Hi guys,
I'm planning to go to Orlando for 6 days and I've noticed there are so many interesting places there, however due to the time limitation I don't think I can see them all.
What would suggest to visit/do in Orlando for 6 days to make the most of it?
Which of the Walt Disney world that shouldn't be missed?
And there's Universal Studio and Seaworld.
Is it worth to go to the Seaworld in Orlando?
Any good shopping places not to be missed around there?
well, i don't have to, there is already another person posting that on the forum, isn't it?
From my own experiences:
Shopping: I visited the Premium Outlets on Vineland Ave (http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=17). It's great for clothes, heaps of stores in a large outdoor area. Before heading over, I went to https://www.premiumoutlets.com/vip/ and registered. Then when I got to the outlet, I was able to go to the information booth and pick up a discount brochure.
Disney World: Totally depends on how long you want to spend - the property is beyond massive. Magic Kingdom is the classic Disney park, so that would be the starting point for a Disney park first timer. That said, the best rides are scattered through all the parks - Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids are in Animal Kingdom, Rock 'N Rollercoaster is in Hollywood Studios, Test Track and Mission:Space are in Epcot, and Space Mountain and Splash Mountain are in Magic Kingdom.
Also if time permits in WDW, there are tours that Disney run inside the park, should you fancy tooling about on a Segway in Epcot, or going backstage in Magic Kingdom (https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/#/park-tours/)
On my Orlando bucket list:
- Kennedy Space Center, Everglades Tour, Universal Studios.
thanks for that. btw between epcot and disney hollywood studios, which one is better to visit when you can only pick one?
Food and Connectivity are the things going for Epcot - in addition to the normal Disney bus services, it's well connected to the Disney transport system. Because it's on the monorail, you can easily go from Epcot to Magic Kingdom, or to the connected resorts (for restaurant options). There's also river transport from Epcot to the Boardwalk (ESPN and restaurants), Swan & Dolphin, Yacht Club and Beach Club resorts (more restaurants). Epcot also has heaps of themed restaurants in the World Showcase area.
Epcot is a big, open space that feels a bit empty though. Everything is very spaced out, and there's heaps of walking. A lot of people find it to be a pretty dull park - it doesn't have a overall theme to it, the Future World area (Epcot is split in two: Future World with the rides and World's Showcase with the Expo/Country Pavilion-thingys) just looks like a bunch of low-rise buildings. Epcot's rides are deceptively good - Test Track, Soarin', and Mission:Space are all really good.
Hollywood Studios is only accessible by car and bus, but it's better themed, and has two really good thrill rides in Rock N Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. It has a Universal-esque 'backstage' tour and open air auditoriums for a vehicle stunt show and an indiana jones stunt show, plus it has the Star Wars (Star Tours) ride which is pretty good. Hollywood Studios feels more like a theme park than Epcot.
Sorry for the ramble… Overall, I found myself going back to Epcot more than Hollywood Studios, but that might have been because it was easier to get to and had more food options. If I wanted thrill rides, I'd go to Hollywood Studios.
That said, if I wanted thrill rides, I've been told to go to Universal :)
I would agree that Epcot is the better of the two.
If you are staying in a Disney hotel, the food was pretty ordinary when we were there (2007). We found that Downtown Disney was a better option for dinner.
As far as other attractions go, if you are at all interested in space exploration, I can highly recommend the Kennedy Space Center.
I visited WDW and Universal last June, and I was going to write out my own experience, but there are much better resources out there. Check out places like wdwinfo.com or disboards.com (there are lots of Disney crazies out there, but these sites also talk about the other parks), and also somewhere like easywdw.com so you can figure out how busy the parks are going to be when you arrive and which ones are best to visit based on expected crowd levels.
A few of my own tips
Have fun!
thanks for the really helpful insights guys!
Bit late, I was there last year on a work conference but had the weekend off. I took a bus trip out to Kennedy Space centre, wasnt very expensive and I thought the trip was amazing. You get to touch a moon rock and get to see actual Apollo rockets etc. From the bus you get to see the Launch Pad. I think by now they have even mounted one of the actual space shuttles at the entrance and you can get to go in it. They also have a shuttle launch simulator you can ride in. If you are prepared to pay more there are tours where you get a former astronaut to give you a personal tour or have lunch with you. I didnt know about that bit till I got there but there was another Aust couple with kids on the bus that had booked their own private astronaut tour!
I was on my own without the kids so I didnt go to anything Disney. I did however spend a day at both of the Movie Worlds…awesome. Try the Butter Beer at Harry Potter world!!! Loads of rides from Harry Potter to Jurassic Park to the Mummy!!
As someone else said…try out the factory outlets as well. I am into skiing and there is a North Face outlet and a Burton Snowboards Outlet there. The North Face one was awesome, I bought a fleece Jacket for $25 I think! Also picked up a couple of pairs of Rockport business shoes that i can wear to work.
Universal Studios is a must!
I thought you were going to ask what bargains you could buy while in the US!