this part-boat, part-roller coaster in SeaWorld®, and explore dark passageways before being plunged into the waters below.
  4. Kraken®
    This spiraling, upside-down, high-speed monster of a thrill ride suspends riders high above the Serpent’s Lagoon in SeaWorld®.
  5. Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin
    Get up close with penguins and see what it’s like to live on ice on this magical SeaWorld® ride, where the adventure is different every time.
  6. Dolphin Cove®
    Interact with bottlenose dolphins during feeding time in this massive but peaceful lagoon in SeaWorld®.
  7. Shamu’s Happy Harbor®
    Younger kids will love this SeaWorld® mini-park that has boat rides, teacup spinners, an octopus carousel, and the Shamu Express teeny coaster.
  8. Dolphin Plunge®
    This thrilling Aquatica ride has side-by-side enclosed tubes that slide through the underwater home of black-and-white dolphins.
  9. Turtle Trek®
    Witness the journey of a sea turtle in the world’s first 3-D, 360-degree domed theater, surrounded by giant aquariums and thousands of fish, in SeaWorld®.
  10. Walhalla Wave® & HooRoo Run
    In these two connected Aquatica waterslides, guests can ride through a six-story tunnel maze, which then takes them over the edge and racing to the bottom.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

See more at SeaWorld®

Family Guide
  1. Stop by the SeaWorld® Information Center (right of entrance turnstiles) to find out when you can help feed the dolphins, sharks, and whales.
  2. Head to the Lakeside Patio to dance with Shamu at the all-day Shamu’s Party Zone.
  3. Climb the 400-ft (122-m) rotating Sky Tower for a bird’s-eye view of Orlando, Walt Disney World® Resort, and Universal Orlando®.

“Secret” events

Shamu & Crew sign autographs at the SeaWorld® front gate from 9am to noon, and there is a special pre-show, held just before Clyde & Seamore's Sea Lion High®.

Trick a grown-up!

Family Guide
Tell your parents to sit in the front row on the Journey to Atlantis® coaster, but don’t tell them how wet they’ll get!

Whirlwind spin

Aquatica’s quiet Loggerhead Lane lazy river has a thrilling secret: from the island in the middle, climb the tower and dive into Tassie’s Twisters – a series of lightning-fast tubes that spin into a giant bowl – for a dizzying ride back into the river.

< Orlando and the Parks

5. The Orlando Eye

For a view from the top

Family Guide
The Orlando Eye, offering visitors a grand view of the city
This stunning observation wheel is a fairly recent addition to the spectrum of Orlando's attractions. Similar to the installation in London, The Orlando Eye takes visitors on a 20-minute ride in an air-conditioned capsule, traveling to a height of 400 ft (122 m). Compass marks on the ceiling give directions, while an accompanying recorded commentary points out the landmarks. The ride offers spectacular views of the skyline and the city – Orlando’s theme parks, pools, and lakes are all within sight, and sometimes visitors can even catch sight of the east coast and Cape Canaveral, nearly 60 miles (97 km) away. At night, the Eye sets ablaze with 64,000 lights, and is an absolutely incredible spectacle.
The Eye is located in the I-Drive 360 complex and is a part of the Merlin Entertainment Complex, which includes Madame Tussauds, with its many waxworks of faux celebrities from the worlds of music, movies, television, art, science, history, sports, and popular culture, and LEGOLAND® Florida Resort. Before the ride begins, visitors are shown a 10-minute 4D video, and afterwards, they can head to the gift shop and photo booth.
Located close by, SEA LIFE Aquarium Orlando offers visitors a glimpse into the underwater lives of more than 5,000 sea animals, scattered over 32 displays. These displays are arranged in tanks reflecting the different oceans of the world, such as the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. There are varieties of sea creatures – from beautiful, dangerous jellyfish, green sea turtles, and eels, to playful octopi, such as the Giant Pacific Octopus, that wanders and drifts through a shipwreck. Sharks and manta rays swim above and below visitors walking through a 360-degree ocean tunnel, making it an arresting and intensely visual experience. In one room, sardines swim in a silvery vortex above visitors’ heads; another area offers starfish and other rock-pool inhabitants.
Staff members offer visitors information on rescuing, protecting, and breeding the animals. The aquarium has also set up six sea animal sanctuaries that are currently situated around the world. As many as 150 seals and turtles have had their injuries treated, in order to be released back into the wild.


>> Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

The Highest Eye

Family Guide
The Orlando Eye offers a panoramic view from the sky, but it is still not the highest!. There are four Ferris wheels in the world that are taller than the Eye – in London, China, Singapore, and Las Vegas – the last of which is the tallest, at a whop-ping 550 ft (168 m).

< Orlando and the Parks

6. Crayola Experience

Sculpt, create, and play

Family Guide
The colorful entry welcoming young children at the Crayola Experience
Founded in 2015, Crayola Experience offers over two dozen distinct attractions for children to be creative, and to play with colors. Digital versions of art, projected onto the walls, can be created at Art Alive!, while charming spin-board art can be fashioned from wax at the Drip Art station. At Melt & Mold, kids can create cars, seahorses, rings, and much more, with the help of crayon wax and a machine. Imaginative shapes can be sculpted out of tinted clay at Modeling Madness. Visitors should begin at the Crayola Factory, where Scarlet and Turk (short for turquoise) guide you through the Crayola manufacturing process, while the resident 'Crayonologist' answers questions about Crayola's products.
Over the years, the company has expanded phenomenally and its products are innumerable, from markers and colored pencils to pigments and fine art supplies. Stop by at the Crayola Store for a taste of this – and catch eccentric crayon names like Macaroni & Cheese, Robin’s Egg Blue, and Inchworm.


>> Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Colorful beginnings

Family Guide
While Crayola had a humble start in the mid-1800s, today it produces over 1,500 different items.
  1. Do you know what Crayola first produced?
  2. In 1903, Crayola released a box of wax coloring sticks. How many colors did the box contain?
  3. What were the original colors in the pack?
  4. There are several popular phrases used today, that involve color. Can you guess what "I'm feeling blue" means?

Color blind?

Being color blind doesn't mean you can't see colors – it just means your perception of specific colors is inaccurate. You simply may not be able to see a green leaf or a red fire engine the same way others do.

< Orlando and the Parks

7. International Drive

Watch out for falling buildings

Family Guide
Bizarre-looking building housing Wonderworks, International Drive
With Universal Studios Florida® at one end and SeaWorld® at the other, I-Drive features more great attractions for kids. It is hard to miss the upside-down building of Wonderworks and its science-oriented exhibits, or the giant wheel of the Orlando Eye towering over the whole area. Monkey Joe’s has wall-to-wall bouncing fun for ages 4 to 12, and an adult lounge for parents. The dramatically tilted building of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium contains the world’s largest collection of weird stuff, and Madame Tussauds keeps its life-like wax statues in air-conditioned surroundings.


< Orlando and the Parks

8. Gatorland

Toothy critters

Family Guide
Alligators in a swamp at Gatorland
Opened in 1949, Gatorland offers old Florida-style entertainment. Walk through a giant alligator’s mouth to see snakes, lizards, Florida deer, and spiders before heading for Alligator Island, which is home to hundreds of Florida gators, along with several Nile crocodiles. Kids will like the Swamp Walk, at the southern end of the park, which offers a chance to walk through an unspoiled Cypress Swamp on the lookout for real alligators, and the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line (subject to height and other restrictions). The Gatorland Express train rolls through the park and ends at the Gator Wrestlin’ Arena. Don’t miss the Gator Jumparoo Show, where the largest alligators in the world jump 4–5 ft (1–1.5-m) out of a wading pool to snap food away from their trainer’s hand.


< Orlando and the Parks

9. Orlando Science Center

Explore the past and the future

Family Guide
Exterior of Orlando Science Center
Walking across the glass bridge from the parking garage into the Science Center’s spaceship-like rotunda is like stepping into another world. Science-hungry kids and curious adults alike will enjoy the interactive exhibits, live programs, and films on giant screens. Hands-on learning and tricks teach kids about the small wonders of science, while astronomy exhibits and an observatory let them consider the enormity of the universe.

Family Guide

Key Features

1. NatureWorks Exhibits of animal habitats and diverse ecosystems start with an exhibit on Florida’s natural fish and alligator habitats.

2. DinoDigs Find fossils buried in the Dig Pit, look into a triceratop’s eye, and see life-size replicas of a T-Rex and a 40-ft- (12-m-) long plesiosaur skeleton.

3. Kinetic Zone Kids can learn about gravity and electricity, and build their own creations, such as rockets and air cars.

4. KidsTown Young visitors float boats on a multilevel waterfall, work in an orange grove, and interact with creative exhibits that accelerate cognitive development.

5. Our Planet Explore the stars, and learn how planets were formed, what happens when galaxies collide, and why the sky is blue.

6. Engineer It! Create prototypes of anything imagined, from bridges and LEGO® boats to much more, and develop the model, so that you can test it here.

7. Dr. Phillips CineDome Watch films about the bottom of the sea and the Grand Canyon on this spectacularly huge screen.

• Science Live! Mad scientists in training will enjoy conducting experiments at Dr. Dare’s Lab, and observing images of Earth, the Moon, and Mars projected on the hovering Science on a Sphere globe that hangs high above the audience.

• The Crosby Observatory This silver dome on top of the Orlando Science Center hides a custom telescope powerful enough to see Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, and distant stars.

Family Guide
Left Dinosaur skeletons at DinoDigs Middle The Crosby Observatory Right Conducting experiments at Science Live!


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Spot the animal

Family Guide
All these animals live at the Florida’s Habitats exhibit. Can you guess what they are?
  1. This animal grows from just 10 inches (25 cm) to 13 ft (4 m) in length.
  2. This aquatic animal has “tree” in its name.
  3. These reptiles have different kinds of marks on their hard shells.

Fossil files

Family Guide
Fossils are the remains of living organisms from a long time ago that have been preserved in rock formations. Paleontologists study fossils to link up extinct species with the ones around us today. Fossils can vary in size from a small bacterial cell, to dinosaurs and trees.

Set a personal record at the Science Center

Family Guide
  1. Keep standing during a 5.6 Richter scale earthquake simulation.
  2. Fly a simulated jet fighter plane without crashing.
  3. Talk in the middle of a 70 mph (112 km/h) hurricane.
  4. Design a gravity-driven wooden car and race it against the others on the 70-ft (21-m) pinewood derby track.

< Orlando and the Parks

10. Loch Haven Park

Art in the green

This extensive park is a cultural mecca, home to the Orlando Science Center, and several theaters and museums. The Orlando Shakespeare Theater performs plays by the Bard and modern playwrights, as well as children’s theater and productions from the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. Across the parking lot, the multiple galleries of the Orlando Museum of Art hold American contemporary art, glass works by Dale Chihuly, and large collections of African handicrafts. Behind the Shakespeare Theater is the small Orlando Fire Museum, with rebuilt engines, and pumpers dating from 1911.


< Orlando and the Parks

11. Downtown Orlando

Basketball, great food, and pretty gardens

Family Guide
Strolling along a lush lawn in Harry P. Leu Gardens, Downtown Orlando
The heart of Orlando is the corner of Church Street and Orange Avenue – a section filled with nightclubs, restaurants, and bars. Visit the Amway Center for its concerts and circuses, and to watch the NBA team Orlando Magic. But there’s more to downtown Orlando than basketball. Church Street’s restaurants serve some of the best food in town, and Lake Eola has an iconic fountain and an easy, mile-long walking path. The Orlando History Center houses exhibits representing Orlando’s past, present, and future. Nearby are the vast Harry P. Leu Gardens, with roses, azaleas, a giant bamboo collection, and more.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

It’s all in a name

Family Guide
“Orlando” means “famous country,” but nobody is quite sure why the city is named so. Some say it is for a character in Shakespeare’s As You Like It, or because of a soldier in the Seminole Wars, Orlando Reeves, who is buried on the south side of Lake Eola Park. Find his memorial to learn the whole story.

Swan counting

Family Guide
You’ll see many black swans as well as white ones at Lake Eola. If you’re here in spring or early summer, you can also see little balls of gray feathers swimming around – those are baby swans, or cygnets. And the giant swans at the Amphitheater are paddle boats you can rent.

< Orlando and the Parks

12. Winter Park

Art and culture in the suburbs

Family Guide
Elegant Tiffany lamps in the Morse Museum, Winter Park
Suburban Winter Park became a warm-weather escape for wealthy Northerners in the early 1900s, and today its museums, high-end stores, and great restaurants retain an air of sophistication.
At the north end of the beautiful one-mile stretch of green called Park Avenue stands the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, which holds the world’s largest collection of art, stained glass, jewelry, and furnishings made by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933). At the south end of Park Avenue is Rollins College, the oldest university in the southeast, which is home to the Cornell Fine Arts Museum. The museum has a stellar collection of American and European art.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Here comes the train

Listen for the train whistle while walking down Park Avenue in Winter Park – freight and passenger trains travel right through the middle of the park!

Tiffany treasures

Family Guide
When you visit the Morse Museum, you will notice that many of the Tiffany lamps feature designs inspired by nature. Can you spot lamps with designs depicting:
  1. A wisteria
  2. A dragonfly and water
  3. A lily
  4. A cobweb

< Orlando and the Parks

13. Winter Park Scenic Boat Tours

Behind the scenes and houses of Winter Park

Family Guide
Boat cruising along a picturesque canal in Winter Park
The Scenic Boat Tour glides along a chain of magnificent lakes, past some of the finest homes in Florida. The lush canals that connect Lake Osceola, Lake Virginia, and Lake Maitland were renovated in the 1930s especially for tourism, and the flat-bottom pontoon boats have been plying them ever since. Mansions built by Goodyear and Walgreen, the Rollins College campus, and the home of noted American architect James Gamble Rogers II can be seen on the tour. Decades-old palm trees, bamboo, papyrus, and flowering vines overhang the canals, providing a cool break from the bright sun, but be sure to carry sunscreen and hats. Kids can spot gray herons, sunning anhingas, turtles, and even the rare alligator on the cruise.


< Orlando and the Parks

14. LEGOLAND® Florida Resort

Not just another brick in the wall

Family Guide
LEGO® model of Windra, one of the characters found in the World of Chima™
Built on part of the former site of Cypress Gardens, Florida’s oldest theme park, this LEGOLAND® has captured everyone’s imagination. With 50 acres (20 ha) of attractions, including a section of the original Cypress Gardens park, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort is the biggest of the seven parks of its kind across the world. A tribute to the popular little Danish building blocks, this spectacular park is full of roller coasters, rides, and shows that challenge as well as entertain. The inventive and often humor-filled constructions make adults giggle, while children gaze in awe as they discover an entire city made of LEGO® bricks.

Family Guide

Key Features

1. The Beginning This colorful area right at the entrance features the Island in the Sky, a 150-ft (46-m) rotating platform that offers a panoramic view of the park.

2. Fun Town Stroll past the Island in the Sky to enter this area, which is home to the 700-seat Wells Fargo Fun Town Theater. See how LEGO® bricks are transformed from raw plastic into building blocks in the Factory Tour. Younger kids will enjoy riding the two-tier Grand Carousel.

3. DUPLO® Valley Playgrounds, planes, and trucks designed for little kids with big imaginations can be found in this play area. Don’t miss the DUPLO® Farm, full of plastic animals, fire engines, and drivable cars.

4. LEGO® Kingdoms Little princesses and knights joust and battle wizards in this medieval castle. Climb aboard the coaster for a ride through the LEGOLAND® castle, before heading to Royal Joust for a quiet time on the cantering LEGO® horses.

5. Heartlake City The LEGO® Friends line of toys comes to life with a live stage show, an interactive musical fountain, and the Mia's Riding Adventure disc coaster ride.

6. Land of Adventure Steer around brick jungle beasts on the Safari Trek, or brave the rollicking wooden tracks of Coastersaurus that rumble past giant LEGO® dinosaurs. Shoot back at glowing skeletons and spiders to score points in the Lost Kingdom Adventure.

7. Miniland USA Marvel at miniature LEGO® replicas of American cities spread over seven themed areas. Look for movie stars in Los Angeles in California and street musicians in Times Square in New York, and see the space shuttle smoke and rumble at the Kennedy Space Center. Then check out the battle of miniature galleons at Pirate’s Shores.

8. LEGO® City Children can learn to drive at one of the two Ford Driving Schools, steer a boat in hopefully the right direction at the Boating School, and soar in the air on Flying School, a thrilling roller coaster. Rescue Academy gets the whole family to pump, drive, and fight fire in a muscle-powered fire engine.

9. LEGO® TECHNIC™ Filled with hair-raising rides on the ground, in the water, and in the air, this area is the most extreme of all the zones in the park. Hop onto the wind-powered speedsters at AQUAZONE Wave Racers to dodge water blasters or cycle the way into the sky on Technicycle.

10. Imagination Zone Budding engineers can build and program real MINDSTORM® robots in LEGO® MINDSTORMS® or build and race brick cars in Wheels Zone. There are other areas as well, for kids to design, build, and test their LEGO® creations.

11. World of Chima™ Get soaking wet on a fun interactive boat ride in The Quest for CHI™, battling with water cannons to help Laval the Lion Prince defeat Cragger the Crocodile King. Meet characters from the LEGO® Legends of Chima in a 4D movie experience. Little ones will enjoy playing with water in the Cragger's Swamp splash area.

12. LEGOLAND® Water Park Toddlers will love the DUPLO® Splash Safari with short slides and interactive DUPLO® creatures. Older kids can choose between racing their own boats at Build-A-Boat, the 375-ft (114-m) waterslides at Twin Chasers, or the playground with a 300-gallon (1,135-liter) bucket drop in Joker Soaker.

Family Guide
Left Boating School, LEGO City Middle Imagination Zone Right World of Chima™

Top 10 Rides

  1. Lost Kingdom Adventure
    Pick up a laser pistol and get points for firing at ancient Egyptian targets in this dark and slightly scary ride in the Land of Adventure.
  2. Coastersaurus
    Ride this old-fashioned and noisy wooden roller coaster, in the Land of Adventure, as it zooms through a land filled with brick dinosaurs.
  3. Battle for Brickbeard’s Bounty
    Watch this exciting live-action water battle featuring water-skiing pirates on Lake Eloise in Pirates' Cove. Those wanting to get soaked can sit in one of the first five rows.
  4. AQUAZONE Wave Racers
    Daring riders get to control the speed of their jet skis by starting out slowly and then spinning out to dizzying and soaking heights in this LEGO® TECHNIC™ ride.
  5. Merlin’s Challenge
    Battle a LEGO® Merlin as the wooden train spins around a roller coaster track in wild and possibly magical circles in LEGO® Kingdoms.
  6. Splash Out
    Climb to the highest point in the park, then plummet down one of the three 60-ft (18-m) slides to drop into the pool below in LEGOLAND® Water Park.
  7. Flying School
    Board a suspended coaster and zoom above LEGO® City on this winding, twisting, and diving ride.
  8. Build-A-Raft River
    Design and build a one-of-a-kind boat and launch it on a 1,000-ft- (305-m-) long lazy river in LEGOLAND® Water Park.
  9. Wells Fargo Fun Town Theater
    Immerse yourself in the 4D movie experience with The LEGO® Movie™ 4D: A New Adventure and LEGO® NEXO KNIGHTS™: The Book of Creativity.
  10. Project X
    Race a full-size TECHNIC™ car along a twisting roller coaster track full of sharp twists and turns on this ride in LEGO® TECHNIC™.


>>Kids' Corner

Kids’ Corner

Sharp spotting

Family Guide
It could take hours to find everything tucked in Miniland USA, but here are a few fun things to keep an eye out for:
  1. Cats. Find the cats jumping through flaming hoops in Key West, and a lady with kittens on the roof in California.
  2. Pirates. Not only is there a big sea battle at Pirate’s Shores, but there’s also a Las Vegas version at the Treasure Island Hotel.
  3. A giant chicken, and men lifting weights in Miami Beach.
  4. People turning into babies at the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine.
  5. Penguins and parrots in Central Park in New York.

Brownie points

Family Guide
Take aim at the cobra in the Lost Kingdom ride in Land of Adventure, and keep shooting to rack up tons of extra points!

Old, old tree

Family Guide
Unsuspecting visitors will be astonished by a massive banyan tree – the giant trunk and roots having grown in this spot since 1939. Look out for the tree’s “knobbly knees” for a giggle.

Lego® mania

  1. Kids around the world spend 5 billion hours a year playing with LEGO® bricks.
  2. More than 400 billion LEGO® bricks have been produced since 1949. Stacked on top of each other, this is enough to connect the Earth and the Moon ten times over!
  3. All the LEGO® bricks sold in one year would circle the world five times.

Where to Stay in Orlando and the Parks


Orlando and the theme parks have lodgings to suit all tastes. Whether a night under the stars in a tent, or the luxury of a family suite in a tower appeals, there’s no lack of choice, and most places offer pools, in-room entertainment, and more. Rooms range from standard to suites with kid-friendly themes.

Price Guide

The following price ranges are based on one night’s accommodation in high season for a family of four, inclusive of service charges and additional taxes.

$: Under $150; $$: $150–300; $$$: over $300

Agency

All-Star Vacation Homes

This website connects visitors with the private owners of everything from one-bedroom condos to nine-bedroom vacation homes for holiday rental.

Downtown Orlando and Winter Park

Hotels

Doubletree by Hilton Orlando Downtown

60 S Ivanhoe Blvd, 32804; 407 425 4455; doubletree1.hilton.com
Overlooking beautiful Lake Ivanhoe, just north of downtown Orlando, this Hilton hotel offers a heated rooftop pool with whirlpool for adults, children’s activities, and a kids’ menu at the restaurant. Free shuttle service to downtown restaurants.
$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool

Grand Bohemian

325 S Orange Ave, 32801; 407 313 9000; www.grandbohemianhotel.com
The only AAA Four-Diamond hotel in downtown, this splendid building houses a great collection of art. Centrally located, it has a spa, a fitness center, and a heated outdoor pool overlooking the city.
$$ • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool

Park Plaza Hotel

307 S Park Ave, Winter Park, 32789; 407 647 1072; parkplazahotel.com
Overlooking the green space of Central Park, this charming hotel has cast-iron railings on flower-bedecked balconies. Complimentary valet parking available, or simply check out the shops along Park Avenue or walk to the nearby museums. Children under three are not allowed.
$$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift

Legoland® Florida Resort

Hotels

Lake Roy Beach Inn

1823 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven 32884; 863 324 6320; www.lakeroybeachinn.com
Located on an interconnected chain of 14 lakes and canals, this inn offers rooms and suites with kitchenettes, and three-bedroom townhouse suites, which can sleep up to eight people, with screened-in porches and balconies overlooking Lake Roy.
$–$$ • Wi-Fi • Lift • Swimming pool • Beach • Kitchen facilities

LEGOLAND Hotel

1 Legoland Way, 33884; 1 877 350 5346; www.legoland.com/florida/legoland-hotel/overview
One of two lodging options in the park, this inventive hotel offers its guests themed rooms, and has 2,000 LEGO models across the hotel. There are plenty of activities and amenities for children, and a complimentary breakfast buffet as well.
$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Playground

SeaWorld®

Resort

Floridays Resort Orlando

12562 International Dr, 32821; 407 238 7700; www.floridaysresortorlando.com
Just 6 miles (10 km) from SeaWorld®, this bright, Mediterranean-themed resort offers suites with separate living and dining rooms, full kitchens, and in-suite grocery delivery. There is a kids' pool area with fountains and dedicated special activities.
$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Cafe • Swimming pool • Kitchen facilities
Family Guide
A fully furnished family suite in Floridays Resort Orlando

Hotels

Fairfield inn & Suites Orlando at SeaWorld®

10815 International Dr, 32821; 407 354 1139; www.marriott.com
Within walking distance of Aquatica, this 200-room hotel has a game room, a fitness center, shuttles to SeaWorld® and Universal Studios Florida®, and views of the nightly fireworks. Free Quick Queue bracelets for SeaWorld® are available at the front desk, and guest have access to early park openings on some days.
$$ • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool

Marriott Harbour Lake

7102 Grand Horizons Blvd, 32821; 407 465 6100; www.marriott.com
Minutes away from SeaWorld®, this hotel offers rooms equipped with DVD players and laundry facilities, as well as suites with full kitchens. There is miniature golf, slide pools, water playground, a pirate ship in the pool, and a pirate-themed kids’ camp.
$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Family rooms • Swimming pool

Universal Orlando® & The Orlando Eye

Resort

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

6300 Hollywood Way, 32819; 888 464 3617; www.loewshotels.com/royal-pacific-resort
With its tropical ambience, this 1,000- room resort has a lagoon pool. It provides free Universal Express℠ passes, and early admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™.
$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool

Hotels

The Enclave suites

6165 Carrier Dr, 32819; 407 351 1155; www.enclavesuites.com
Directly across from Universal Studios Florida®, this hotel has suites with separate Scooby Doo-themed rooms, with bunk beds. Watch the Universal fireworks from the balcony.
$ • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool • Playground

Sonesta ES Suites Orlando

8480 International Dr, 32819; 407 352 2400
Located right next to The Orlando Eye, this great-value hotel offers guests a pool, complimentary break- fast, modern rooms with kitchens, and shuttles to Walt Disney World® Resort and Universal Studios Florida®.
$$ • Wi-Fi • Cafe • Lift • Swimming pool • Kitchen facilities • Family rooms

Hard Rock Hotel

5800 Universal Blvd, 32819; 407 490 1272; www.hardrockhotelorlando.com
Right on Universal property, this hotel features a pool with an underwater sound system, and supervised kids’ activities at Camp Lil’ Rock. Some suites have attached themed kids’ rooms. Complimentary water taxi and shuttle buses to the parks.
$$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool
Family Guide
The Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, with a view of the pool

Walt Disney World® Resort

Resorts

Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration

2900 Parkway Blvd, Kissimmee, 34747; 407 396 7000; www.radisson.com
This chain hotel has lovely, spacious rooms with basic amenities. There are activities for children of ages eight years and above, from a game room to sand volleyball, tennis, and basketball courts.
$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

1 Grand Cypress Blvd, 32836; 407 239 1234; grandcypress.hyatt.com
This resort offers everything from standard guestrooms to massive VIP suites. There’s a golf course, a huge lake with watersports, and a vast lagoon pool with slides and waterfalls. Kids’ programs are available too.
$$ • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Beach

Disney’s art of animation resort

1850 Century Dr, Lake Buena Vista, 32830; 407 938 7000; disneyworld.disney.go.com
Choose from Nemo-, Cars-, and Lion King-themed family suites that can sleep up to six people. Playgrounds, a jogging trail, in-room pizza delivery, and free Disney movies are some of the further lures at this Disney resort.
$$–$$$ • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool

Marriott Orlando World Center Resort

8701 World Center Dr, 32821; 407 239 4200; www.marriott.com
The world’s largest Marriott, just outside Walt Disney World® Resort, has 2,000 rooms and suites, six pools, waterslides, a video arcade, and a golf course. There are organized arts and crafts programs, and scavenger hunts for kids.
$$–$$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Family rooms

Swan and Dolphin Resort

1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, 32830; 407 934 3000 (Swan) & 407 934 4000 (Dolphin); www.swandolphin.com
Located in Walt Disney World® Resort, these adjoining hotels offer a massive pool grotto, complete with a white-sand beach and waterfalls. The Camp Dolphin club offers programs for kids aged 4 to 12.
$$–$$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool • Beach

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

2901 Osceola Pkwy, Lake Buena Vista, 32830; 407 938 3000; disneyworld.disney.go.com
This beautifully designed Disney resort offers views of wild animals grazing on an extensive savanna. Free Continental breakfast, midday snacks, and evening wine and cheese.
• Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool

Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort

9560 Via Encinas, Lake Buena Vista, 32830; 800 610 9558; www.wyndhambonnetcreek.com
This all-suite resort has great lodgings, with kitchens and private balconies. Children can enjoy the Play Days activities program.
$$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Lift • Swimming pool • Playground • Kitchen facilities • Family rooms

Hotel

Best Western Lake Buena Vista

2000 Hotel Plaza Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, 32830; 407 828 2424; www.lakebuenavistaresorthotel.com
This hotel is within walking distance of Disney Springs® restaurants and shops, as well as the Disney transportation system. Rooms above the sixth floor offer splendid views of the Epcot® fireworks. There is a children's pool and a video game parlor for kids.
$$ • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Parking • Swimming pool

Nickelodeon Hotel

14500 Continental Gateway, Orlando, 32821; 407 387 5437; www.nickhotel.com
A Nickelodeon Network-themed hotel featuring Jimmy Neutron and SpongeBob SquarePants at every turn, with an amazing water park, and kids’ suites with bunk beds.
$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Family rooms • Swimming pool • Playground

Camping

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

4510 N Fort Wilderness Trail, Lake Buena Vista, 32830; 407 939 7429; disneyworld.disney.go.com
Bring a tent, drive in with an RV, or rent a rustic but comfortable cabin for a stay in these woods, minutes away from the Disney parks. Attractions include horseback-riding, and nightly marshmallow roasts.
$–$$$ • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Playground