Ideas for a day in Orlando please! (XP to TTCAL)

gscoville · July 2014

Anyone here from or familiar with Orlando? My 19 year old daughter and I will be travelling there next week for LeakyCon, a Comic Con-style convention with a Harry Potter base. Most of our time in Orlando will be wrapped up with the convention, including a private evening event at the Universal Studios Harry Potter parks (so we don't feel the need to visit other theme parks), but we do have one free day after we arrive and before the Con starts to explore the city and all it has to offer. What are some things we might enjoy doing/seeing? I guess I'm looking for more low-key options (and easy to get to with transit as we won't have a car): cool markets, unique local locations, shows, a beach maybe - basically things you can go to but not spend a fortune to get in so you feel like you have to spend the whole day there to justify admission. I did search out water parks, though, and Aquatica looks pretty neat, we do love waterslides so that's a possibility for part of the day. Given her age, my daughter will likely not be able to do anything involving pubs and such, although I was hoping there might be shows or perhaps a comedy club or some such where the legal age doesn't matter?

Anyways, if anyone has any suggestions they'd like to share, I'd be ever so appreciative, we're so looking forward to our trip there!

Bee1112 · July 2014

No suggestions but that sounds like a blast!

icaughtfire · July 2014

Downtown Disney has some good restaurants/shops, as does City Walk @ Universal, it really just depends where you're staying. (The public transportation here is a joke.)

You could also check out Pointe Orlando, there's a comedy club there with some other restaurants/shopping/movie theatre etc.

The closest beach is probably Cocoa, but you're still looking at 45-60 minutes away. I haven't been to Aquatica but I have friends that rave about it.

justkeepswimming01 · July 2014

City walk is my
Recommendation

mamablue85 · July 2014

Omg do not go to city walk. It's an overpriced dump of a tourist trap. I never go to any of the parks this time of year, and you will see why, but I would do the same thing if I were in your position.i of a is my favorite park and by far the best, even when it's mobbed.

I went to Ucf and have lived in Orlando for 6 years. If you're staying by the worldsand want to stay over in that area, I'm afraid you're in the I drive trap and quite far from any reasonably priced or attractive places to visit. Lake Eola park is not far, is free and you can go paddle boating or drink a mimosa by the lake for pretty cheap. If you're looking for low key nightlife, I recommend a night at improv comedy theatre followed by church street. Believe me, your daughter will love church street after 9.

Dr Phillips area is also lovely and not too far, it has a great park as well. I also recommend rock springs and wekieva springs if you want to see the real Florida. Cocoa beach is the closest beach, but it's a dump. You're better off spending 15 extra minutes and visiting cape canaveral national seashore. Itsgorgeous and90% tourist
free.

Have fun!

RogueZymosis · July 2014

When I go to orlando I normally visit ikea and downtown Disney. We did have an annual pass for aquatica. It is by far my favorite water park in the area! We would spend a day there. This time of year it most likely will storm in the afternoon, so, have an idea of what to do indoors too. Oh we also LOVE medieval times!

garnetandgoldgrace · July 2014

First and foremost.... LET ME TELL YOU HOW JEALOUS I AM OF YOU RIGHT NOW FOR GOING TO LEAKY-CON!!!!!EHFLDSJFDHSF;DSHJ

Ok. now that is over with. uh hem.

I live in Orlando and I would be more than happy to point you in the right direction:

1. I agree, City Walk isn't very impressive. Downtown Disney is better and offers more things. Plus, you can go on a balloon ride there or see cirque de Soleil.

2. Aquatica is great! The rides are pretty good... although I have never been to Blizzard Beach.

3. Does your daughter love video games?! Theres an AMAZING barcade near the Disney area called Player 1. I don't know if you need to be 21 or not but you should check it out. You pay a cover and can play all types of video games (classic and new!!) UNLIMITED. I go there all the time.

4. Comedy club... I am going to have to say go to Sak!! It's where Wayne Brady came from and I love it

5. Hotel hop!!! Go check out some of the theme park hotels at Universal and Disney. Sometimes you can get to experience some cool stuff if you are around at the right time (like the food tastings at 4pm everyday at Wilderness Lodge...)

Honestly, you are going to be so jam packed with the convention you might not have time for as much stuff as you think. Plus, you get to see the new HP stuff at Universal

Soooo cool.

ENJOY YOUR TIME HERE

gscoville · July 2014

autumngrace said:

First and foremost.... LET ME TELL YOU HOW JEALOUS I AM OF YOU RIGHT NOW FOR GOING TO LEAKY-CON!!!!!EHFLDSJFDHSF;DSHJ

Ok. now that is over with. uh hem.

I live in Orlando and I would be more than happy to point you in the right direction:

1. I agree, City Walk isn't very impressive. Downtown Disney is better and offers more things. Plus, you can go on a balloon ride there or see cirque de Soleil.

2. Aquatica is great! The rides are pretty good... although I have never been to Blizzard Beach.

3. Does your daughter love video games?! Theres an AMAZING barcade near the Disney area called Player 1. I don't know if you need to be 21 or not but you should check it out. You pay a cover and can play all types of video games (classic and new!!) UNLIMITED. I go there all the time.

4. Comedy club... I am going to have to say go to Sak!! It's where Wayne Brady came from and I love it

5. Hotel hop!!! Go check out some of the theme park hotels at Universal and Disney. Sometimes you can get to experience some cool stuff if you are around at the right time (like the food tastings at 4pm everyday at Wilderness Lodge...)

Honestly, you are going to be so jam packed with the convention you might not have time for as much stuff as you think. Plus, you get to see the new HP stuff at Universal Soooo cool.

ENJOY YOUR TIME HERE

Yeah, we fly in late Monday, have Tuesday free, then Wednesday-Sunday will be all LeakyCon. We went to LeakyCon in Portland last year and didn't see any of Portland other than the bus route on our way to the convention center and back each day. In Orlando we're staying at the Rosen Center which is attached to OCCC by a walkway, so once the Con starts we likely won't see any outside at all until Sunday afternoon when the Con ends. $:\$ ">

RogueZymosis said:

When I go to orlando I normally visit ikea and downtown Disney. We did have an annual pass for aquatica. It is by far my favorite water park in the area! We would spend a day there. This time of year it most likely will storm in the afternoon, so, have an idea of what to do indoors too. Oh we also LOVE medieval times!

There's Medieval Times in Orlando??!! *runs to google*

gscoville · July 2014

Thank you all for your many suggestions and ideas, it's so very much appreciated! :x

yogiveg · July 2014

Check out Sleuth's Mystery Dinner. (sleuths.com) DH and I love it so much we have season passes.

garnetandgoldgrace · July 2014

GUESS WHAT I FOUND!!

I got an email today from Medieval times and they are offering $32 until Sept. 7th.

When you purchase tickets put in the code: 32SDEB

Enjoy!!!!

oneblessedmess · July 2014

I live in Orlando. I think Aquatica and Downtown Disney are great suggestions, as is Sleuth's Mystery Dinner. The Blue Man Group is at City Walk (although I agree that Downtown Disney as a whole is more fun than City Walk), I saw them a couple weeks ago and it was a lot of fun (the tickets were given to me though so I'm not sure about the price). If you're into shopping you can hit up the mall at Millennia or the outlets.

Also, have fun at LeakyCon and Universal!! I LOVE visiting Hogsmeade! I've been wanting to go to Diagon Alley but my sister lives in Miami and I promised I'd wait to go see it with her. She's coming next month, I'm hoping it won't be too crowded- the lines were 8 hours long the day it opened! I would love to go to a private event!

lilsneezy · July 2014

I had the best breakfast of my life in Orlando. The restaurant is called Hash House A Go Go. It's right on International Drive (about a mile from Universal). DH and I actually missed our flight because of how amazing this place is. Seriously, go. You can thank me later

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