Family Vacation GuideOrlando

This 110-acre wildlife reserve is filled with gators and fun attractions. Zipline over a gator-infested lake, even pose for a wrestling photo.

Home to dozens of shops, restaurants, Cirque du Soleil, and more, it's a nice way to spend an afternoon or evening. You get a taste of Disney without the price of park admission.

Sit down for a family-style Thanksgiving feast, any time of year. Enjoy New England food too in an elegant dining hall from the time of our founding fathers.

You can see the candy makers making fudge, taffy, and brittle behind the counter. It's an old-fashioned candy shoppe on Main Street USA

This tiki hut serves frozen slushies, juice, and cookies, perfect for a hot day in Magic Kingdom.

Even in the future, the classic sundae reigns supreme. Stop by for a cold ice cream or soda float in Tomorrowland.

This beautiful glass atrium is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and host to daily meet and greets.

Inside Cinderella's Castle, this royal banquet hall has food fit for a princess with a refined palate. Make sure to reserve far ahead of time!

Hidden in Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant is a secret fairy wish book where you can write down your wildest wishes. The Blue Fairy checks it regularly ;)

In the big tree in liberty square you can find 13 lanterns representing the 13 colonies. Come by in the evening and watch them glow.

It's hard not to get a tear at this touching ceremony. Every day at 5 pm, the marching band plays and a random guest is presented with the flag.

It's a picture perfect street out of early-1900's America, and the perfect gateway to the rest of Magic Kingdom.

As you pass through the tunnel under Cinderella's castle you enter a medieval village out of fairytale, home to Pinocchio, Belle, and Snow White.

It's like something out of a sci-fi comic from the 1920's and 1930's. Alien palm trees made of metal line the streets in front of the howling halls of Space Mountain.

Drum beats, jungles, and tropical rivers put you in a land of pirates and daring adventurers.

If Disney had settled the wild west, this is what it would look like. It's home to a raucous Hillbilly bear show and the thrilling Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Restless ghosts party in the halls of this haunted mansion. It's a delightfully scary ride for all ages. Kids will even love playing with the cooky attractions in the line.

It's one of the best attractions with the shortest wait. You venture inside a Disney movie, and wind hits you as fall, water splashes you, and you even get a whiff of perfume in Aladdin.

This coaster dips and dives, howling through the darkness of space. It's magical, futuristic, and very popular. So be sure to reserve your fastpass+ ahead of time.

You control the spin and blasters on Buzz Lightyear's spaceship. Aim for the evil Emperor Zurg and score points. You may just get the high score.

You spin around in oversized tea cups in this Alice in Wonderland themed ride.

It starts as a calm river ride with animatronic animals, and ends with a huge drop down a waterfall. Sit up front if you want to get wet.

The roller coaster car swings around turns and takes you into the workplace of the 7 Dwarfs. Make sure to reserve fastpass+ for this popular ride.

Grab burgers, fries, and taco salads at this counter service restaurant in Frontierland.

Disney's newest restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. They serve delicious French food in the banquet hall of Sebastian's (the Beast's) castle.

Disney's manliest restaurant features giant pork shanks, BBQ, and burly cinnamon rolls. They also have a kid version of beer called LeFou's Brew.

Hearty Reubens, sandwiches, and burgers make up the menu at this old-fashioned American restaurant in Main Street USA.

Step back into 1776, in this majestic recreation of colonial USA. Check out the Liberty Bell, take a riverboat ride, and meet all 43 US Presidents.

Fly through the canyons of the American Southwest on a roller coaster ride.

This 8-minute ride takes you through pirate battles and the adventures of Jack Sparrow. It's great for all ages, but really young kids might get scared.

It's the Italian restaurant where the Lady and the Trap ate from the same plate. They serve pasta, pizza, and Italian classics.

You've entered into another world, one where you can cast spells with your wand, eat magical treats, and say hello to a fire-breathing dragon.

It's where wizards and witches spend their disposable income. Shops and attractions line the street and Hogwarts Castle towers in the background.

The wand chooses you! You'll want to pick up a magic wand here to cast cool spells throughout the park.

For younger kids, this roller coaster is a blast. You get to fly on a trusty winged beast and don't have to wait in line too long.

This is where you can stock up on robes, broomsticks and other Quidditch gear. Make sure to convert you money into wizard coin first.

Both parts of Harry Potter World are connected by this fun train ride that makes you feel like you're going back to Hogwarts for another year.

Yum...Fish and Chips with a refreshing mug of Butterbeer. Dine as the wizards do and try the pumpkin juice and Cornish Pasty.

As you might expect, it's all British food in Harry Potter World. So order a hearty helping of bangers and mash.

Come for breakfast, pastries, and unusual ice cream flavors.

Find the hidden meeting place of evil wizards who practice the Dark Arts. Keep your eyes peeled. It's not marked.

From Pineapple Whip Soft-serve with Coconut Rum to a Chocolate Waffle with Espresso Mousse, it's one of the best places for a frozen treat in Animal Kingdom.

Enter the world of double pineapple bliss – the dole whip float. It's soft-serve pineapple in pineapple juice. If that's not enough, you always get the fresh-cut pineapple.

It's a little counter where you can pick up soft-serve, pineapple floats, and collectable souvenir tiki bowls.

Remember when formal soda parlors were a thing? Well maybe not, but here's how you can relive soda's golden era in a Coney Island like setting.

Coca Cola logos are in Hindi script and Bollywood posters line the wall. Cool down with a slushy, classic Coke or a the rum spiked Coconut Lychee Lemonade.

It's like dining in the middle of a rainforest. The food is classic American with burgers, steak, and club sandwiches.

If your daughter is ages 2-10, this meet and greet with Anna and Elsa may just make their vacation. Lines are long! So come early, late, or at lunch time.

Laugh and sing along with Anna and Elsa. You become part of the frozen experience in this amazing retelling.

Stop by the Vineland Ave outlets for huge savings on Disney merchandise. They have everything from Frozen to Mickey and Winnie the Pooh.

Stop by the I-Drive outlets for huge savings on Disney merchandise.

Stop by the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores for huge savings on Disney merchandise.

Stop by the the Theme Park Connection for huge savings on Disney merchandise.

The new Whole Foods is a great place to buy healthy, organic produce and products.

This small grocer sells meats, produce, beer/wine and other essentials like swimsuits.

Pick up all the groceries you need on vacation or a sandwich at the deli.

No matter what you forgot to bring on vacation, this Orlando Walmart has you covered.

During the holidays, the entire castle has so many lights that they look like frosting or glowing streams of (magic) water.

If robots drank margaritas, this is where they'd come. This hip, modern bar has huge, circular lounges with soft colored lights.

One of the park's most popular parades, Festival of Fantasy is a celebration of all the amazing characters that make Disney what it is.

You'll see a parade with Mickey as a Jedi Knight, tons of fans dressed as characters, and celebrity guests. It runs every weekend from mid-May to mid-June.

Every night, thousands of lights decorate Disney floats at this Magic Kingdom parade.

Every night, fireworks light up the sky over Cinderella's Castle, while "When You Wish Upon a Star" plays triumphantly in the background.

Pyrotechnics and music combine in a spectacular battle between good and evil.

Nightly fireworks erupt on the lake at Epcot and a laser light show mixes themes from the cultures of the world.

Mickey and his friends have some serious dance moves. This afternoon dance party rolls down the track on Main Street USA.

In a romantic candlelit cellar, this French-Canadian restaurant serves gourmet steak and seafood.

A highly seasonal menu features simple, yet delicious dishes prepared from fresh California ingredients. It also offers a great view of Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Enjoy a delicious Hawaiian banquet with storytelling at dinner time and character brunches with Stitch.

Fireworks light up Cinderella's Castle, while you finish off the night with a dessert party over the lake in Tomorrowland.

It's "haute" cuisine, which is to say it's very fancy. This tasting menu only restaurant is $135 a pop and extremely delicious.

Equal to the thrill of taking off in a jet plane without a windshield, this riveting ride takes you from zero to 40 MPH in about two seconds.

You get to pick a song to listen to as you fly down 17 stories on the world's first non-inverting loop.

Drop down 185 feet and you'll feel weightless. Then you jolt upwards at the speed of a space shuttle.

Two rides in one, you can pick one of two dragons to race on intertwining loops. It's worth trying both, and with two coasters, the line goes faster.

Embark on a whirlwind adventure with Harry and his friends as you fly through the classrooms and halls of Hogwarts Castle.

This is how wizards use the ATM. Zoom through the underground vaults of Gringotts Bank in a multi-dimensional 3-D thrill ride.

What could possibly go wrong on a leisurely jungle cruise in Jurassic Park? Well, the raptors get loose, and now you have to escape by plunging down an 85-foot waterfall.

Fire lights up the ceiling and scarab beetles cover the walls. Then everything goes pitch black and you don't know whether to hold your breath or scream.

This classic log flume sends you flying over a 75-foot drop with a cool story beforehand that will have kids laughing.

You may be on the ground, but it sure feels like you're flying across the skyscrapers of Manhattan in this 3-D ride with stunning effects.

This place is a little kid's dream. Giant dinosaur statues and a huge octopus surround the tables. It's very popular so make reservations early.

Get the Big Big Pig if you're appetite can handle it or a number of delicious sandwich baskets. The ribs fall off the bone at this family-friendly BBQ joint.

Enjoy pastas, soups, fresh baked goods, and healthy salads at this family-style Italian restaurant.

When you're really hungry, there are few joys like a hot sandwich with gooey melted cheese.

While you're in Florida, you might want to try some of the state's delicious Cuban food.

Right next to the Orlando Eye, this pirate-themed mini golf course is a fun daytime activity for when you're not exploring the parks.

This I-Drive attraction is an odd museum filled with all the unbelievable anomalies of the world like six-legged cows, vampires, and giants.