edit Orlando Travel Guide

• Theme Parks are the most common reason for visitors to come to Orlando.  The list of parks is ever growing and includes everything from natural attractions to fantastical ones.  To read more about everything from Disney to SeaWorld, check out the Things to See and Do section.
• Despite the proximity of theme park haven, Downtown Orlando is a great attraction on its own. The growing area centered around Orange Avenue is packed with bars, clubs, and restaurants, as well as theatres and concert venues. The main strip on Orange Ave. is closed most nights because of the large volumes of pedestrians. Another area of instrest is Wall Street with a great nightlife and frequent concerts. Just a few blocks over is Lake Eola, a picturesque park situated around a swan-filled lake. In the middle of the lake is a lighted fountain that has been established as an icon of Orlando, and on one side of the lake stands the historic outdoor shell theatre, where tourists and locals alike can see a version of the Nutcracker every year in December.
• The Town of Celebration is an interesting view in sociology.  It was created by the Disney Corporation with the sole intent on buidling the picture-perfect community.  With massive research Disney designed a place that would best encompess old fashion american values.  Many consider it controversial, some say its weired and others find it interesting, but its close enough to Disney that you might as well take a look.

Orlando, for most people conjures up the image of theme parks, mainly Disney World, but it has a lot more to offer than that. In fact, Disney is technically not in Orlando, but is in nearby Lake Buena Vista. Make sure that you don't miss downtown Orlando and charming Winter Park.

By plane

Those traveling by air will probably enter via Orlando International Airport (IATA: MCO).  Flights enter Orlando International Airport from all over the United States, but travelers coming from international destinations will likely have to fly into Miami or Atlanta before transferring onto a domestic airline.

Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB) is located north of the city in Sanford, and mainly caters to charter flights from Europe as well as regional carriers.  It is growing in popularity.  A taxi cab from here to Orlando will run you about 55 dollars.

Other International air options are Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) to the northeast, Tampa International Airport (TPA) to the southwest, and Melbourne International Airport (MLB) to the southeast.

Shuttle Services run from the airport to various points including the, theme parks, University of Central Florida, and the cruise port at Port Canaveral. A short list includes:

• Mears Transportation Group, +1 407 423-5566
• Omega Transportation, +1 407 666-1595
• Orlando Transportation & Tours Inc, +1 407 383-9930
• Shuttles In Orlando, +1 800 997-9489

If you are headed to Disney then you'll want to hop on the Disney's Magical Express, a complimentary shuttle and luggage delivery service.  It will conveniently take you from the airport directly to the Walt Disney World Resort hotel.

By train

Orlando has an Amtrak station that provides service to Miami or points north up to New York via the Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Orlando served as the eastern terminus for the coast to coast Sunset Limited that provided service to Los Angeles via Jacksonville, New Orleans, and San Antonio. Due to extensive track & bridge damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Sunset Limited is not currently operating east of New Orleans and the timetable for repair is several years away.

In nearby Sanford, the southern Terminus of the Amtrak Auto Train carries passengers and automobiles between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia, effectively serving as a car-rail link from Orlando to the Washington, DC Metro Area.

By car

There is a whole mesh of road network that intersects in or around Orlando.  I-4 is the major route running from southwest to the northeast, passing Walt Disney World and Downtown Orlando.   

By bus

Greyhound, 555 North John Young Parkway. Visitors arriving by Greyhound can go south on SR 423 to Interstate 4 to get to the major Attraction.

By boat

By Car

The car is king in Orlando, and it is a very easy and convenient (if not congested) way to get to your destination. The roads are all wide and easy to drive on with all the major areas signposted, but traffic jams around downtown are common in the afternoons, and around the tourists areas on Saturday nights.

If you arrive by air via Orlando International Airport and get a rental car, go to the North Exit and head to SR 528 West to get to International Drive, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. This will require $0.75 in tolls. A short-cut to Walt Disney World is the South Exit to SR 417 South, following it to Exit 5, and taking SR 536 straight into Disney. This requires $2 in tolls.

In Orlando, the main tourism area is International Drive, a strip of road that runs parallel to I-4 for about 10 miles.

To get to the Space Coast beaches, such as Cocoa Beach, as well as the cruise terminals of Port Canaveral, use SR 528, the Bee Line Expressway (recently renamed to the Beach Line), which is I-4 Exit 72.

Orlando is the largest rental car market in the world and is known as capital of car rental companies, with all major car rental companies easily accessible from the airport. All major car rental companies are located inside the Orlando airport or nearby.

By Mass Transit

Orlando runs a highly efficient and inexpensive city bus system (called Lynx) and includes a free downtown circulator.  Approximately 60 routes serve the metro Orlando area and costs $1.50 per ride (transfers included).  Pick up schedules and route maps at the Lynx Bus Center.

By Trolley

• I-Ride Trolley. Along International and Universal Drive, this primarily serves tourists in the attractions area. While the service is advertised as a trolley, the trolleys are in fact modified buses and there is no dedicated traffic lane for the service; heavy traffic with many stops makes for a very slow ride. There are 85 stops along the main route on International Drive and 22 stops on the route that serves Universal Drive. The fare is $1 per ride. Per-day and multi-day bus passes are available from many locations.
• Lymmo Bus This free service operates frequently in a circuit in Downtown Orlando, from City Hall to the Centroplex and back. The Lymmo has a dedicated lane and stations with streetcar type control signals and modified buses that allow passengers to enter the bus without climbing. M-Th 6AM-10PM, F 6AM-12AM, Sa 10AM-12AM, Su 10AM-10PM.

By Taxi

While there are many taxi companies in Orlando, they cannot be hailed on the street; you'll have to phone to secure one.

By Foot

Expect hot and humid (extremely) throughout most of the year and especially in the summer. However the winders turn a bit more mild and temperate.

Crime

Visitors should be vigilant of their surroundings in downtown Orlando west of I-4 (known as the Parramore district). Orange Blossom Trail (north of Sand Lake Road) is also a notoriously dangerous part of town.

Typical rules of tourism common sense apply. Hotel room invasions do occur, especially open-air hotel and motel rooms when the victim leaves their hotel room unlocked and undeadbolted. When you are in a hotel room, lock your doors behind you.

Never leave valuable items in your car unattended; get any purchased items to your hotel room as soon as possible. 

Walt Disney World

Comprised of four theme parks, two water parks, dozens of hotels, three shopping and dining districts, eight golf courses and much more, it is the largest privately managed tourist destination on the planet.

Magic Kingdom Resort

It is the best-known park, organized around the central landmark, of Cinderella's Castle. It is based on the original Disney park, Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It has various 'lands' within it and is more oriented toward children, although many adults love the escapism as well. This is the first park opened in the Florida complex and also the most heavily attended. It teems with humanity of all ages and colors, so people who have problems with crowds - or who don't like screaming toddlers - may want to stay away. Though their process of getting ride tickets enabling visitors to board a ride at a specific time works well, this process is not available for all attractions, and lines there can be endless. Food is expensive, and Disney merchanidise even more so. Plan accordingly for a trip tight on the budget, but most would agree that the lines, the crowds, and the prices are worth it for the magical Disney experience.

The list of attractions at the Magic Kingdom can change regularly but heres a sampling of the most popular:

• Swiss Family Treehouse (walk through)
• The Flying Carpets of Aladdin (flying young childrens ride)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (classic indoor boat ride)
• Splash Mountain (log ride with a 50 ft. water drop)
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (medium fast rollercoaster)
• Haunted Mansion (indoor dark ride)
• Snow White's Scary Adventures (indoor dark ride)
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (indoor dark ride)
• "it's a small world" (classic indoor boat ride)
• Cinderella's Golden Carousel (classic horse carousel ride)
• Mickey's Philharmagic (3D movie featuring digital representations of Disney characters.)
• Space Mountain (dark indoor rollercoaster)
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (indoor dark ride with laser gun game)
• Carousel of Progress (originally developed by Walt Disney for the 1964 World's Fair, then reinstalled at Disneyland, California.)
• Stitch's Great Escape! (Alien Encounter remake)

Additionally, there are numerous shows and characters to see during the day. At park closing there is a fireworks show, currently "Wishes - A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams," to send everyone home with a great memory. (Be aware that the best viewing areas generate very crowded conditions).

Downtown Disney

A shopping mall and entertainment district with headliner restaurants such as House of Blues, Rainforest Cafe, Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Ghiradelli Chocolate Shop and Soda Fountain, and even McDonald's among others. Don't forget to visit the DisneyQuest indoor arcade with an array of Disney themed video games along with classical arcade games, and so much more! In addition to restaurants and shopping are a movie theater complex and a nightclub district. The prices are standard for Disney - high - but it's a great place to wind down from the theme parks.

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is a mix between a zoo and a theme park. Naturalistic animal exhibitions are interspersed, and sometimes integrated, with typical Disney rides. Among these are a jeep safari past live animal enclosures, a raft ride through the deforstation of a tropical rainforest, a time travel ride which includes close encounters with dinosaurs and the newest ride, "Expedition Everest", which is a roller coaster ride and includes an encounter with the Yeti. While light on rides, there are also shows and plenty of animals to view (though the variety of species seems a bit sparse when compared to many larger city zoos). Animal Kingdom is more of a kid friendly theme park with many animals that would attract the attention of younger generations as well as Camp Minnie Mickey, a special space for youngsters where they can meet all of their favorite characters.

The following attractions are currently running at the Animal Kingdom

Organized in a Magic Kingdom like format, with different continents revolving around the central Tree of Life.

• Kilimanjaro Safari (Safari jeep ride through the African plains, featuring vast assortment of wildlife. Great for photos)
• Pangani Forest Exploration Trail (A walk-through area near the exit of Kilimanjaro featuring gorillas as well as other African wildlife. Great if you missed something on the Safari.)
• Dinosaur (dark, scary ride; formerly known as Countdown to Extinction)
• Kali River Rapids (water-tire ride where you may get soaked)
• Maharajah Jungle Trek (Walk-through of Asian wildlife featuring Bengal tigers.)
• Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (high-speed rollercoaster with a visit to a 25-foot Yeti. Opened in April 2006)
• It's Tough to be a Bug! (Interactive 3-D show feature Flick and the other characters from 'A Bug's Life.')
• Festival of the Lion King (Acrobatic theatre-of-the-round feature Simba, Timone, and Pumba.)

EPCOT Center

Epcot is an "educational park." It is divided into two distinct areas, "Future World" and "World Showcase". World Showcase is structured to showcase various international locations, especially in terms of food and/or trade goods. Don't miss the impossibly cheesy but fun Mexico ride along with the extravagant Maelstrom ride in the Norway pavilion. Future World is comprised of various 'futuristic' attractions, many sponsored by various industrial concerns. The Test Track, a recent addition in which visitors go through the motions of tests for new cars, is a probably the most fun, and the most traditionally theme-park. Recently, Epcot has added Soarin' an adventure where visitors handglide through many landscapes and Mission Space. Epcot may appeal more to adult visitors, but the park has made efforts to appeal to the entire family in recent years with the addition of more character greetings and "Kidcot" funstops which encourage the children to work on a craft and interact with the cast members who are representing their home countries.

• Future World
  • Mission:Space (a giant centrifuge which simulates a journey to Mars)
  • Spaceship Earth (a dark ride travel through the history of communication)
  • The Land (home of three attractions: "Living with the Land"-a relaxing boat ride showcasing Disney's hydroponic greenhouse and how we can live in peace with the land; Soarin' (a simulated aerial flight over California (a copy of the highly popular ride at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, California); and "Circle of Life", a movie about conservation starring the Lion King characters.)
  • The Universe of Energy (a slow moving dinosaur experience featuring Bill Nye the Science Guy end Ellen DeGeneres)
  • Imagination! (Home of 2 attractions, "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" 3D movie; Journey Into Imagination....with Figment- a classic Disney dark ride.)
  • The Seas (home to a number of exhibits featuring sea animals and characters from "Finding Nemo."
  • Innoventions (a hands-on exhibtion featuring the latest in technology and how it's finding its way into every aspect of our lives)

• The World Showcase is the back area of the park with different pavillions representing countries from around the world, all themed with architecture, food, drink and culture to match. All pavillions, except the United States, have a table service restaurant and most also have a counter service restaurant. The countries included are:
  • United Kingdom -restaurants and shops.
  • France -restaurants (including a French patisserie, or bakery), shops, and a travel movie featuring the French countryside and a classical music soundtrack.
  • Morocco -restaurants, a small museum, and shops.
  • Germany -restaurants (including a German beer hall with a show), and shops.
  • Japan -restaurants, shops (including a large Japanese department store), and a small museum.
  • China -restaurants, shops, a small museum, and a "Circlevision" travel movie.
  • Mexico -restaurants, shops, and a gentle boat ride featuring historical facts and travel to Mexico.
  • Norway -restaurants (including a bakery), shops, and a boat ride with mild flume drops though the history and sights of Norway- followed by a travel film.
  • Italy -restaurants and shops.
  • USA -a fast food restaurant, a small shop, a small museum, and a patriotic show featuring film and Audio-Animatronic representations of historical figures.
  • Canada-restaurants, shops, and a "Circlevision" travel movie.

Disney MGM Studios

Disney-MGM Studios is a park with a 20th Century movie theme. This park has lots of shows and some thrill rides including:

• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (13-flight free fall based on The Twilight Zone)
• Rock 'n' Roller Coaster (WDW's only roller coaster with loops. Features Aerosmith)
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (Live action stunt show recreating some of the best scenes from 'Raiders of the Lost Ark')
• Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D (3D movie featuring the Muppet characters) shown in a "special" auditorium
• Star Tours (The only official Star Wars ride)
• Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show (The most popular show in Disneyland Resort Paris is now at MGM. Features some amazing live action stunt driving)
• Backlot Studios Tour (Tram tour of old Disney movie props, as well as the infamous Catastrophe Canyon)
• The Great Movie Ride (Slow moving ride through scenes of some of the greatest movies recreated using Audio-Animatronics, such as Alien, The Wizard of Oz, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Marry Poppins.)
• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure (Huge play area that makes you feel like you're a quarter of an inch tall).

Typhoon Lagoon

A water park with a giant surf wave pool, numerous slides, a snorkeling lagoon, and a tropical beach theme. The snorkeling lagoon includes living sharks, so while not for the faint of heart, it's an unforgettable experience. Typhoon Lagoon's great fun, especially for those with kids, but be warned: if you only use sunscreen once in Florida, this is the place to do it.

• Featuring Surf Pool, one of the world's largest wave pools with some of the largest artificially created waves
• Humunga Kowabunga
• Mayday Falls
• Castaway Creek
• Ketchakiddee Creek
• Shark Reef- a snorkel tank featuring tropical fish, rays, small (non-threatening) sharks, and a mock sunken ship.

Blizzard Beach 

A newer water park with bigger thrill slides, a smaller bobbing wave pool, and an improved kiddie area than it's older cousin, Typhoon Lagoon. The theme here is a Florida ski resort meltdown.

• Summit Plummet the tallest, steepest, fastest water slide in the world. 120 feet high causing those who dare to plummet at over 55 mph straight down at an 85 degree angle
• Downhill Double Dipper
• Slush Gusher
• Teamboat Springs
• Cross Country Creek
• Tike's Peak

Universal Orlando

Universal Studios

Island of Adventure

City Walk 

SeaWorld Orlando

Discovery Cove

Gatorland

Wet 'N Wild

Winter Park 

Splendid China 

Other Attractions

Orlando Museum of Art

Olrando Science Center

Hary Leu Gardens 

Rent an Airboat

Flying Tigers Warbird Air Museum

Hard Rock Vault

Old Town

Pirates Cove Adventure Golf

Reptile World Serpentarium

Ripley's Believe it or Not

Skull Kingdom

SkyCoaster

SkyVenture

Titanic Ship of Dreams

WonderWorks

A World of ORchids 

 

Major malls

Florida Mall - The biggest mall in Orlando located at the crossroads of Orange Blossom Trail and Sandlake Road. Home to hundreds of shops and anchored by Saks 5th Avenue, Macys, Dillards, Nordstrom, Lord and Taylor, JC Penney and Sears. You can go an entire day in this mall and still not finish.

Mall at Millenia - This is Orlando's most upscale and beautiful mall. Find everything from Tiffany's to Hugo Boss and Gucci. Also home to upscale department stores like Macy's, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus. This mall is part of the very new and trendy Millenia area of Orlando. Located conveniently on the Conroy Road exit off of I-4 a few miles south of Downtown.

Fashion Square Mall - Located on east Colonial Drive just north of downtown.

West Oaks Mall - Located on West Colonial Drive in the western suburbs of Ocoee and Winter Garden

Outlet malls

Orlando Premium Outlets - Home to the biggest designers such as Armani, Fendi, Burberry, Ferragamo, Lacoste, Coach. Also home to Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Polo, Nautica and many more. Located off of 535 and visible from I-4 closest to the Disney World area. This is the best mall to pick up bargains from all the name brands and designer wear.

Prime Outlets (formerly Bellz) - Home to many designers such as Polo, DKNY, Nike, Reebok, and Liz Claiborne. The mall is currently undergoing major renovation but the outside centers are still open and have the above stores.

Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlets - Select from over 300 designer and name brands such as Gap, Reebok, Carters and Eddie Bauer. Stores offer factory direct, quality merchandise at savings up to 75%. Located off of SR 535 near International Drive and Disney.

Ethnic enclaves

Little Saigon - Located on Colonial Drive just east of downtown. Here you will find about 100 stores that stock items from
China, Viet Nam, Hong Kong, etc. Also home to many Asian restaurants. The shops will mainly consist of Asian grocery stores and gift shops and a few herbal healing stores.

Little India area - This area is a bit spread out. You will find many Indian stores in the South Orange Blossom Trail area on the main streets and side roads. Starting with Lancaster Road, which houses a video store and Indian restaurant, and then traveling south you will see a few Indian shops in clusters every mile all the way to 417 where you end at the local Indian movie theater.

• Altamonte Springs
• Celebration
• Kissimmee
• Clermont, about 20 miles west of Orlando on Florida Highway 50, hosts another Central Florida landmark, the Florida Citrus Tower. The tower celebrated its 50th anniversary in December of 2006.