Beyond the Ordinary: 10 Unique Parks for the Offbeat Explorer in Orlando

Are you wondering which Orlando parks to visit? Do you want to know which are the best amusement parks in Florida? In this post we tell you which are our favorites and, above all, which are the most visited by the millions of travelers who come to this area of ​​the United States every year with the intention of enjoying and being children again in the Orlando theme parks.

It is important to keep in mind that Orlando is the place with the most amusement parks in the world, so it is not always easy to decide which one or which ones you want to visit. That is why we recommend that you pay special attention to the information on each of them to be able to decide on one or the other depending on your tastes or needs. In addition to this, it is also advisable to review the attractions that you can ride, since depending on the intensity you endure, it may be better to opt for one or the other. Of course, don’t worry more than is strictly necessary since enjoyment and fun, whatever you choose, are guaranteed!

Amusement parks in Orlando

No one doubts that going to the theme parks is one of the most interesting and, above all, fun things to do in Orlando . Although this is something in the public domain, it is also true that it is not always easy to choose which ones to visit since the high ticket prices, the time it takes to visit each one of them or even the price of accommodation, usually be determining factors to decide for one or the other.

Despite this, the ones chosen always tend to be the Disney Parks and the Universal Parks , which in addition to being the best known and famous , are also the ones that have the most technologically advanced attractions, the most incredible shows and also, they rotate and are themed. in the best-known characters.
In this article we are going to focus on them but we are also going to talk to you about others that are surely the perfect complement and are also incredibly fun for adults and children.

Disney Parks

Known as Walt Disney World Orlando , this complex encompasses 4 main parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom in addition to Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach , which are the 2 complementary water parks.
They are all within what are known as Disney Parks and function in practically the same way, sharing organization, tickets, a mobile application from which to carry out procedures and even hotel facilities.

Although each of them has a very defined theme and its own characteristics, we could generally say that these are more focused on families and that their attractions are milder or less extreme than those that can be found in the Universal Parks, which They are your competitors most direct

1. Magic Kingdom, the most classic amusement park

Its relevance is such that it is even considered one of the essential places to see in Florida  and, as you can imagine, Magic Kingdom is not one of the best parks in Orlando by chance.

Known for being the first Disney amusement park as well as the most visited in the world, here you can enjoy and delve into the true essence and magic that surrounds this incredible fantasy lot in which the Disney characters from your childhood are the true protagonists. . We can say little more about what is, for us, the best park in Orlando and that is, if we are totally honest, Magic Kingdom has no competition. Of course, here do not look for attractions that are especially relevant on a technical level or with such extreme intensity that it makes the most adventurous lose their minds; Magic Kingdom is a place to dream and why not, be a child again and for that you only need to have a lot of magic.

Magic Kingdom Top Attractions:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Big Thunder Mountain
• Space Mountain
• Haunted Mansion
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Jungle Cruise
• It’s a small world
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• The Magic Carpets of Aladin
• Disney Festival of the Fantasy Parede Daytime Show and Magic Kingdom Nighttime Show is Disney Enchantment

2. Epcot, another of the best amusement parks in Orlando

Built around culture, innovation and science, Epcot is another of Orlando’s best theme parks and is home to Guardians of the Galaxy, the world’s largest indoor roller coaster and Disney’s first reverse launch roller coaster. . But not only that, the park is divided into two zones: Future World, which is subdivided into World Celebration, World Discovery and World Nature; and World Showcase, made up of 9 completely themed areas (Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, USA, Japan, Morocco, France and the United Kingdom) through which you can walk and delve into each of the countries thanks to its staging and recreations of monuments, stages and even restaurants, shops and shows.

Epcot Top Attractions:

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Test Track
• Frozen Ever After
• Spaceship Earth
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Mission:Space
• The Seas With Nemo & Friends
• World Showcase themed areas
• HarmoniUS Evening Show

3. Animal Kingdom, the best theme park in Orlando if you like nature

Revolving entirely around nature, Animal Kingdom is another of the most recommended Orlando parks and also one of the most visited, especially after Pandora: The World of Avatar was included in 2017, a new area in the park, inspired by the movie, which has some of the most important attractions in the Disney Parks as well as a themed area that leaves no one indifferent.
Despite these attractions, which undoubtedly justify a visit to this park, we believe it is important to highlight that in this park there are several attractions that have animals as their central axis and, although these are not in cages or like in a zoo, but in spaces more open, they are not free. If you want to practice responsible tourism, we recommend not going to these attractions. We spent a full day riding the rest of the attractions and it was an equally, super complete experience.

Animal Kingdom Main Attractions:

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Expedition Everest
• Kilimanjaro Safari (it is an animal safari)
• Kali River Rapids
• Na’vi River Journey
• DINOSAUR
• Shows: Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo: The Musical and Its Tough to be a Bug. In addition to these, the nightly mapping show at Tree of Life Awakens.

4. Hollywood Studios, the perfect park for movie lovers

Whether you are a movie lover or not, Hollywood Studios should be on your list of the best amusement parks in Orlando . Completely dedicated to the cinematographic world, entering its themed areas makes you the protagonist of the highest-grossing films in cinema for a day. Well, that and ensuring a day of fun and adrenaline in equal parts since some of the most extreme attractions in the Disney parks are located here. If you add to all that the latest expansion of the park, with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inspired by Star Wars , the surprise is guaranteed.

Hollywood Studios Main Attractions:

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Rock’n Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
• Mickey & Minnie Runaway Railway
• Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
• Toy Story Mania
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• Shows: Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast – Live on Stage, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! and Fantasmic!, a nighttime show.

Universal Parks

A direct competitor to the Disney Parks, Universal Orlando Resort is a complex that houses, among other things, some of the best amusement parks in Orlando such as Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure as well as Universal’s Volcano Bay , a water park that It delights adults and children alike, especially during the hottest time of the year.
As before, with the Disney Parks, we said that these were perfect for families, in the case of the Universal Parks, due to the type of theme and attractions, the public is usually of a more adult age. Of course, if you travel with children, don’t rule them out for that reason. We recommend you take a look because, although many of the attractions are more intense, the two Harry Potter areas, one in each park, are worth a visit on their own.

5. Universal Studios Florida, another of the best parks in Orlando

Known for being the first amusement park in the Universal complex, this is another of the best theme parks in Orlando not only for the attractions you can ride, which we tell you, are incredible, but also for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , the last themed area included which, inspired by JK Rowling’s books, is truly crazy if we take into account the staging and recreation of details.

In addition to all this, the park has two shows/attractions, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Bourne Stuntacular, which we found incredible in every way, especially the last one that even today, every time we remember it, we head explodes.

Not to mention the Hogwarts Express attraction, which is shared between Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, and is a train that will take you from one park to another, becoming one of the most innovative attractions in the world.

Main attractions:

• Harry Potter & The Escape From Gringotts
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Transformers The Ride 3D
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• The Simpsons Ride
• Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Bourne Stuntacular
• Hogwarts Express
• Show: Universal Orlando Cinematic Celebration

6. Islands of Adventure, the ideal amusement park for the most adventurous

Perfect for lovers of strong emotions and adrenaline, Islands of Adventure is another of the most visited Orlando parks in Florida and must be included in a route through Florida by car . Divided into 7 islands or adventure zones, perfectly themed, two of the most extreme roller coasters in the country are located here, as well as some of the most fun and famous attractions. In addition, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area is also located here, which is complemented by the Harry Potter area of ​​Universal Studios Florida.

If you are not a big fan of Harry Potter, you do not like the most intense attractions and you are wondering if it is worth visiting these amusement parks in Orlando, we can already tell you that it is, and we will also tell you that it is very much worth it. We hope you give us a vote of confidence. You’ll tell us!

Main attractions:

• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Flight of the Hippogriff
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Hogwarts Express
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Jurassic Park Discovery Center
• Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

Water parks in Orlando

We cannot forget the water parks in this selection of the best parks in Orlando , much less when they are located in one of the areas of the country with the best climate, something that makes them perfect and can be enjoyed practically any time of the year. In addition, they are ideal if you want to take a short break from the usual theme parks since  in these, although there are also incredible and very fun attractions, they have a totally different approach to the rest of the parks we have talked about previously.

7. Disneyland Typhoon Lagoon

Located at Walt Disney World Resort, this park opened in 1989 and can boast the largest wave pool in the world . Furthermore, as you can imagine, the park has a theme, which as its name indicates, revolves around a typhoon that destroyed this paradisiacal area.The park is divided into 4 different areas (Mount Mayday, Hideaway Bay, Typhoon Lagoon, Shark Reef) where all the attractions are located as well as some areas of sandy beaches where you can relax, sunbathe and have a spectacular day.

It is important to know that this park closes two months a year, usually January and February, for maintenance but Blizzard’s Beach, which we will talk about next, is always open.

8. Disney’s Blizzard’s Beach

Opened in 1995, Disney’s Blizzard’s Beach is also located at Walt Disney World Resort and is another of Orlando’s best parks . Like the previous one, its theme is also focused on an atmospheric phenomenon, in this case a snow storm that has caused many of the attractions to be located around the area of ​​Mount Gushmore.
In this case, the park is divided into 4 zones (Green Slope, Purple Slope, Red Slope and Ground Level) and like the previous one, it also has restaurants and shops.

9. Universal’s Volcano Bay

Did you think there were no more water parks among the best parks in Orlando? Well, we have to tell you that yes, there is still another one that we couldn’t fail to include in this selection: Universal’s Volcano Bay , which in this case, is located in the Universal Orlando Resort area.
Inspired by the South Seas and with a 61-meter-high volcano as its central axis, where 3 impressive slides are located, one of them even passes through a pool; The park has 4 completely differentiated and themed areas: Krakatau, Wave Village, River Village and Rainforest Village.

Other amusement parks in Orlando

We have already talked about what are probably the most famous Orlando theme parks: the Disney Parks and the Universal Parks, although as we said at the beginning of the post, Orlando is known for being the area in the world where the most theme parks are concentrated, so Get ready because the selection is not over yet…

10. Legoland

Opened in 2011, Legoland is another of the best-known Orlando amusement parks and also the most appropriate to visit if you are traveling with children. With more than 40 attractions, Lego fans will feel like they’re in paradise here. It is important to note that the park is not particularly characterized by its attractions and we believe that it is more the whole of everything, including the theming of the area and the many Lego recreations that you will be able to see, that really makes this park go. straight to the list of the best parks in Florida.

Main attractions:

• Dragon
• The Great LEGO Race
• Coastersaurus
• Flying School
• The Ride
• Lost Kingdom Adventure
• Kid Power Towers

Tips for going to Orlando Amusement Parks

We hope we have helped you decide which Florida theme parks you want to visit, but in case you still have any questions, we share with you several tips that we would have liked to know before starting the trip.

• If you are still not sure which Orlando parks to visit, we recommend that you carefully read the articles we have about each of the parks to learn about the attractions in each of them and see which ones best suit your tastes. Although it is very good to be guided by recommendations, in the end, each traveler has their own tastes and what may be essential for us, may not be essential for you.

• Book tickets as soon as possible if you are traveling during high season or on weekends. This is especially very important in the Disney Parks since in these you must make a reservation for the day you want to enter each park and sometimes availability is sold out. Update January 2024: from this date no prior reservation is required but it is advisable to check in case during high season this changes again.

• Although it may seem silly, wear comfortable clothes and shoes to theme parks. You will travel many kilometers and ride attractions, so wearing comfortable clothes will help you have much more fun. Also, try to wear closed-toe shoes since on many attractions, you will have your feet dangling.

• Make a list of the attractions you want to ride . This will allow you to make the most of your time and, above all, ride many more attractions.

• Consider purchasing the Express Pass (Universal) and Genie+ (Disney) especially if you are traveling during high season. With these passes you will skip the lines and be able to make the most of your time.

• If you cannot go to a park every day, consider purchasing the Park-to-Park (Universal) or Park Hopper (Disney) ticket , with which you can jump from one park to another on the same day .

• At Universal there are many attractions that you cannot access with a backpack. Although there are lockers where you can leave them, the ideal is to bring the minimum so as not to spend a lot of time dropping off and picking up things.

• If you use your cell phone a lot, it is ideal to carry one of those cases that hang around your neck. It’s super comfortable!