The city of Orlando, Florida, attracts tourists from all over the world every year. The combined number of people who visit these places is tens of millions per year.
Orlando’s theme parks are the main tourist attraction of the city. Orlando released news of a record-setting 75 million annual visitors in 2018.
The six theme parks are Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, Sea World Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Islands of Adventure, and, last but not least, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The following list describes the best Orlando theme parks and the major attractions in each.
Table of Contents
Walt Disney World
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a theme park based on and around the subject of animals. There are many rides and shows to watch, which includes
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost,
- Festival of the Lion King,
- Finding Nemo – The Musical,
- Kilimanjaro Safaris,
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!,
- Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends,
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch,
- Kali River Rapids,
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain,
- Dinosaur and Festival of Fantasy Parade.
Disney Springs is frequently referred to as Downtown Disney. It comprises different shops, nightclubs, restaurants, bars, and cinemas.
Disney’s Blizzard Beach is a water park based on snow and mountains. There are many exciting slides to participate in, including Summit Plummet, Slush Gusher, Mayday Falls, and Steamboat Springs.
Universal Studios Florida
According to reports, Overall, 69 percent of domestic leisure visitors drove, and 26 percent flew to Orlando in 2011.
You can explore the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, a 3D dark ride based on everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood superhero. Hulk is another type of 3D simulator ride in an indoor roller coaster.
The Simpsons Ride is an indoor motion-based simulation ride that features everyone’s favorite family from Springfield. According to reports, Comcast’s revenue for the theme parks division of NBC Universal increased from $1.1billion to $1.4 billion in Q3 2021.
Sea World Orlando
At one of these best Orlando theme parks, you can visit the Kraken, a floorless roller coaster featuring seven inversions with speeds reaching 65 mph (105kph).
Blue Horizons is an aquatic show presented at the park’s stadium. This attraction tells a story about an unlikely group of heroes who come together to save a young girl in a fantastical undersea world.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Visitors can see the Cheetah Hunt, a triple launch roller coaster. The coaster reaches speeds of up to 72 mph (116kph) and includes a 120 ft (37m) drop as well as a 153 ft (47.5m) high loop.
Falcon’s Fury is an Intamin freefall drop tower ride where riders are lifted at the height of 310 ft (94m) and then dropped at a speed of 62 mph (100kph).
Islands of Adventure
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a 4D dark ride where visitors become part of the story by helping Harry escape from the dreaded Dursleys.
You can visit the Incredible Hulk Coaster, an inverted roller coaster that not only features a 147 ft (45m) drop but also includes five “beyond vertical” drops and three near misses with oncoming trains.
The Dragon Challenge is a pair of intertwined inverted roller coasters where the ride features five inversions each and a 4,400 ft (1,340m).
The Forbidden Journey dark ride takes visitors through Hogwarts castle. It uses robotic arm technology along with 3D screens.
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is a high-speed dark ride that uses special effects, robotics, animation, and sound to tell its story. It reaches speeds of 50 mph (80kph) through the streets of New York City.
The Poseidon’s Fury is an indoor walk-through adventure. It features animatronic characters as well as special effects at every turn.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges is a dark water ride with 42-inch (106cm) height restrictions. There are many interactive targets along the way that allow visitors to shoot water cannons.
Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village
Tourists can enjoy the Living with the Land boat ride that takes you throughout greenhouses on both coasts of America. It also features several audio-animatronic characters, including cows, pigs, and salad bowls.
The Seas with Nemo & Friends is an aquarium featuring over 5.7 million gallons of saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean and exhibits such as sea turtles, sharks, and stingrays.
Wet ‘n Wild
You can check Bomb Bay, a unique drop-tower ride where riders experience free fall as they drop from a 200 ft (61m) high tower located within a B52 bomber.
Tassie’s Twister is an enclosed water coaster with slide elements combined to create excitement and wetness for those riding it. The Storm is a 23 ft (7m) drop-enclosed slide with an enclosed trapdoor and an entire 360-degree loop.
To enjoy any of these theme parks, you can book accommodation nearby via an online booking portal. They offer numerous options to choose from, depending on your budget and group size.
Florida residents can often get special discount tickets to these attractions.
Featured Image by HenningE from Pixabay
