Known worldwide due to the theme park complex of Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld and the most recent of them, Legoland.
Orlando is now one of the most popular destinations in the world, whether for young people, families or couples on their honeymoon, who take advantage of this moment to discover their dream destination!
Located in the central region of the state of Florida, it has a subtropical climate, great for all seasons.
In addition to the parks, the city offers many other leisure options, such as bars and restaurants, resorts with great pools to rest after a whole day on the rides and excellent outlets and malls for shopping at very low prices.
It's difficult for us to recommend which park you should or shouldn't visit (if you have time and money to spare, go to all of them!), as each one has a different attraction. Some parks are strong on roller coasters, others, you will find all the characters of Walt Disney. Below we will talk a little about each one of them to make your decision easier!
Orlando Parks
Walt Disney World
Disney World is a mega leisure complex located in the Lake Buena Vista region. There are four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, animal kingdom, hollywood studios and epcot), two water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), a shopping center (Downtown Disney), the sports complex ESPN Wide of Sports and 34 hotels.
Magic Kingdom
Inaugurated in 1971, it is the ideal place to observe the magic of Disney characters. In this park you relive your childhood, it is an unforgettable and magical place! Some attractions:
· Main Street USA – is right at the entrance and depicts an old country town in the USA. The famous parades and parades take place there.
· Cinderella Castle – located at the end of Main Street and is one of the postcards of the park. Adventure Land – features the Jungle Cruise, a trip through a tropical jungle, and the Pirates of the Caribbean, a journey that ends in a battle between pirates.
· Frontier Land – features the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (a rollercoaster set in an old west mine mine) and Splash Mountain (which has a 50-foot waterfall).
· Liberty Square (Liberty Square) – is a tribute to the independence of the USA, and features the Haunted Mansion (with cemetery, dinner dance, and haunted room).
· Goofy Country Bear Jamboree – show with bears that play and sing country music, boat rides (Liberty Square Riverboat) and the Hall of Presidents, in addition to the Liberty Tree Bell, a replica bell of the one in the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed and even a few restaurants, namely the Liberty Tree Tavern, Sleep Hollow and the Columbia Harbor House.
· Fantasyland – feels like a fairy tale! Here are Cinderella's Carousel, the Adventures of Snow White, the giant cups from Wonderland, Small World, the spectacular Mickey's Philharmagic Orchestra (an absolutely fantastic 3D movie), among others.
· Mickey's Toon Town – located Mickey's House (stop by Mickey's dressing room and take a picture with him!), Minie's house, The Barnstormer (a Goofy roller coaster) and Donald Duck's boat, among other attractions.
· Tomorrow Land – features Stitch Adventures, Astro Orbiters, Space Mountain, Transit Authority, and more. The Be our Guest restaurant, refers to French cuisine through a banquet for princes and princesses at Fera's castle. The Rapunzel Tower, is a rest area, and beautiful for photos.
In mid-afternoon, the incredible Share a Dream Come True Parade takes place, and at the end of the day the park lights go out to highlight the Spectro Magic Parade, where all the cars and characters parade in luminous costumes.
At night, you will be amazed by the fireworks show called Wishes. On special days there is another even more spectacular fireworks show called Fantasy in the Sky.
animal kingdom
Its theme refers to animals, the feeling is of being inside a forest, on safari, where you can find giraffes, elephants, hippos and many other animals.
The park's landmark is a beautiful tree 42 meters high, the tree of life. Hundreds of animal figures are carved on its trunk and branches.
Still in the park, the Expedition Everest roller coaster is the most radical attraction. It simulates a Himalayan mountain, with extreme curves, high speed and a drop of 24 meters. Arriving at the end of the line, she turns back.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Aimed at a more adult audience, it has attractions that put us inside the movies.
Don't miss the funniest attractions in this park:
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – Imagine, if you can, a stunning Hollywood hotel in its heyday. You're the passenger who doesn't suspect this elevator will free fall 13 floors.
- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith – Jump into your super-stretch limousine and buckle up for a fun ride with stunts and twists through Hollywood to the music of Aerosmith!
- Fantastic! – Journey into the colorful imagination of Mickey Mouse in this special effects nighttime musical extravaganza filled with Disney characters!
- “Beauty and the Beast” – Teatro da Bela e da Fera live, always at predetermined times.
- Toy Story Mania! – A 3D attraction inspired by the Disney Pixar “Toy Story” films.
- Block Party Bash – Traditional Parade interacts with over 20 Disney Pixar characters on floats, stunts and surprises.
Epcot Center
Epcot opened in 1982 and is very different from other parks. It is a park focused more on technology and culture. It does not offer strong emotions, but it always delights its visitors.
It is practically divided into 2 areas:
Future World, has 9 pavilions: Spaceship Earth, The Living Seas, The Land, Universe of Energy, Innoventions, Journey Into Imagination, Wonders of Life, Horizons, and Test Track.
Soarin over California, is one of the most sought after. In it you take a journey through California, flying at 12 meters high, with the wind in your hair, through the stunning landscapes of Yosemit Park and the Sequoia forests.
The area of World Showcase it is at the back of the park, around a large lake, and is made up of pavilions from 11 countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, England and Canada. from all these countries, as well as typical dance presentations and handicraft shops.
Downtown Disney
It is a Disney entertainment complex that functions as the center of Disney World from 8:00 am to 2:00 am. It offers several souvenir shops, themed restaurants, cinema, bowling, nightclub and even a fixed tent with Cirque du Soleil shows.
Located in Lake Buena Vista, on the edge of Disney territory, it is open to all tourists visiting the city. It has free parking! Guests staying at hotels in the Disney complex can take buses to Downtown, but it is also possible to arrive by boat, depending on the location of your hotel.
Universal Orlando Resort
Located near International Drive, where most Orlando hotels are located, except Disney hotels, Universal Orlando Resort manages 3 large resorts, 2 parks (universal studios and island of adventure), the water park wet n wild and the center of shopping, entertainment and dining City Walk.
universal studios
Opened in 1990, it was the first Hollywood film studio to open its doors to the public. The rides are themed to Universal movies and the street setting is perfect. All attractions are legal, among them we highlight:
· Revenge of the Mummy – a roller coaster that mixes terror and emotion.
· Twister – Based on the 1996 film Twister, the attraction recreates one of the scenes from the Helen Hunt film. Sensational!
· Despicable Me (new Despicable Me attraction) – the new attraction is a ride without leaving the place, but with the feeling that you are in motion all the time. A new Infitec 3D projection system is used, which produces excellent animation.
· Shrek 4 D – A movie all in 4 D, there's no one who doesn't have fun with Shrek, the Donkey and Fiona!
· The Simpsons Ride – is a roller coaster through a simulator and a giant cinema screen.
· Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – perfect for those who are fanatical about roller coasters here you choose which song will be the theme of your adventure.
The park also offers the traditional parade with the characters! Pay attention to the schedules once you arrive at the park.
island of adventure
Without a doubt it is the most radical park in Orlando. Totally themed with Marvel superheroes, the adventures of the dinosaur park and the famous and newest Harry Potter complex, the park is divided into five parts.
· Marvel Super Hero Island: It's the part with the most radical toys, where you'll find the world of Marvel super heroes. The most famous attractions are the Sspider man simulator, which makes you live a 4D adventure with impressive technology, the Hulk Rollercoaster which is considered the strongest in Orlando and the Doctor Doom's Elevator, that rises hundreds of meters and falls in free fall.
· Seuss Landing: It's the children's area. has a huge carouseland a giant playground with small attractions and toys like the famous Cat In The Hat.
· The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Currently the park's most popular attraction is a perfect replica of the city of Harry Potter. There you can meet the Hogwarts castle, live the adventures of Harry Potter with an incredible simulator inside the castle that makes you fly with Harry and go to the shops that sell wands and capes of the famous wizards. In this area there is also a very radical roller coaster, the Dragon Challenge, divided into 2 different tracks (blue and red) is an inverted roller coaster where the tracks almost meet in a looping.
· Lost Continent: The main attraction is the Poseidon's Fury, where you find yourself in a battle between Zeus and Poseidon
· Toon Lagoon: The most refreshing area of the park, it has toys like Popeye, which is a giant buoy for 12 people where you travel a river full of waves and waterfalls that will leave you soaked. At the Jurassic Parkyou take a boat through the whole world of dinosaurs and end up with a refreshing splash, like in Splash. Sensational!
This park should definitely be on your itinerary!
City Walk
Practically a Universal fun city, with many shops, restaurants, bars and shows. Located between Island of Adventure and Universal Studios, it forms the large Universal complex in Orlando.
The place is open from 11 am to 2 am and has free admission. There you will find the largest Hard Rock Café in the world, a cinema complex with 20 huge rooms with incredible technology, theater for shows with the Blue Man Group and countless restaurants, some of which are perfect for a romantic dinner.
sea world parks
sea world
It is the largest marine attraction park in the world. Inaugurated in 1973, its objective is the interaction of visitors with marine animals and the incredible shows and spectacles of whales, sea lions and dolphins.
But it's not just marine attractions that the park offers, you'll find three extreme toys. has the “Kraken” and the “Journey to Atlantis” which are the oldest rides in the park, and the famous Blanket, which is one of the best roller coasters in Orlando.
The most popular attractions in the park are the Shamu Adventure, which is the Shamu whale show and the Believe Show, which is an incredible show with several orca whales swimming to the sound of music and in perfect synchrony.
The Manta roller coaster, has a cart that imitates a stingray and falls from a 35-meter drop passing very close to the water.
Kraken is the fastest and longest floorless roller coaster in all of Orlando's parks. Your feet are free and you are sitting in a chair. Kraken's speed reaches 120km/h and is very strong and very radical.
Journeyto Atlantis is a roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando, known for its drops of more than 25 meters high that are very strong and leave everyone drenched with water.
Mistify is a fireworks show that takes place the night before park closure at SeaWorld's central lake. In addition to the fireworks, there is an incredible show of water jets and fountains that accompanies the music and images of giant marine animals are projected onto the water itself. It is an unmissable show.
The park's newest attraction, the Antarctica Empire of the Penguin, it is an environment that replicates the natural habitat of penguins in Antarctica. Mountains, lakes, toys, aquariums and all the necessary structure were built for visitors to embark on this adventure and feel like they were in the skin of a penguin. Through visual and sound elements, the idea was to recreate the daily life lived by penguins at the South Pole.
Bush Gardens
Many tourists who go to Orlando do not go to this park because it is located 90km from Orlando, in the city of Tampa. This is without a doubt one of the best parks ever. It offers the best roller coasters around a large zoo.
Montu, Kumba, Sheikra and Cheetah Hunt are the most popular. The Sheikra is definitely the most radical, with a 95 degree drop she terrifies and at the same time gives you complete security. The newest attraction, Cheetah Hunt, simulates a cheetah, the fastest animal in the world. As if it were a slingshot, the cart shoots at a speed of 100km/h.
At specific times it offers a show with characters from the film Madagascar.
The animals stay in Serengeti plain a 65-acre area that is home to giraffe, zebra, white rhino, bongo, antelope, impala and many others. In the area Myombe Reserve you encounter gorillas and chimpanzees in a lush rainforest environment.
If you are not renting a car, you can use the free shuttle service included with park admission.
legoland
The incredible lego park, opened in October 2011, is just 40 minutes from Orlando in the Winter Haven area. The park is a paradise for any child and any adult who has spent their childhood playing with Lego. There are more than 50 million pieces of Lego that form sculptures, characters, cities and
This is a park more focused on children, with not too radical attractions. But no doubt if they are, they will have fun!
Orlando park tips:
Before arriving at the parks, draw a route of which rides you want to visit first. See the schedules of the shows and stops you want to attend and schedule yourself so you don't miss anything.
All parks have a “fast queue” system for rides. You need to access the app after midnight, and at 6 am you will be able to schedule a single toy at a time, up to 2 hours in advance.
Universal – At Universal parks, the “skip queue” system is charged separately, around 30 dollars. Called Universal Express, it gives you the right to skip queues at just a few rides and stops just once.
Purchase of Tickets – Once your itinerary has been defined, consult the packages that the parks offer for the purchase of tickets. There are many interesting options and it is more worthwhile to buy “combos” of tickets than single tickets!
water parks
A day at one of the water parks guarantees respite from a trip full of excitement.
- Blizzard Beach (Disney) – The park is one of the most fun and combines two very opposite elements in its attractions: the snow and the beach. One of the most popular attractions is the Summit Plummet, a speed slide considered the highest in the world. Another part that pleases a lot is Melt Away Bay, a beach with sand and artificial waves.
- Typhoon Lagoon (Disney) – Inspired by Hawaii, Typhoon Lagoon is the most picturesque of Disney's water parks. Its biggest attraction is a pool with artificial waves, where you can even surf. Another activity that is very popular with tourists is the float trip around Castaway Creek, a river that runs around the entire park.
- Aquatica (Sea World) – one of the best water parks in Orlando, it is managed by the Sea World group. It has 36 slides, 6 rivers and pools and more than 7,000 square meters of beach. One of the main attractions of the park is the descent in transparent tubes of 91 meters that crosses a lagoon with several dolphins.
- Discovery Cove (Sea World) – This park allows for a more than special experience, it is possible to swim with dolphins and rays in the middle of corals and colorful fish. The park has rocky lagoons, tropical rivers, beaches and waterfalls. Entry is restricted to a thousand visitors per day to ensure good service and the tranquility of the animals. Reservations are required, especially in summer.
- Wet'n Wild (Universal)) – located on International Drive, it is one of the oldest and most radical parks.
- legoland water park – It doesn't have the amount of attractions and sculptures that you have at Legoland Florida, but it sure is a great walk on days of rest and lots of sun.
Tips for water parks:
Arrive early to get chairs in a good spot, as around lunchtime the sun will be strong and everyone will want shade.
There are safes (lockers) where you can store valuables.
Did you like our tips?
Enjoy and also read:
10 Theme Parks You Need to Know in Florida
Orlando Theme Parks Tips and Tricks
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway arrives at Disney World Resort