I know most of you are in shock just reading the title of this article. Normally I would never condone cheating especially not on Disney. When most people hear Orlando they think of Disney World and rightly so, there is no place like Disney. However there are a couple of other theme parks here that can be fun also (I say here because I live in Orlando ).
Sea World in Orlando – I’m going to start with Sea World. When I first moved here I could not afford a Disney World annual pass so the only one I could afford was Sea World. I love Dolphins so my first stop would always be to feed the Dolphins. It’s so cute because they come right up to you and eat the fish right out of your hand and they do let you touch them. Sea World also has some amazing shows. I recommend night-time shows because a few of them are a little different at night. The Clyde and Seamore show is really funny, just watch out for the mime. They also have a large play area for kids with slides and rides, that was my daughters favorite part of the park when she was younger. Sea World also has Halloween and Christmas events that are included in your ticket price. We miss The Polar Express at Sea World. It is adorable how they incorporate the movie with the Polar Bears attraction.
Universal Studios – This park can be appealing to people who live thrill rides and movies. I am not a fan of thrill rides so I am not the biggest Universal fan. When they made The Wizarding World of Harry Potter than they got my attention. I am a big Harry Potter fan, yes I know I’m over the typical age of a Harry Potter fan but that’s ok I can live with that. I was lucky enough to get free tickets from a friend so I could not wait to go. It looks just like you are there in the movie. Hogwarts looks amazing inside and out. The ride is housed in the castle but you can just walk thru if you like. They have 3 d images of Ron, Hermione, and Harry that look like they are standing there talking to you. When you go up the stairs there are the famous talking paintings and yes they really do talk and come to life. That is the best part of the park. I was a little shocked by how small this area of the park is and how absolutely tiny the stores are. Other than that if you are a Harry Potter fan then this definitely a must see.
Chip’s Tips: The regular Butterbeer is way better than the frozen one !
There is so much to do here and a lot of it gets overshadowed by Disney. I am going to tell you a few my other non-Disney favorites.
Fun Spot in Orlando – When my daughter was younger she loved Fun Spot. I call it a mini theme park. They have an arcade and some rides just for kids and they have rides for us older kids, like a Ferris wheel and Go Kart racing. They also have bumper cars and bumper boats. So if you are looking to do something outside the parks I would highly recommend Fun Spot. They have places in Kissimmee and Orlando.
Magical Midway on I-Drive – Another favorite of mine is Magical Midway. This is more of a thrill ride kind of place. I am not so much into the thrill rides but I like that atmosphere and I like to watch people scream on the rides. They have a lot of the same stuff as Fun Spot but what sets them apart as they have something called the Space Blast Tower, I call it the human sling shot. 2 people sit in the ride and they strap you in and pull you down and then they make you wait and wait and they don’t tell you when they will launch you and then bam your off into the sky. if you have ever looked in the direction of I- Drive and seen these 2 well-lit towers in the sky, then you have seen the human sling shot. You can also buy a video of yourself on the ride. I would never go on it but it is fun to watch the people who do go on it.
Busch Garden in Tampa – I know most if not all of you have heard of Busch Gardens. It is in Tampa which is not to far from Orlando. One little point that may be of use to you is Sea World and Busch Gardens are together meaning that you can get a combined Sea World and Busch Gardens ticket, that can be a big money saver if you plan on visiting both. They have animals, Sesame Street attractions, and some thrilling roller coasters. You may have heard of a roller coaster called Sheikra. It’s a floorless roller coaster that climbs 200 feet and drops 90 degrees down at 70 mph.
There is so much to do here in Central Florida, I only mentioned a few so share your Un- Disney favorites with us in the comment box below. We know there is no place on earth like Disney but since you are here why not experience something new and broaden your horizons.
Sunshine is a Disney fanatic. You will find her counting down the days until she goes back to Disney, while annoying her daughter with all things Disney
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I would love to visit Universal. Our last trip to Disney has us missing the opening of the Harry Potter portion of their park by only 3 weeks : Im also not big on “thrill” rides. I suck it up to go on The Rockin Rollercoaster and that’s it 🙂