See what the experts are saying about Orlando. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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Best hotel bets
Best for Families: Every Disney resort caters to families, with special menus for kids, video-game arcades, free transportation to the parks, extensive recreational facilities, and, in some cases, character meals. Some, however, stand out in... Continue reading »
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The best luxury hotels
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (Orlando; tel. 407/934-7639): This magnificent Victorian inn -- Disney's best hotel -- has an opulent five-story lobby complete with a Chinese Chippendale aviary. An orchestra plays big-band music every e... Continue reading »
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The best mid-range hotels
Disney's Port Orleans Resort (Lake Buena Vista; tel. 407/934-7639 or 407/934-5000): Here's a good value by Disney standards. It has dual Southern charm in its French Quarter and Riverside areas, and the pool has a water slide curving from the... Continue reading »
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The best romantic getaways
Courtyard at Lake Lucerne (Downtown; tel. 407/648-5188): This charming little B&B is an eclectic mix of some of Orlando's oldest homes -- each impeccably restored and meticulously furnished to period. Ask for the honeymoon suite for a really... Continue reading »
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Best water rides
Splash Mountain (Magic Kingdom): You'll follow the adventure of Brer Rabbit and his friends, based on the 1946 movie The Song of the South, before taking a 52-foot vertical plunge straight down to the water below. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw... Continue reading »
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Best for grown-ups
Let's face it: Orlando and the theme park zones usually crawl with kids. That's fine if you have your own in tow, but if you're looking for some quality adult time (or at least a place not necessarily swarming with children), you do have some... Continue reading »
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The best thrills
Orlando lays claim to some of the biggest and baddest thrill rides and roller coasters anywhere -- certainly one of the largest collections of them in any one locale. So if your idea of fun is to twist and turn at speeds only a jet should rea... Continue reading »
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The best websites
Considering that Orlando welcomes more than 49 million visitors each year, it should come as no surprise that literally hundreds of websites are devoted to vacationing here. These include information on just about everything, from the history... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
Winging it once you get there simply won't do when your destination is Walt Disney World. Without some pretrip preparation, you will likely find yourself so overwhelmed upon arriving in Orlando that you will miss out on exactly what it was yo... Continue reading »
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Visitor information
The best place to find information on Orlando and Central Florida is the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCCVB), 8723 International Dr., Suite 101, Orlando, FL 32819 (tel. 407/363-5872; www.orlandoinfo.com). Staffers can a... Continue reading »
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When to go
Orlando is the theme-park capital of the world, and you could almost argue that there really is no off season here, though the busiest seasons are whenever kids are out of school. Late May to just past Labor Day, long holiday weekends, winter... Continue reading »
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Calendar of events
January Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl. New Year's Day kicks off with this football game in downtown Orlando. It pits the second-ranked teams from the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences against each other. Tickets are $65 before Novembe... Continue reading »
Orlando Travel Experiences
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MGM and Epcot
MGM STUDIOS On the Wednesday we visited MGM Studios. It was really really hot and we were glad of some shade in some places! There w... Continue reading »
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Magic Kingdom
BEST RIDES: 1. Haunted Mansion: It was worth the long wait, it's not scary at all but great special effect ie. ghost suddenly... Continue reading »
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Animal Kingdom
The Kings conquered the Animal Kingdom today. We arrived at the gate only 15 minutes prior to the park opening. This was WAY later than e... Continue reading »
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Let the road trip begin...
'The home of the brave, and the land of the free!!' Or as I like to call it, 'the home of drive through banking, and the land of the al... Continue reading »
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Leg 4 - Orlando
Hi all!! We arrived in Orlando pretty late after taking a connecting flight in Miami. Part of our package got us a rental car and we w... Continue reading »
Popular Orlando Hotels
- Rosen Shingle Creek
- The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes
- Palomino Suites
- Grand Bohemian Hotel, A Kessler Hotel
- Courtyard By Marriott Orlando Airport
- Lake Eve Resort by Sky Hotels & Resorts
- The Fountains
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
- Residence Inn By Marriott Lake Buena Vista North
- Embassy Suites Orlando - Airport
