What to do in Orlando?

[Jorge]

I'll have a vacation next december, my plan is to expend the three first days at parks outside WDW, have a free day and then I'll move to the CBR at WDW for five days.

My problem is with the free day. I really don't have an exact idea about what to do at Orlando city in this day, I hope that you maybe could recommend me some places to visit, maybe some museums, shows, malls, etc

I have the option of extend my CBR stay for one day, instead the free day at the city, and this is the moment to make the decision in the case that anything at the Orlando area is not enough attractive.

What do you think?

 

[Tiffer]

We have done the outlet malls. DD got a hair wrap ther for about 1/4 of what it costs at WDW.

 

[mbb]

Are you traveling by yourself, with friends, with kids, etc...?

Do you enjoy museums?
What type of music do you like?
Have you thought about a trip to another of Orlando's parks?
Or maybe a day at Cape Canaveral at KSC..?

There isn't much MCO doesn't have

 

[Jorge]

I'll travel with my wife and no kids. The plan is to spend 1 day at US, then SW and then KSC, one free day and then at the CBR for WDW parks.
We are thinking that if there's nothing that convince us to be more attractive than another day at CBR, maybe we should book for an extra nigth there.
The only thing that is attractive for me (and my wife of course!) is a shopping day, but come on! we can do this any other time!

So, I'm trying to decide, there are any other attractive thing to do than an extra day at WDW?

I'll wait for your comments!!!

 

[ohiomom28]

Do you enjoy shopping? We went to every mall in Orlando and also the outlet malls.

 

[cybrkitn]

Going with the shopping idea....try Church Street Station. Sorry, I don't remember their web address. But you can Google it.

There are also a few miniature golf places around the area. And if you like to have a dinner and a show, there is always Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament.

Check out Orlando's official visitor's web site. They have loads of information about places to visit outside of Disney. Their website address is: www.orlandoinfo.com.

 

[Jorge]

I really appreciate your anserws, now I have a more specific idea about how to schedule my days.

Thanks!!!

 

[HappyLawyer]

Hmmm, read my signature for ideas

 

[disneymomof5]

Visit Celebration! The town that Disney built. My husband and I spend a day there every trip. In Dec. it snows every night on main street and they have horse and carriage rides. It is absolutely beautiful and the PERFECT town. It is right across the street from Disney. Check it out. I think the website is celebrationfl.com.

 

[alexcturner]

That is exactly what I was going to say Disneymomof5! Celebration.....Also, my new favorite restaurant Columbia, not to be missed!

 

[ducklite]

Skip Church Street Station, no one goes there anymore, and there are only a couple clubs open.

Instead check out Wall Street Plaza. That's the hip spot now.

Anne

 

[lorijm23]

Definitly skip Church Street...nothing down there anymore. Well, where to begin. For shopping, don't miss Prime Outlets which is just on the opposite side of I-4 from Downtown Disney main entrance (just 5 minutes away). All name brand (some very high end) stores but great bargains. Then there is I-Drive (not to be confused with I-4) where you can drive up and down the strip and there are numerous tourist attractions/restaurants/shops to choose from. We personally enjoyed Ripley's Believe It or Not which will take an hour or two to go through. You could also take in a dinner show, either Medieval Times, Pirates or Dolly Partons Stampede. In Kissimmee there is Old Town which is neat to walk through the different shops but doesn't take much longer than an hour or so. There are tons of things to do in Orlando besides the parks, it's just a matter of picking what interests you. You could also visit Gaylord Palms resort. It's a very unique resort in that it is one of the largest in Orlando and it is entirely iunder a huge dome. They have different sides, each one focusing on a particular part of Florida...there's Key West, the Everglades and I think St. Augustine. And since you are going in December, they also have ICE which is a great show where they build a village and all kinds of things out of ice and incorporate lights...really unique. Visit their website for more info.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

There are many choices. It would be hard to know which is best for you with such minimal information. Just touring some of the big resorts in the Olrando area can be fun, and driving up and down I-Drive - cruising, so to speak. There's minigolf, go-carts, sky diving, bungee jumping (or at least a place witha huge bungee thing that propels you way up in the air). There's lots of shopping, mega-movie theaters. There's Citywalk atUniversal and Dwontown Disney at WDW, and last there's the idea of taking it easy and going for swim at your resort...

I truly think the best option for this one day is to let it happen to you. Wander around Orlando, get to know the lay of the land...and stop where your curiosity takes you. A day with no plans is a great day in Orlando. Find a restaurant that looks interesting. It might be aweful, it might be the best meal of the trip - either way, you'lll probably end up with a great story to tell.

How can you know what the best choice is if you don't look for yourself?

 

[cybrkitn]

Skip Church Street Station, no one goes there anymore, and there are only a couple clubs open.

Instead check out Wall Street Plaza. That's the hip spot now.

Anne

Has Church Street Station gone down that bad? 13 years ago, it was a nice place to visit. My parents took my brother and I there the last time we visited. We had a nice dinner at Rosie O'Grady's.

 

[Jorge]

How can you know what the best choice is if you don't look for yourself?

I think you're so right!!
In the last five days I did a lot of research and I've founded some good candidates:
- Spend some good hours at the mall and the outlets.
- Visit the Ripley's attraction
- Visit and dinner at Orlando downtown
- and finally, a tour around the I-drive to find anything else attractive.

Thanks four your answer!

 

[7165red]

thanks for the tip. We will be there in Dec.

 

[ducklite]

Has Church Street Station gone down that bad? 13 years ago, it was a nice place to visit. My parents took my brother and I there the last time we visited. We had a nice dinner at Rosie O'Grady's.

13 years is a long time. Like I said, nobody goes there anymore.

And just an FYI, Gaylord charges $10 for parking, regardless of the reason you are there.

Anne

 

[cybrkitn]

13 years is a long time. Like I said, nobody goes there anymore.

And just an FYI, Gaylord charges $10 for parking, regardless of the reason you are there.

Anne

Wow. Boy how a lot of things have changed in that time. Thanks!

 

[KQAN]

Church Street Station is closed. It is being redeveloped (supposedly! It is taking forever...)

If you want to see the "real" Orlando, the city actually has a lot more to offer than outlet malls and dinner theaters. You could walk around Lake Eola in downtown, and stop for gelato, BBQ, beer, or books in Thornton Park, a historic neighborhood with brick streets and 100-year old homes on downtown's west side. You could explore Park Ave in Winter Park (an upscale suburb near the heart of Orlando), with its expensive and interesting shops, bars, and bistros. Similarly, Edgewater Drive in College Park (a neighborhood north of downtown) offers a variety shopping and dining experiences. The Orlando Museum of Art, Mennello Folk Art Museum, Orlando Science Center, and Morse Museum are all great places to explore.

Enjoy your time in Orlando... and try to see the real part of the city, if you have time!