Top 10 things to do in Orlando

Wonder, fantasy and plenty of pixie dust are everywhere at the Magic Kingdom Park. From flying through Never Land to yo-hoing with a band of pirates, seven enchanted lands – with over 40 magical attractions – make exciting adventures and timeless fairy tale classics just a smile away. It’s the one – and only – place where once upon a time is now, and make-believe is as real as today.

At Epcot, high tech fun and Disney imagination are combined with the wonder of diverse cultures in two distinct worlds, Future World and World Showcase. Both are bursting with thrills and excitement. Epcot. Two big worlds of discovery. One incredible experience unlike any other on earth.

Lights... camera... and the stage is set for plenty of action! The glitz and glamour of showbiz take centre stage at the Disney-MGM Studios. But the star is you! With so much to see and do, you just may need an encore. Go ahead and raise the curtain at Disney-MGM Studios. It’s where showbiz is!

The fun gets wild at Disney’s Animal Kingdom ThemePark. Explore the realm of creatures who inhabit our world... and our imagination... and create your own adventure for an experience that roars with excitement. It’s a wildly playful adventure like no other. And it’s yours to live. Come and explore Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

Jump right into the action of your favourite movies at Universal Studios®. At this real working motion-picture studio you’ll go behind the scenes and beyond the screen as you experience an incredible array of rides, shows, movie sets and attractions. Plunge into total darkness on a psychological thrill ride 3,000 years in the making – Revenge of the MummySM The Ride. See, hear and feel the action through the miracle of OgreVision in Shrek 4-D™. Rocket through the worlds of your favourite Nicktoons® on Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast™. Zap aliens on MEN IN BLACK™ Alien Attack™, an amazing interactive ride based on the hit movies. It’s never the same ride twice! Soar through time and space on Back to the Future the Ride®. Save the future of humanity in the action-packed TERMINATOR 2: 3-D™. Hold on tight as you’re blown away by TWISTER… Ride It Out®. And have a ball in Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone®, where you’ll find the delightful stage show Animal Planet Live!™. It’s all at Universal Studios®, the number 1 movie and TV-based Theme Park in the world!

Feel the rush of adrenaline as you experience the innovative thrills and unexpected adventures of Universal's Islands of Adventure® theme park. At Islands of Adventure you'll take a journey through five uniquely-themed islands – Seuss Landing™, The Lost Continent®, Jurassic Park®, Toon Lagoon® and Marvel Super Hero Island® -- where the world's most cutting edge rides and attractions challenge all your senses. Here timeless myths, legends, children's stories, cartoons and comic books come to life right before your eyes. You'll battle villains in 3-D on the first-of-its-kind thrill ride, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®. Then defy gravity as the Incredible Hulk Coaster® takes you on a high-speed roller coaster rampage. Escape the jaws of a hungry T-Rex on the Jurassic Park River Adventure®. Brave white-water rapids on Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges®. Take a spin through the mischievous world of The Cat in the Hat™. And face Dueling Dragons®, the world's first inverted dueling roller coasters.

Universal CityWalk® is the soul-stirring entertainment core of Orlando. This expansive 30-acre centre features an eclectic mix of live entertainment spots, fun and fine-dining establishments, electrifying speciality shops and state-of-the-art cinemas. Inspired by popular culture’s legendary innovators and originators, it’s entertainment… with a distinct attitude!

Where else can you touch and feed dolphins, count the teeth on a shark and come face-to-face with a polar bear?

Enjoy the grace and agility of Shamu® in a whole new way with "Believe". The new Shamu extravaganza will feature SeaWorlds majestic killer whales with awe-inspiring choreography, an elaborate 3-storey set, original musical score and state-of-the-art multimedia. Be dazzled by the all-new dolphin spectacular, Blue Horizons. SeaWorld’s new show blends the sea and the sky with amazing special effects and fantastic animal experiences. Challenge Kraken®, the only floorless coaster in Orlando. Don’t miss Journey To Atlantis®, a super-charged water coaster of mythic proportions. Plunge into the frozen north on a virtual jetcopter ride to the Wild Arctic®. At SeaWorld® Orlando, it doesn’t get any closer than this!

Look right into the eyes of Africa’s most amazing animals. Challenge the incredible heights and speeds of world-class coasters such as Gwazi®, Kumba® and Montu® and don’t miss SheiKra®. North America’s 1st dive coaster sends riders up 200ft, then 90 degrees straight down at 70 miles per hour and that’s just the beginning!

When your feet are firmly back on the ground relax and enjoy the spectacular entertainment of highly acclaimed shows including KaTonga®, which brings you a theatre extravaganza of true Broadway calibre. Experience the new Pirates 4-D show, which combines state-of-the-art 3-D visual effects with multi-sensory surprises. Situated just over an hour’s drive from Orlando, this African-themed adventure park is well worth a visit – or 2!

After being personally checked in, you walk through a nature trail where you may encounter some unique animals. There is a lush rainforest, and tropical birds flutter overhead in a towering, free-flight aviary. It's peaceful and relaxed; there are never any crowds as attendance is limited to 1,000 people per day. That's why it's a very good idea to pre-book! It's a place where you can swim under waterfalls, snorkel through water full of tropical fish, and safely come eye-to-eye with sharks and barracuda. And best of all, it's the place where you can swim with dolphins.

Explore outer space here on earth at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex situated less than 50 miles from Orlando! No where else can you explore like an astronaut and experience first-hand the awe-inspiring NASA story!

Pass through restricted areas and enjoy panoramic views of the Center and launch pads. Relive the historic launch of Apollo 7, see Saturn V, the most powerful rocket ever built. Take in the IMAX movies - where you truly will feel like part of the lift off!!

Step into a full-size orbiter replica and see what it's really like to live and work in outer space. Not forgetting the real life Astronaut Encounter.

PLUS a visit to the Astronaut Hall of Fame

Enjoy all the benefits of the Max Access Badge plus the option of either NASA Up Close or Cape Canaveral: Then and Now plus you get to dine and talk with a real life Astronaut!

A truly out of this world experience!! Enjoy a day in the life of an Astronaut. Prepare your shuttle for lift-off, experience the G-Force and Zero Gravity of space, after your flight training simulator session - obviously... A truly awesome day out which includes lunch with an astronaut, souvenir polo shirt and commemorative photo.

(Persons aged 14 years and over)

If you think breathtaking fireworks displays are reserved for Independence Day and New Year’s Eve, then you haven’t enjoyed many magical evenings in Orlando. Our world famous theme parks show that every night is a cause for celebration when it’s spent here.

When you visit the Walt Disney World Resort you will find that the magical experiences of the day are enhanced by enchanting nighttime spectaculars at three of the resort’s theme parks. Cinderella’s Castle is the perfect backdrop for “Wishes” the nightly fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom. Narrated by Jiminy Cricket, “Wishes” tells an emotional story about making a wish come true, using classic Disney songs and character voices including Cinderella, Ariel, Aladdin and Peter Pan. The 12-minute show features 683 individual pieces of pyrotechnics – and even a flight by Tinkerbell - to create an unforgettable experience.

The World Showcase lagoon is the setting for “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” Epcot’s nightly finale that features dancing flames, cascading fountains and colorful fireworks. The 13-minute show centers on the spinning Earth Globe, a 28-foot diameter sphere that becomes a three-story video screen projecting vivid pictures of some of Earth’s most amazing people and places. A dramatic musical score and more than 2,800 firework shells add to the show’s celebration of planet Earth, humanity and our potential for peace and unity.

Disney’s beloved characters – both classic and new – take center stage in “Fantasmic!” at Disney-MGM Studios. Get there early to get a seat in the 6,900-seat amphitheater – it fills up fast. The 25-minute show takes us into the dreams of Mickey Mouse where his magic creates breathtaking spectacles from dancing waters to swirling stars. But, when classic Disney villains turn those dreams into nightmares, Mickey must use his power to triumph over evil. Scenes from your favorite Disney movies are shown on giant water screens as fireworks light the night sky and Disney characters sail by on themed barges. It’s the perfect end to a day spent exploring the magic of Walt Disney World.

While the Walt Disney World Resort offers fireworks every night of the year, summertime brings magic to the skies over some of Orlando’s other theme parks. After a day spent with Shamu and friends at SeaWorld Orlando, be sure to stick around for “Mistify,” the park’s nighttime spectacular. It brings to life the majesty of the sea by immersing guests in a vivid underwater adventure, seen through the eyes of a young child. The park’s center lake is the setting for the show which features 60-foot mist projection screens, 100-foot fountains, flames on water and fireworks.

Orlando’s theme parks offer a full day of fun. From early morning to sunset, you will find one magical experience after another awaiting you in Orlando.

Spectacular that is uniquely Disney. Join Jiminy Cricket as he guides Pinocchio, Cinderella, Ariel, Peter Pan and other beloved Disney characters through this fantastic story told amongst the stars. Wishes™ features a dazzling array of never-before-seen fireworks and pyrotechnic effects created specifically for this amazing show. Discover that wishes do come true when you experience this story so big only the sky can hold it.

Make a wish upon a star and then marvel as the nighttime sky comes to life in a musical firework spectacular that is uniquely Disney. Join Jiminy Cricket as he guides Pinocchio, Cinderella, Ariel, Peter Pan and other beloved Disney characters through this fantastic story told amongst the stars. Wishes™ features a dazzling array of never-before-seen fireworks and pyrotechnic effects created specifically for this amazing show. Discover that wishes do come true when you experience this story so big only the sky can hold it.

There are many dining options available in Orlando that will make eating out an unforgettable experience. You will find places for every taste or budget, ranging from 5-star restaurants, themed restaurants to fast food outlets. On International drive you will find the greatest selection but the Church Street area downtown also has a wide choice. Choose from a long, relaxed, romantic meal, a dish prepared by celebrity chefs or take in a dinner show for one of the most exciting dinner experiences in town. All the major attractions have a host of restaurants where you could be lucky enough to dine with your favourite characters.

There are many great shopping malls in Orlando the largest of which is the centrally located Florida Mall. Bargain hunters should head for the Belz Factory Outlet and Premium Factory Outlet’s. If boutiques and exclusive shops are your thing then look no further than The Pointe or Mercado Centre on International Drive.

The shops in Orlando generally open between 9am and 10am and close between 8pm and 9pm. The majority of shops also open on a Sunday between 11am and 6pm.