You’ve probably seen the commercials on t.v. a thousand times: "Come to Orlando Florida". It’s the family resort of America. In the early 70’s, Disney World paved the way and turned this area into a well planned vacation area, with roads and resort options capable of handling thousands of tourists. There is so much to do, the roads are well marked and everything is within a short drive from your hotel.
Though Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World are the biggest draw to the region, we chose to start our week in Orlando, FL with a Boggy Creek airboat ride - a truly unique experience! Located in Southport Park, not far from the Orlando attractions, the airboats fit up to 18 passengers, but when we went there were only 9 of us. Our airboat captain (Mike) has been driving airboats since he was 16 so we knew we were in capable hands. We all wore head sets to protect our ears from the load engine. The boat glided across the surface at speeds up to 45 mph. We stayed on the edge of the lake in between the walls of tall grasses. The captain knew where to stop in order to point out the wildlife - including birds, turtles and alligators! What surprised us were the many cows wading in the water to eat the grasses. We really enjoyed the 45 minute ride, and if you like a little adventure, it’s a perfect take!
That evening, we went to Pirate's Dinner Adventure - one of many dinner theatres in Orlando. During the "pre-show", we enjoyed appetizers (included with the price of admission) and visiting the gift shops - filled with pirate trinkets. When the dinner show opened, we were escorted to our tables which surrounded the huge Pirate ship set. The scenery was impressive, featuring a replicated 18th century Spanish Galleon as the main stage. Dinner came with a choice of entries and the food was great, and adults can enjoy one glass of beer or wine included with your dinner! We ate while the actors performed. We all enjoyed the show, especially the kids! The show included duels, acrobatics, singing, comedy - you name it! Each section of the audience had their own pirate to cheer on. Some viewers of the show were "recruited" into parts of the acts - including my son - who was dressed up as an old-fashion British soldier. Make sure to bring your camera!
The next day - we headed for Walt Disney World Resort - Epcot - a must see for everyone at least once. There is plenty to do at the park, including thrill rides, shows, gift shops, snack foods, etc., all of which lead you to the lake surrounded by replicated buildings and cast members who represent the countries they live in. If you plan do dine at the restaurants, make sure you make reservations well in advance. Even a month in advance wasn't enough for the restaurant we chose at our first choice of countries. We ended up eating in China. The food was very good, and we were seated immediately upon arrival. After visiting a few more countries, we found a bench along the lake so we could watch the nightly 9:00 laser-light and fireworks show - very impressive.
On days three and four, we used our two-parks for the price of one ticket and headed to Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. The two-for-one option gave us the choice to go to both parks each day or visit them individually. The entrance leads you in to both parks and you have to pick the direction you want to go, so don’t just follow the crowd, look out for the signs. We noted that even though the initial price of the tickets were cheaper, if you wanted the "Fast Pass" option (which is inclusive in the more expensive ticket price at the Walt Disney World Parks), you had to pay an additional $25 per person (for anyone over 10) at Universal Studios to get in the fast pass lane. Children 10 and under were slightly cheaper, but it would have cost us another $125 for our party of 5 in order to enjoy the fast lane. Recruiters stand inside the entrance and suggest the option, at which point, you have to go into another storefront shop to purchase it.
SeaWorld was our final destination the day before we headed home. We found this park to be equally as enjoyable as the huge theme parks, as it has the highest roller coaster in Orlando, the exciting Journey to Atlantis water boat ride, along with the fascinating dolphin, sea lion and otter, and whale shows. Along the way you can see alligators, manatee, a polar bear, sharks and stop to pet the baby sting rays. Be sure to get a seat for the shows 30 minutes ahead of the start time, as they do fill up fast. We missed seeing the Shamu show as it was declared "filled" when we were about 10 steps from the gate. As this is an Anheusur-Busch park, we enjoyed the opportunity to enjoy a cold beer while strolling the park. (Note to self: Had we not stopped for a beer, we would have made the Shamu show :)
All of the parks were clean and well run. A word to the wise, however, the food is expensive. We paid $7.49 for a hotdog in Universal Studios, and average price of a water bottle was $2.49. Prepare to pay through the nose at all parks for all refreshments and meals. Despite the fact we were in Florida during the peak of April school vacation, the roads were easy to travel, and the restaurants outside the parks were so plentiful, we never needed a reservation. Hotels and motels are everywhere, and were a far cheaper option to staying inside the parks. We rented a 4 bedroom, 3 bath brand-new town house (with a private pool) for $129 a night from www.orlandovacation.com. We saved quite a bit of money, in comparison to paying for 3 hotel rooms. We had everything we needed, including sheets, towels and the benefits of a washer and dryer. We then had the option of eating meals at home, and relaxing at our own private pool after a long day of walking the parks.
Orlando is a great place for a family vacation. We have been several times, and as our children get older, there is still plenty to do to keep everyone happy. The commercials are right, there is something for everyone in Orlando Florida.
Orlando tourism & sightseeing
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