Orlando 101: Know Your Theme Parks
For first time travelers to Orlando are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available to them in Orlando. The good news is that though there are numerous theme parks, it’s also true that once you have the basics down you’ll be able to plan a trip that works perfectly for your family. Let’s review the main theme parks so you’ll be ready to dig deeper.
Disney World is more fun than the circus!
Disney World
Disney World is made up of 4 theme parks: The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. One of the most frequent mistakes new visitors make is to think that Universal is a part of Disney. We’ll cover Universal in the next paragraph, but for now just note that Hollywood Studios is a Disney park and is not associated with Universal.
When you buy your tickets you’ll have several options. You can buy a single-day ticket that covers just one of the 4 theme parks mentioned above, or you can buy a single-day ticket with what’s known as the “park hopper” option. This means you can go to and from as many of the 4 theme parks as you’d like.
You can also buy multi-day passes that either give you entry to a single park per day, or allow you to hop between parks. For first-time visitors, we typically suggest not adding the park hopper option when you initially buy your tickets. If you decide at the park that you’d like to hop, you can visit Guest Relations and have this option added.
Universal Orlando
Universal has more thrill rides than Disney World, and is also home to the Harry Potter rides and attractions you’ve likely heard a lot about. There are 2 theme parks: Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Buying tickets is similar to buying tickets for Disney World: you can buy tickets that allow entry to either one park or the other, or a ticket that gives you entry to both.
Other Theme Parks
Other theme parks in the Orlando area include Legoland, SeaWorld, Wet “n” Wild, and GatorLand. These are all more affordable than the “big ones” and are a great option if you want a lower key day to relax and take in some local Florida culture.We hope you found this article helpful. Please click here to view more articles to help you plan your Orlando vacation.