Destination Orlando, Florida – Disney and Beyond

Destination Orlando, Florida—Disney, First Class!

Despite its plethora of golf courses and pristine winter sunshine, Orlando perhaps most readily evokes Disneyworld to travelers from Dallas to Dublin to Dubai. So a trip to this year-round destination naturally should be planned for the kids in your house, or for the kid in your heart!

Orlando for you

Today’s Orlando is not just for the kids. Downtown Disney itself is a destination for waterside strolls, restaurants, and shopping. A highlight of this area, which typically is alive with visitors, is Cirque du Soleil La Nouba. Since Cirque performs year-round in a dedicated theater in Downtown Disney, La Nouba is well worth seeing. The integrated trampoline tower and tracks make for some amazing acrobatics in addition to the trapeze, rope walking, and ribbon artists. Plan for dinner before the show at the delicious Wolfgang Puck Grand Café where you can get some unique fusion of Asian and Californian cuisine. There is also Fulton’s Crab House, if you’re craving fresh seafood, and a variety of other restaurants to choose from.

Another great experience for your sans-kids evening is a happy hour stroll “around the world” at Epcot. You’ll find full-service restaurants and taverns, walk-up drink kiosks, and quick-service restaurants with delicious options (e.g., appetizers at Restaurant Marrakesh, a breezy, relaxing place). At present, the “World Showcase of Flavors” Food Truck makes special appearances at Epcot, or you can find it at Downtown Disney. Read Epcot restaurant reviews to learn more. This area of Epcot is exciting. Even when it’s crowded, it’s fun and lively, energized by world music and contagious cheer.

After an extended happy hour and dinner, you can enjoy a nightly fireworks show at Epcot. The World Showcase Lagoon is often cited as a popular viewing location. Plan ahead with this map of prime spots and other tips.

And a trip to Orlando isn’t complete without a round or two of golf. There’s a reason Tiger Woods lived in an Orlando suburb for almost 10 years: year-round golfing at some of the U.S.’s best courses. Before reserving your team times, consult the Golf Channel’s Top Ten List for Central Florida or these golf blogger reviews. You can book tee times up to a year in advance.

For more insights about Orlando for adults, see Frommer’s “Best for Grown-ups” in Orlando or New York Times “Orlando for Adults.”

Orlando beyond Disney

Although just a Disney-centric vacation will be plenty for your children, there’s certainly more to do than Disney proper. Here are some additional attractions to consider:

Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, an hour from Orlando. Explore NASA’s amazing space complex.

Swim with Manatees: Get close to manatees on a guided boat tour. Keep in mind that the boat ride itself is slow but relaxing, and, if you do see a manatee, remember that they are surprisingly huge! All children who can swim can handle this tour along the Crystal River.  Despite what the Web sites say, the drive, with a coffee stop, will take you two hours from Orlando.

SeaWorld® Theme Park: If you have visited large aquariums anywhere, SeaWorld might not make your agenda. There are two great coasters (Manta® and Kracken®) for older children and some fun rides for younger children, but the in-between kids (7-9) who don’t like the “scary” coasters might not have as much to do beyond the shows and exhibits.

For more, consult the Travel & Leisure Orlando Visitor’s Guide or National Geographic’s Free Things to Do in Orlando Guide.

Orlando for the family

If you’re heading to Orlando with the kids, I’m sure they won’t let you skip a trip to Disneyworld. If the thought of crowds and long lines makes you feel anxious, however, have no fear. Disney recently launched its “My Disney Experience” program to make Disney a most incredible experience indeed—if you know how to play your cards right, that is.

Rolled out in the U.S. via major marketing buzz, My Disney Experience might not have hit the global travel landscape yet. The goal of this new approach is to ensure that your family’s Disney excursion is as seamless and smooth as possible—from checking in to your resort to purchasing food or other items in the parks and even throughout downtown Disney establishments.

The key to making this experience happen? A tailored, smart wristband, which is linked to the My Disney Experience app. It houses your password-protected, secure information so can make your park experience easy and more manageable. Plus the kids think it just looks cool, especially if you get a colorful one.

My Disney Experience Tips

My Disney Experience is open to guests at any of Disney’s 30 resorts. With a range of properties—from The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort to the family-centric All-Star Resorts to the wonderfully relaxing and calm Coronado Springs Resort to the higher-end Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, there are appealing options for all interests.

As a Disney resort guest, in turn, you will have access to extra “Magic Hours” at all of the theme parks (Magical Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom). Both early morning and late evening hours are available so you can fully enjoy the parks before they officially are open. This alone, my Disney friends, makes the My Disney Experience! Check the extra times for each park by day.

A Day in the Disney life—with Magic Hours

Here’s how this perk might play out: Your 10-year-old son (or perhaps you!) has been dying to ride the Rock n Roller Coaster® starring Aerosmith at Hollywood Studios. You could do the uninformed, “normal” thing and wait for at least 45 minutes for a ride at, say, 11:00ish during regular park hours. Or you can show up at 7:00AM on the appointed week day and ride it three times within the extra hour!

Keep in mind that any “tween” boy can’t help but to want to be first rider of the day in the coveted front seat of the coaster. If that’s the case, it’s time to be super mom or dad, of course! How? After you arrive at the park, line up on the right-hand side of the admission gates and speed-walk your way to this popular coaster!

An extra tip: Leave your bags at home so you can skip the extra check; you can return later during normal hours for the all-day gear. Resort buses run regularly throughout the day between parks and to and from resorts. While there during the special Magic Hours, you’ll also have time to skip the queues and try the nearby Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™—if you dare, that is!

Younger children? All of the parks have the magic hours for resort guests, so you can impress your toddler daughter with a delightful morning of princess “meet and greet” opportunities the Princess Fairytale Hall, for example, at Magic Kingdom. At Epcot…race to ride Soarin’®. It’s an amazing simulated hang-gliding ride over the coast of California. As an exhilarating way to greet the day, it’s well worth the early wakeup!

FastPass⁺ Priority

The other major bonus of My Disney Experience is the ability to select “FastPass⁺” timeslots online for all of your planned park days. FastPasses allow you to skip the regular queues and head straight for the ride. No longer do you have to “wing it” in terms of where you’re going for the day based on random ride times.

You can choose your FastPass rides in clusters of three per park and plan your daily itinerary from there. Keep in mind, though, that at present, your daily allotment of FastPasses is available for one park per day. And you can’t choose both Soarin’ and Test Track® at Epcot, for example; it’s one or the other, thereby making the Magic Hours even more valuable. You also can link your account to other members in your party for even better logistical coordination all around.

Password-protected Account

Another appealing part of the My Disney Experience wristband is that you can link it securely to your resort account for super-quick point-of-sale purchases, which do require a pin you select at resort check-in. You can decide whether to activate that privilege on your children’s bands. For older children and teenagers, you just might enjoy sitting down for a moment while they handle their own ice cream purchases!

The payoff? Extra downtime

Since My Disney Experience really streamlines your park visits, you can enjoy full days of downtime in between park days. You won’t feel the pressure of “getting it all in when you can.” You can take advantage of poolside amenities and inviting pools. At Coronado Springs Resort, for example, an attractive waterslide pool (“The Dig”) captivates children, turn after turn. Or you could go for a breezy jog along the pretty mile loop around the property. Regardless, planning non-park days should be an integral part of anyone’s My Disney Experience.