Need Non-Theme Park Ideas

[StarGirl11]

Okay guys heres the deal. We just booked our trip in January. We arrive 12/30 and leave 1/14 and staying on Disney property the entire length of the trip. Now here's the thing besides a side trip to Universal Studios my parents (though only my Mom is coming as of right now) are saying we need to do one (but I will set aside a second day if she wants) of non theme park things. Now me I could stay at the Disney and go to US and not care about doing something that isn't a theme park, I'm just that way. But my Mom is not much of a theme park person. So I need some ideas. My dad suggested Everglades but I wanted to know what you guys might have to suggest. I myself am only 22 will be 23 at the time of the trip, my Mom on the other hand will be 62. She's fairly fit (overweight but gets around easily if at a slow pace, has a semi-bad hip (can slip without warning, most days are fine but it happens) though despite surgery), but due to my pre-disposure to skin cancer and my Mom actually having it before she probably won't want to spend all day in the sun. Any suggestions is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

There's tons to do in the area. You will have no shortage of options.

- Mini Golf (Pirates Cove, Congo River, Hawaiian Rumble, Volcano Island, Gator Golf & Adventure Park all outdoor courses on I-Drive, or Putting Edge in the Festival Bay Mall if you want to be indoors)

- Wonderworks, Ripleys Believe it Or Not, and The Titanic Experience (again, all located on I-Drive, and all indoor stuff to keep you out of the sun)

- Go-karting

- An airboat ride (Wild Willy's, Boggy Creek, Spirit of the Swamp, etc. all offer various tours from half hour on up)

- Shopping! (Florida Mall, outlet malls, etc.)

- Gatorland (kind of a theme park, I guess, but maybe enough of an animal place to still be appealing to your mom?)

- a dinner show (entertainment and a meal all in one)....Pirates Adventure Theater, Outta Control Dinner Show, Arabian Nights, Al Capone's, Medieval Times, etc.

I am sure others will chime in with more, but those are a few off the top of my head. Will you have a rental car for your trip?

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

We had a time at the Blue Spring State Park - you can see the manatees (as they are there from November to March) and also take a boat tour on the river to see the wildlife - but you will need a car.

Not as far away is Winter Garden - again you can take a small boat trip (they show you the big houses on the lakes) - and you can take a look at the shops and enjoy a nice coffee etc

You could also go to Celebration (just off the 192) for a few hours just to have a look round, enjoy a meal - they have nightly 'snow' at Christmas.

Other things are to do an airboat ride or go to a beach (if it's warm enough).

I hope I have given you some ideas

Is there anything your mum is interested in as that might help with suggestions?

 

[MattM]

Head over to Winter Park and spend the day on Park Ave. (http://www.parkave-winterpark.com/). Lots of great shopping (according to my wife) and really good restaurants. Most of the restaurants are non-chains too, so you will get a local flavor.

Also, there is a nice boat tour that takes you around the local chain-of-lakes and lakefront homes in Winter Park. (http://scenicboattours.com/home.htm)

I think you would enjoy the area. It will give you a sense of the local community and show you that there is much more to Orlando than Disney.

Enjoy!

 

[2girlsmom]

I really can't imagine coming to Florida and not spending SOME time at the beach, even if only a couple hours (and I get the fair skin/skin cancer thing as my mother has had skin cancer and I am so dang fair that I burn within an hour wearing SPF70+ sunblock). Possibly Daytona? Not sure if anyone is into racecars, but they have the track as well as beaches, including some that you can drive a car along. Also, I know you said non theme park, but you might want to consider adding Sea World to your list of things to do. It is by far the most show intensive park, and is also smaller than Disney/Universal parks in sheer amount of walking. They do have some rides, including what may arguably be the BEST roller coaster, Mantis, but it is the one theme park that my mother, who HATES theme parks, has an annual pass to and goes to about every 6 weeks, and she never rides a thing, JUST does shows and animal exhibits. But the other posters are correct, there are a TON of things to do in the Orlando area, both indoor and outdoor. I am sure you will have a great time.

 

[wolf29]

We did Boggy Creek Airboat and Gatorland last year and loved both.

 

[bankr63]

We had a time at the Blue Spring State Park - you can see the manatees (as they are there from November to March) and also take a boat tour on the river to see the wildlife - but you will need a car.

This one is

It is probably the most back to nature thing you can do in the area. Your mom should have no problem around the springs - there is a well laid out boardwalk with good viewing areas and it's fairly shady. The boat tour is covered so you are not in the direct sun, and the guides are very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna.

 

[spiceycat]

here are some lists

http://www.visitorlando.com/things-to-do/

here are the local state parks
http://www.floridastateparks.org/findapark/district-central.cfm

to pick your own fruit - it is further down on the page

http://www.pickyourown.org/FLeastcentral.htm

would go with Lake or Orange County
good luck there is a lot to choose from

 

[StarGirl11]

here are some lists

http://www.visitorlando.com/things-to-do/

here are the local state parks
http://www.floridastateparks.org/findapark/district-central.cfm

to pick your own fruit - it is further down on the page

http://www.pickyourown.org/FLeastcentral.htm

would go with Lake or Orange County
good luck there is a lot to choose from

Thanks for the links! Didn't know they had places you could go pick your own fruit, honestly. Maybe nice to do to get some fresh snacks for the hotel room.

I really can't imagine coming to Florida and not spending SOME time at the beach, even if only a couple hours (and I get the fair skin/skin cancer thing as my mother has had skin cancer and I am so dang fair that I burn within an hour wearing SPF70+ sunblock). Possibly Daytona? Not sure if anyone is into racecars, but they have the track as well as beaches, including some that you can drive a car along. Also, I know you said non theme park, but you might want to consider adding Sea World to your list of things to do. It is by far the most show intensive park, and is also smaller than Disney/Universal parks in sheer amount of walking. They do have some rides, including what may arguably be the BEST roller coaster, Mantis, but it is the one theme park that my mother, who HATES theme parks, has an annual pass to and goes to about every 6 weeks, and she never rides a thing, JUST does shows and animal exhibits. But the other posters are correct, there are a TON of things to do in the Orlando area, both indoor and outdoor. I am sure you will have a great time.

I'll definetely make a note about the beaches we can drive next too, Mom may not be keen to go out on the actual beach except for maybe a little bit but she does love going on scenic drives sometimes and I would bet anything she would enjoy doing that.

Funny thing about Sea World, I am actually trying to talk my parents into letting me do Discovery Cove (I've been wanting to go dolphin swimming longer than I can remember) and that includes entrance into either SeaWorld, Aquatica, or Busch Gardens. And if I succeed (and I've been very succesful about talking my parents into things this trip) I'll probably go to SeaWorld after the swim for no other reason to ride Mantis. I'm a coaster geek, love them to death and am itching to ride Mantis.

We had a time at the Blue Spring State Park - you can see the manatees (as they are there from November to March) and also take a boat tour on the river to see the wildlife - but you will need a car.

Not as far away is Winter Garden - again you can take a small boat trip (they show you the big houses on the lakes) - and you can take a look at the shops and enjoy a nice coffee etc

You could also go to Celebration (just off the 192) for a few hours just to have a look round, enjoy a meal - they have nightly 'snow' at Christmas.

Other things are to do an airboat ride or go to a beach (if it's warm enough).

I hope I have given you some ideas

Is there anything your mum is interested in as that might help with suggestions?

Thanks for the suggestion about the Manatees, we actually ended picking out Crystal River with RiverAdventures (still a drive but I feel like going there would be more productive than the Everglades for some reason). Discovered a lovely riding stables in the area so we'll be hitting up both in the same day (or rather I will, feel bad but Mom thinks they would both be fun even though she has no interest at all in doing). Figure I'll find a state park or two to hit on the way back to ease some of the guilt. I thought I had found one that would be cool to visit until I looked at the sight and realized it seemed more city parkish than anytihng.

Thanks to everyone else who responded!

 

[kathy884]

Here are a few of our favorites:
1) OK it's a theme park but so much different than Disney --- SeaWorld -- my parents who are active 75 year olds love the beautiful grounds and shows so much that they just got annual passes yesterday. They are down in the area for a week visiting my god parents, enjoying their resort, won't even go to Disney parks, but will definately do a day or two here. // DS 16 loves the animal exhibits, two fun coasters, wonderful shows and is going to a high school aged camp here this summer. // This is a better park for a multigenerational group than Disney parks and our family's favorite.

2) It's an hour drive away, but Kennedy Space Center is really quite interesting, even for the non space enthusiast. The highlight I think is the bus tour included with admission that stops at a structure where you can see the some of the launch sites, stops at the vehicle assembly facility that was used for the space shuttle, and includes a really fun film with footage from the 1960s that gives a little history of the space program// show a early control room too. With the drive and a few hours there, this takes all day to do.

3) Resort Hop at Disney -- Visit some of the Disney resort hotels and walk around. We like to park at the Polynesian walk around there, take the monerail over the the Grand Floridian and Contemporary and walk around those -- stop in the gift shops at each, at the Polynesian maybe pick up a Dole Whip and sit our by the pool or beach. Depending on how much time we have, we have sometimes taken the little boats over to Wilderness Lodge to look at their grounds too and see the little man made geyser they put in. // On a different day we like to do a meal at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and walk around their grounds before and after and look at the animals. The main lobby of the hotel is spectacular too.

4) We love the Titanic Attraction on I-drive (great two hour diversion -- entertaining and interesting about Titanic History). // A guide complete with accent and a Titanic period costume takes you on a little tour. Our entire multigenerational group really enjoyed this. // Haven't done it, but I'd really like to do the dinner show their -- retirement party for Captain Smith where you get a nice meal, have at least one actor at your table, and also get to see their museum. I've heard excellent reviews. It's fairly new and off season they only do it on Saturdays.

5) We like Gatorland too. It's a three hour attraction -- Think more old time Florida attraction and maybe a little cheesy vs. World class theme park, but it is a great break from "World Class theme parks", something a little different and a good time.

6) Depends on your interests, but we also enjoy the indoor sky diving experience in a wind tunnel on I-drive right across from Wet and Wild. You get suited up, take a little, lesson, and your instructor goes in with you while you give this a shot, and you get to watch everyone else in your party through glass windows. Each person gets two tries. Everyone in our party ages 14 - 75 gave it a shot. They get an interesting mix of tourists and sky diving teams who are there to hone their skills, as you get more air time than you would with real sky diving.

7) There are two good permanent shows in the area that might have some appeal. The Cirque du Soliel show, La Nouba at Downtown Disney and Blueman Group at City Walk in Universal. These are both well done, but again whether you would enjoy them or not depends on your tastes / interests. These are less expensive to see here than in Las Vegas and are very high quality shows.