If you enjoy traveling and immersing yourself in different cultures, you probably like a bit of adventure as well. Some of the most common tourist attraction spots are undoubtedly theme parks. However, although visiting a theme park is a pretty straightforward process, there could still be some complications and trouble along the way. If you wish to experience a successful theme park visit, we've gathered some tips that could be very useful.
Florida theme parks
If you're visiting Florida, especially for the first time, you'll be happy to learn that there are great theme parts you can pay a visit to. Make sure to check whether the parks you wish to visit are meant for children if you're thinking of bringing your little ones.
Walt Disney World Resort
Universal Orlando Resort
SeaWorld Orlando
Legoland Florida
Gatorland
Busch Gardens
If you're in Florida and wish to visit some of its theme parks, you have a great variety to choose from. (Photo by Brian McGowan on Unsplash)
1. Check out everything in advance
Before you even begin to plan your trip, make sure to do as much research as possible. You'd be surprised by just how many pieces of information you could find that'll be useful during your visit. There may be a special Disney cruise or a nook that you wouldn't have otherwise known about. Make sure to get your information from a few different sources so that you're able to have valid and correct data. It would be best if you personally knew someone who's recently visited the same theme park you're about to go to. They could lead you to all the coolest spots and advise you to steer clear of any dead ends and dull places.
2. Look for discounts
One of the greatest things about booking a trip as early as possible is all the discounts you can get along the way. Your theme park visit is no exception. Once you've decided on a park that you wish to go to, surf the internet for any possible promo codes or coupons that you could use. However, make sure not to book your tickets before finding the discounts since they usually need to be entered alongside all your other information. If you've already made this mistake, try contacting the park's administration to see if they can do something about it. This is a great way to save a bit and have extra pocket money to spend once you're there.
If you're into finding discounts for theme park rides and other attractions you want to visit, make sure to check if they have any. (Photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash)
3. Plan all your meals
One of the more important things that'll ensure the success of your visit to the theme park is planning. If you wish to bring your own lunch or dinner so that you're not wasting any time there, that's cool. Nevertheless, most theme parks have fun offers for food, and you can expect to grab a great meal right there on the spot. The best piece of advice would be to explore the best restaurants before you get to the park. Try to find something that's both reasonably priced and close to your taste and preference. If you're not too keen on doing research upfront, make sure to go to the places that seem popular. A safe bet is to always go where the crowd is.
4. Pack everything you'll need
You'll need to pack quite a few things before your theme park visit. Here are some essentials that you mustn't forget:
SPF: Although it may be a strange thing to put in the first place, SPF is definitely deserving of it. Make sure to slather yourself and your little ones before you visit the theme park and bring some with you. Apply sunscreen at least every 2-3 hours.
Layers: You should also dress accordingly. No matter the season, make sure you're prepared. Bring layers with you.
Electronic appliances and chargers
Snacks and water
Money
Make sure you've packed everything you need before visiting a theme park. (Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash)
Moving to Florida
Once you've visited some of the great theme parks in Florida, you may wish to stay a bit longer. If that is the case and if you are yet to move here, there are some things you should be aware of before moving to Florida. One of the most important bases you'll need to cover is hiring the right company to move you. Research the companies meticulously and thoroughly before settling on one.
5. Be realistic about your time frame
Make sure not to be too ambitious while planning your visit to the theme park. If you put too much on your plate, you won't be able to get to everything, and you'll feel frustrated. Instead of being too ambitious, give yourself enough time. If need be, you can always visit the theme park one more time to see and explore everything you have in mind.
Early bird gets the worm
Of course, if you don't mind having a hectic day in front of you, you could try to pull the visit off in one fell swoop. However, in that case, make sure that you get up as early as possible. You'll avoid the traffic and won't have to rush as much.
Make sure to plan ahead so that you'll have enough time for everything you wish to visit in the theme park. (Photo by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash)
6. Visit the less-known spots
Don't just go for the acclaimed and well-known spots and rides. Try to give everything a chance since it may surprise you. If the theme park that you're visiting is bigger, make sure to explore different nooks and crannies. It's not rare to run into the best gifts and souvenir shops in the oddest of places.
7. Bring good company with you
For a super successful theme park visit, you should always have good company by your side. If you're visiting a theme park with your kiddos, it could be a great idea to travel with a family that you enjoy spending time with. This way, both you and your children will have a lot of fun. If this isn't doable for whatever reason, you could always go as a family or even try to make some friends along the way. After all, all the best adventures start this way!
Have you been to ICON Park Orlando? This area located off I-Drive has a variety of things to do, see, and eat. From the Iconic Wheel to fun museums, to themed restaurants and bars this is a spot that always has something fun to get into. Recently we went on a little day date to explore a variety of attractions and used the Play Pass ticket. Read on to learn more about why the Play Pass is an amazing value, and see all of the fun things we tried…
While Disney World is already picture-perfect, you need to be photoshoot-ready behind the camera, too! Here are a few things to keep in mind as a photographer on your next Disney World trip…
The holidays are officially here! We love visiting the parks during this season and one of our favorites to see is Epcot for the International Festival of the Holidays. With festive decor, cultural entertainment, and lots of holiday goodies this festival always put us in the holiday spirit. A fun activity during this time is the Holiday Cookie Stroll. Read on to learn more about this fun tradition…
As Walt Disney once said, " Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world. It is something that will never be finished. Something that I can keep developing and adding to." With many new park updates announcements some get us more excited that others and we have been anxiously anticipating a new addition to the World Showcase at Epcot. The France pavilion is one of our faves and we love the movie Ratatouille, so we thought this development would be a great addition. This week we were offered the opportunity to preview this new area early with an Annual Pass Preview reservation. Read on for all the details of the new area…
If you enjoy traveling and immersing yourself in different cultures, you probably like a bit of adventure as well. Some of the most common tourist attraction spots are undoubtedly theme parks. However, although visiting a theme park is a pretty straightforward process, there could still be some complications and trouble along the way. If you wish to experience a successful theme park visit, we've gathered some tips that could be very useful…
One big event that draws crowd every fall is the Food and Wine Festival. This year marks the 25th year of this special event, but with 2020 being the year of change we knew this year’s festival may look a little different. While there is still a festival planned this year it is scaled back from previous versions and being called Taste of Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. So come along as we explore what a “mini festival” at Epcot is like…
(GUEST POST BY: Magical Adventure Co.)
As one of the first movie franchise themed lands at a Disney Park (think Pandora, Galaxy’s Edge, and Toy Story Land), Cars Land has been wowing guests ever since its opening in 2012 and has continued to marvel guests with its charm and immersiveness to this day. Over the past 8 years our team at Magical Adventure Co. has visited this spot numerous times, and we love everything that it has to offer. So come along for a ride as we share with you all that this land has to offer…
With the parks closed for the last few months we have been anxiously awaiting to see what they would be like once open again. Well yesterday we were fortunate to get that chance as we attended an Annual Passholder preview day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. Honestly leading up to this visit we have had so many thoughts in our head. While we weren’t concerned about Disney properly handling safety we did wonder:
Can we last in a park, in the heat with a mask?
What will crowds be like? Will they comply with rules?
Will Disney still feel magical?
At the end of the day is paying for a ticket to Disney still worth it?
Read on for a full review of our park experience including plenty of info on new safety measures and changes…
While we find Disney’s Animal Kingdom to have some of the best dining options in the parks (like Tiffin’s!), on our last visit we decided to try something a little different: a pizza joint. Pizzafari is located in Discovery Isle and offers a dinner option that is a cross between quick service and table service. We were in the mood for carbs and the price seemed reasonable so we ventured over to try out this spot. Read on for a full review of the Family-Style Dining offering…
While we love strolling Epcot’s World Showcase and sampling food and drink along the way, once in awhile we love booking a table service meal in one of the countries. Morocco has always been one of our favorite stops for flavorful cuisine. The menus can seem a bit more adventurous for some, which we find can actually lead to less kids and a quieter atmosphere. Having opened in 2014, Spice Road Table is a newer addition to the pavilion and has quickly become one of our favorites. Read on to hear more about this great dinner spot…
Throughout the year there are a few different seasons that bring some extra magic to Disney parks. One of those times happens to be in the spring when Epcot hosts the International Flower & Garden Festival. We had been to this festival years ago, and boy has it grown! (Food booths didn’t even exist back then!) While the 2020 festival season was cut short we were lucky enough to visit a little bit in the beginning and wanted to share the offerings this year. From beautiful gardens, to fresh food, and springtime merch, read on to hear what this festival has to offer…
This past Christmas we tried something new and booked a visit to Disney’s Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day (make sure to check out our recap article on 5 lessons learned). We knew we wanted a cozy holiday meal, and decided to book a mid-day reservation at Liberty Tree Tavern. This colonial-style table service restaurant is known best for family-style Thanksgiving meals. More recently they have also added some a la carte options too which we decided to explore this time. Read on to hear about this hearty dining option…
Throughout the year there are a few different seasons that bring some extra magic to Disney parks. One of those times happens to be in the winter when Epcot hosts the International Festival of the Arts. This was the one festival we had never attended before this year (can you believe it?) We couldn’t wait to see an artistic spin on the park and see all of the offerings available. While we are sad to say yesterday was the last official day, we still wanted to provide an overview of our thoughts and all of the reasons this is our new favorite festival that we can’t wait for again next year…
While visiting Disneyland Paris and using the Premium Half Board Dining Plan, we were able to dine at some of the top restaurants at the resort. On our last night of our trip the concierge at our hotel was nice enough to snag us a reservation at one of the fanciest places. We were excited to cap off our trip with a dinner at California Grill, located inside the luxurious Disneyland Hotel. While there is a California Grill in Florida, these two restaurants are pretty different from each other. Read on to hear our experience at this signature location (and for some of our best food photography to date!) Also, if you want to see all of our articles about Disneyland Paris you can see them listed at the bottom of this article or we recommend to start here: 2 Disney Loving Americans Go International (Part 1): How to Plan a Trip to Disneyland Paris…
Most who have been to a Disney Park in the U.S. are familiar with a service called PhotoPass. There are photographers throughout the parks to capture professional images of your whole group on vacation. We have always found it worth it to buy a package and come home with tons of fun memories from the trip. When we recently visited Disneyland Paris, they too advertised having PhotoPass as well, but we soon found out it was nothing like the U.S. version. Read on to hear why we do not recommend purchasing PhotoPass here and what we did instead…
Visiting Disneyland Paris had been an item on our bucket list for so many years. This year we set some goals and were able to make that dream come true. We spent a ton of time planning (make sure to read Part One of this article for an overview of DLP and how to plan a trip) and then set off for a new adventure. We know Walt Disney World and Disneyland really well, but this was our first visit to an international Disney Park. How do things compare to the U.S. parks? Well we have the scoop for you on attractions, food, service, and more. Read on for our detailed review of the good and the bad, and what makes Disneyland Paris different and special…
Christmas is magical. Disney is magical. So if you put the two together you should end up with something extra magical, right? But on the other hand we have heard Christmas Day can be one of the busiest days of the year, where the park can hit max capacity and close. Since this was our first holiday season in Orlando we decided now was a good a time as any to find out what it is really like to visit Walt Disney World on Christmas day. Read on to hear about our experience and some lessons learned for future Christmas Day adventurers.
On Julie’s birthday we had a fun day hopping around meeting friends at different places on Walt Disney World property. We ended the night at Magic Kingdom and met up with of our friends Andres from Thrills and Magic. We had a fun night checking out the fireworks and getting some rides in. Check out this fun video of the night and make sure to see Andres other fun vlog content!
When planning our visit to Disneyland Paris we wanted to carefully select the best dining options at restaurants that would be unique to this park. One place quickly rose to the top of our list: Walt’s - An American Restaurant. Andrew is a huge fan of Walt Disney history and when we heard this was the theme of the restaurant, and also that is was one of the higher-end options available on our Premium dining plan we really wanted to check it out. Walt’s had just gone through a refurb but opened the week we were visiting so we were lucky enough to snag a time for lunch. Did this restaurant live up to the hype? Read on to find out what we thought…
Once again it is that spooky season at the parks, and it is time for another Disney Friends Blog Hop! Being October, what is more appropriate theme than Halloween? We will be discussing Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (if you are looking for a great overview of the party in general make sure to start with our article from last year first: “10 Tips for Adults to Enjoy Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.”) While every year many people report on what is new at the party, this year we wanted to dig in a little further… We were able to attend the party quite a few times and do some experimenting on different aspects of the party. Curious to learn more on what we discovered? Read on, if you dare… (then check out the end of this article for other fun Disney Halloween articles!)
We both love the movie Ratatouille and may have watched it a time or two while getting ready for our trip to Paris. We knew one of the things were excited to see in Disneyland Paris is the little land in Disney Studios dedicated to this movie. This area features the attraction Ratatouille: The Adventure which ends in a real life version of Remy’s Parisian restaurant: Bistro Chez Remy. So come along as we explore this fine dining option with a fun character theme…
Andrew is a huge fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, so when we heard that Disneyland Paris has a pirate themed restaurant we knew this was a must do on the list. Captain Jack’s Restaurant des Pirates is located inside the Pirates attraction and is themed after Captain Jack Sparrow himself. Arrr you ready to adventure on and learn more about this dining experience?
Being huge Disney fans, one of our bucket list items is to eventually visit all of the different parks around the world. Julie had always dreamed of visiting Paris so over the years we had talked about Disneyland Paris being the first park to check off the list. Last year we happened to come across a vacation deal for a buy 3 day package, get 2 more days free. It was hard to pass up so we decided to finally put plans in motion. We found info harder to come by as we planned, it was honestly a lot of work, so we really wanted to share with our audience to hopefully help future visitors! Read on for an overview of how we planned this overseas trip…
If you haven’t heard already, a brand new land is opening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios later this month: Star War’s Galaxy Edge! This past weekend we were lucky enough to be able to explore this new world before the official opening on the 29th as part of Annual Passholders preview days. We scored a reservation on the very first day for a 1-5pm time slot to be able to enjoy the area with lower crowds. So come along as we give an overview of the new land as well as share five tips to help you enjoy your first trip to Batuu…
It is time for another Disney Friends Blog Hop! The theme for this month is “Summer”. We weren’t super sure what to write about as we had never actually been to Walt Disney World during the summer season (hard to believe right?). But that fact has recently changed. Since we moved to the Orlando area, it was a no brainer for us to become Disney Annual Pass (AP) holders. We decided to celebrate acquiring those little yellow cards by taking on a little bit of a crazy challenge: hitting all four parks in one day….in the middle of summer. Read on to hear about our long day and for a few of our tips for surviving the heat… (Also make sure to check below for a list of other fun Disney blogs in this hop to go check out!)
It’s funny, back in the day we went on a date where we both were able to see our first 3D movie, which happened to be “Avatar”. While it may not be one of the top movies from a story perspective, it most definitely was a milestone in visual movie technology at the time. When Disney announced it was creating a new world based on the movie it seemed a bit odd and unrelated at first. But overtime we got used to the idea and we realized a storyline about the environmental could fit in well at the Animal Kingdom and the source material could lead to new technology and creativity for the Imagineers. After many years of waiting, anticipation kept growing as opening date approached. And this winter it was finally time for us to take a visit to “Pandora – The World of Avatar”. Read on for our review and lots of beautiful pics…
One of the amazing things about Disney is how the parks are always innovating new experiences for guests to enjoy. With every visit we can usually count on a new food to try or event to attend, and every once in awhile there may even be a new or updated attraction. But on our last trip there was an entire new world for us to explore: Toy Story Land! The Toy Story movies are one of Andrew’s all time favorites, so we couldn’t wait to see how this franchise translated into a new area in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here are all the details of our first time visit and a very honest review...
For many years Disney’s Animal Kingdom had been known as just a partial day park. Even so it had grown on us over the years with the exotic theming and the ability to explore nature trails had become a very relaxing and enjoyable experience for us. Recently there have been some newer additions to the park to include some offerings that have even extended the park hours longer than before. On our recent trip to the world we were excited to check out some of these newer offerings and for the first time stay in Animal Kingdom later than a 5pm close time. We decided to book a dining package to experience the River of Lights night show for the first time. Read on for a review of our meal and the show…
Every year as part of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, the American Gardens Theater hosts the traditional Candlelight Processional. On select nights, this hour long performance includes the telling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator, a 50 piece orchestra, and a full choir. This is a free event for anyone with park entrance, however the standby lines can get crazy long. This year we decided to book the Candlelight Processional Dining Package to avoid lines and get reserved seating to the show. Keep on reading for a review of our experience and our thoughts on if the package purchase was a good value.
If we had to choose our favorite Epcot festival, it would be the International Festival of the Arts (presented by AT&T). While all of the festivals have food, this one has food that looks beautiful. There are so many opportunities to interactive with art and it is the best way to buy a memorable piece for your home. This week we were invited by Disney Parks to a Media Event to get a sneak peek at new additions to this year’s event. Let’s dive in and explore all the fun new artful offerings…