Favorite non Disney Christmas things to do in Orlando

[Jajone]

I have always wanted to be in Orlando over Christmas, so we are looking into costs for this coming Christmas. I am looking for non Disney ideas, or at least non park things. I am aware of ICE and heard something about a dinner at the Gaylord Palms, but what else is fun in the area?

 

[JaxDad]

I highly recommend reading the many Christmas trip reports on this board. There is an ongoing one by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina that has outstanding information (as they always do)!

 

[Jajone]

I highly recommend reading the many Christmas trip reports on this board. There is an ongoing one by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina that has outstanding information (as they always do)!

Do you have a link to it? I have looked all over

 

[JaxDad]

Hopefully this works...

http://www.disboards.com/threads/it...ey-christmas-tr.3472126/page-14#post-55008668

Gina has links in her posts to her other trip reports too, including at least one other Christmas one...

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Seeing the manatees At the Blue Spring State Park. Visiting Celebration where they have nightly snowing, a little train ride; you can eat there and take a drive riund the town to see the house decorations.

Go to Fort Wilderness on a night to see the RVs all decorated

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

The Orlando Eye hosts a "Frostival" every Christmas, where you can ride in one of four specially decorated, themed pods (winter wonderland, candy cane, gingerbread, and Twas the Night Before Christmas). With the Frostival upgrade, you get VIP check-in/escort, everyone gets a Christmas cookie to enjoy before boarding, and the pods themselves have holiday music piped in as well as holiday scents. You can even ride with Santa himself, on certain dates.

I know you said no parks, but I would encourage you to consider SeaWorld: their Christmas Celebration is second to none (and the special holiday events are all included with your regular admission). The shows are SPECTACULAR, the decorations are amazing, you can ride the Polar Express and meet Santa afterward at the North Pole, you can get family pictures taken in a snow globe, and the entire event is just....amazing. We have spent two Christmases in Orlando now, and without hesitation, I can say SeaWorld tops every single other thing we have done on those trips!

You mentioned Gaylord Palms in your original post, and ICE! is another very worthwhile event. Beautifully put together and very, very festive!

As @JaxDad mentioned (thank you, my friend!!) I have a couple of trip reports from our Christmas adventures. Links to both are in my signature. One is from 2012 and the other just from this year....so its still in progress.