10 Best Parks to Visit in Orlando, Florida: Are you wondering which Orlando parks to visit? Do you want to know which are the best theme parks in Florida? In this post we will 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 themselves and being children again in the theme parks of Orlando.
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 ones you want to visit. That is why we recommend that you pay special attention to the information on each one of them in order to decide on one or the other depending on your tastes or needs. In addition to this, it is also advisable to check the attractions you can ride, since depending on the intensity you can bear, it may be better to opt for one or the other. Of course, do not worry more than strictly necessary since enjoyment and fun, whichever ones you choose, are guaranteed!
Based on the week we spent in the theme parks during our trip to Florida , we’ll tell you which are the best parks in Orlando, as well as their general characteristics and tips so you can enjoy the experience to the fullest. Let’s get started!
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 . While this is common knowledge, it is also true that it is not always easy to choose which ones to visit, since the high prices of the tickets, the time needed to visit each one, or even the price of the accommodations, are usually determining factors in deciding on one or the other.
Despite this, the chosen ones are usually the Disney Parks and the Universal Parks , which in addition to being the most well-known and famous , are also those that have the most technologically advanced attractions, the most incredible shows and also, rotate and are themed on the most famous characters.
In this article we are going to focus on them but we are also going to tell you about others that are sure to be the perfect complement and are also incredibly fun for adults and children.
Disney Parks
Known as Walt Disney World Orlando , this complex includes 4 main parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, as well as Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach , which are the 2 complementary water parks.
They are all part of the so-called Disney Parks and work in practically the same way, sharing organization, tickets, a mobile application from which to manage things and even hotel facilities.
Although each of them has a very defined theme and its own characteristics, we could say in general that they are more focused on families and that their attractions are milder or less extreme than those found in Universal Parks, which are their most direct competitors .
1. Magic Kingdom, the most classic amusement park
Such is its relevance 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 theme 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 world in which the Disney characters of your childhood are the real protagonists. There is little more we can say about what is, for us, the best park in Orlando and, if we are totally honest, Magic Kingdom has no competition. Of course, don’t look for attractions here that are particularly relevant on a technical level or with such extreme intensity that it will make the most adventurous lose their heads; Magic Kingdom is a place to dream and why not, to 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 Wall 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, as well as being home to Guardians of the Galaxy, the world’s largest indoor roller coaster and the first reverse-launch roller coaster at Disney. But that’s not all, 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 fully themed zones (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 their staging and recreations of monuments, settings 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 Night 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 parks in Orlando and also one of the most visited, especially after the addition of Pandora: The World of Avatar in 2017, a new area in the park, inspired by the film, which has some of the most important attractions of 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 they are not in cages or like in a zoo, but in more open spaces, 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 Top Attractions:
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Expedition Everest
- Kilimanjaro Safari (it is a safari with animals)
- 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’re a movie fan or not, Hollywood Studios should be on your list of the best theme parks in Orlando . Completely dedicated to the world of cinema, entering its themed areas turns you into the star of the highest-grossing movies 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 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 Top 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 of Disney Parks, Universal Orlando Resort is a complex that houses, among other things, some of the best theme parks in Orlando such as Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure as well as Universal’s Volcano Bay , a water park that 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 an older age. Of course, if you are traveling with children, do not rule them out because of that. We recommend that you take a look because, although many of the attractions are more intense, the two Harry Potter areas, one in each park, are worth the 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 can tell you in advance are incredible, but also for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the latest themed area included which, inspired by JK Rowling’s books, is absolutely 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 latter, which still makes our heads explode every time we remember it.
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, making it 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 thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies, Islands of Adventure is another of Orlando’s most visited parks in Florida and must be included in a Florida road trip . Divided into 7 perfectly themed islands or adventure zones, here you will find two of the most extreme roller coasters in the country as well as some of the most fun and famous attractions. In addition, here you will also find the themed area The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is complemented by the Harry Potter area at Universal Studios Florida.
If you’re not a big fan of Harry Potter, you don’t like the more intense rides and you’re wondering if it’s worth visiting these theme parks in Orlando, we can tell you in advance that it is, and we’ll also tell you that it’s very much worth it. We hope you’ll give us a vote of confidence. Let us know!
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 about the water parks in this selection of the best parks in Orlando, and even less so when they are located in one of the areas of the country with the best climate, which makes them perfect and can be enjoyed practically at 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 in Walt Disney World Resort, this park opened in 1989 and boasts the world’s largest wave pool . As you can imagine, the park is themed around a typhoon that destroyed this paradise-like area.
The park is divided into 4 separate areas (Mount Mayday, Hideaway Bay, Typhoon Lagoon, Shark Reef) where all the attractions are located, as well as some sandy beach areas where you can relax, sunbathe and spend 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 below, 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 the best parks in Orlando . Like the previous one, its theme is also centered on an atmospheric phenomenon, in this case a snowstorm that has caused many of the attractions to be located around the Mount Gushmore area.
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 leave out of 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 there are 3 impressive slides, one of which even goes through a pool; the park has 4 completely different and themed areas: Krakatau, Wave Village, River Village and Rainforest Village.
Other theme parks in Orlando
We have already talked about what are probably the most famous theme parks in Orlando: the Disney Parks and the Universal Parks, although as we said at the beginning of the post, Orlando is known for being the area of 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 Orlando’s best-known theme parks and also the most appropriate to visit if you’re traveling with children. With more than 40 attractions, Lego fans will feel like they’re in paradise here. It’s important to note that the park isn’t particularly known for its attractions and we believe that it’s more the combination of everything, including the theming of the area and the many Lego recreations you can see, that really puts this park on the list of the best parks in Florida.
Main attractions:
- The Dragon
- The Great LEGO Race
- Coastersaurus
- Flying School
- The Ride
- Lost Kingdom Adventure
- Kid Power Towers