Walt Disney World is fantastic.
It’s also expensive.
And, quite frankly, it’s not for everyone. (No, really. Some people actually hate Disney.) Thankfully, there’s a lot more to do in Orlando beyond the Disney compound. And most of it will cost a fraction of a day at Disney World.
13 Things To Do In Orlando (Without Going To Disney World)
Things To Do In Orlando: The other “theme” parks
1. Gatorland One of the most unique things to do in Orlando is visit Gatorland. Florida is known for it’s alligator population, and Gatorland provides a great opportunity to get up close and personal without getting… well, too close. Gatorland tickets are less than $20, but you should plan to buy some gator jerky in the gift shop.
Gatorland in Orlando - where you can get eaten! Yay!
2. SeaWorld – The best thing about the SeaWorld park (aside from the dancing sea animals) is the lack of crowds. It’s the only amusement park in Orlando where you won’t spend most of your day waiting in line. I would much rather take a stroller bound child to SeaWorld than Disney World.
Shamu IV in Orlando, Florida
3. Wet N’ wild – If you’re looking for a place to go more than once, check out Wet N’ Wild. A general admission ticket is $45, but it’s good for an entire year. If you have kids and teenagers on your vacation, they can easily spend 2 or 3 days here enjoying the sun and water slides.
Things To Do In Orlando: Museums
4. Ripley’s Orlando – Florida is plagued with sink holes – and this museum is actually sinking into one! For less than $20, you can spend about two hours walking through the Orlando edition of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.
5. Orlando Science Center – this is an excellent vacation day for kids and one of the few cheap things to do in Orlando. As of January 2009, one of their exhibits is Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of The Human Body. Yeah, it is exactly what it sounds like. The science of burps and farts.
6. Kissimmee Air Museum – the planes here aren’t behind sheets of glass, or even ropes or gates. You can get up close and take excellent pictures of the exhibits at the Kissimmee Air Museum. You can also schedule flights in some of the planes. Go for a ride and take the controls (for a few minutes, obviously).
Fly A Plane At The Air Museum in Kissimmee, Florida
7. Titanic The Experience – Did you know The Titanic crashed in Orlando, Florida? OK, not really. But this unique Titanic museum offers an amazing opportunity to tour a replica, with actors dressed in period costumes working as tour guides to enhance the experience.
The Titanic Experience - Orlando, Florida
Things To Do In Orlando: Family-friendly nightlife
8. Ghost tours – There are scary places all over Florida, and the Orlando area is no exception. You can spend a night hunting ghosts and communing with the dead with Ghost Trackers. Of course, I wouldn’t take a small child who is afraid of the dark. But an adventure seeking preteen who is not quite old enough to find it dorky? Absolutely!
9. Medieval Times – Some adults will try and tell you that Medieval Times is only cool when you’re a kid. Those people have no souls or something. Medieval Times is awesome. Watch knights battle it out jousting style while you eat with your hands. How can that not be cool??
Medieval Times in Orlando, Florida
10. Wonder Works Comedy Magic Dinner Show – Wonder Works is an “upside down attraction”. At night they do an improv comedy and magic routine that is family friendly. The menu is a highly sophisticated offering of all you can eat pizza, salad, popcorn and dessert with a side of beer and pop.
Wonder Works Upside Down Attraction in Orlando
Things To Do In Orlando: The Great Outdoors
11. Airboat tours – taking a ride on an airboat is as much about being on the airboat as it is about what you’ll see. Of course, there’s plenty to see as well. Visitors tend to get the most excited about the alligators!
12. Fishing on Lake Toho – Orlando/Kissimmee sits on the north side of a 42 mile lake called Lake Toho. This lake is known for world class Bass fishing. You can find dozens of fishing tours with experts and professional fisherman to make sure you bring home a catch.
Bass Fishing in Orlando, Florida
13. Forever Florida EcoSafaris- Get ready for your wild Florida adventure. Journey deep into the 4700 acre Forever Florida wildlife conservation area. Coach Safari, Horseback Safari or soar through the treetops on the Zipline Safari. This is a chance to experience “Old Florida”, as in before the theme parks took over.
Zipline Safari
Forever Florida in Orlando
Check out even more Cheap Things To Do In Orlando.
If you’re planning a trip, check out Orlando flights.
- If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
- Share
- Prev/Next
93 Responses
I love SeaWorld but Gatorland may have to be on my next road trip! And the Medieval Times looks very fun. Thanks for the tips!
I did the Ghost Tracker one, save your money its fake!
[...] Things to Do in Orlando (without going to Disney World) at Uptake Vacations. [...]
[...] possible on the lowest budget, spend the big bucks on Universal and then go for some of the cheaper things to do in Orlando (like a trip to the beach). Central Florida offers so much more than roller coasters and cartoon [...]
[...] possible on the lowest budget, spend the big bucks on Universal and then go for some of the cheaper things to do in Orlando (like a trip to the beach). Central Florida offers so much more than roller coasters and cartoon [...]
Thank you. I despise Disneyworld and always have. My dad felt the same way, referring to Disney as “The Antichrist of Tourism.”
great list allthough I would delete the nr9 medieval times as it is not worth time nor money. Gatorland is the nr1 even if you include disneyworld.
[...] all the attractions that Orlando, Florida has to offer, Universal Studios is one of my favorites. The lines are typically shorter than the lines at Walt [...]
[...] a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando? Finding the right resort can be a daunting task because there are so many factors to consider. [...]
this list is good – my son does not do disney,but loves gatorland.
what does one do in orlando in december, i have only been in summer and the waterparks etc.
thanks
[...] you’re in town for the cool weather, incredible light decorations, visiting family, or all of the above, save yourself some time and heavy-duty cooking and treat yourself to a [...]
There are a lot of Hot-Air Balloon places, although a little pricey IMHO. Also there’s a sky-diving simulator. Can’t forget about the Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure/Citywalk combo. The lines are terrible mid-afternoon, but the morning and evening crowds aren’t bad at all. Seaworld is one of my favorites. There’s a lot of good shopping in Orlando too. Wonderworks is fun. Don’t forget to eat at Lobsterfest – all you can eat lobster, crab, and all the other seafood you can imagine. Kinda pricey but it can be very worthwhile.
[...] http://www.uptake.com [...]
[...] awesome dolphin statue and an indoor garden as well as several shops. Located in Kissimmee, FloridaThings To Do In Orlando – 13 Orlando things to do that aren't …Orlando offers lots of things to do beyond Walt Disney World. 13 ideas from theme parks to family [...]
This is great. I’m already planning on going to Seaworld and doing an eco-safari. Yet, there are so many other things to do in Orlando. I might check our Gatorland. I’m going with my kids!!
that looks amazing im in school and in a A.P (advanced pursuit) class we are planning an imaginary tripto wherever we want and i choose orlando, and since we have a 2,000 dollar budget i needed to find something cheap and this really helped me. THANK YOU! nice pictures by the way
[...] Related Posts: 13 Things to do in Orlando that aren’t Disney World A Girls’ Weekend in Orlando, Florida AKPC_IDS += [...]
Wet “n” Wild offer fantastic value at 45.00 for a whole season. I cannot think of anything more pleasant that our children playing in the sun and water in a safe environment where water species are playing on their own wonderland. Does this operate during the winter season. What type of entertainment is available or is it year round water sports.
Thanks for this, am planning a family holiday to Florida next year and worried what else there would be to do other than the Disney attractions, it seems there is plenty to keep up occupied.
[...] and personal look at gators (and really, you shouldn’t come to Florida and not see gators!), Gatorland is your best bet. Tickets are about $20 for entrance into this cheesy but gator and croc-filled [...]
[...] and personal look at gators (and really, you shouldn’t come to Florida and not see gators!), Gatorland is your best bet. Tickets are about $20 for entrance into this cheesy but gator and croc-filled [...]
[...] and personal look at gators (and really, you shouldn’t come to Florida and not see gators!), Gatorland is your best bet. Tickets are about $20 for entrance into this cheesy but gator and croc-filled [...]
[...] and personal look at gators (and really, you shouldn’t come to Florida and not see gators!), Gatorland is your best bet. Tickets are about $20 for entrance into this cheesy but gator and croc-filled [...]
2011 will be our fourth trip to Orlando and we’ve done the usual places many times so this is a great list for us to attack next. We love the place, the people and the atmosphere but need more than roller-coasters to keep us occupied…Another one for your list would have to be Old Town – Bags of character and the Saturday Night Car Processions are fab..!
The Ghost Tracker Ghost Tour in Kissimie , FL is a complete fake and waste of money. This is coming from a former team member.
amazing photos love it
[...] can still do the theme parks, but when you want a family friendly evening that doesn’t include Disney, this is a great [...]
[...] can still do the theme parks, but when you want a family friendly evening that doesn’t include Disney, this is a great [...]
Thanks for the FANTASTIC post! This information is really good and thanks a ton for sharing it
I’m looking forward to the next post of yours impatiently.
Fake crocodile ??
hahaha nice
Amazing adventure..
Am here in orlando area now now for a week with 2 of my kids. We got bored of typical Disney stuff so yesterday we went on “wild willy’s airboat tour” on lake Topahenga (or something like that) it was “AWESOME”. My 8 & 15 yr old boys loved it. We saw live alligators up close and they even got to hold a couple of live ones. One is tame and would even let you kiss it. No, the alligators did not have their mouths banded shut. We all had an amazing and educational experience and got within feet of 12 foot alligators in the wild. The mamas all had babies but hissed at you cause they were protective. All in all a great time on the lake.
Ghost Tracker Ghost Tours was awsome there is noway it is fake, it is one of the best tours I have taken and GT is outsanding I love that he takes the time to meet his fans, when we went on our tour there was about 40 to 50 fan wanting to take the tour with him that night, This is a must take tour
Mike from Cal,
Kennedy Space Center is only an hour away to the East. This is a phenominal day trip!!!
Going to Wet-n-Wild because you like animals, huh? That cracked me up. Oh, you are sure to be surrounded by very “colorful” animals there. Enjoy the stench of cologne and B.O. and maybe you’ll get to see the inevitable glimpse of the “zookeepers” with their badges & guns, rounding up the animals in their daily lockdown of that cesspool. Maybe one will follow you to the parking lot and take your money and car with their furry friends, which happens all too often. Enjoy!
I love Orlando. And I am looking for some fun non Disney things to do. But don’t diss the mouse… make no mistake, we don’t travel for ten hours and spend thousands to not go to Disney World. Without Disney Orlando would not be on the world tourist map.
That would be a really great alternatives but DisneyLand is just too awesome.
But the photos with the Alligator is true? You put your head inside the mouth of the crocodile?
You are really brave. I would not have ever made. Congratulations
Stefano
This is great. I’m already planning on going to Seaworld and doing an eco-safari. Yet, there are so many other things to do in Orlando. I might check our Gatorland.
Yeah, Disney and Universal are expensive, but well worth the experience. There are plenty of other great things to do in Orlando!
Even got into an argument with my brother about this subject – but as I’d read your article I had much more to say! So I won the debate hands down. Very informative post – easy to read, too. Many thanks. Jonathan, Manchester
This piece made so much more sense than other stuff I’ve read about this – which just left me feeling even more confused! Will be checking you out every time I need a clear guide to something. Thank you. Trevor C, Basingstoke, Hants
Wow , There are lot of thing to do at orlando , I wish i could be there someday , Disney world is the best place to have fun , .
I’m pretty sure the alligator is fake that the kid has his head in. Just made to look real for a good pic.
right now my family and I wanna go there! very beautiful!
Can’t forget about the Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure/Citywalk combo. The lines are terrible mid-afternoon, but the morning and evening crowds aren’t bad at all. Seaworld is one of my favorites.
I really loved reading this post. It has strengthen my faith more. You all do such a great job at such concepts. ..can’t tell you how much I for one appreciate all you do.
You have such a great article and that’s why I found this blog has lot of visitors and comments. I guess having something useful or substantial to say is the most important factor. congratulation and keep working!
I had no idea there was that much to do in Orlando. I’ve only been there once on business. I think I’ll go back for some fun. Thanks for the great information.
im going to gatorland whoop whoop!
Amazing pictures.. I had opportunity to go to Orlando, Florida about 4 years ago. My son and daughter-in-law took me to help out with the children. I didn’t work all that much but did I ever ENJOY it. Big time!
Best vacation of my life. We went to 3 amusement parks including Sea World and did some shopping and I loved the swimming. Didn’t get to go to Disney World which was close by.
The heat was intense that year. I took the baby for a walk and had to turn back as I was afraid he would burn up or keel over.
I have always wished to go back would love to go see that Titanic Museum you have pictured. I have seen the movie 3 times and still love it.
I would love to be able to visit Florida without seeing Disney- now I have lots of ideas.
I like the Upside Down Attraction in Orlando… If I were there I’m surely take photos from that place.
Fishing on Lake Toho is my kind of holiday.
Ripleys Orlando Museum is the best!
You cant come to Florida and not visit Medieval Times. One of the best places to visit.
My kids reckon the wet and wild here is among the best in the world!
seeking preteen who is not quite old enough to find it dorky? Absolutely! I wouldn’t take a small child who is afraid of the dark. But an adventure
I would much rather take a stroller bound child to SeaWorld than Disney World.
It’s the only amusement park in Orlando where you won’t spend most of your day waiting in line.
Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.. I just came across your blog and I wanted to say I really enjoyed reading your posts.
This is a great place for the travelers.I’m really thrilled.Thank you for very useful information accompanied by awesome photos!
These are some great activities for us when we go to disney later this year.
Great site! Lots of valuable and relevant information about the place. You must have really exerted a lot of effort in maintaining this on top rank. Loads of credible and timely content. I will definitely bookmark this page. Thank you for sharing this wonderful opportunity of learning. Nice job developers.
Great blog post here, lots of information and i really appreciate it what you doing here.
The (Impolite) Science of The Human Body. Yeah, it is exactly what it sounds like. The science of burps and farts.
Wet N’ wild is a great place for the whole family. It can get very hot in orlando and this is a place to just cool off.
I went fishing on lake toho with my family last summer. Really recommend it, it”s great fun and helps get you away from all the busy tourist spots for a while so you can relax.
Great post Britt! I never knew that Orlando is so beautiful. I have not been there but after seeing these photos, I am already interested of visiting there. Thanks for this post.
Cody Felton
Webmaster of Computer Desks for Home
one of my dream to go there to Orlando i hope it come true soon
Orlando Science Center is the few cheap things to do in Orlando. i hope any body who want to go for vication there must see Science Center.
Orlando is a useful and interesting trip in Disneyland.same like my favorite site plaza101.
The man who puts his head in the mouth of the crocodile is like…. It simply stunned me.I think it need lots of guts to put yourself in the mouth of death.
I’ve been to Orlando numerous times but I’ve never been to SeaWorld. I definitely wanna check that out!
I like this kind of blogs! You did a great job by posting these nice pics and descriptions of exotic tourist destinations. Because of this I have seen here I want to visit Gatorland and SeaWorld
! Thanks.
Interesting blog! I should tell this to my friends so that they will also avail the best site I would loved to visit more often.
Interesting blog is very good and interst blog.
Wow, nice post. Thanks for your sharing with us this information !
Thanks very much, i like your post very much, i wish i can be Orlando now
Orlando is so cute, nice place for my this summer vacation. Thank you !
I am living in Vietnam and i am going to study overseas in USA, my university is in Orlando, that is really great !!! I have chances to go there, haha. Thanks !
What a beautiful blog, are you in Orlando now ??? I am in Texas so i hope i can fly to Orlando now
It awesome nice place to visit!
First picture is horrible.
This is the nice place for toyrists, that’s rght.
I am wondering whether the crocodile on the first picture is real.
Nice pick of places of interest!
Man I’m impressed with this informative blog, and in fact you hav a genius mind. keep up the good work.This is really nice info.Thanks for such a wonderful post
I think Gatorland is awesome! It is a breather from all those fancy fairytale stories and characters that Disney offers. Also, there’s a lot to learn in that theme park. Thanks for posting the pictures!
WOW! By seeing the above photograps, i really impressed from orlando. If possible i would like to give visit the orlando
it didn’t recognize it was a video, nor did it have a title or description.
UNIVERSALLL! almost better than Disney, with its new park Harry Potter land. GREAT FOR KIDS, and CHEAPER THAN DISNEY.
-Orlando Resident.
I also am planning a family vacation, I’m going to Florida because it was so beautiful, I hope this is a fun filled vacation.