Places to visit in Orlando

Orlando, Florida, has been a popular vacation spot for millions of tourists for a long time. One of the main draws is the abundance of fun things to do with the whole family.

Contributions made by tourist attractions significantly bolster its tourism industry. Most of the time, they make money from tourism and work to protect their communities' environment, cultural traditions, and natural resources.

Tourism in Orlando generates upwards of $75 billion in regional impact and $47 billion in visitor spending.

Overnight visitors contribute millions of dollars each month in Tourist Development Tax.

That money supports many of Orange County's arts, cultural, and sporting venues.

Even though tourism is a big business in Orlando now, the city's success can be traced back to one man—Walt Disney.

The combination of his inventiveness and Central Florida's natural beauty resulted in a location with great attractions and memories that will last a lifetime.

With over 70,000 direct jobs at one point, Disney World is one of the largest single-site employers in the United States, drawing in millions of visitors annually. Most of the sales tax money in Orange County, where Orlando is, comes from tourists.

When Disney first arrived in Orlando, the city's tourism industry was a rut.

He changed that and was one of the first to see that the land around his animation studios could be used to build a theme park and a resort community.

In the middle of the 1960s, he had the idea of creating a second theme park in Florida—modeled after Disneyland in California.

In 1971, Walt Disney World opened in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It brought the idea to life and ushered in a new era of fairy tales, magic, and enormous economic growth for the city.

For over 50 years, vacationers have been enjoying the resort. This time of unprecedented innovation and growth has been perfect for the state's economy and progress.

When one considers that Walt Disney was just a man with a dream, his achievements are even more remarkable than they already are. He brought his dreams to life and the determination of his heart.

The history of Walt Disney World and its enormous impact on Florida's tourism industry has been examined in depth.

The resort did not only inspire other theme parks all over the world but also helped to redefine what it means to visit a tourist destination.

You can also check out listings at getyourguide.com for more exciting regional activities in Florida or elsewhere.

Here are some recommendations.

Orlando: Walt Disney World Resort

The Walt Disney World Resort is in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando and Kissimmee. The resort opened on October 1, 1971, and is operated by a Walt Disney Company division.

Half of the nearly 25,000-acre property has been developed. The resort includes four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom), two water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), 31 themed resort hotels, nine non-Disney hotels, several golf courses, a camping resort, and other entertainment venues, including Disney Springs.

• Base ticket: 1 park per day
• Meet your favorite Disney characters and take photos
• Enjoy thrill-seeking and chill-chasing activities.
• Four theme parks. Standard base tickets admit 1 per day. Daily parks can be chosen.

Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom

Explore the Lands of Endless Enchantment, a place where your dreams can come true. The classic Disney rides and magical character moments in front of the famous castle make this a must-see.

EPCOT

You can go worldwide, underwater, into space, and even further. It is popular for people who want to get their imaginations going because it combines science, creativity, and Disney magic.

At the World Showcase, you can try food from 11 different countries, or you can look at the sights at the Flower and Garden Festival.

Animal Kingdom

See how rare animals and wild entertainment bring out the magic of nature.

In the World of Avatar, you can fly through the sky on the back of a banshee and see a world you can't believe.

Then, go on a safari through the African savanna or ride a raft down the Kali River Rapids.

Disney Hollywood Studios

Let your adventure begin. There's a lot of fun waiting around every corner.

When you visit the newest land, "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge," you can step into a galaxy far, far away, where legendary stories come to life and put you in the middle of the action.

Or, you can act out your own Toy Story in a place dedicated to Woody and Buzz, where kids and adults can have adventures.

Orlando: "Drawn to Life" Cirque du Soleil

Use this ticket to see "Drawn to Life" by Cirque du Soleil in Orlando. The show will take you to the world of Disney animation through Cirque du Soleil's signature acrobatic style.

• Watch in amazement as the Cirque du Soleil performers do fantastic acrobatics.
• Learn about a new Disney story.
• Enjoy the first show made by Disney and Cirque du Soleil together.

This new show tells the story of Julie, a brave and determined girl who finds an unfinished animation piece left by her late father.

She goes on an inspiring journey with the help of a strange pencil that reminds her of Disney movies from her childhood.

Through this journey, she will learn to think of new possibilities and bring the story of her future to life.

SeaWorld Orlando

Find out about the water world at SeaWorld Orlando, a park where you can participate in the action.

You can combine your adventure with a trip to Aquatica, Busch Gardens Tampa, or Adventure Island. You can visit 2, 3, or all three parks.

• You can make your adventure with the different park options.
• Find out about efforts to protect marine animals.
• You can pet a stingray, ride a roller coaster, get wet on a water slide, and more.
• Enjoy more than 30 rides, shows, and other things to do.
• Meet fascinating marine mammals

At SeaWorld Orlando, the underwater world comes to life in a way that can't be seen anywhere else.

You can also enjoy the thrills of Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, and Adventure Island if you buy a combo ticket.

SeaWorld

• Connect with the ocean at SeaWorld by watching killer whales leap at the One Ocean show, racing like a ray on Manta the ride, and sharing an epic voyage with sea turtles at Turtle Trek.
• Shamu's One Ocean show features killer whales' power and grace. A Splash Zone seat gives you submerged views of killer whales flapping their fins and drenching you.
• The Manta flying roller coaster tilts you parallel to the ground and sends you on a twisting, plunging ride that begins with an inverted nosedive.
• At Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, you'll glide past icy sights on a trackless ride to a no-glass penguin exhibit, which gets you closer to the birds and lets you experience their ideal frosty conditions.

Aquatica Orlando

• Aquatica Orlando, SeaWorld's Waterpark, has fast water slides, exhilarating wave pools, tranquil beaches, and unique animal habitats.
• This unique park has 38 slides, rivers, lagoons, and 84,000 square feet of white sand beaches.

Busch Gardens Tampa

• Busch Gardens Tampa makes fun easy. Animal encounters, captivating shows, and thrilling rides thrill everyone.
• Race like a cheetah on Cheetah Hunt or dive face down at 60 mph on Falcon's Fury.

Adventure Island

• Enjoy a tropical oasis with your family. Rides, slides, and splashes will thrill everyone.
• Swirl down Caribbean Corkscrew, swoosh Gulf Scream, or race Riptide.
• Fabian's Fun port has fountains, splash zones, and water slides for summer fun.

About SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando's SeaWorld is a theme park and marine zoo. It's owned and operated by SeaWorld.

Combined with Discovery Cove and Aquatica, it forms SeaWorld Parks and Resorts Orlando, an entertainment complex with three parks and many hotels.

In 2018, SeaWorld Orlando had 4.594 million guests, making it the 10th most visited amusement park in the U.S.

SeaWorld Orlando opened on December 15, 1973, two years after Disney's Magic Kingdom.

It made Central Florida a multi-park vacation destination. SeaWorld was sold in 1976 to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, then to Anheuser-Busch, owners of Busch Gardens, in 1989.

Orlando: Kennedy Space Center

John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is one of the ten field centers of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Since December 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary human spaceflight launch facility. KSC managed Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle launches from Complex 39.

At Kennedy Space Center, you will get the rare opportunity to meet and interact with NASA experts.

• The center also commemorates the astronauts.
• This exhibit focuses on NASA's early space program legends and how they made their aspirations come true.
• This outdoor exhibit features Mercury, Apollo, and Gemini rockets.
• Take a guided tour to learn about this fantastic technology.

Orlando: SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium

The Sea Life Orlando Aquarium provides the opportunity to "face-to-fin" with sharks, stingrays, and other marine animals.

Prepare yourself for a world of shimmering scales, enormous tentacles, and razor-sharp teeth in this fascinating underwater experience.

Travel through the only 360-degree tunnel in Orlando while listening to underwater dive presentations provided by the dive team.

Immerse yourself in three distinct marine ecosystems and explore natural waterways.

• Mia, the seahorse, Magnus the shark, and Tyler, the sea turtle, are the starting points of your trip.
• Learn about the importance of breeding, rescuing, and safeguarding marine life.
• Next, see a jellyfish-filled wall and choose a hue to illuminate the environment.
• Then, visit Ship Wreck for an in-depth introduction to the Atlantic Ocean.

Universal Orlando: Park to Park Tickets

At Universal Orlando Resort, you can have a vacation unlike anything else you've ever experienced before.

You will be able to immerse yourself in the next generation of the newest blockbuster entertainment and voyage through the legendary worlds of magnificent heroes at three incredible theme parks.

At Universal Studios Florida, you can let your imagination run wild at the heart-pounding, cutting-edge attractions that bring your favorite movies, television shows, and other media to life.

Next door, at Universal's Islands of Adventure, you can dive headfirst into some of the world's most compelling tales, stories, and legends.