What to do near Orlando besides Disney

[amyhwang]

Yes, we all have what we like and don't like.

I have friends who prefer Universal Studios theme parks. We went once, stayed a the nicer resort there (Portofino Bay Resort) and enjoyed the rides. But my family prefers Disney (or at least I do :rofl: ).

I do agree with the OP - it will be a better idea to save Disney for a trip when you can just do the Disney resort and theme parks (even if you don't stay at a Disney resort, it is fun to enjoy a drink or meal, even counter service, and see the really wonderful themes).

I hope you have a great trip!

 

[spencersmama]

\This would have saved me $400 on the 5 passes I purchased.

Ouch! I never would have known you could have the passes mailed to your house from San Antonio. Thanks for posting the tip for others. I wonder why the Busch parks have such large differences in the platinum pass prices.

Thanks for posting about going to the state park. It made me look up what was there. I'm going to go to Blue Spring state park next week with my kids to see the fireflies. I am also going to try tubing there. We tube at the Ichetucknee river at the state park near our home. It's fun-a real north Florida experience with the cypress trees and spring water.

As I scrolled down through old posts, I noticed I said I love Aquatica, but I really meant the water park in VA - Water Country USA. (My hubby was over my shoulder waitingfor me to finish my post so we could go out.) I like Aquatica, but prefer the park up there. Enjoy a loop on the hubba hubba highway for me.

 

[momeason]

Great Orlando tips. We will go May 31.

 

[bnoble]

Tombo, I'll quote a little more of your own writing. If you honestly believe that's not expressing a value judgement towards people who enjoy Disney, then I'm afraid you will have some explaining to do with your high school English composition teacher.

As I said, I like 'em both---we often visit Orlando and venture nowhere near the Mouse. But, we do visit the Mouse as well, and appreciate it for what it is. It's possible to like both "Disney" and "non-Disney", but you seem to set it up as a false dichotomy. It needn't be so.

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.

 

[tombo]

Tombo, I'll quote a little more of your own writing. If you honestly believe that's not expressing a value judgement towards people who enjoy Disney, then I'm afraid you will have some explaining to do with your high school English composition teacher.

.

I have read before on TUG forums that rides at most parks are just rides. At Disney the rides are "themed" so even though they are not very exciting rides, the overall experience is better. That is their opinion and they have the right to express their opinion. I also have the right to express my opinion which is that no amount of theming can make a boring ride good. That is not a judgement, it is MHO.

IMO the "theme" is simply something to look at to kill time at as you stand in line waiting for a ride. The one and only reason I stand in line at an amusement park is for the ride. If there isn't a ride I enjoy at the end of the line, I am not going to queue up whether the ride has a good "theme" or not. JMHO, not a judgement on others who love rides with "themes".

If I said those who like Disneyand/or it's rides/parks are stupid, wrong, etc, then that would be a judgement. To state my opinion of Disney parks and reasons I do not like Disney is MY OPINION. Perhaps you can send my posts to your english teacher and have her point out one single judgemental statement made about anyone. I did not make a single judgemental statement about anyone.

I did say I would probably be scolded for my opinion of Disney rides/parks, and I guess you are doing just that in 2 posts where you try to twist my posts into a judgement of Disney fans. Perhaps your english teacher needs to read your responses because the only one who has made a judgement about anyone on this thread is you.You have decided that I have made judgements on others when in fact only you have made a judgement about me and my posts.

Instead of dissecting my non inflammatory post and trying to inject a less than flattering accusation in your responses, how about giving reasons you have a different opinion of Disney parks and rides. If you posted your opinions of Disney rather than YOUR OPINION of my posts, you would not be judging me and my posts. You, like me, would simply giving your opinion on Amusement parks in the Orlando area.

 

[DanM]

back to the OP. We were down in Orlando in February and a friend recommended we go look at the manatees at Blue Spring State Park about 45 minutes north. Great experience. Hundreds of manatees winter in the creek and can be seen inches below the surface. Check with the park website for best times to visit and programs:
http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/

 

[tombo]

back to the OP. We were down in Orlando in February and a friend recommended we go look at the manatees at Blue Spring State Park about 45 minutes north. Great experience. Hundreds of manatees winter in the creek and can be seen inches below the surface. Check with the park website for best times to visit and programs:
http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/

The OP is visiting Orlando in June. I am not sure but I think the manatees are gone by then.

 

[falmouth3]

I was also going to suggest Blue Springs State Park. There is a good, not expensive, river cruise there. http://www.sjrivercruises.com/

We went there one day when we were visiting Orlando. It's a bit of a drive, but it's really a chance to experience nature. There were quite a few alligators there, but the manatees had left (or not yet arrived) for the season. I think we were there in early October. We did see lots of interesting birds and plants. The guide on the cruise was great. Because we almost always travel during the off-season, we were the only 2 visitors on the boat. We were up in the pilot area. It was a great way to spend the day.