What to do in Orlando area

Orlando and region offers several attractions for different tastes and ages. Discover here why we are considered the first place in the world for family vacations.

Walt Disney World

The Walt Disney World is an entertainment complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida. Opened on October 1, 1971, the property covers nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km2),[2] featuring four theme parks, two water parks, twenty-seven themed resort hotels, nine non-Disney hotels, several golf courses, a camping resort, and other entertainment venues, including the outdoor shopping center Disney Springs.

Designed to supplement Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955, the complex was developed by Walt Disney in the 1960s. "The Florida Project", as it was known, was intended to present a distinct vision with its own diverse set of attractions. Walt Disney's original plans also called for the inclusion of an "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT), a planned community intended to serve as a test bed for new city living innovations. After extensive lobbying, the government of Florida created the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a special government district that essentially gave The Walt Disney Company the standard powers and autonomy of an incorporated city. Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966, during construction of the complex. Without Disney spearheading the construction, the company created a resort similar to Disneyland, abandoning experimental concepts for a planned community. Magic Kingdom was the first theme park to open in the complex, in 1971, followed by Epcot in 1982, Disney's Hollywood Studios in 1989, and the most recent, Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998.

Today, Walt Disney World is the most visited vacation resort in the world, with an average annual attendance of over 52 million.[3] The resort is the flagship destination of Disney's worldwide corporate enterprise, and has become a popular staple in American culture

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom Park is the first built of the four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks on Bay Lake, near Orlando, Florida. It was inaugurated on October 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, its layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and is dedicated to fairy tales and Disney characters. In 2014, the park attracted 19.33 million visitors, making it the most visited theme park in the world for the sixth consecutive year.

The park is represented by Cinderella's Castle, a replica of the castle of the gnomes tale seen in the 1950 film

Epicot

Epcot is the second of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Near Orlando, Florida, United States. It opened as EPCOT Center (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) on October 1, 1982 and covers an area of 300 acres, more than twice the size of the Magic Kingdom park. It is dedicated to celebrating human achievements, especially technological innovation and international culture, often called "Permanent World's Fair." By 2014, the park attracted approximately 11.45 million visitors, making it the third most visited park and the sixth most visited amusement park in the world.

The park is represented by Spaceship Earth, a geodesic sphere that also serves as an attraction.

Hollywood Studios

Disney's Hollywood Studios (originally Disney-MGM Studios until 2008), is the third of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World Resort on Bay Lake, near Orlando, Florida, United States, on May 1, 1989. Covering an area of 135 acres, it is dedicated to the world of entertainment, drawing inspiration from Hollywood's heyday of the 1930s and 1940s. By 2014, the park attracted approximately 10.31 million visitors, making it the fifth most visited amusement park in the States United States and the eighth most visited in the world.

The park is currently represented by the Tower of Terror. She replaced the Wizard Hat, a stylized version of Fantasia's magic hat, removed from the park in January 2015.

Animal Kingdom

Disney's Animal Kingdom is the fourth of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World Resort on Bay Lake, near Orlando, Florida, United States, opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998. It is the second largest theme park in the world. Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, and is the largest Disney theme park in the world covering 200 acres, as well as Disney's first theme park, a philosophy followed by own Walt Disney. Disney's Animal Kingdom is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which means that it has met or exceeded standards of education, conservation and research. By 2014, the park attracted approximately 10.4 million visitors, being the fourth most visited park in the United States and seventh in the world.

The park is represented by the Tree of Life, an artificial tree carved 44 m high and 15 m wide.

Disney's Blizzard Beach

Disney's Blizzard Beach is a water theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake near Orlando, Florida. All water areas are heated (at approximately 80 °F or 27 °C), with the exception of the melting snow in the ice cave of Cross Country Creek.

The park opened on April 1, 1995 and was the third Walt Disney World water park.[1] In 2016, the park hosted approximately 2,091,000 guests, ranking it the third-most visited water park in the world, behind its sister park, Typhoon Lagoon.[2] Blizzard Beach is open year-round with an annual maintenance closure in the winter. During the closure, its sister park, Typhoon Lagoon, will remain open.

The majority of the major attractions at the park are hosted atop of Mount Gushmore, an artificial hill with an elevation of 90 feet (27.4 m). Mount Gushmore is split into three colored slopes to aid guests navigating around the park: Green, Red and Purple.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon is a water theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida near Orlando, and is one of two operating water parks at the resort. It is the second water park to open at the resort, preceded by Disney's River Country which closed in November 2001.

The park, which opened on June 1, 1989, is home to one of the world's largest outdoor wave pools.[1] The theme of the park is the "Disney legend" of a typhoon that wreaked havoc upon a formerly pristine tropical paradise. Ships, fishing gear and surfboards are strewn about where the storm flung them. Its centerpiece is "Miss Tilly," a shrimp boat impaled upon a mountain named "Mount Mayday" that erupts a 50-foot (15 m) geyser of water every half hour, right before the bells of the watch sound on it. Its mascot is “Lagoona Gator."

In 2016, the park admitted approximately 2,277,000 visitors, currently making it the second most visited water park in the world.[2] It operates year-round, with an annual maintenance closure during either the fall or winter. During the closure, its sister park, Blizzard Beach, will remain open.

Disney Springs

Disney Springs (previously known as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village in 1975, Walt Disney World Village in 1977, Disney Village Marketplace in 1989, and Downtown Disney in 1997) is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. The complex opened on March 22, 1975, and has been expanded and renamed at other times over the years, until 2013, when plans were announced for a three-year renovation and expansion of the complex, and on September 29, 2015, the name officially changed to Disney Springs.

The complex includes four distinct areas: Marketplace, The Landing, Town Center, and West Side. Buses and water taxis operated by Disney Transport provide transportation between Disney Springs and other areas of Walt Disney World.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a 220 acres (89 ha) athletic complex located in the Walt Disney World Resort, in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. The complex includes 9 venues and hosts numerous amateur and professional sporting events throughout the year.

It was known as Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex from 1997 until 2010 when it was re-branded with the Disney-owned ESPN brand. The rebranding was unveiled on February 25, 2010. The complex is a part of the Sports tourism emerging market

Universal Studios

Universal Studios Florida is a theme park and production studio located in Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies", and it features numerous attractions and live shows. The park is one component of the larger Universal Orlando Resort.

In 2017, the park hosted an estimated 10,198,000 visitors, ranking as the sixth most attended theme park in the United States, as well as the ninth most attended theme park worldwide

Universal's Island Of Adventure

Universal's Islands of Adventure (formally called Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and often shortened to Islands of Adventure) is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It opened on May 28, 1999, along with CityWalk, as part of an expansion that converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort. The resort's slogan Vacation Like You Mean It was introduced in 2013.[2]

Islands of Adventure is modeled after a journey of exploration, where guests embark on an adventure to visit a variety of themed islands. Initially, the park featured six islands. A seventh, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, was added in 2010, themed to the popular Harry Potter franchise. It was Universal's largest investment since the resort's founding in 1990. The expansion led to a significant increase in attendance, and in 2013, Islands of Adventure ranked seventh domestically and eleventh internationally after hosting approximately 8.1 million guests.[3] The eighth island, Skull Island, opened on July 13, 2016 and is themed to the King Kong franchise.

Universal's Volcano Bay

Universal's Volcano Bay Water Theme Park, or Volcano Bay, is a themed water park at Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida. Owned and operated by Universal Parks and Resorts, Volcano Bay replaced Wet 'n Wild as Universal Orlando Resort's water park, and it was the first constructed by Universal itself. The park, themed around a 200-foot-tall (61 m) volcano named "Krakatau," opened on May 25, 2017.

Krakatau is a 200 feet (61 m) tall artificial volcano,[3] and is the park's main representative, being displayed on the logo. The volcano houses three drop capsule slides, Ko'okiri Body Plunge, the tallest body slide in America ranging at 125 feet tall,[4] and also the first to travel through a pool full of guests.[5] Krakatau also holds the Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides which travel throughout the midst of the volcano winding around the Krakatau Aqua Coaster.

Universal's CityWalk

Universal CityWalk is the name shared by the entertainment and retail districts located adjacent to the theme parks of Universal Parks & Resorts. CityWalk began as an expansion of Universal's first park, Universal Studios Hollywood, and serves as an entrance plaza from the parking lots to the theme parks. CityWalk can also be found at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Japan.

CityWalk Hollywood and CityWalk Orlando have some common tenants, but their respective architectural styles are quite different. Where CityWalk Hollywood incorporates a classic modern blend of Hollywood, CityWalk Orlando is almost entirely modern in appearance.

Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove is a one-of-a kind experience where you can interact with bottlenose dolphins, feed tropical birds, play inches from a family of otters and even walk on the Grand Reef floor-all in one day. Between adventures, recharge with unlimited island fare and refreshments. With this all-inclusive experience your family can unwind, explore, learn, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Sea World

SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park and marine zoological park, in Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. When combined with its neighbor Discovery Cove and Aquatica, it forms SeaWorld Parks and Resorts Orlando, an entertainment complex consisting of the three parks and many hotels. In 2018, SeaWorld Orlando hosted an estimated 4,594,000 guests, ranking it the 10th most visited amusement park in the United States.

Aquatica

From high-speed water slides and exhilarating wave pools, to tranquil beaches, Aquatica® Orlando delights all ages and interests. This one-of-a-kind waterpark is home to some of the world's most thrilling water rides, featuring 42 slides, rivers and lagoons and 84,000 square feet of sparkling white, sandy beaches.

Gatorland

Gatorland is a 110-acre (45 ha) theme park and wildlife preserve in Florida, located along South Orange Blossom Trail south of Orlando.

Founded 70 years ago by Owen Godwin on former cattle land in 1949,[1] it has been privately owned by his family since then. Billed as the "Alligator Capital of the World," Gatorland features thousands of alligators and crocodiles, a breeding marsh with boardwalk and observation tower, reptile shows, aviary, petting zoo, swamp walk, and educational programs. The park is known for buying and rescuing nuisance alligators from trappers that would otherwise be killed for their meat and skin. The Breeding Marsh area of the park was used in the filming of the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

The operation also has an active road show providing alligator wrestling, pythons, lizards and other animals with an informative animal talk for private parties and benefits. In addition, Gatorland manages the live alligator display at the Gaylord Palms resort in Kissimmee. This park also has a snakes of Florida exhibit, with species like indigo snakes, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes.

The park is also known for its leucistic alligators.

Wild Florida Airboat

A visit through the Headwaters of the Florida Everglades will be the wildest adventure you experience in Central Florida.

While we’re mainly known for our Everglades airboat tours, there’s so much more to experience at Wild Florida. At Wild Florida, you can also visit more than 200 native and exotic animals inside our Gator Park, eat unique swamp delicacies served at the Chomp House Grill, and get WILD with our animals during one of our interactive animal encounters and, coming soon, drive-thru Safari Park! We’re just a 45-minute drive from Orlando’s major theme parks and have enough adventure to share with everyone.

Early morning, afternoon, sunset, or night airboat tours give you the opportunity to experience a different side of Florida you don’t often see on brochures.

Legoland

The parks are marketed to families with younger children (11 and under), and although the attractions include a number of roller coasters, the roller coasters are not as numerous or as extreme as those in other parks, and there is a greater emphasis on rides suitable for younger children. Legoland parks are split into various areas, which are consistent among the chain's parks. For example, all six of the parks include a Lego miniland, a model village which includes models of landmarks and scenes from around the world, made from millions of genuine Lego bricks.

Legoland Water Park

Bush Gardens

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay opened on March 31, 1959 and has an African theme. The park was originally tagged "The Dark Continent."[7] The theme park is one of America's largest zoological institutions, with 335 acres (136 ha) and more than 2,700 animals. Attractions include: Montu, Kumba, Scorpion, Edge of Africa, Jungala, Sand Serpent, Congo River Rapids, Saga, Tanganyika Tidal Wave, Stanley Falls, Serengeti Railway, Phoenix, Sesame Street and SheiKra,[8] a vertical dive coaster which opened in 2005. In 2011, the park added Cheetah Hunt, a triple launch roller coaster. In 2014, the park added Falcon's Fury, an Intamin drop tower. In 2016, the park constructed Cobra's Curse, a steel roller coaster created by Mack Rides.[9] In 2019, the park opened Tigris, a steel launched roller coaster constructed by Premier Rides. In 2020, the park will open a new hybrid coaster by Rocky Mountain Construction on the site where Gwazi once stood. The park is some distance away from downtown, in central Tampa, near the limits of the city of Temple Terrace to the east of Tampa.