What is there to do in the area? Well, the answer to that is probably
"too much"!
See below for a selection of our ideas.
|
Disney Theme Parks |
www.disneyworld.com |
| Magic Kingdom |
The home of Mickey and Minnie
Mouse. Magic Kingdom captures the enchantment of fairy tales
with exciting entertainment, classic attractions, backstage
tours and beloved Disney Characters. The centrepiece of Magic Kingdom is Cinderella's
castle, probably one of the most photographed landmarks in
Florida! Travel to the different 'lands' to experience fun and
thrills including Space Mountain, It's a
Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean.
See how fantasy becomes reality when you learn how to be a
pirate, match wits with funny monsters and conquer mountains.
Get swept up in the spectacle of splendid parades and fireworks
shows — it's here that dreams come true for children of all
ages. |
| Epcot |
Epcot stands for
"Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow". The
Epcot theme park icon, Spaceship Earth, looking like a giant
golf ball rising high above the horizon, welcomes you as you
walk through the Park's main entrance. This park is
really two in one.
"Future World" is full of sensational
attractions—including one of the fastest attractions in all
Disney Parks — as well as inspiring entertainment and shows, all
of which focus on technological advancements, innovation and
wonder. In Future World, ideas become reality. Experience the feeling
of space flight in Mission Space, learn where oil
comes from in Universe of Energy, or try your
skills as a test driver in Test Track.
To see the
best that the World has to offer, visit the 11 countries
represented in "World Showcase" - a collective of
Pavilions that wrap around the World Showcase Lagoon. Inside the
Pavilions, find shops, attractions and restaurants that
represent the culture and cuisine of these countries. While
walking between Pavilions, be amused by live performers — some
may even invite you to participate in the show! There's also
plenty of kid-centric entertainment, too, like Disney Character
meet and greet locations and Kidcot fun stops. At Kidcot
stations, kids can create one-of-a-kind souvenirs. In Epcot
theme park, creativity is encouraged, imagination is celebrated
and countries are united. Be amazed, inspired, enlightened and
entertained!
Finally, the nightly IllumiNations firework and
laser show set to music is a must-see. |
| Animal Kingdom |
Home to more than 1,700
animals from 250 species and sprawling across 500 acres of lush
landscape, Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park is the largest
animal-themed park in the world! A chance to go on 'safari' to
see African and Asian wild animals in a natural setting. Within
each area, encounter real and fantastic animals. Get close
enough to pet some of them. You may see zebra, gorillas, tigers,
lions and elephants. Exciting attractions await, along with live
and wild entertainment — like Broadway-style musical shows and
parades that invite you to be part of the excitement. |
| Hollywood Studios (previously MGM) |
Where movie magic comes to
life! Get behind-the-scenes glimpses of Hollywood-style action
with live shows, thrilling attractions, backstage tours and
special events in this Disney Park dedicated to entertainment. A collection of movie-themed
live action shows and thrill rides. The glitz and glamour of the
Hollywood Heydays from the 1930s and 1940s are captured by the
neon, chrome, art deco and modern architecture. The streets and
sections of the areas of the Park blend together like a large,
bustling movie set.
Step into the action with new attractions like the American Idol
Experience that might put you centre stage and under the
spotlight. Feel like a star, or come face-to-face with one!
Collect autographs and pose for photos at special events or at
Character greeting locations.
Live out your desire for stardom by participating in parades,
being part of a rock 'n' roll fantasy and experiencing
spectacular attractions based on blockbuster movies and top TV
shows. Among the best-known
attractions are Tower of Terror, Star Tours,
and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. |
| (See also Blizzard Beach and
Typhoon Lagoon) |
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Universal Studios |
www.universalorlando.com |
| Universal Studios |
At this real, working film
and TV production facility you’ll find an amazing array of
rides, shows, movie sets and attractions that put you right in
the picture. You’ll enjoy themed dining and shopping, a variety
of exciting special events throughout the year, and you might
even catch a real film crew at work on the backlot. From
entertaining shows that take you behind the scenes of the
movie-making process to state-of-the-art rides that make you
part of the action, this is the theme park where you can
"Ride the Movies". One of the
newest attractions is Shrek 4-D featuring an
original 3-D film, plus an extra dimension of special effects.
Terminator 2:3D is a combination of live action
stunts, special effects and amazing 3-D film. Experience the
power of a tornado in Twister with screaming wind,
pouring rain and flying cows! Join the Simpsons on a mad
ride.
Visit the Diagon Alley
of Harry Potter fame. Experience the thrilling Escape from
Gringotts. Ride the Hogwarts Express
to/from Hogsmeade in Universal's Islands of Adventure. |
| Islands of Adventure |
Take an unforgettable journey
through the uniquely themed areas of Islands of Adventure, where
the world's most cutting edge rides, shows and interactive
attractions bring your favourite stories, myths, cartoons, comic
book heroes and children's tales to life.
Join the battle of good versus evil above the
streets of Marvel Super Hero Island. Get splash happy
with your favourite cartoon characters in the water rides of
Toon Lagoon. Come face to face with the dinosaurs of
Jurassic Park. Venture through the mists of time as you
experience the epic adventures of The Lost Continent. And
step right into the pages of the children’s books of Dr.
Seuss in Seuss Landing. This is the stuff legends are made
of.
Don't miss The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Pass
through the towering Hogwarts castle gates and explore
the familiar passageways, classrooms and corridors. Visit the
shops of Hogsmeade including Honeydukes, Zonko's Joke
Shop, Ollivanders and more. Dine at the Three Broomsticks. Plus
experience new pulse-pounding rides including Dragon
Challenge, Flight of the Hippogriff and
Harry
Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a state-of-the-art
attraction that brings the magic, characters, and stories of
Harry Potter to life in ways never before imagined. |
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Sea World |
www.seaworld.com |
| Sea World of Orlando |
A chance to view some of the
sea's most majestic creatures at close range. Dolphins, Killer
Whales, Manatees, Sea Lions, Walrus and Stingray are all
showcased here. There is the rare chance to see Polar bears,
Penguins and Sharks. Probably most famous of all the park's
attractions is the Shamu show featuring Killer Whales
interacting with their trainers and the audience! The park also
features a number of thrill rides including Kraken and
Journey
to Atlantis. |
| Discovery Cove |
www.discoverycove.com. This exclusive
park only admits 1000 people a day so booking ahead is a must.
Discovery Cove offers white sand beaches, hammocks to laze in,
complimentary lunch, snorkelling with tropical fish and rays, an
aviary, and of course, the chance to swim and interact with
dolphins. |
| (See also Aquatica) |
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Water
Parks |
|
| Wet 'n' Wild |
www.wetnwild.com.
A refreshing way to spend a day! Wet 'n' Wild has
a number of thrill rides including Der Stuka, a
six-storey speed slide which lets you "free fall" down a 250-foot
slide, then coast to a stop along a 115-foot long water runway.
For people that don't want to ride alone there are several
multi-person rides and some designed specifically for the kids.
And for the less adventurous there is the gentle lazy river that
meanders around the park, or a wave pool and beach to relax on. |
| Blizzard Beach |
It's easy to be cool while
having fun in the sun at Blizzard Beach water park! While the
park looks like a frosty ski resort—complete with a functioning
Chair Lift, it's actually an action-packed water wonderland with
exciting waterslides and attractions for the whole family. It
features one of the world's tallest and fastest free-falling
waterslides, as well as a kid-sized, snow-castle fountain play
area with scaled-down versions of the more thrilling
attractions. This park has something for everyone. |
| Typhoon Lagoon |
Escape to a tropical paradise
where you'll discover a storm of fun in the sun. Disney's
Typhoon Lagoon water park is the place to go for aquatic
thrill-seekers of all ages. In addition to great waterslides,
you'll love the lazy river, wave pool and children's play area!
Experience fast waterslides to a children's area with pint-sized
raft rides. Catch 6-foot waves in the Surf Pool and snorkel
Shark Reef — with real sharks! |
| Aquatica |
www.aquaticabyseaworld.com.
SeaWorld's water park. Two
wave pools and large beach. Many exciting water slides,
including Dolphin Plunge where you ride in a tube
through a dolphin habitat. |
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Nighttime |
|
| Disney Springs |
www.disneysprings.com.
(Formerly Downtown Disney). **Redeveloped for 2016**. The home of
Cirque du Soleil's "La Nouba" show and the
DisneyQuest indoor interactive theme park featuring
video games, virtual reality rides and flight simulators. A
large choice of restaurants can be found here, including
T-Rex, Wolfgang Puck, Rainforest Cafe and
Portobello. (See also Shopping section). |
| Disney's Boardwalk |
A waterfront entertainment
complex themed like an Atlantic coastal village. Experience
Duelling pianos at Jellyrolls, Sport and food at ESPN Club and
after the sun goes down the Atlantic Dance Hall comes alive with
the DJ Dance party. Located at Disney's Boardwalk Hotel. |
| Arabian Nights |
www.arabian-nights.com. Dinner Show featuring
beautiful horses and continuous action, enhanced by
state-of-the-art lighting and special effects (including snow!).
The story revolves around the wedding of the Prince and Princess
and guests are invited to share in the wonder and magic created
in this romantic tale on horseback. |
| Medieval Times |
www.medievaltimes.com. Feast on a four-course
Medieval Banquet while watching daring knights on beautiful
Andalusian horses competing in medieval tournament games, sword
fighting and jousting matches. |
| Sleuth's Mystery Dinner |
www.sleuths.com. A theatrical murder
mystery dinner show. Will you be the one to spot the clues and
identify the murderer? |
| Capone's Dinner & Show |
www.alcapones.com.
Gangland Chicago song and dance comedy revue.
Includes unlimited buffet, beer, cocktails. |
| Old Town |
www.old-town.com. Shopping, dining and amusement rides including Old Town
Slingshot - be catapulted 365 feet in the air while
suspended by bungee cords! |
| Church Street Station |
Entertainment complex located
in downtown Orlando. Constructed around Orlando’s original train
station. Including old-fashioned bars such as Rosie O’Grady’s
Good Time Emporium. |
| Universal City Walk |
An array of restaurants,
nightclubs, shopping, state-of-the-art cinemas and live
entertainment venues. |
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Miscellaneous |
|
| Gatorland |
www.gatorland.com. 110-acre alligator
theme park and wildlife preserve, with its incredible display of
huge alligators and crocodiles, children’s water park, train
ride, aviary, breeding marsh and bird sanctuary, petting zoo,
nature walk, gift shop, and one-of-a-kind shows such as the
world famous "Gator Jumparoo". |
| Boggy Creek Airboat Rides |
www.bcairboats.com.
Experience the Real Central Florida Everglades.
Glide through the wetlands viewing Florida's native wildlife.
Start with a leisurely idle down our natural canal and
experience the excitement of viewing exotic birds, turtles and
the Florida alligator in their own natural environment. Fly like
the wind into the swamps experiencing the awesome feel of the
airboat ride travelling at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. 2
locations nearby. |
| Osceola County Softball Complex |
sports.floridakiss.com/facilities/softball/index.php.
Located just a couple of blocks away on John Young Parkway. |
| Wekiwa Springs State Park |
www.canoewekiva.com.
Wekiwa Springs State Park comprises approximately 7,000 acres of
wild scenery that offers an opportunity to see how areas of
central Florida looked when the Timucuan Indians speared fish in
the spring-fed creeks and stalked the uplands. The park offers
swimming, canoeing, hiking, bicycle trails and picnic areas.
Directions: Head northward from downtown Orlando on I-4 East for
approx 6 miles and exit 49 west on Sanlando Rd. Make a right at
Wekiwa Springs rd and follow the signs. |
| Ripley's Believe it or Not! |
An exhibition of the
unbelievable, the inexplicable and one-of-a-kind artifacts, some
of them downright amusing. Located on International Dr 2 blocks
south of Sand Lake Rd. |
| A World of Orchids |
www.aworldoforchids.com. Climate-controlled indoor
rainforest garden showcasing exquisite flowering orchids from
around the globe. Multifunction rental areas. Nature walk. |
| Harry P. Leu Gardens |
www.leugardens.org.
50 acre estate famous for its camellias and
roses. A wonderful way to spend a couple of relaxing hours away
from the busy city. |
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Golf Courses |
There are many golf courses
located within a few minutes drive of our home. Among the
closest are Hunters Creek (www.golfhunterscreek.com),
Kissimmee Bay (www.kissimmeebaycc.com),
Remington (www.remington-gc.com),
and the St Cloud Golf Club (www.stcloudgolfclub.com).
Others are Grande Pines (www.grandepinesgolfclub.com),
Celebration Golf Club (www.celebrationgolf.com),
and the Greg Norman designed Champions Gate (www.championsgategolf.com).
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Further
Afield |
|
| Kennedy Space Centre |
www.kennedyspacecenter.com. The only
place on earth where you can tour launch areas, meet an
astronaut, see giant rockets, train in spaceflight simulators
and see a real life Space Shuttle (Atlantis). The sheer size of
some of the exhibits and the Vehicle Assembly Building will
leave you breathless! |
| Busch Gardens |
www.buschgardens.com. This park is a
mix of big thrill rides and a zoo. Some of Florida's largest
roller coasters are to be found here, including the inverted
'coaster Montu, the double spiral
corkscrew Python , and Gwazi a
double wooden 'coaster. There are also more leisurely rides
and attractions that the whole family can enjoy, for example the
Budweiser Clydesdale horses. |
| Silver Springs |
www.silversprings.com. The home of the
world famous Glass Bottom Boats plus Jungle Cruise, Jeep Safari,
Panther Prowl, major concerts and live animal shows. |
| Beaches |
The beautiful
white sand beaches of Clearwater and St. Pete's are just over an
hour's drive away on the West coast, lapped by the warm waters
of the Gulf of Mexico. Or an hour away to the East you have the
Atlantic beaches of the Gold coast. |
| Historic Bok Sanctuary |
www.boktower.org. Historic gardens and bell tower
located in Lake Wales. |
| LegoLand Florida |
http://florida.legoland.com.
New! In the previous site
of Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, approximately 45 minutes
southwest of Orlando. |
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Shopping |
|
| International Drive |
A multitude of
stores selling anything from T-shirts to
electronics. |
| Pointe Orlando |
An open-air
shopping, dining and entertainment complex. (9101 International
Drive). |
| Premium Outlets -
International |
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/orlando-international. At the north end
of International Drive this is a shopping opportunity not to be
missed! Many designers and famous brand stores have outlets here
offering large discounts over high street prices. Names include
Nike, Addidas, Under Armour, Reebok, Calvin Klein. |
| Festival Bay Mall |
www.shopfestivalbaymall.com.
At the north end of International Drive. Various shops and
entertainment venues including a cinema and (coming soon) Ron
Jon Surf Park. |
| Florida Mall |
Located at the
junction of Sand Lake Rd and Orange Blossom Trail, this mall
contains around 200 shops and is anchored by Macys, Dillard's, JC
Penney, and Sears. |
| Sports Authority |
(Various
locations). Stockists of sportswear and gear for all the sports
you can think of - and then some! |
| Mercado |
This Spanish
styled area contains shops, restaurants and entertainment
venues. Located on International Drive. |
| Premium Outlets -
Vineland |
www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/orlando-vineland. Located at exit
68 of I-4 on Vineland. Many well known names have outlets here including
Banana Republic, Sunglass Hut, DKNY, Adidas, French Connection, OshKosh B'Gosh, Polo Ralph Lauren and Nike to name a few. |
| Disney Springs |
Featuring the world's largest Disney store and many other
specialty shops and restaurants. |
| Plaza Del Sol |
www.plazadelsolkissimmee.com. 3831
West Vine Street, Kissimmee. Various shops and a food court. |
| Lake Buena Vista
Factory Outlets |
www.lbvfs.com. Located on SR535. More well known names such as
Gap, Nike, Eddie Bauer, Under Armour, Lindt. |
| The Loop |
www.attheloop.com. Just up the road on the junction of Osceola
Parkway and John Young Parkway. Restaurants, shops and a cinema. |
| Mall at Millenia |
www.mallatmillenia.com.
Over 150 stores including high-end fashion such
as Gucci, Chanel, and Jimmy Choo, plus many favourites. Anchored
by Macy's, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus. Several restaurants
including The Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang's China Bistro. |
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Places to Eat |
|
| The Cheesecake Factory |
www.thecheesecakefactory.com.
Located in the Mall at Millenia this restaurant offers much more
than just cheesecake. The huge menu includes soups, pastas,
salads, steaks, seafood and of course over 30 flavours of
cheesecake! |
| Portobello |
Located in Downtown Disney. Italian cuisine featuring pasta,
seafood, chicken and pizza. |
| Anywhere in
Celebration! |
There are several restaurants located in Celebration. We haven't
found a bad one yet! We particularly like Thai Thani and
Celebration Town Tavern. |
| Red Lobster |
Located all over the Orlando area. The nearest one is 4010 West
Vine Street (US 192). Just across from the Osceola Square Mall. |
| KFC |
Located all over the Orlando area. The nearest one is 1907 W
Irlo Bronson Highway (US 192). Approx 1.5 miles. Exit left from
Venetian Bay, left on 192. Located just past Thacker Ave. |
| California Grill |
Located in Disney's Contemporary Resort Hotel. Located on the
top floor of the hotel with a panoramic view over the Magic
Kingdom fireworks display. Reservations essential. |
| Texas de Brazil |
www.texasdebrazil.com.
On International Drive opposite the Festival Bay Mall.
Churrascaria - Brazilian Steak House. All you can eat salad bar,
continuous servings of various meat dishes carved at your table.
Reservations recommended. |
| Smokey Bones |
At
junction of US 192 and SR 535. BBQ ribs etc. Casual dining with
sports TVs. |
| Seasons 52 |
www.seasons52.com.
Healthy dining choices. At junction of Sand Lake and Dr.
Phillips. Reservations recommended. |
| Olive Garden |
Italian cuisine.
Located all over the Orlando area. The nearest one is next to
Best Buy on Osceola Parkway just opposite The Loop. |
| Pei Wei |
www.peiwei.com.
Asian diner. Operated by PF Changs. Casual Eat-in and take-out.
Located at The Loop West. |
| BoneFish Grill |
www.bonefishgrill.com.
Seafood restaurant. Located at The Loop West. Try the signature
Bang Bang Shrimp! |
| BJ's Brewhouse |
www.bjsbrewhouse.com.
Casual dining plus their own brewery beer list. Sports screens.
Located at The Loop West. Try the Berry Burst cider. |
| Thai Thani |
http://thaithani.net.
2 locations in the Orlando area. One near Sea
World on International Drive, and the other in Celebration. The
International Drive location has authentic Thai decor, the
Celebration location is more contemporary decor. (We like the
atmosphere of the first one). |
