orlando travel with kids

Orlando Travel with Kids

Under 13 Disney parks offer loads of fun things to do for all ages! Talk to your AAA travel agent about how to save money with cheap airline flights and travel packages. At the Magic Kingdom® Park (3111 World Dr.) in Lake Buena Vista, kids soar into the sky on Dumbo the Flying Elephant®, spin their teacup in the Mad Tea Party and scream as loud as they want on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

AAA/Inspector 542
More of Orlando's special brand of magic awaits at Universal's Islands of Adventure™ (1000 Universal Studios Plaza). There are many fun places to go in this part of the park.

AAA/Brooke Holt
At Winter Haven's LEGOLAND Florida Resort (One LEGOLAND Way), kids will feel like Gulliver as they travel through cities like San Francisco, New York City and Las Vegas in Miniland USA, made from countless of LEGO bricks. Activities and shows include roller coasters; DUPLO Village, a toddler play area; and a water-skiing stunt show.

iStockphoto.com/rabbit75_ist
When you’re tired of being on your feet all day, there are plenty of relaxing and interesting things to do in Orlando. Venture outside the theme parks to feed the swans or ride paddleboat likenesses in downtown Orlando's centerpiece, Lake Eola Park (195 N. Rosalind St.), where locals stroll and relax. This photogenic beauty has a landscaped walkway, shade trees, a lighted fountain and an amphitheater.

TeensAAA/Inspector 511
Experience the movies as never before at Universal Studios Florida™ (1000 Universal Studios Plaza). The heart-pounding drops on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit or Revenge of the Mummy roller coasters are perfect for those with nerves of steel. Learn the secrets of monsterish makeup at the Horror Make-Up Show, or outmaneuver other contestants at Fear Factor Live.

Encounter the snapping jaws of live alligators at Gatorland (14501 S. Orange Blossom Tr.), one of the area's oldest attractions. Climb the observation tower for a view of the breeding marsh where 130 gators live. At the Gator Jumparoo brave trainers let the reptiles snatch meat from their hands; it's a must-see.

Courtesy of Boggy Creek Airboat Rides
Discover more of natural Florida with Boggy Creek Airboat Rides (2001 E. Southport Rd.) in nearby Kissimmee . From a dock on East Lake Tohopekaliga, your airboat skims across the Everglades headwaters on a river of grass while you watch for gators, birds and native wildlife.

What to Do for All Ages Experience the wondrous world of science at WonderWorks (9067 International Dr.). Try to stand in 71-mph hurricane winds, feel an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale, climb inside a replica of the Mercury space capsule, lie on a bed of nails and use EEG technology to move a ball.

AAA/Inspector 591
At Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park (2901 Osceola Pkwy.), try to find the 300 different animals carved into the 14-story Tree of Life®. Watch out for geysers and waterfalls while drifting through a lush rain forest with your family on the Kali River Rapids®. Go on safari through an African savanna and spot lions, giraffes, zebras and hippos on Kilimanjaro Safaris®.

AAA/Inspector 511
Have a blast on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror® and the Rock ‘n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith at Disney's Hollywood Studios® (50 Animation Dr.). Then there are Toy Story Mania!® and Star Tours®—The Adventures Continue. But don't miss Fantasmic!, an entrancing nighttime show led by Sorcerer Mickey that will have you oohing and aahing as pyrotechnics and lasers light up the sky.

AAA/Sherry Mims
There are many delicious places to eat in Orlando theme parks. If you’re traveling with kids, be sure to check out Disney Springs® (1486 Buena Vista Dr.) for kid-friendly themed restaurants. T-Rex (1676 Buena Vista Dr.) features meteor showers with flashing lights, thunder and misting water. Waterfalls, a volcano, tropical greenery and animatronic animals surround you at the Rainforest Cafe® (1800 E. Buena Vista Dr.) while the menu will please every appetite with its wide variety of dishes.