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orlando vacation.. please help..
Hey guys- I posted this on the travel board also... sorry for the double post just need ideas!
Hello, my DH & I are going on our first trip to Orlando Florida. We don't travel much & I am super excited & nervous!
Just wondered if anyone has any tips for us.
We are looking for things to do but we are kind of boring & aren't big swimmers, don't really ride rides at parks ect... we like relaxing romantic things to do & love to eat out!
We would like to check out Magic kingdom at disney one day & downtown disney (Is it free to go there?) Or do you pay to get into to it? thanks in advance...
Really any tips would be great you can also email me at cmariec15 at yahoo I would love to hear your advice!
We also want to go to sea world & gatorland & also possibly drive to siesta key beach for a day or two!
Any restaurant recs are great too... we like shrimp, lobster, steak, chicken nothing too wild & crazy!
Thanks again so much in advance!
Re: orlando vacation.. please help..
I'm pretty boring too when it comes to amusement parks, etc and I really enjoyed Universal. All the simulated rides (in front of a movie screen, etc) are really fun!
I think you would love Epcot. Lots to eat and drink and see. There are some fun rides there (including some very relaxed, non-scary ones), but I can easily spend a great afternoon there and never even get on a ride!
Also, to answer your question, Downtown Disney is free. Some attractions there (I'm mostly thinking of Disney Quest) have their own admission fee, but it's open for you to walk around at any time. I also like Disney's Boardwalk, which is also free. It's smaller than downtown Disney, but very cute and atmospheric.
"The hardest thing is to live richly in the present without letting it be tainted out of fear for the future or regret for the past." - Sylvia Plath
I live in Orlando and am a huge fan! You can do a lot here outside of the theme parks and even inside that don't require a lot of ride riding.
Check out VisitOrlando.com first. This site should be your main resource for all Orlando info. There are also some great travel deals here if you haven't already booked. Get an Orlando Magicard. You'll be able to use it when you get here to get some good discounts.
I know some Nesties suggested Epoct already. That's a good one since there is a lot to see and taste (food & drink) in the "world showcase." Stay for the night time show, Illuminations - it's wonderful. The Magic Kingdom is more ride focused, but I can completely understand if you want to see it. Animal Kingdom and the Disney Hollywood Studios has a some great shows if you're into that.
Downtown Disney is free to visit. Some of the attractions there do have an admission price like Cirque du Soleil and DisneyQuest. Cirque is a show and DisneyQuest is a virtual playground. Very fun. Disney's Boardwalk is also a fun spot that's free to get into. There are a ton of restaurants, entertainment, a couple of nightclubs, etc. It's a nice place to just hang out and relax outside.
Both Universal parks are very ride focused, but you could always check out Citywalk (free to explore). It's an entertainment complex with lots of great dining, shopping and some attractions like The Blue Man Group. They have nightclubs there too if you like to go dancing or bar hopping safely.
SeaWorld is a blast. They have lots of animal encounters and shows, but they also have a lot of rides.
Kennedy Space Center is also not too far away. If you're renting a car, it might be worth a drive over there if you're at all interested in the space program. While you're on the coast, you could check out Cocoa beach.
If you're looking for good places to eat, check out Pointe Orlando on International Drive and the West Sand Lake Road area. They have a ton of good spots to eat and drink. In the Sand Lake area, I recommend Seasons 52, The Samba Room, Timpano's, Antonio's and Roy's. At the Pointe, I recommend the Oceanaire and Capital Grille.
For shopping, the Florida Mall, Mall at Millennia and the outlets are great. I highly recommend the outlets. So much fun if you're a fashionista. Winter Park's Park Ave is also a nice spot to walk around leisurely, have a nice lunch, shop, etc.
Well, you can probably tell I am a huge fan of Orlando and have a pretty in depth knowledge of the city. If you have any specific questions, feel free to write me back. I would be glad to answer them.
Have a blast in Orlando!
I definitely recommend the Winter Park area. It's very cute and you could make a relaxing, romantic half-day of walking around the downtown area and doing the boat ride (can't remember what lake that's on, though, sorry). There are a lot of good restaurants in downtown Orlando, and I hear there's some night-life... I'm a total old lady so I don't go out to bars/clubs, so I have no knowledge of this scene. There's also a gorgeous park at Lake Eola in downtown, too. Lake Eola and Winter Park both have great farmer's markets (I prefer WP myself)... that's all I got.
My favourite restaurants are Bosphorus (Turkish), Winnie's (Chinese), 4Rivers Smokehouse (be prepared to stand in line for a while, this is some darn good bbq), 903 Mills Market for lunch, BB King's at Pointe Orlando, Greens & Grille by Mall at Millenia (conveniently... lol), Brick & Fire Pizza, Keke's (breakfast). There's also a McCormick & Schmick's if you like seafood. HTH!
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