What to do near Orlando besides Disney

[natasha5687]

Hi All,

We are going to be in Orlando for a week in early June (9th - 16th). My research has shown that there are many exciting things to do within reasonable driving distance but way too many to do in a weeks time. I was wondering if you all had any suggestions for things that we must hands down not miss on our first trip? Some things that I want to do are go Clearwater Beach, Tampa Aquarium, La Nouba, Sea Screamer dolphin cruise, airboat ride, skyventure, Busch Gardens, Wekiwa State Park, and Ripleys (this is my short list). There just doesnt seem like enough time to accomplish all of this. I have a few questions.

1. If we are going to do a day at a Disney park which would be the best (kids are 4, 12, and 14)?

2. Of the above mentioned attractions which are a must do?

3. Did I leave out something that is a must do?

4. We are thinking of possibly returning to the Orlando area for Christmas. Are there some things that would be better left until December? Seems that the Disney parks will be crowded around Christmas.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Fantasy Of Flight.

Click here for Fantasy Of Flight.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[spencersmama]

It seems like a lot of the things on your list are located in the Tampa, Clearwater Beach area. You will spend 4 hours in the car on multiple days going to some of these places. Have you thought of doing things in and close to Orlando on this trip and then visiting the west coast of Florida during Christmas time rather than returning to Orlando?

Here are some other activities in the Orlando area I thought of:
Discovery Cove at SeaWorld - swim with the dolphins and snorkeling. It's pricey, but it also includes breakfast, lunch and admission for up to two weeks at either SeaWorld or the SeaWorld water park, Aquatica. I think you can get admission to both for 14 days for a little more money.

Dinner show like Arabian Nights, the Pirate show, or Medieval Times. There are often 2 for 1 coupons. There also used to be a mystery theater off I-Drive that had some family shows.

Orlando Science Museum
Kennedy Space Center/Astronaut Hall of Fame
There is a hot air balloon co somewhere in Orlando that my friend did last year and enjoyed.

Water park such as Aquatica or one of the Disney water parks - Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. Aquatica has more big raft family rides, the Disney parks are more themed. One thing I prefer about Aquatica is that the rides are raised on wooden platforms. They have shoe organizers outside the slides and you climb wooden steps to get to the ride. Disney is more integrated into a theme. They don't have shoe holders and you can easily find yourself wandering. The problem is that everything everywhere is concrete. My knees ache at the end of the day when I go to a Disney water park and they don;t feel bad after climbing the steps at Aquatica.

I think the skyventure is the sky diving experience off International Drive. There is a go cart place, I think called Fun Spot near there that the 12 and 14 yr olds may like.

As far as which Disney park, they are all different. Magic Kingdom gives you the best typical "Disney" experience. A one day pass is not usually cost effective, though. It is often not much more to add a second, third or more days. Maybe a character or themed dinner would be better than going to the park for a day. The 12 and 14 year olds would probably love Disney Quest in downtown Disney. Lots of video games and virtual reality rides.

Historic St. Augustine is closer to Orlando than some of the places on the list. There is a nice park and beach in St. Augustine in addition to the fort, lighthouse and museum.

 

[Luanne]

I also recommend Kennedy Space Center Fascinating.

 

[bnoble]

My advice: plan to do less, not more. Take your time. Orlando isn't going to go anywhere, and you'll be spending a lot of time (and money) getting to and fro if you try to pack it all in.

For example, my family (kids 11 and 13) would be perfectly happy spending a June week at just the Disney theme parks and water parks, and the tickets are priced in a way that makes that reasonably affordable vs. hopping from attraction to attraction.

 

[AwayWeGo]

What NOT To Do Near Orlando Besides Disney.

If you're thinking about signing up for the free casino cruise out of Port Canaveral FL, think again. (The cruise is free. Bus transportation to & from Orlando-Kissimmee resorts runs about $5 per person.)

They advertise Las Vegas gaming, Las Vegas entertainment, & Las Vegas buffet.

I don't know how the gaming stacks up to Las Vegas standards, but the buffet & entertainment fall way short.

We signed up & went & regretted it.

The Las Vegas buffet was mainly hard boiled eggs + potato chips + baloney sandwiches & kool-aid.

The Las Vegas entertainment upstairs was a guy with an electric guitar & a drum machine & a microphone, plus a girl singer who joined in now & then.

They had a better show downstairs -- a guy playing steel drums & singing calypso tunes to boom-box CD accompaniment.

There was nowhere to sit except at gaming tables or in front of slot machines, or in the smoke-filled electric guitar lounge upstairs.

Unlike going to landlubber casinos, we could not leave when we had enough. We were ready to leave after 45 minutes or so. As it happens, however, out in the ocean, everybody is a captive audience, & along with the rest of the crowd we were on board for the duration of the cruise -- 3-4 hours. So it goes.

To top off the experience, the bus conked out on the way back -- sputtered to a halt near the corner of International Drive South & Osceola Parkway. After 30 minutes or so of fiddling with various things inside & outside the vehicle, they got it going again. It was 1:30 in the morning by the time we got back to our timeshare unit. Sheesh.

Live & learn, eh ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[natasha5687]

It seems like a lot of the things on your list are located in the Tampa, Clearwater Beach area. You will spend 4 hours in the car on multiple days going to some of these places. Have you thought of doing things in and close to Orlando on this trip and then visiting the west coast of Florida during Christmas time rather than returning to Orlando?

Here are some other activities in the Orlando area I thought of:
Discovery Cove at SeaWorld - swim with the dolphins and snorkeling. It's pricey, but it also includes breakfast, lunch and admission for up to two weeks at either SeaWorld or the SeaWorld water park, Aquatica. I think you can get admission to both for 14 days for a little more money.

Dinner show like Arabian Nights, the Pirate show, or Medieval Times. There are often 2 for 1 coupons. There also used to be a mystery theater off I-Drive that had some family shows.

Orlando Science Museum
Kennedy Space Center/Astronaut Hall of Fame
There is a hot air balloon co somewhere in Orlando that my friend did last year and enjoyed.

Water park such as Aquatica or one of the Disney water parks - Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. Aquatica has more big raft family rides, the Disney parks are more themed. One thing I prefer about Aquatica is that the rides are raised on wooden platforms. They have shoe organizers outside the slides and you climb wooden steps to get to the ride. Disney is more integrated into a theme. They don't have shoe holders and you can easily find yourself wandering. The problem is that everything everywhere is concrete. My knees ache at the end of the day when I go to a Disney water park and they don;t feel bad after climbing the steps at Aquatica.

I think the skyventure is the sky diving experience off International Drive. There is a go cart place, I think called Fun Spot near there that the 12 and 14 yr olds may like.

As far as which Disney park, they are all different. Magic Kingdom gives you the best typical "Disney" experience. A one day pass is not usually cost effective, though. It is often not much more to add a second, third or more days. Maybe a character or themed dinner would be better than going to the park for a day. The 12 and 14 year olds would probably love Disney Quest in downtown Disney. Lots of video games and virtual reality rides.

Historic St. Augustine is closer to Orlando than some of the places on the list. There is a nice park and beach in St. Augustine in addition to the fort, lighthouse and museum.

Thanks for the input these are certainly some things to think about. I personally would not want to do 4 hours round trip multiple times. We were thinking of making a day out of Tampa going down to the aquarium and then hitting the beach for awhile before hitting the sea screamer. I have never been to FL before so this will be a learning experience. We hear alot about Clearwater Beach (seems people prefer Gulf side beaches) and how nice it was. The kids really want to go to Busch Gardens though. Do you know if Clearwater Beach will be warm enough to swim in near Christmas.

Seems like we are going to have to prioritize this list a bit better

 

[natasha5687]

If you're thinking about signing up for the free casino cruise out of Port Canaveral FL, think again. (The cruise is free. Bus transportation to & from Orlando-Kissimmee resorts runs about $5 per person.)

They advertise Las Vegas gaming, Las Vegas entertainment, & Las Vegas buffet.

I don't know how the gaming stacks up to Las Vegas standards, but the buffet & entertainment fall way short.

We signed up & went & regretted it.

The Las Vegas buffet was mainly hard boiled eggs + potato chips + baloney sandwiches & kool-aid.

The Las Vegas entertainment upstairs was a guy with an electric guitar & a drum machine & a microphone, plus a girl singer who joined in now & then.

They had a better show downstairs -- a guy playing steel drums & singing calypso tunes to boom-box CD accompaniment.

There was nowhere to sit except at gaming tables or in front of slot machines, or in the smoke-filled electric guitar lounge upstairs.

Unlike going to landlubber casinos, we could not leave when we had enough. We were ready to leave after 45 minutes or so. As it happens, however, out in the ocean, everybody is a captive audience, & along with the rest of the crowd we were on board for the duration of the cruise -- 3-4 hours. So it goes.

To top off the experience, the bus conked out on the way back -- sputtered to a halt near the corner of International Drive South & Osceola Parkway. After 30 minutes or so of fiddling with various things inside & outside the vehicle, they got it going again. It was 1:30 in the morning by the time we got back to our timeshare unit. Sheesh.

Live & learn, eh ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Thanks for the heads up...wasnt planning on the casino cruise but nice to know!

 

[MichaelColey]

Is this your first trip to Orlando?

You can literally spend WEEKS just at Disney and not see/do everything. Realize that the entire property (47 square miles) is about twice the size of Manhattan, with four large theme parks (all over 100 acres, with the largest is almost a mile square), two large water parks, 30 hotels, 6 golf courses, Downtown Diney, a 5 story "virtual theme park" (DisneyQuest), a race track, dozens of thrill rides, about 100 total rides (just at the 4 parks), at least a dozen free shows, 11 country pavilions to visit at Epcot, scores of characters to meet, over 100 restaurants, and so much more.

To just spend a single day at Disney would be like going to the movies and leaving after the first trailer.

 

[natasha5687]

My advice: plan to do less, not more. Take your time. Orlando isn't going to go anywhere, and you'll be spending a lot of time (and money) getting to and fro if you try to pack it all in.

For example, my family (kids 11 and 13) would be perfectly happy spending a June week at just the Disney theme parks and water parks, and the tickets are priced in a way that makes that reasonably affordable vs. hopping from attraction to attraction.

Thanks for the advice...it makes alot of sense. We typically dont like to go to the same place multiple times when we vacation but the Orlando area seems like it has enough to offer to warrant multiple trips. My older really want to go to Busch Gardens. My 4 year old really wants to go to the aquarium. I really just want to relax The kids all like the beach so I wanted to make sure to get them to a nice beach while we are there. Do you have any alternate suggestions besides Clearwater?

 

[natasha5687]

Is this your first trip to Orlando?

You can literally spend WEEKS just at Disney and not see/do everything. Realize that the entire property (47 square miles) is about twice the size of Manhattan, with four large theme parks (all over 100 acres, with the largest is almost a mile square), two large water parks, 30 hotels, 6 golf courses, Downtown Diney, a 5 story "virtual theme park" (DisneyQuest), a race track, dozens of thrill rides, about 100 total rides (just at the 4 parks), at least a dozen free shows, 11 country pavilions to visit at Epcot, scores of characters to meet, over 100 restaurants, and so much more.

To just spend a single day at Disney would be like going to the movies and leaving after the first trailer.

This is our first trip to Disney. I thought the parks would be a little bigger than say a Kings Dominion or Six Flags. Perhaps I need to rethink my strategy. Maybe a park hopper pass for 3 days then spend a day in Tampa at the aquarium and nearby beaches.

 

[pedro47]

Are your children into Harry Potter and Spiderman ? They probably will enjoy that other theme park and not the Disney theme park.

We really enjoyed Universal Studios & Sea World much better then Disney.

 

[stmartinfan]

I'd also recommend building in a day of "down time." Even though your kids are a bit older, most of the Orlando attractions are exhausting when you spend the full day there - and given the admission prices that's what most of us need to do. With all the walking, visual and aural stimulation from the rides, standing in lines, etc., etc., it's really physically tiring. A day at the beach would be relaxing, but with the amount of driving time that's still another tiring day. I like to build in a day at the pool, or just sleeping in a little bit and taking a more leisurely day doing other things.

I know your kids are interested in Busch Gardens, but I think Sea World in Orlando would be an alternative you could consider. It doesn't have the big critters, but it is a nice day with animal focused shows plus some rides, and you'd save the drive.

We did an airboat ride in a swamp area just outside of Orlando, and really enjoyed that as a change of pace. We did a ride on a smaller one with just our family, and we could get really close to the alligators, etc. It's not like being in the Everglades but it was definitely an enjoyable excursion and fun to escape the "fake" environment of all the attractions.

 

[DaveHenry]

Gatorland is fun for kids

My boys (9 and 13) had a blast at Gatorland in Orlando. And it's less expensive than Disney.
They call it "the best half day activity in Orlando". We believed the half day part and arrived around noon. We wish that we had gone earlier, because there was more than a half day's worth of activities.
Not as professional as Disney, but a lot of fun.

 

[MichaelColey]

This is our first trip to Disney. I thought the parks would be a little bigger than say a Kings Dominion or Six Flags. Perhaps I need to rethink my strategy. Maybe a park hopper pass for 3 days then spend a day in Tampa at the aquarium and nearby beaches.

Yes, each of the four parks is a full sized theme park. Even a full day in each park doesn't really do it justice. All four are worth seeing.

The way the pricing works out (a 3-4 day pass at Disney is almost as much as a 10 day pass) and as much as there is to do, I would suggest doing either an "entirely Disney" trip or an "everything but Disney" trip, then do the opposite on a future trip.

 

[spencersmama]

natasha5687-

I know you asked me a few questions. I'll answer tomorrow, because I am up much too late, but I wanted to know what specifically your kids wanted to do at Busch Gardens. Knowing what they want to do and see will help me give you suggestions.

Personally, since you are form Maryland, I would do an exchange to the Williamsburg, VA area next year and go to the Busch Gardens there. It is much prettier, IMO, or at least used to be when Busch owned it. The main difference is that the one in FL has more large African animals, but they both have big coasters. I'm guessing that is what your older ones want to see?

AS far as the Tampa aquarium goes, it is ok. Both of my kids have gone on field trips in elementary, but I haven't been in 5ish years. I personally think you see more and a larger variety of fish and animals at Sea World.

Cocoa Beach is 45 mins from Orlando and right near the space center. Besides that, I'll take a look. There is a nice state park in the St. Augustine area, but I think that's about an hour and 15 mins away. I think you hear a lot about Clearwater because a lot of people from the north transplant to that area.

 

[bnoble]

I would suggest doing either an "entirely Disney" trip or an "everything but Disney" trip, then do the opposite on a future trip.

This, exactly.

 

[natasha5687]

natasha5687-

I know you asked me a few questions. I'll answer tomorrow, because I am up much too late, but I wanted to know what specifically your kids wanted to do at Busch Gardens. Knowing what they want to do and see will help me give you suggestions.

Personally, since you are form Maryland, I would do an exchange to the Williamsburg, VA area next year and go to the Busch Gardens there. It is much prettier, IMO, or at least used to be when Busch owned it. The main difference is that the one in FL has more large African animals, but they both have big coasters. I'm guessing that is what your older ones want to see?

AS far as the Tampa aquarium goes, it is ok. Both of my kids have gone on field trips in elementary, but I haven't been in 5ish years. I personally think you see more and a larger variety of fish and animals at Sea World.

Cocoa Beach is 45 mins from Orlando and right near the space center. Besides that, I'll take a look. There is a nice state park in the St. Augustine area, but I think that's about an hour and 15 mins away. I think you hear a lot about Clearwater because a lot of people from the north transplant to that area.

@Spencersmama

All of this information is very useful and I really appreciate your taking the time out to help me To answer your questions

1. Only 1 of my kids and my husband really do the roller coaster thing. All of the kids enjoy animals. We have been to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg and we will actually be back in Williamsburg 3/30-4/6. We will all get on water rides.

2. We have over 400 gallons of fish tanks in my house. All of the boys and my husband have a thing for aquariums in general. We try to get to an aquarium whenever we leave the state.

3. The kids like to do just about anything. They all love video games, animals, water parks, swimming, sports, and most boyish things.

If we go to a beach we prefer nice clear water as we get to PR pretty often they are accustomed to warm pretty water. The kids keep seeing the south west airline commercials for FL and they always feature these nice blue green water beaches. The other concern as far as beaches go would be how calm they are. I have often heard that the Gulf beaches are calmer.

 

[spencersmama]

Thanks for the reply, Natasha:

Here are my thoughts - if you are really aquarium people, you should go to the aquarium in Tampa Bay. They have a dolphin cruise also. You may want to check out trip adviser and see how it compares to the sea screamer. the combo entrance ticket and cruise seems reasonable to me. ($36 per adult) You should have enough time to do that and go to Clearwater Beach. I'm not a beach person, so I can't really give advise about the beach. I go for a few hours when I am staying near one.

Since you are going to be in Williamsburg, you should look into the Platinum pass for the Busch properties. I used to get this when my mom lived about 15 mins from the VA Busch Gardens. (I love Aquatica, BTW.) You get unlimited admission to all the Busch parks, plus free parking and discounts. It is cheaper, by about $100 per pass, to get in at the VA Busch Gardens. It is valid for 2 years. You may want to run the numbers. It's probably cheaper to get the pass if you are going to both VA and FL, especially if you are planning on coming back. If you like fish, sharks, etc, I think your family would really enjoy Sea World because they have so many aquatic and land animals. My personal favorite is the penguin house. The nice thing about having a pass to those places is that you can go for a few hours and leave and not wear yourself out.

Disney is huge. If you do all the other things you mentioned, I would wait to visit Disney until another visit. One day passes are expensive compared to multi-day tickets and a day at Disney is very tiring. On top of the travel to the Tampa area, you will go home needing another vaca to rest up! I figure you can do about 1 activity in Disney per hour due to the waiting, walking, etc. I love Disney. It isn't like other theme parks - it definitely has its own character. Some people love it, some people, like my BIL, are completely overwhelmed and hate going and prefer the slower pace of Sea World. Disney Quest may be the exception to the rule - it is a separate admission and I think the kids would love it. Plus, if you go early, it isn't very crowded. Most people go after a day at the parks.

Link for Tampa aquarium combo tix:
http://www.flaquarium.org/buy-tickets.aspx

Link for Platinum pass in VA Busch Gardens website:
http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-williamsburg/Book-Online/Tickets/BuschGardens/Annual-Pass

DisneyQuest:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/de...t/disney-quest-indoor-interactive-theme-park/

Info on Disney tix prices:
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/magic-your-way-facts-on-walt-disney-world-prices/

 

[amyhwang]

Yes, each of the four parks is a full sized theme park. Even a full day in each park doesn't really do it justice. All four are worth seeing.

The way the pricing works out (a 3-4 day pass at Disney is almost as much as a 10 day pass) and as much as there is to do, I would suggest doing either an "entirely Disney" trip or an "everything but Disney" trip, then do the opposite on a future trip.

My thoughts exactly!

I've been over 20 times to Disneyworld, taken my kids on almost all the trips (they're now 13 and 15) and we haven't seen or done everything there (but almost all!).

I would say either JUST do Disney or don't do it at all. You sound like you have no idea how huge it is. It would be so much more fun to do just the Disney parks, enjoy and take your time, and leave the other things like driving all the way to Tampa for another time.

If you have one that is into aquariums, you can't beat the Living Seas at Epcot.

You can get some more info on the Disboards as well as Mousesavers websites. There is a lot to learn there!

I also agree to build in some down time. Like go to a park early in the morning, leave after lunch, swim and relax, then go back to another park in the evening for dinner and some more shows or rides.

Get your fastpass for attractions that you really want to do early - you can get all the info you want on these at the Disboards. I hate to hear about those that wait an hour or much longer for a ride, when they could have planned better and avoided long lines.

 

[natasha5687]

My thoughts exactly!

I've been over 20 times to Disneyworld, taken my kids on almost all the trips (they're now 13 and 15) and we haven't seen or done everything there (but almost all!).

I would say either JUST do Disney or don't do it at all. You sound like you have no idea how huge it is. It would be so much more fun to do just the Disney parks, enjoy and take your time, and leave the other things like driving all the way to Tampa for another time.

If you have one that is into aquariums, you can't beat the Living Seas at Epcot.

You can get some more info on the Disboards as well as Mousesavers websites. There is a lot to learn there!

I also agree to build in some down time. Like go to a park early in the morning, leave after lunch, swim and relax, then go back to another park in the evening for dinner and some more shows or rides.

Get your fastpass for attractions that you really want to do early - you can get all the info you want on these at the Disboards. I hate to hear about those that wait an hour or much longer for a ride, when they could have planned better and avoided long lines.

Thanks for the info, we have decided that we will do everything but Disney on this trip. We just purchased the Busch Gardens Platinum pass since we will be in Williamsburg 3/30-4/6. It just made better sense for what the kids want to do. We visit Williamsburg at least once a year and will be going to Sesame Place in August and San Antonio in February so the value is pretty good for us. We will visit Seaworld and Aquatica one day Busch Gardens and the neighboring water park another. We decided that we will just book a hotel for a night in Tampa so that we have plenty of time to enjoy the beach and aquarium the next day. Beyond that the other 4 days will be spent as down time perhaps doing 1 local activity a day like Ripleys or Gatorland.

We have also decided that we will come back for a Disney only experience. We have heard that Christmas is a vey busy time so we are looking at other times of year. Perhaps next year for Spring Break. When the kids heard about the classes for the YES program they were pretty excited about it so we will keep an eye out. I cant wait to go! Any suggestions about good times to return are appreciated.

PS-Anyone who considering a Busch Gardens Platinum pass should know that if you buy the Sea World San Antonio Platimun pass that you can have them shipped for $10 and they are already active. This means that you are not required to have you first use of the pass be in San Antonio. I would have done this myself but I didnt find out until after my purchase. This would have saved me $400 on the 5 passes I purchased.

 

[Big Matt]

Some thoughts:

Disney World isn't a theme park. It is a massive spread of land with four big theme parks, two water parks, Downtown Disney, a sports complex, a NASCAR track, dozens of hotels and resorts, golf courses, places to boat, and more. It is somewhere around 50 square miles in size or about the size of San Francisco (not kidding). That's why Michael is saying it can take weeks.

I also would suggest that you look at what there is to do and see in Orlando proper (downtown). There are beautiful sections of the downtown with parks, lakes, etc. There are also other attractions there.

If your family likes baseball, there four or five minor league stadiums within an hour of the Disney area and another several 90 minutes away. Games are very affordable and could be a good diversion from the tiring and maddening pace of the parks, plus the games are at night when it is cool.

 

[tombo]

Thanks for the info, we have decided that we will do everything but Disney on this trip. We just purchased the Busch Gardens Platinum pass since we will be in Williamsburg 3/30-4/6. It just made better sense for what the kids want to do. We visit Williamsburg at least once a year and will be going to Sesame Place in August and San Antonio in February so the value is pretty good for us. We will visit Seaworld and Aquatica one day Busch Gardens and the neighboring water park another. We decided that we will just book a hotel for a night in Tampa so that we have plenty of time to enjoy the beach and aquarium the next day. Beyond that the other 4 days will be spent as down time perhaps doing 1 local activity a day like Ripleys or Gatorland.

We have also decided that we will come back for a Disney only experience. We have heard that Christmas is a vey busy time so we are looking at other times of year. Perhaps next year for Spring Break.

If your family likes fun thrill rides they will love Busch Gardens. The animals are great and the rides are wonderful. You must take your kids to Disney sometime in their lifetime just so they can say they have been there and see what it is like, but after going to Busch Gardens and/or Universal Studios IOA they might be bored with Disney.

I went to Disney every year from the year it opened until I hit college and told my parents i didn't want to go there anymore. They said we were going because we thought you and your brother loved it. We said we outgrew Disney. They said good because they were sick of it too. I hoped to never have to go to Disney again but I knew I would have to when I had kids.

We carried our kids almost every year from when they were infants until their early teens and when they were young they loved it. I enjoyed seeing them have fun and the rides were great for little kids. Once my children became teenagers they never wanted to go to Disney again. Our whole family feels the lines are too long for boring kiddie rides. Space mountain yawn, Pirates of the Caribbean, snooze, Epcot (once there was too much), etc. etc. Yes the Tower of Terror is good and I heard the coaster at Animal kingdom is good, and the rock n roller coaster is also supposed to be good, but who want to go to a park and spend $75 for one decent ride? Not me or my family.

Here comes the Disney devotees. But the rides at disney are "themed". So what. You walk through long lines with hour plus waits while looking at a "theme" all the way to the ride entrance. Whoopee. An hour in 90 plus degree heat with 90% humidity is miserable with or without a "theme". The payoff of long lines is a great ride. Not at Disney. You stand in line for an hour plus to get a 3 minute boring ride. My kids had a Teddy Ruxpin doll that had animatronics at the house, why do I want to stand in line for an hour or more to see fake animatronic presidents stand and talk? The haunted house has a fun first room scare before you get on the ride, after that ZZZZ. If I hear the song " it's a small world after all" again in my life I might get off of the boat and try to drown myself in the 2 foot of water. The 20,000 leagues under the sea submarine can't even use real fish? My 4 year old said look daddy the fish are fake and on a string. The Jungle Cruise doesn't have a single real live animal anywhere. 2 year olds know the elephants aren't real. To say negative things about Disney is to risk death threats on this forum, but it is true for us and maybe for you too. This is JMHO.

We LOVE Busch Gardens, Sea World, and Universal IOA in that order. The numerous roller coasters with loops, rolls, 90 degree drops, where you lay on your stomach like you are flying, where your feet swing free, etc, etc are our favorites. We love the thrill rides. Montu, Kumba, The Hulk, Sheikra, The Manta Ray,duelling dragons, Spiderman, Harry Potter (haven't ridden it yet), etc are all great. We have been to Orlando 5 or 6 times straight without visiting a Disney park, and that includes a company trip where we stayed on Disney property at the Swan 2 years ago. We left the Swan and drove to Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Universal while never entering anything Disney other than the hotel and the piano bar (Jelly Rolls?).

The great news is that you are going to have a great time doing everything non Disney. The bad news is that if you had done Disney first you might have enjoyed it more. Once you have done the other parks (Busch Gardens, Sea World, Universal) Disney and it's rides are a yawn fest. JMHO

 

[bnoble]

Here comes the Disney devotees.

Some people really like chocolate ice cream. Other people really like butter pecan. That's why Baskin Robins has 31 flavors. Not everyone has to agree with you Tombo, and those who prefer butter pecan to your chocolate are not necessarily "wrong".

-brian, who happens to be an equal-opportunity theme and amusement park junkie.

 

[tombo]

Some people really like chocolate ice cream. Other people really like butter pecan. That's why Baskin Robins has 31 flavors. Not everyone has to agree with you Tombo, and those who prefer butter pecan to your chocolate are not necessarily "wrong".

-brian, who happens to be an equal-opportunity theme and amusement park junkie.

I NEVER said or even inferred that anyone needs to agree with me. I never said that those who like Disney are wrong. I was just stating MY opinion on a thread titled what to do near Orlando BESIDES Disney. I have in the past posted my opinion that Disney rides were boring and that my family does not like going to Disney parks and I have been blasted. Some Disney fans act like you slapped their momma if you say anything negative about Disney. They have as much right to espouse the reasons they love Disney as I do to detail the reasons my family (and numerous friends) do not enjoy the Disney experience. As I said in my post, it is JMHO.