Are you planning a family vacation? You want to go somewhere where the children will be entertained (and maybe informed), where the adults can have a good time, where the weather is warm and where the things you do and see will turn into good memories? In research, travelers say Orlando and the Walt Disney World/Epcot complex satisfy all those requirements, and more. Theme parks of all kinds proliferate in the Orlando area. Besides Disney World and Epcot, there are parks with different themes at Sea World of Florida, Universal Studios of Florida and MGM Studios (also run by Disney). And, when you’re ready for a change, you can find a beach; go sailing, waterskiing or fishing on various lakes, or take sightseeing trips to the other attractions in the Orlando area. Houseboats, hot-air balloons and skydiving are options for the more adventurous. This variety of activities entices adults as well as children and can even lure a certain number of the more venturesome travelers.

Venturers are somewhat less enthusiastic about this place than others because a theme park vacation doesn’t appeal to their adventurous spirits. Nevertheless, many adults who visit Orlando “for the children” are surprised when they have a good time in or outside the parks.

Predictably though, the somewhat structured theme park world best suits the less adventuresome souls. Theme park operators create a world where visitors can forget their troubles, enjoy rides and shows with lots of other people and expose their families to wholesome and memorable experiences. They don’t have to leave the parks to feel their vacation is complete although other opportunities are available. But it will also cost a lot!

All personalities comment on how clean, safe and secure they feel in this area, while the tropical climate and lush scenery contribute to a vacation state of mind, far away from workaday problems.

Orlando area planners (especially Disney) have figured out something that research has been saying for years: If your leisure destination is popular and successful, make sure you continue to maintain the standards that attracted people in the first place. Orlando is one place that abides by that truism. Ironically, the same atmosphere that draws centric and authentic families can discourage the valuable venturer travelers.

Rise above it all, and see it all a lot better. Take a hot-air balloon ride over Orlando. Or try hang gliding at Wallaby Ranch Hang Gliding Flight Park.

Rent a houseboat to navigate the St. Johns River. Take-charge travelers can be their own captains from Sanford, near Orlando, all the way to Jacksonville.

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, careen through Expedition Everest in a rickety railcar. Soaring up nearly 200 feet, this ride combines coaster thrills with Disney Audio-Animatronics.

For more theme park adventure: Drop 13 stories on Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios. Hang glide above California’s redwood forests at Epcot’s Soarin’. Ride the largest, fastest, tallest roller coaster in Orlando at SeaWorld Orlando.

Accelerate to 120mph in less than two seconds at G Force Drag Racing. Or be a NASCAR driver, traveling up to 150mph at Richard Petty Driving Experience. (Alternatively, you don’t have to do the driving. You can get the high-speed experience by riding with an instructor, too.)

Go to the races, the greyhound races, that is. The dogs run in Orlando, St. Petersburg or Tampa January to December.

Swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove. Hold an alligator or snake at Gatorland. Be a marine life trainer for a day at SeaWorld Orlando.

Get into the act: Record your own music video at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island. Sit in the hot seat at “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — Play It!” at Disney-MGM Studios. Share the spotlight at Sak Comedy Lab.

Learn a thing or two: Learn about acting at the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival. Learn how to draw a cartoon at Disney’s animation studios. Even learn how to skydive at Skyventure Orlando, which is an indoor skydiving experience which works for those who don’t want to jump out of a plane, but would like the experience of free fall.

Take a horseback trail ride. Here are some choices: Grand Cypress Equestrian Center, Horse World Riding Stables and Westgate River Ranch.

Eat a fantastic meal at Mama Della’s Restaurant in the Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. Stroll the grounds, as well, because the hotel and its environs effectively replicate the look of the real seaside village of Portofino in Italy.

Spend some quality time (and money) at the 2 million-square-foot Florida Mall. For another kind of buying experience, try the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, also in Orlando, offering 400-plus designer and name brands.

McDonald’s has given fast-food dining new meaning with themed locations, as follows: Ancient Ruins, Club Safari, Motorcycle, the World’s Largest PlayPlace (arcade games) and, with adults in mind, the Upscale European Cafe. Those menus aren’t all hamburgers either.

Admire the manatees at Blue Springs State Park. Go whale watching at Port Canaveral. Watch sea turtles hatch on the coast.

Get involved: Cook your own food at The Melting Pot. Be a duck master during the Duck March at the Peabody Orlando. Grill your own pancakes in an old sugar mill at Deleon Springs.

Get out the dancing shoes and learn country line dancing at Cowboys Orlando. Or spice things up by learning to do the salsa and merengue at Latin Quarter.

In nearby Kissimmee, spend an evening at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, where you feast medieval-style in a replicated European castle. A few feet away, knights on horseback compete with each other and for your attention.

For more information, consult the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.orlandoinfo.com and Florida Division of Tourism at www.flausa.com

back to top