ORLANDO TOURISM: PLANNING A SMART AND QUICK VISIT TO THE CENTRAL FLORIDA CITY

Orange County, Florida is popular with visitors across the world and there are certainly enough reasons for that. If you have plans to visit the place anytime soon, then you probably know some of them already.

Related: Dreaming of summer (or warm weather) locales

Either way, Orlando tourism should always be the focus of any traveling plans made while visiting not just the Orange County, but pretty much the whole of Florida itself. As to how you should go about planning that itinerary and what should be on it, consider the following suggestions.

Hire your own ride

Start by eliminating all the time you will be wasting on public transportation. Find cheap car hire Orlando companies that the visitors and locals know to trust for both the best price and the best guidance on local navigation. There is simply no better way to maximise your time in Orlando than to travel in your own hired car.

Be sure to book your car before you arrive in Orlando. Doing so will ensure that your rental car is ready for you by the time you get there. This is highly recommended when you are trying to make the most out of a quick visit. Not that you can’t book a car after arriving of course, but there may or may not be a waiting time. Also, just like accommodation and flight tickets, even rental cars tend to cost more when they are booked on short notice.

Orlando tourism: Create a list focused on relevance

Despite all the attractions that Orlando has to offer and sometimes because of it, it can be difficult to create a meaningful itinerary that maximises the time you have. As a result, first and even repeat visitors are likely to miss attractions that would have been a lot more enjoyable for them.

Smart travel plans for quick visits are always itineraries that are curated to create the kind of vacation or road trip that you want. Up next, we have some of the prime attractions in Orlando listed, based on their general appeal to different crowds.

Harry P. Leu Gardens: Exotic gardens ideal for a family visit

If you like being at the heart of nature but you are also not prepared to take on the great American outdoors, The Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando is probably the best alternative you can find in Orlando. More importantly, it’s a great place to introduce small children to some of nature’s sweeter elements without the risks.

The garden with its Ornamental Grass Collection, Rose Garden, Butterfly Garden, Annual Garden, Citrus Grove, Herb Garden, Native Wetland Garden, White Garden, lake Rowena, and so many other exotic and local natural attractions is a serene place for families to visit with small children. Don’t miss the view from Wyckoff Overlook while you are there because the gazebo up top allows for some breath-taking shots.

SeaWorld Orlando: A must visit for thrill seekers

If you are a thrill seeker, then SeaWorld Orlando has to be on the itinerary. Those not familiar with the popular theme park can be forgiven for feeling confused. After all, a place full of marine animals and attractions hardly sounds like something that will give you an adrenaline boost. Well, SeaWorld Orlando is not just a marine wonderland, because it is more a place full of wild rollercoasters and water coasters of the scariest variety!

Sure, there are penguins, dolphins, and a variety of other surprisingly friendly sea creatures to meet, but the main attractions here are most certainly the rollercoasters. The Kraken, Mako, Manta, and Icebreaker should be at the top of your list if you are the kind of person who enjoys the extreme adrenaline rush which only rollercoasters can deliver without really endangering life and health!

If you have young children travelling with you, then they may not be allowed to get on some of the rollercoasters mentioned. Even if they are, a look from afar is likely to scare a good few of them to tears. For them, the Wild Arctic 3D simulation, the Blue Horizons, the Dolphin Cove, the Shark Encounter, and the (animal-performed) Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island will be amazing distractions.

Walt Disney World Resort and theme parks: Something for everyone?

As awesome as Disney World is in all its glory, very few Disney theme parks are meant to appeal to a group of adult visitors without any children with them. However, Disney World is far more than just an assortment of the world’s biggest and largest theme parks. It’s also has some of the world’s most lavish, unique, and exclusive resorts, spas, and premium hotels.

Stay at or just visit a place like the Boardwalk Inn if you are looking for a buzzing nightlife, despite being in the middle of Disney’s massive fantasy kingdom. Those looking for a more premium, 5-Star experience, the Yacht Club Resort and the Beach Club Resort will both deliver that in spades. There are some pretty amazing mini golf courses on the property as well, which can be fun activities for the whole family.

Orlando tourism: Main attractions

As for the main attractions and the primary reasons why people generally visit Disney World, they are of course, Disney’s ever increasing range of fascinating theme parks. You cannot experience it all in one visit, so talk to your children and decide which ones should be on your priority list first. In general, the following are among the highest rated Disney World Orlando theme parks.

• Magic Kingdom: A collection of theme parks bringing Disney’s myriad creations throughout the decades to life.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: A collection of theme parks that bring some of Disney’s most popular movies and their respective characters to life.
• EPCOT: A futuristic amusement park of epic proportions, complete with rides, rollercoasters, and pretty much everything else you can and cannot expect at such a place.

Almost all attractions in Orlando are family friendly, as you may have noticed. Even if some of the prime activities in a place are not suitable for children, there are always a few others that will keep them happy for the time being. Nevertheless, keep in mind that every place on your itinerary should still have some connection between why you are going there and what they have to offer. When you do have enough time on your hands, taking a few chances and finding less popular attractions by accident is always a probability in Orlando.

Top photo by Aditya Vyas on Unsplash