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Activities and Attractions

11 THINGS TO DO IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

WALT DISNEY WORLD

It's still king of the hill: or rather, of the very, very flat land. Spread over an area the size of Boston are: 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom, best place with little kids; EPCOT; Disney MGM-Studios; and Animal Kingdom); two water-parks (see below); 14 themed resorts that are fun in themselves; and more. Make sure you have a game plan, before you enter the World!

WDW CHARACTER MEALS

They sing, they dance, they pose for pix...Yes, dining with Disney characters is expensive, but all food is costly at WDW, and a Character Meal gives you much for your bucks-- for ex., a giant buffet with kids' section, at the Crystal Palace (left.) A late breakfast can serve as lunch, late lunch as early dinner. Read all about Character Meals at Disneys Information Guide. Cinderella's Royal Table is a favorite breakfast spot

WDW WATER PARKS

Wacky in their theming, and Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are both (a) tons of fun, and (b) lovely tropical places to spend a day. Arrive early; stake out a shady bower; then enjoy the lazy rivers, giant water slides, and family raft rides each park offers. Blizzard Beach is known for a crazily steep waterslide "ski jump" on "Mt. Gushmore". Highlights at Typhoon Lagoon are a giant surf pool, and a snorkel over a (usually crowded) coral reef. Admission to both waterparks is included in a Park Hopper pass.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Orlando's other multi-park destination is Universal Florida, and its Islands of Adventure theme park has a top zone for little kids: the 10-acre Seuss Landing, based on the beloved books of Dr. Seuss. It's a bit odd to see The Lorax (with its distinctly anti-commerical message) in a theme park, but now's not the time to care: kids will love the Seuss characters, The Cat in the Hat ride, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish ride, and more.

ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE FOR THRILL SEEKERS

Universals' Islands of Adventure theme park is also great for teens and 'tweens who want to scream. The Hulk and Dueling Dragon coasters are guaranteed to thrill. Also not to be missed: The Spiderman "ride", not a coaster but an amazing 3-D simulator experience plus a 4th dimension of surprise sensations. Sister park, Universal Florida likewise has great rides based on Men in Black, ET, and Back to the Future, to name a few faves.

SPEND A DAY AT YOUR VACATION VILLA

The pace at theme parks can be grueling, especially for little kids. Many a parent has said, "All they (the children) wanted to do was play in the pool at the home." So give the kids a day to do just that. All of our homes have private pools and many other properties in Orlando are in the fun-for-kids biz.

ENJOY A MEAL AT CITY WALK

You'll also find a shopping/ entertainment zone at Universal Florida: CityWalk, which has the advantage of actually adjoining its two theme parks. Much of CityWalk is geared to party-ers but kids will get a kick out of the theme restaurants, such as Nascar Cafe with game area; Hard Rock Cafe, with giant desserts, music videos, and rock memorabilia; and NBA City Orlando, with videogames and a giant screen showing basketball.

SEA WORLD

(like sister park Busch Gardens) combines fun rides with animal viewing. The Atlantis whitewater raft ride has a huge splash finish, and the Kraken is "the tallest, fastest, longest and only floorless roller coaster in Orlando". SeaWorld is most famous for its Shamu killer whale show, but kids will also enjoy feeding seals, petting dolphins, and walking through a clear plastic tunnel with sharks around and overhead. Shark aficionados can even take a dip in a (well-protected) cage in the giant shark tank. If you have time for it, Sea World can even be educational.

VISIT DOWNTOWN DISNEY

So you've spent a day relaxing at your resort... evening comes and you want to go somewhere fun, with no admission price. Downtown Disney is a shopping/entertainment zone that takes up 120 acres in Disney World. Eat at the Rainforest Cafe, stroll past full-size lego figures outside the Lego Imagination store, buy chocolate at Ghiradelli's (free samples!) Money burning a hole in your pocket? Head to DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park, or to the acclaimed Cirque de Soleil show.

DISCOVERY COVE

Want a quick trip to the Caribbean? Here in land-locked Orlando, Discovery Cove is a deluxe simulation of a Caribbean isle. Snorkel at the Coral Reef, and see not only colorful fish but giant (harmless) stingrays. The river float is beautiful: swim under a waterfall, and through the aviary. Take a break on the white sand beach: don't worry about crowds, as attendance is limited to 1000 a day. The highlight for many is a Swim With Dolphins. Not surprisingly, Discovery Cove is pricey; but at least the price is all-inclusive-- even drinks and meals. Which makes it even more like being at a Caribbean resort!

LEGOLAND FLORIDA

LEGOLAND® Florida, Central Florida’s newest theme park, is a 150-acre, full two-day interactive family theme park specifically designed for families with children ages 2 to 12. The largest LEGOLAND Park in the world, it features more than 50 rides, shows, and attractions, restaurants, shopping, a breathtaking botanical garden and the all-new LEGOLAND Water Park. Just 45 minutes from Orlando and downtown Tampa, LEGOLAND Florida rests along the shores of Lake Eloise in the city of Winter Haven. Here guests can enjoy 10 easy-to-navigate and highly-themed zones that include pink-knuckle roller coasters, Miniland USA, the Imagination Zone and LEGO City where youngsters can learn how to drive by freely navigating their own boats and LEGO cars. The all-new LEGOLAND Water Park is a “park within a park” and provides splish-splashin’ fun for the whole family. Main attractions include the Build-A-Raft River where guests can build their own LEGO raft and float down the 1,000-foot lazy river or play for hours at the Joker Soaker water playground. Other attractions include the LEGO Wave Pool, five slippery-fast water slides and the DUPLO® Splash Safari, a toddler-haven with perfectly-sized slides and a zero-depth wading pool.