Just about every family has traveled to central Florida, Orlando and Kissimmee to visit with Mickey and friends, but did you know there is SO MUCH to do – lots of fun for all ages – minus the mouse?
Published: December 29, 2020
By: Carol Muse Evans
Just about every family has traveled to central Florida, Orlando and Kissimmee to visit with Mickey and friends, but did you know there is SO MUCH to do – lots of fun for all ages – minus the mouse?
Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, Orlando
Kids of all ages, teens and adults will absolutely love Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (http://www.universalorlando.com/) in nearby Orlando. In fact, it might be a favorite!
Constantly adding new attractions, one of the main attractions for us in BOTH parks was the Harry Potter/Hogwarts sections inspired by the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. In both parks, you step into a storybook time, with shops, eateries, butter beer, potions shops, and terrific rides.
Enjoy Flight of the Hippogriff (formerly the Flying Unicorn), Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Islands of Adventure. Then you can ride the Hogwarts Express, a magical train that takes you back and forth from Hogsmeade’s to Diagon Alley in the other park!
But Universal parks have so much more than just Harry Potter-inspired features. You could spend days here with Race through New York with Jimmy Fallon, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-man, The Simpsons Ride, the Transformers 3D ride, Shrek 4-D, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Wood Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster (for the younger ones), Revenge of the Mummy, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and so much more for all ages!
Then take in City Walk, the area outside and between the two parks for great shopping, wonderful restaurants and even a movie theatre and putt-putt golf on site. There’s even night life here for the adults.
Be sure to read about each park online if your time is limited, so you see the attractions you most want to see. Also, a one- or two-day park-to-park ticket for BOTH parks can resolve that problem. Check the website for multiple day specials and express passes, which can certainly be worth the extra money if you time is limited, you have very young children or you travel in peak season. Be sure to check the online calendar for dates and times open, especially during the pandemic, along with any Covid restrictions.
Wild Florida
When we visited Kissimmee recently, we didn’t even know Wild Florida (http://www.wildfl.com) existed, but it’s now one of our favorite attractions. It’s the world’s only airboat, gator and drive-thru 85-acre safari park, and it was well worth the short drive from Kissimmee in nearby Keanansville. Keep in mind all the airboat tours, animal encounters and drive-thru safari park experiences include admission to the gator park and require reservations in advance.
Our one-hour airboat tour was exciting, educational and fun. We saw fascinating birds, wildlife and especially bald eagles and their nests, all in their undisturbed, natural habitat. We enjoyed seeing the baby gators, and the drive-thru safari was great fun, ending it with feeding giraffes! You can also book various interactive animal encounters and see the Exotic Animal Show. Hold a two-toed sloth!
Discovery Cove
A sister to the SeaWorld Orlando park, Discovery Cove (https://discoverycove.com/orlando) stands on its own and is a terrific destination for families. Imagine a day at a beach resort, filled with great food, relaxation, interaction with sea life and much more, and you’ve got a day at Discovery Cove. It could be a great day between theme parks or other high-energy attractions.
Head on over to Discovery Cove in your swimsuit and get a locker and grab a chair for your day, or, if you have a crowd, consider renting one of their cabanas for the day as your “home base,” complete with its own fridge and snacks! If needed, Discovery Cove will supply flotation devices and even wet suits – the water with the animals is naturally colder.
Here are just some of the activities you can enjoy there: swimming with dolphins, relax in a resort pool and swim along a tropical “river” (think lazy river) with a bird sanctuary overhead, snorkel with tropical fish and rays at the Grand Reef, wade with otters, handfeed toucans, parrots and other exotic birds in the Explorers Sanctuary, and just relax, walk around and play in the sand with your family for a relaxing day in a little secluded tropical wonderland. Food and Drink along with at Discovery Cove is included in the price, and it’s by no means “park food.” I enjoyed steak, steamed veggies and a salad on my visit and my husband had a delicious salmon. Equipment rental such as snorkels is free also.
The Reunion Resort & Golf Club
In all this fun, you’ll need a place to decompress, lay your head, eat and refuel for the other parts of your trip. You’ll find Kissimmee is a GREAT central location to stay with great hotels and resorts just minutes from all the fun. The Reunion Resort & Golf Club, http://www.reunionresort.com, is a terrific choice because these are luxury accommodations that can accommodate a family of four or several families traveling together. There are condominiums, private villas and even vacation homes surrounded by 2,300 acres of beautiful Florida landscape and a nature preserve. It is the only location in the U.S. with golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, so mom, dad or granddad can have a great round of golf while visiting. There is miniature golf, tennis, pickleball, along with several great restaurants in case you want to eat on the property.
Also at Reunion is a full-service spa, a waterpark of your own featuring slides, lazy river and more, a gift shop, 10 community pools, a kids’ camp called “Camp Reunion,” golf instruction, fitness center and fitness classes, self- or valet parking, package storage and handling and even meeting spaces and a self-serve business center. Did we mention that free shuttle service?
Reunion Resort & Golf Club can make everyone in your travel party happy, give you more room to spread out and relax and it’s right in the middle of everything Central Florida has to offer!
Carol Muse Evans is publisher/editor of Birmingham Parent and loves theme parks and central Florida.