Orlando is the mega city of entertainment. Disney got its start in Florida in the 1960s, with Universal and Sea World following. But these are far from the only local amusement parks. An overview of some amusement parks that most holidaymakers from Europe do not have on their radar.
Those who visit Orlando in the center of the US state of Florida usually do so because of the amusement parks. Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios have created their own worlds in the city. Thousands of visitors flock to the parks every day. That alone Walt Disney Corporation operates there, among other things, Magic Kingdom, where Mickey Mouse and Co. entertain families, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and two water parks. There is also Disney Springs, a kind of pedestrian zone with numerous restaurants, theaters and shops.
In addition to the large amusement parks, there are also numerous smaller facilities – some of them are fantasy worlds, some are remnants of old Florida, where Americans vacationed in the 1950s and 1960s. An overview of amusement parks in Orlando that are less well known.
The “Gatorland”: Gigantic alligators
Gatorland is one of Orlando’s more forgotten theme parks. It is on the Orange Blossom Trail south of Orlando. Owen Godwin opened it in December 1949. It took a few years for the park to become a tourist attraction – people were initially skeptical that they would want to see alligators in a park when the animals were ubiquitous in the surrounding swamps.
But the tourists came, looked at snakes and alligators. Success finally came with a giant alligator that Godwin bought from a Miami breeder. “Bone Crusher” was the name of the five-meter-long and 450-pound alligator that Godwin praised as the largest that ever lived in captivity.
The attraction along the highway became more and more popular – also because a huge alligator mouth in pastel mint and pink attracts attention at the entrance. Godwin’s son Frank built the alligator skull following spending weeks studying a specimen on his kitchen table.
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The “Peppa Pig Park”: entertainment for Peppe Pig fans
One of the newest amusement parks in Orlando, which belongs to Legoland, is also animalistic: In the “Peppa Pig Park” in Winter Haven, everything revolves around the bright pink pig family, which is known in Germany as Wutz. The park, which opened in February 2022, is aimed at smaller children and their families. The area is clear, the distances short and the rides are suitable for two to six year olds. In the largest and wildest carousel in the park, Papa Pig takes children and their parents along in the red car – on an imaginary shortcut, which of course only leads in circles.
During Mrs. Mümmel’s balloon ride, a small carousel takes off a few meters into the air and slowly rotates in a circle. There is also a water playground in the park and a covered meadow where a larger-than-life plush Peppa is available for photos several times a day.
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Volcano Bay: An artificial volcano with many slides
Universal Studios built Volcano Bay. The central element there is Krakatoa, a 61 meter high artificial volcano. It is also best seen from Orlando’s highways. It gets really exciting in the park. There are around 18 water slides there. The Aqua Coaster, similar to a roller coaster on land, provides a special thrill.
At the entrance to the park, which opened in 2017, visitors are given a TapuTapu – a type of watch they can use to check in at the slides. Guests can use it to queue in a virtual queue. When it’s your turn, the clock buzzes and you can go to the slide. While waiting, visitors can rush through the rapids of the Lazy River or cool off from the humid Florida heat in the huge wave pool at the foot of Krakatoa.
Water park H2O – lasting sliding experiences
Another water park with the name H2O is located in Kissimmee south of Orlando in the Margaritaville complex, whose name goes back to the popular song by musician Jimmy Buffett. This park is sold for the Instagram generation and has colorful slides with and without oversized seat tires that slide through colorful tubes in addition to the wave pool and lazy river.
So that visitors can share on social media what they have achieved in the H2O, there is also a wristband at the entrance that records the sliding experiences.
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Which parks not to visit
In addition to Sea World, there is also the amusement park Discovery Cove in Orlando. A special distance should be taken from both amusement parks, because whales and dolphins are kept in captivity here. The sensitive animals become lonely and wither here and are additionally forced to perform tricks. At Discovery Cove, vacationers can even swim with dolphins in man-made pools. Various orcas also live in Sea World, whose living conditions have been described as catastrophic for years, according to animal protection associations. Although the park has now made a commitment not to breed any new animals, the remaining orcas continue to eke out an agonizing existence. Orlando is also home to many animal-free water parks, such as Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and Aquatica.
Learn more regarding Orlando
- Holiday destination: Orlando is pretty much in the middle of Florida. Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater on the Gulf Coast are approximately 120 kilometers away and the Space Coast and Cape Canaveral are approximately 80 kilometers away. There are twelve major theme parks in Orlando and numerous smaller parks in the surrounding towns.
- Currency: 1 Euro = 1,08 US-Dollar (Stand: 06.02.2023) Climate: Orlando is warm all year round, with summer temperatures reaching 40 degrees. The humidity is high.
- Getting there: Lufthansa and United Airlines fly direct from Germany to Orlando. Other airlines bring passengers to Orlando with a stopover on the US east coast.
- Entry: German holidaymakers need a valid passport and have to obtain an entry permit (Esta) online. Furthermore, a full Covid-19 vaccination must usually be proven. (Status: 24.11.2022)
- Overnight stay: There are around 500 hotels in various price ranges in Orlando. If you only want to visit certain theme parks or neighborhoods, you should look around for accommodation there – whether on the park grounds or in the surrounding area, there are many accommodation options.
