Warning: This is the non-mouse version of visiting Orlando, so if you had your heart set on learning all about Disneyworld you may be a little bit disappointed. I recently spent a week in Orlando with my husband and in-laws. We had rented a car and made a plan which worked out quite well, so I will share what we did with you:
Make a plan before you leave home
There is plenty of information out there on things to do in Orlando and the surrounding area depending on your interests. Some suggestions include State/National/Local parks for hiking/picnicking/fishing/canoing, theme parks, zoo/animal parks, and recreations such as mini golfing and go-karting. The entry into some of the theme parks can be quite expensive, so it's a good idea to figure out where you want to go ahead of time and what shows/rides etc. you are interested in to get the most out of your day.
You can get a travel guide from your local library, bookstore or online. We got maps from our local CAA/AAA auto club so we even knew which exit number to take off of the highway. Also, we bought discounted Sea World tickets from the CAA before we left, saving a person at the gate ( they have other theme park tickets discounted as well ).
When looking around online watch out for timeshare scams offering you discounted theme park tickets in exchange for going to their real estate pitch. A good site for info is the Official Orlando Visitor Centre site www.orlandoinfo.com
Visit the Official Visitor Centre when you get there
Visit the only Official Visitor Centre when you get there (see the address on the site above), it's located on International Drive, which is the main tourist strip. Be aware of other places calling themselves "tourist centres", they are only trying to sell you tickets. The people at the official centre are unbiased, friendly, and helpful. There are also many coupon books and magazine that you should pick up here. This visit will help you finalize what things you might want to do. (We found coupons for less than half price mini-golf if you go before 4pm). There were also varying discount coupons for the same restaurants and shows in different books.
Sea World
We both had an interest in this theme park, and it was worth it since they give you the second day free included with your admission. All you have to do is get your ticket validated before leaving the park on the first day, the desk is to the left of the ticket gates once you're in. Some of the full production shows are a must-see. We especially enjoyed the Shamu show, the dolphin and bird show, and the sea lion show. There is also a gigantic roller coaster called the Kraken, and a log-ride style of roller coaster called Journey to Atlantis. There is also a children's area with a place to eat (they let you bring your own food into this park) and small rides.
Another highlight is the Hospitality Center where the parent company Anheuser Busch lets every adult have a couple of generous samples of their beers! You can also see their Clydesdales and Dalmatians here. The Shark Attack exhibit is also a must see. All in all, fully worth the price for 2 full days (parking is an additional a day but a very short walk from the lot).
Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure
There are 2 parts to Universal Orlando: The traditional part where they show you how movies are made with some theme rides, and the newer Islands of Adventure, which is an all-out theme park. Adults or children can spend a whole day here and be fully satisfied. Since they are in the business of entertainment I'd have to say that they really stepped it up with the attractions.
If you read my article about Overcoming Fear the other day, the two must do roller coasters are the Duelling Dragons and the Incredible Hulk. The Hulk is actually one of the top 10 coasters in the U.S.--my husband saw it on a TV show. Another must do is the Spider-Man 3D simulation ride--but it didn't feel like a simulation to me! Other rides we really enjoyed were the Jurassic Park River Adventure and the Dr. Seuss Trolly Train Ride. The line ups weren't bad on the day we went, but if you go at a busy time you may have to prioritize which rides are most important. Universal offers a limited number of Express Plus pass which allows holders to skip the bulk of the lines and fit in more rides--they can be bought throughout the park.
Lake Kissimmee State Park
We spent the day hiking at this lovely park, it was about a 45 minute drive from where we were staying near Disney. It is well organized and the staff are very proud to work there. There are about 14 miles of hiking trails that we knew of, and a few picnic areas. There is a loop to a neat observation tower but keep in mind that this is Florida, so you really only get a good view of some marshy land and a grassy field...but a nice view nonetheless! I also noticed that a lot of people were there fishing.
Central Florida Zoo
We spent a little over half a day at this zoo. It is a relatively small zoo with around 400 animals and a botanical garden. It is not as well developed as the other attractions in Orlando, but I'm just guessing that compared to Sea World, Bush Gardens, and the Disney Animal Park they probably just wouldn't have been able to compete anyway. I think that this would be a great zoo if you have young children. You may be hard pressed to spend a whole day there, so you could plan something else for that afternoon as well. They don't advertise it, but they will give you a CAA/AAA discount at the gate if you ask.
International Drive
This is one of the main tourist strips aside from Disney and downtown Orlando. There is a lot to do here and you have the option of driving or using the well organized and inexpensive tram system to go up and down the road. We always like to eat at places we don't have in Canada, so the Sonic Drive-Through was a novelty for us. We didn't have time to do these things but on this street were Wonderworks, the Ripley's Believe It or Not attraction, tons of mini-golf and many, many, places to eat and entertain your family. There are also a lot of hotels and shopping malls nearby.
Other things to do in the Orlando area that we didn't go to include: Disney and its many theme parks, Busch Gardens at Tampa (which is a safari-based animal park with some pretty good roller coasters), the Orlando Science Centre (which is mostly for kids but has an IMAX theatre and special exhibits sometimes), many state parks, and Wet N' Wild (a popular water park).
Enjoy your holiday!
