Orlando with a Twist

If your clients are like most families, they likely have Orlando plans in their future — and with all of the travel discounts out there, this could be one of the most affordable years for them to visit. Still, while any visitor to Florida’s most popular family destination can learn about its major resorts and attractions with one click of the mouse, it’s not as easy to light upon Orlando’s hidden gems. However, travel agents should know that the area is full of great deals and secret finds — at Disney World and beyond. While my kids and I have had a ball in the theme parks, we have also come to love Orlando for some of its lesser-known activities.

Besides the well-known activities in its theme parks, Orlando has many other hidden gems.// (C) 2010 Laura Stone

Hotel Alternatives
For clients looking for luxury accommodations at a reasonable price, the Gaylord Palms Hotel is a great option, especially in the summer or during the winter holidays when the hotel offers special family programming. The Gaylord Palms boasts two pools, with one dedicated to family activities such as an octopus-shaped slide and a giant video arcade. In the resort’s three atriums, kids can check out baby alligators, non-venomous snakes, native fish and sting rays. Luckily, the wildlife remains in the lobbies — no critters are allowed in the guestrooms. Most importantly, The Gaylord Palms is five minutes away from the main gate of Walt Disney World or, if families prefer to kick back and relax at the resort, they will find plenty there to fill a long weekend.

If you’re looking for a fun, interactive experience, look no further than the Nickelodeon Suites Resort. Kids from preschool to high school will enjoy hanging out with Nickelodeon characters such as Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, Cosmo and more at the Nick. This high-energy resort has a food court, a character breakfast, several pools with giant waterslides and even sliming events, just like on television. A youth team of counselors keeps the pace, and there is a daily schedule of events to keep everyone engaged in the fun. Kids are free to imagine, play and explore, and families can relax and enjoy. Best of all, the kid suites give children a separate, themed sleeping area, complete with bunk beds and their own televisions. The Nick Hotel is close to Disney, Universal and other Central Florida attractions.

If your clients are in love with the idea of kid suites but don’t have the cash on hand, a less expensive option is the Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts with Kid Suites. While the pool areas and rooms at these resorts aren’t as grand as those at the Nick Hotel, the hotels are fun and family-oriented where children have their own private areas.

Fun for Everyone
After a couple of Orlando visits, your clients may be looking for alternatives instead of a visit to the park. Anyone can see Disney World just by walking through, but how about getting a bird’s-eye view of all the behind-the-scenes action normally off limits to the average visitor? Imagine soaring over Disney World in a hot-air balloon, checking out the crowds, the rides, the backstage areas and the view. With Friendship Aerosports, which provides daily balloon rides — weather permitting — clients can even gaze down at the parks at sunrise. The company will pick up clients at their hotel for the early, pre-dawn journey. And if your clients are into the aerial view, but with a bit more action, helicopter rides are another alternative.

For gator sightings — after all, this is Florida — families can try an airboat ride. Clients will speed through nature with the wind in their faces gazing upon indigenous birds and reptiles. Although not for the faint of heart, Boggy Creek Airboat Rides takes clients to the farthest extremes of adventure and thrills by taking an hour-long night tour. And for sightings of gentler creatures, head to Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park, where a manatee cam enables kids to see the underwater world through the eyes of these extraordinary creatures.

If the kids are more into land animals, suggest they try Animal Kingdom at Disney. It’s essentially a safari destination and a zoo combined with extremely knowledgeable staff and lots of shade trees (essential for those super-hot Orlando days). Another option for wildlife viewing is Green Meadows Farm, which offers a hands-on tour for kids. At the farm, the staff believes learning can be fun and have been following that philosophy since 1964. Whether it is a hay ride or milking a cow, these are experiences that you just don’t get at home (for most of us anyway).

Finally, for even more animal-viewing fun, one of the best off-the-beaten-track things to do in Orlando is Kings Landing. Starting north of Apopka (about 45 minutes north of Walt Disney World), Kings Landing launches canoes into the Rock Springs Run. It is an eight-mile journey by canoe or kayak through pristine Florida wilderness. Along the way, your clients will see alligators, dozens of species of birds, raccoons, otters, deer, turkeys, fish and more. Occasionally, they will even see a black bear. The unguided trip takes four to five hours, with places to stop and picnic, swim and relax along the river.

If your clients’ kids love science like mine do, suggest they head to the free Orlando Science Center, where the reptile, electricity and laser exhibits will keep kids busy. Little kids will stay occupied at the Science Center’s KidsTown, complete with water tables and the Orange Grove Factory. Also for science lovers, and totally worth the hour-long drive, is the Kennedy Space Center, a state-of-the-art facility for kids to learn about space. My kids love the shuttle simulation ride, plus the astronaut food you can buy in the gift shop. My favorite part is the memorial to the astronauts who have given their lives in space exploration missions. And we all love the Imax Theater that features space movies. The Space Center is an especially good stop just before or just after a cruise, as it’s quite close to the port where the ships dock.

For little kids, there are plenty of rides and activities in Orlando that won’t scare their pants off. Don’t miss Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot, where kids can sit in the front row and ask reptilian questions of Nemo’s littlest turtle pal. Also at Epcot, parents should be sure to schedule plenty of time for kids to do crafts in every country, plus get their passports stamped. Outside of Disney, little ones will love the old-fashioned amusement park in Old Town, where an antique carousel and a super-cool Ferris wheel are just-right adventures for tiny visitors.

If the kids are into water, Blizzard Beach is a faux ski resort, and Typhoon Lagoon mimics a tropical island. Both offer wave pools and intense waterslides. Or if the little ones are just learning to swim, consider hiring a swim teacher from the Swim Squad, a local company that will send a swim instructor to your hotel pool. Lessons are typically 30 minutes long and can be scheduled before or after a fun-filled day of tourist activities. Pricing is very reasonable — just under $30 for a 30-minute lesson.

If it’s culture your clients are after, Orlando has that, too. First on the list for any Orlando visitor has to be Cirque du Soleil show, “La Nouba,” at Downtown Disney. My family loves Cirque, and this show is one of the best we’ve seen, probably because of its permanent installation at Walt Disney World. If they are more into traditional theater, the Orlando Shakespeare Festival performs works by the Bard and others — even kids’ shows — year-round. And for museums, families should head about 20 minutes north of the theme parks to Winter Park, an upscale suburb of Orlando with a charming downtown district filled with boutique shops and cafes. The Morse Museum is a true gem and houses the world’s largest collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Eating Out
For an off-the-beaten-track restaurant that is visited by the Who’s Who of Orlando, send families to Johnson’s Diner, a soul food restaurant in the downtown area, one block west of the all-new $480 million Amway Center, which opens in late 2010. It’s one of those places that travelers would never know about, but locals do — especially celebrities — because the food is terrific. For amazing ice cream, try the soft-serve at Goff’s Drive In, an Orlando landmark that’s been there for more than 50 years.

You’d think everyone would know all about the amazing dining options at Disney, but some just don’t get the attention they deserve. For a little-known kids’ character meal, take kids to the Wonderland Tea Party at the Grand Floridian, where Alice and the Mad Hatter will serve a backward lunch (dessert first, salad last) to a small number of kids, then pose for photos. It’s my kids’ favorite. For a special family dinner you won’t soon forget, dress up for California Grill, a top-notch restaurant at the top of the Contemporary Hotel. While adults will appreciate the five-star menu and wine list, kids will love the goldfish crackers and crayons the restaurant provides. And this is the place to be for Magic Kingdom fireworks, visible from most tables as well as from the restaurant’s observation deck. 

Getting There With a Twist

For most families, it’s obvious: Fly into Orlando and rent a car. But insiders know that there are other ways to travel. For getting from the airport to your resort, ask about an airport shuttle — you may be surprised to find that all Disney resorts and many other area hotels offer airport transportation. For travel to Orlando, consider the auto train, an Amtrak option that kids love. Just load up the minivan and drive onto the train in Orlando, then enjoy the ride up the coast to Virginia.

Also, be sure to check out smaller airlines — many offer amazing Orlando service as well as special deals.