Walt Disney World
The most popular destination on the planet, DisneyWorld is Florida's crown jewel. Across 47 square miles, Disney consists of four theme parks, water parks, golf courses, ESPN, and more! Our magical vacation homes are literally located in one of the closest neighborhoods to Disney! We're about 10 minutes to each of the Disney theme parks, and typically our guests can arrive at the Disney parks faster than those guests who are staying at Disney resorts on Disney property! Magic Kingdom is certainly the most popular park, and the MUST-SEE attraction in Orlando, featuring the iconic Cinderella castle, and popular rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, Small World, Snow White's Mine Train, Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and Peter Pan. Hollywood Studios is the 2nd most popular Disney park. With the immersively-themed lands of STAR WARS and TOY STORY, and epic shows including Indiana Jones, Beauty and the Beast, and Frozen, this park appeals equally to movie-lovers of all ages and stages! Epcot is most known for the huge, iconic disco-like ball that houses a slow-moving ride, telling the history of thousands of years of human learning and technology, from cave men up to the internet. The bulk of Epcot acreage showcases countries from around the world in monumental buildings, window shops, authentic restaurants, fun experiences and rides, etc. Guardians of the Galaxy is the smoothest roller coaster and music ride anywhere, and arguably the most popular ride of all the Disney parks! Finally, Animal Kingdom offers nature-loving guests beautiful scenery and gorgeous and exotic REAL animals on the Safari jeep tour, and both realistic scenes like the mountains of the Everest roller coaster, and wildly imaginative scenes like Pandora from the Avatar movie series. In Pandora, the Flight of Passage is the best 4D ride experience anywhere, as guests ride on the back of a flying and breathing ikran. Be sure to check our "Insider Tips" as you plan your dream Disney vacation...
Disney Springs
Entrance and parking are FREE to this giant outdoor shopping mall, although with nearly 200 upscale shops, attractions, and themed eateries.....you'll have plenty to entice your spending. The most appealing area for young families is around the lagoon anchored by the World of Disney store (Lime parking garage). At least a dozen Disney stores sell everything Disney--souvenirs, toys and costumes, clothing, treats and snacks, fine art, home collectibles, jewelry, and Christmas decor. Take your daughter for a princess makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Lego store encourages you to build and buy your own Lego minifigures on site. A huge T-Rex themed restaurant offers great ambiance for kids and families, with three different themed dining areas with enormous animatronic dinosaurs. Planet Hollywood is also in Disney Springs, along with movie theater dining, an anchored hot air balloon ride, splash pad and carousel, arcade and bowling, and Cirque de Soleil acrobatic shows. Truly, there is something for EVERYONE here!!! Spend several hours, or all day! Particularly during school holidays and summer, parking may fill to capacity on weekend nights, so arrive early (4-5PM ish).
Day-trip Beaches
Just 70-90 minutes drive can take you to dozens of beautiful beaches! Whether you love to bodyboard in the bigger, crashing waves of the Atlantic, OR you prefer the warmer bathtub-like relaxation of the sea on the Gulf Coast, we have all your beach gear stored inside our rentals for you! Be advised, drive times are dramatically affected by rush hour traffic. Also, during the summer, almost every beach will get later afternoon rains around 4-6 PM, so hour-by-hour weather reports are most helpful. We typically check weather and drive times to each beach in the morning, and then select the best destination for that particular day. (Click on the "Day-Trip Beaches" title to read more!)
Wild Florida
About an hour from our rental homes, at Wild Florida, your family can choose to ride, walk, or drive-thru an adventure of their choice, coming within feet of wild and exotic animals. Let your hair blow in the wind as you take a thrilling airboat ride through the headwaters of the Florida Everglades to see eagles, alligators, and other native wildlife. Book a seat, or the whole boat for a WILD adventure! Next, walk through Gator Park, where you can feed live alligators or even try gator fishing. You'll also have the opportunity to snap some of the best selfies around with sloths, lemurs, capybaras, or other furry friends. When hunger strikes, stop by The Chomp House Grill for some of the best barbecue and gator bites in the area. Before heading home, buckle up for a truly wild drive through the Safari Park, where you can see over 100 native and exotic animals, including zebras, giraffes, bison, and more, all from the comfort of your own car!
Gatorland
Affordably-priced family fun showcasing thousands of alligators, crocodiles, native and endangered birds, a free flight aviary, petting zoo, nature trails, and a train ride. Spend a quiet afternoon together feeding alligators, hugging an ancient turtle, and chatting with parrots! Ride one of five different zip line rides, covering over 1200 feet of wild marshland and live alligators! Exciting "up-close encounter" shows invite audience participation to handle pythons, gators, and other wildlife. Located in Kissimmee, under 30 minutes from our "Happily Ever After" vacation rental homes.
Legoland
Legoland charms guests young and old, although the rides are specifically designed to thrill kids from ages 2 to 12, with their families. With life-sized Lego characters for every fan base, and more than 55 attractions and rides, this park is kid-heaven! Shows, meet-n-greets, and activities cover the interests and energy levels of all young kids. A water park, play areas, Peppa Pig themed area, and hands-on Lego building areas will keep them entertained for the whole day, or even more! Legoland has holiday events for Halloween and Christmas, as well, but never the crowds and waits that are standard at other theme parks. Pricing is very low compared to other theme parks as well, especially if you buy in advance online or through big box warehouses or Florida tourist venues. Expect an hour's drive from our vacation rental properties.
Universal Studios Orlando
Just 25+ minutes drive to the most exciting theme parks for Harry Potter fans--Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure! Two separate theme parks, adjoined by either a quick walk through Universal's CityWalk outdoor dining and shopping, or by train ride on Harry Potter's Hogwarts Express from one park to the other (requires a park-to-park ticket to allow entrance to both parks). Immersive theming in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is unmatched. In 2025, Epic Universe will open with a third area for the Fantastic Beasts movies. Volcano Bay is Universal's waterslide park, and it is absolutely INSANE! Gorgeous landscaping and a huge volcano make a phenomenal backdrop for the ridiculously thrilling/terrifying slides and enormous wave pool. If you're going to be in Florida during the summer, this is a fantastic park to cool off for the day, and also has great areas for younger children. While Universal seems to be creating more attractions for younger kids, including Dr. Seuss-land and DreamWorks land, height requirements may prohibit young children from many of the rides at any of the these parks.
SeaWorld Orlando
Come for phenomenal shows with sea animals, the BEST roller coasters in Orlando, and awesome water rides. If you haven't been here for a while, Sea World has upped its game for adults and kids! Just 20+ minutes drive from our villas. Get up close and personal with penguins, feed sharks and touch manta rays, watch dolphins and killer whales perform flips out of the water in unison! Ride all seven UNBELIEVABLE roller coasters, including MAKO (Ranked amongst the best roller coasters IN THE WORLD), with speeds up to 73 mph and up to 200 feet high! Take your kids down memory lane with you on Sesame Street's immersively themed area, with half a dozen rides for families with young children, and dance to the parade with Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, and all their friends. This theme park is our best recommendation for a budget-friendly option that will not disappoint, even if you're coming to Orlando during a crowded holiday week; even the roller coasters typically have less than a 10 minute wait on a busy holiday evening!!! Like all the other parks, it's at its best during the Christmas celebrations. Watch the *fan-favorite* live animal nativity show, and professional ice-skaters flipping and spinning to your favorite holiday music! We enjoy the Sea World holiday fun as much as Disney's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, but for pennies on the Disney dollar, Sea World wins for best value during the holidays! Two more water parks are located in the same complex area, from the Sea World family: Aquatica waterslides and pools park, and Discovery Cove all-inclusive day resort which offers immersive (literally, jump in the water!) play with sea animals, including dolphins!