Orlando Family Attractions

Orlando, Florida is one of the top family destinations in the world.  Each year, millions of tourists descend upon this Central Florida location.  The attractions, theme parks, resorts, beautiful weather, golf courses, and more draw millions every year.  Even in a tough economy, Orlando has still brought millions of families looking to enjoy a vacation full of relaxation and fun family time.

When it comes to family attractions here in Orlando, you have a variety of options.  For example, maybe you want to enjoy the widely known theme parks at Disney or Universal Studios.  Or, maybe if the weather permits, you want to check out the water parks.  Additionally, there are countless activities for you to consider.  We will walk through some of these here on this page.

Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World is arguably the anchor of Orlando tourism. The Orlando Disney area has expanded over the year to include many resort properties, theme parks and more.

The theme parks at Walt Disney World are Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Other attractions here include Disney's Wide World of Sports (you can see sporting events here) and Downtown Disney which includes restaurants, movie theater, Cirque Du Soleil and other fun activities.

Universal Orlando

The two Universal theme parks are Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Universal Studios includes attractions such as Men in Black, The Simpsons Ride, Jaws, and more. Islands of Adventure include more thrill rides like the Hulk roller coaster, Spiderman, and the new Harry Potter area.

Resorts at Universal Orlando include the Portofino Bay Hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel and the Royal Pacific Resort.

Universal CityWalk is a night time entertainment complex featuring a movie theater, clubs, bars, and many restaurants.

SeaWorld

The home of Shamu is SeaWorld Adventure Park which includes fantastic marine life exhibits, shows, and even thrill rides such as Manta and Kraken.

SeaWorld also has a second park called Discovery Cove where you can do fun things like swim with dolphins.

For more information on the above theme parks, I encourage you to visit the official web sites for the respective park.

Other fun things to do, especially in the hot summer, is go to one of the several incredible water parks in Orlando.

First up, SeaWorld's newest water park, Aquatica.

Aquatica

When we first heard of a Sea World water park, Orlando residents were thrilled.  What a perfect combination!  The park combines marine life with water slides and fun wave pools.  The park also has incredible kid's areas for fun in the sun.

Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach

These two parks are on Disney properties.  They each offer some unique rides and an overall incredible fun day in the sun.  

Wet n Wild

This water park has been around for years in the International Drive area of town, but they have done a good job keeping it up-to-date.  The park will likely suffer with the addition of Aquatica (associated with the SeaWorld brand name) located not too far away, but Wet n Wild is still a fun destination.

In addition to the well known parks in Orlando, there are also some lesser known attractions that are great places to take your family.

Go-Carting & Arcades

There are two fun locations located on International Drive that offer go-carting, arcades and additional rides. Magical Midway (near International Dr. and Sand Lake Rd.) and Fun Spot (near International Dr. and Kirkman Rd.) are two fun locations for you and your family.

Additional Options

I would also encourage you to check out WonderWorks on International Drive which offers games, arcades, laser tag and some more scientific related activities.

If you're up for a drive outside of Orlando, Kennedy Space Center located at Cape Canaveral is a can't miss attraction. The tours of the visitor center and other facilities make for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Lastly, consider taking an airboat ride in the wet lands outside Orlando for views of Florida wildlife such as alligators.