Islands of Adventure is the second theme park that makes up the Universal Studios Orlando Resort. Its situated right next to Universal Studios Florida, and is even connected to that park internally courtesy of the Hogwarts Express. Opened in 1999, Universal’s Islands of Adventure is …
Universal Studios Florida is the original theme park which, along with Islands of Adventure next door, comprise the Universal Orlando Resort. The park is packed with high thrill attractions, exciting shows and some of the best experiences in Central Florida. Considering the park is right …
Orlando. How I love you Orlando. This city in Central Florida may have started out as a sleepy provincial town, but its now the most popular tourist destination in the United States of America (it first surpassed New York in that category in 2014). If you know anything about Orlando, I’m sure you know the reason for its exponential boom as America’s tourist capital – theme parks. Its one of my favourite places in the United States, and I’ll never turn down a trip to Orlando. There’s lots to know when planning a trip to Orlando. A week is a good amount of time to spend. In this post I’m going to give you an overview of some of the best things to do.
Don’t worry – there’s going to be plenty more Orlando content on the site to come. For now, lets introduce you to the most fun filled city on earth. I truly do love you, Orlando.
This section could really be headed “when to visit Florida”. If you’re planning a trip to the Sunshine State, the one thing to be aware of is hurricane season. Technically, hurricane season runs from June to early November. With that said, I’ve been to Florida in the middle of summer and had no problems at all. The time of year that you really need to be careful with planning a trip is in September and October, as this tends to be the peak of the season.
If you’re planning to hit up all the theme parks (and lets face it, you definitely are), you should try to avoid busy times of year like Spring Break and School Holidays. If its the only time of year you can get to Orlando, you should still do it, but just bear in mind that things will be more crowded than usual (and probably more expensive).
Florida gets really hot and humid during the summer (we’re talking 30s Celsius). You can also expect at least an hour of rain (sometimes more) in the late afternoon/early evening pretty much every day at this time of year. Personally, I’m not phased by the heat and really enjoy summer in Florida – just stay hydrated and apply that sunscreen. Conventionally though, the best time to visit Orlando tends to be from March to May, when its not as hot and crowds are more manageable.
As the major tourist hub that it is, it should come as no surprise that getting to Orlando is extremely easy. Orlando International Airport (MCO) is one of the largest airports in the United States and sees direct flights from all major cities across the country, as well as a series of international flights from Europe, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The airport is huge, but also really easy to navigate. It is quite spread out though, and you’ll have to board the MCO People Mover to transfer between terminals, so keep that in mind when flying out and give yourself plenty of time.
MCO Airport is about 20 kilometres east of Downtown Orlando and International Drive (the main tourist hub). Its about 40 kilometres from Walt Disney World. There’s various shuttles that can get you from the airport to your resort. One of the most well known is Mears Transportation (which used to run the no longer operating Magical Express shuttle to Walt Disney World). Rates vary depending on where you’re going, but in general you can expect to pay around $15 – $30 per person.
I tend to use Uber to get into Orlando from MCO. Its more expensive, but really efficient. Depending on traffic, you can be at your hotel within 30 minutes.
If you’re travelling internationally to the United States, make sure you check your travel requirements. You’ll need a passport and probably either an ESTA or visa. Do your research well before leaving, and if you need to get an ESTA, apply on the official website.
If you’ll be doing all the Disney theme parks during your stay in Orlando, I really recommend staying at a Disney resort on the Disney World property. There’s so much to know about Disney World, so I’m going to cover that in a separate post. For now, just know that there’s various priced options depending on what you’re after (though even the cheapest Disney resorts will be more expensive than what you can find away from “the World”).
Assuming you’re staying in Orlando itself, I feel the best area to base yourself is International Drive. This is Orlando’s ultimate tourist district. Its filled with resorts, bars, restaurants and a whole gambit of attractions. No matter what you’re into, you’ll be able to find something to do on International Drive. If you’re looking for an affordable option in the area, I recommend staying at the Avanti International Resort. I’ve stayed here quite a few times when I’ve been in Orlando. Its a family friendly resort which is conveniently located and has a great swimming pool, as well as a fully stocked bar, cafe, games room and fitness centre. The rooms contain all the basic amenities, including coffee makers, mini-fridges and microwaves.
I personally think one of the best ways to do Orlando is to spend part of your trip in International Drive, and then stay at a Disney resort for the time that you intend to spend at Walt Disney World.
Generally speaking, you can expect to pay the following per night for a (non-Disney) double room in high season in Orlando:
You’ll be spending most of your time in Orlando at theme parks. That means you’ll be doing lots of walking. I think every time I go to Orlando I set a new record for my amount of steps taken in a day! As far as getting between the Disney theme parks, there’s plenty of options. I’ll cover Walt Disney World itself separately in another post.
When it comes to Orlando itself, there’s no really efficient public transport system. Most hotels will offer shuttle services, though I tend to use Uber a lot in this city. Its just super convenient.
International Drive itself is fairly walkable, though the I-Ride Trolley does get you from one end of the tourist strip to the other and everywhere between. It even goes up to Universal Boulevard, which as you can guess is the site of the Universal Studios parks. It operates daily from 8.00am to 10.30pm.
Theme parks, theme parks and more theme parks. That’s how you’ll be spending most of your time in Orlando. Between Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, there’s 6 major parks in total (and that’s just dealing with those two resorts). While there’s others like SeaWorld, you can see that you’ll need more than a week in Orlando to get through those. Here’s the places I recommend you visit on a week’s trip to Orlando (especially if its your first time here).
As the largest collection of theme parks in the world, people come to Orlando to visit Walt Disney World. Its actually located in nearby Lake Buena Vista, and is a massive 40 square mile region with its own postcode. Disney World contains a plethora of resorts, theme parks, water parks, restaurants and other attractions, all run by the Walt Disney Company. I plan to write a lot more about Disney World in the future, but for now, you should know there are 4 full scale theme parks, all of which take up at least a day (if not more) to explore.
When people think of Disney World, they normally mean the Magic Kingdom park. Opened in 1971, this is the traditional castle style theme park which attracts the most visitors of any theme park globally. Its based heavily on the original Disneyland in Anaheim, but is much bigger. Its where you’ll find the classic Disney rides, meet all your favourite Disney characters and see the incomparable parades and firework displays. If you’re here for the highlights, you can squeeze them into one (very busy) day, but for a comprehensive tour of the park, you’ll need at least two days to do everything.
EPCOT was the second theme park to open at Disney World and is my personal favourite of the bunch. Its different to traditional theme parks in that its not as ride dependent as the others. The front of the park (currently Future World, but in the process of being rebranded) is filled with an assortment of pavilions devoted to educational concepts, though more and more thrill rides have opened over the years), while the World Showcase is an amazing permanent world fair, in which 11 countries are represented by permanent immersive pavilions, filled with local cuisine, shopping and cultural displays.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the park for thrill ride enthusiasts. It draws its main theming from the bright lights of old Hollywood, complete with its own Chinese Theatre and Sunset Boulevard. More recently, the park has expanded to include immersive lands themed around the Toy Story and Star Wars franchises (the latter actually being like taking a trip to a galaxy far, far away). Some of Disney World’s best rides, such as Rise of the Resistance and the Tower of Terror can be found at Hollywood Studios.
Rounding out the bunch, you’ve got Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This unique park is a blend between a traditional theme park and a zoo. Divided into an assortment of regions such as Africa, Asia, and the fictional realm of Pandora (from Avatar), Animal Kingdom is arguably the most beautiful of the Disney World parks and contains a healthy mix of animal exhibits and thrill rides. It even includes a large scale safari adventure out on a replicated African Savannah!
On a one week trip to Orlando, you should dedicate one full day to each of the above parks. If you’re on a longer vacation, there’s even more to do at Disney World. If you’re transferring to a Disney Resort during your stay (or just need a rest day during your trip), Disney Springs is a really great shopping and dining precinct, featuring probably the largest range of Disney merchandise in the world. There’s also the Disney Boardwalk, which contains a further assortment of great restaurants.
As the main competition, Universal Studios Resort also has some really good theme parks in Orlando. Unlike the spread out nature of the Disney parks from one another, Universal Studios’ two major parks are right next to each other (with a third being constructed nearby). Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure are lots of fun, filled with a huge range of attractions based on popular film franchises. The headline attractions are those in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – a completely immersive section that can be found across both parks (they’re even connected by the Hogwarts Express train!) where you can tour Hogwarts and Diagon Alley.
Since both parks are next to each other, it makes sense to buy a park hopper pass, allowing you to jump between the two parks in the course of a day. If you’re spending two days at Universal, you can easily cover one park each day, though it is possible to do all the highlights of both in one day if you’re super efficient (plan to be there from open to close). If money is no issue, I highly recommend upgrading your admission to include the Universal Express pass, which will let you skip the queue on most attractions, really cutting down on the amount of time you’ll spend in lines.
At the front of the Universal Studios theme parks is the Universal CityWalk. This is Universal’s dining and entertainment district, as well as where you’ll find the resort’s official hotels. Its a nice place to chill out with a drink after a busy day at the parks. You’ll find all your favourite American food chains here.
Depending on how much time you have in Orlando, you may want to spend a relatively relaxing day by the pool at your resort and also wander out onto International Drive. While there’s a slower pace here compared to the big theme parks, you definitely won’t run short on things to see and do. This 5 kilometre thoroughfare is filled with restaurants, shops, theatres and tourist attractions.
The most popular spot for tourists on International Drive is the ICON Orlando 360 Complex. Renowned for its ICON Orlando Observation Wheel, it can’t be missed as you head along the strip. This huge ferris wheel offers amazing views of Orlando (including its theme parks) from its 30 air conditioned capsules. The onboard recorded commentary tells you all about the surrounding landmarks as you rotate about the wheel. With Orlando being a very flat city, a ride aboard the Orlando Observation Wheel is a great way to get the lay of the land from above.
There’s tons more to do near the Observation Wheel. If you’re after a more thrilling ride, the Starflyer is swinging chair attraction that takes riders up 450 feet into the air, high above the city (I skipped that one!). If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground, there’s the SEA Life Orlando Aquarium and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, which are always a fun way to spend an hour or so (and escape the Florida heat).
Further south from the ICON Complex, you’ll come across a gigantic upside down mansion. This unique sight contains WonderWorks, a fully interactive science centre, which makes for a huge hit with families. The centre is filled with educational exhibits that even include an earthquake and hurricane simulator. The nearby Titanic: The Experience is the world’s first permanent attraction devoted to the famous ship, filled with recreations of the legendary vessel’s interior and artefacts salvaged from its shipwreck.
When you’re done exploring, there’s no shortage of places to eat on International Drive. You’ll find all your American brands along the strip – think Denny’s, Shake Shack, Outback Steakhouse and more. There’s also a whole heap of bars and clubs for those looking to continue on (don’t party too hard though – you’ll probably be waking up early the next day for another theme park’s opening time!).
Spending a week in Orlando is a recipe for a super busy vacation. Its so much fun though. There’s lots more to know about the specific theme parks that you’ll spend time visiting on a trip to this vacation hotspot in Central Florida, and I’ll be covering that going forward, but as you can see, there’s no shortage of things to do in Orlando. If you’re wanting to do it all, a week isn’t enough, but for a first time visitor, its a good amount of time for the highlights. How do you feel about Orlando? Do you love it as much as I do?
Looking for dinosaurs, whales, ancient cultures and more? The American Museum of Natural History has you covered for this and so much more on your trip to New York City. While its often overshadowed by the extravagant Metropolitan Museum of Art on the other side …
New York City is home to so many famous attractions, but its also the show theatre capital of the world (possibly along with London’s West End). When you think of theatre, naturally you think of Broadway. While its technically the name of the 13 mile …
With so many places see New York City from above, it can be tough to narrow down where to go to get your skyscraper photos. Personally, I think One World Observatory is the best of the bunch. Located in Lower Manhattan at the site of the World Trade Center (mere steps away from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum), this is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Standing at 104 floors in height, this massive skyscraper was built to replace the Twin Towers that were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of 2001. The tower contains an observatory from which you can take in views of all five of New York boroughs. I really enjoyed heading up the One World Observatory. Hopefully this guide will give you all the details you need to enjoy the experience on your next trip to the Big Apple.
Unlike other famous skyscrapers in New York such as the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, the One World Trade Center is a relatively recent addition to the Manhattan skyline. Until the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Twin Towers were part of New York’s World Trade Center. In the aftermath of the attacks, plans were made to rebuild the World Trade Center. While numerous plans were submitted, the final project chosen was that of the “Freedom Tower”, designed by architect David Childs. Construction began on the new skyscraper in April 2006, and the 1776 foot tall building (symbolically the year of US independence) was completed on May 10, 2013. A number of offices moved into the premises the following year, however the new World Trade Center was finally opened to the public with the unveiling of the One World Observatory on May 29, 2015.
The tower is often regarded as the spiritual successor to the Twin Towers. Its total footprint is equal to the combined footprint of those towers. Furthermore, the One World Observatory is at the exact same height as the observatories in the old complex (on the tower’s 100th, 101st and 102nd floors). Of course, the One World Trade Center is exceedingly modern and cutting edge in its design. It is estimated to have cost around $3.9 billion to complete. The base of the tower is blast resistant, and all the elevators, stairwells and other key components are encased in thick concrete surroundings. Safety was clearly a priority in the construction of this marvellous structure.
When planning a trip to One World Observatory, there’s two main things to remember. Firstly, check the weather forecast. At 102 floors above the city, you won’t see much on a very overcast or foggy day. I highly recommend planning to go to One World Observatory on the day that is going to have the best weather when you’re in New York. I remember the first time I was supposed to go to the Observatory, you couldn’t even see the top from the ground due to the amount of cloud cover (and snow). Thankfully I was able to reschedule my visit for later in the day when things had cleared up.
Secondly, book your tickets in advance or you’ll be waiting in really long lines before you can even enter the queue to go up the elevator to the Observatory. You can get your tickets on the official website (and take note of the different options). I personally recommend the skip the line ticket, even though it costs a bit more, especially if you’re visiting New York in peak tourist season. You can also choose to visit One World Observatory as part of the New York Sightseeing Pass. I did this and it is is a good option if you plan to see a number of the city’s attractions over the course of your stay. At the time of writing, One World Observatory is not included in the CityPass.
If you have a timed entry ticket, aim to get to One World Observatory at least 15 minutes before your allocated entry slot. Upon arriving at the tower, you’ll need to clear an airport style security check involving metal detector screening. While its definitely the busiest time of day, I highly recommend visiting just before sunset for the most memorable views.
While they’re obviously overshadowed by the views once you get up to the observatory, I was really impressed with the modern exhibits on the ground level that follow the security checkpoint. After passing through the Global Welcome Center (which documents the numbers of people from all over the world that have come to the Observatory), your next stop is the Horizon Grid. This is a 144-screen experience playing a 14 minute short film. Entitled Voices, the mini-documentary includes interviews with people who worked on the One World Trade Center.
From there, you’ll continue into the Foundations Room. This immersive exhibit space recreates the bedrock buried deep below New York City. It actually feels like you’re passing through a cave. While its ultimately a glorified queuing area, at the same time you’ll learn about the geology of the site, along with learning facts about New York through a series of projections.
Finally you’ll come to the elevator that whisks you to the top of the building in a mere 47 seconds. When you step inside the elevator however, you won’t see the urban skyline of modern Manhattan. Instead, you’ll be greeted with views of unsettled forest prior to the city’s development, courtesy of LED technology. As you ascend, you’ll travel through time across 300 years, watching the city grow around you into the concrete jungle we know today. Its really cool! Once your skypod ride ends, you’ll file into the See Forever Theatre. Here, one last short film ends with the screen fading away to reveal your first glimpse of the city from the tower’s 102nd floor.
As you file into the Observatory itself, prepare to be blown away. With glass windows covering every wall in the observatory, you’ll have 360 degree panoramic views of one of the world’s greatest cities from this extremely high vantage point. The main observatory level is on the building’s 100th floor (though its all in one open chamber). On the way down, you’ll pass the restaurants on the 101st floor (there’s one casual cafe and a more formal sit down restaurant and bar where you can enjoy the views over a meal or cocktail).
While you’ll have to deal with glass reflections when taking photos, if you place your phone up against the glass (or as close as possible) you should be able to take pretty good photos from the massive Observatory windows. You can spend as long as you like up here, and I really encourage you to take your time. I actually spent about two hours in the Observatory and it flew by. Visiting at sunset and getting to take in the city both during the day and at night definitely added to the experience.
As you take in the views from the Observatory, make sure you stop by the Sky Portal. This 14 glass floor of the Observatory shows live stream footage of the city directly below. While its obviously a projection (the portal is in the middle of the tower after all), you might forget that as you stand above and look down 100 floors beneath your feet.
You can also learn more about New York during your visit to the Observatory thanks to the excellent City Pulse talks. Conducted regularly by city ambassadors with the assistance a series of flat screen TVs, these short presentations are basically Q&A sessions where you’ll be taught a number of facts about the city that may well enhance your stay. You can check the scheduled times for these talks at the City Pulse stations in the Observatory (or ask a staff member when the next talk is set to begin).
If you want to discover even more about New York on your visit to One World Observatory, you can upgrade your ticket to include the One World Explorer. This is an interactive guide that operates on a tablet and assists in pointing out the various landmarks that you can see across the skyline (including up close helicopter footage). I didn’t personally use the Explorer, but if you’re interested in this, it costs an extra $10.00.
I really enjoyed my visit to One World Observatory. Combining a trip to the top of the tower with the nearby 9/11 Museum is an excellent way to spend an afternoon in Lower Manhattan and I really recommend doing so on a first time visit to New York City. Others will certainly have different opinions, but I think One World offers the best of the best when it comes to observation spaces in New York (though there are a few newer options I haven’t had the chance to visit). The views are outstanding, and there’s nothing like that moment when you first glimpse the panoramic scenes from above. Have you been to One World Observatory? How does it stack up against the famous skyscrapers of Midtown for you? If you haven’t, give it a try on your next trip and let me know what you think!
9/11. The date of September 11, 2001 needs no explanation. Its the date that the world changed. The date that the United States of America saw its worst terrorist attack on domestic soil. Within the space of 24 hours, 2,997 lives were lost in a …
The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum is one of my favourite museums in New York. In a city filled with so many, this museum is extremely memorable – mostly due to the fact that its housed on an actual air freighter. Yes, you read …
Madison Square Garden, the “world’s most famous arena”, is the premiere sporting and entertainment arena in New York City. Home to the legendary sports teams: the New York Knicks and Rangers, as well as icons such as Billy Joel, the arena has been renowned as the place to go to show that you’ve really made it. When you visit New York City, you can count on being able to see some kind of event at Madison Square Garden. I’ve been in New York a few times and always try to see a basketball or hockey game in the Garden.
Even if you don’t secure tickets to a game, there’s another way you can get inside the Garden’s hallowed halls. The All Access guided tour takes you throughout the arena and is a must for sports and live entertainment fans. In 60 minutes, you’ll learn tons about the arena’s history and the events that have transpired here and broadcast around the world.
The Madison Square Garden that stands in Pennsylvania Plaza today is actually the fourth building to take that name. The original Garden opened in 1879 at Madison Square (the junction of East 26th Street and Madison Avenue). The second followed suit at the same site in 1890. The third incarnation of the arena opened in 1925 and was located further uptown at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue. Finally, today’s Madison Square Garden opened on February 11, 1968. Its opening was inaugurated by a USO military salute and was presided over by the legendary duo of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
Madison Square Garden was instantly recognisable in the land of entertainment complexes. Even back then, you couldn’t picture the Garden without its iconic circular shape and cable supported ceiling coming to mind. Since its opening, the Garden has seen many a performance. The New York Knicks (basketball) and Rangers (ice hockey) each won their respective championship in the Garden in 1970 and 1994 respectively. Major entertainment phenomena took place, such as the “Fight of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1971, and the very first WrestleMania in 1985. Numerous concerts have also been hosted here, with Billy Joel now playing once a month, becoming the Garden’s record number of performances at 65 in 2015. Even the Pope has made an appearance! The Garden underwent a further renovation in 2013, modernising the historic venue. The venue can hold over 20,000 fans today.
There’s limited availability each day for All Access Tours of Madison Square Garden. You definitely don’t want to just show up at the box office hoping for the best. Book your ticket well in advance to avoid disappointment. You can do this via Ticketmaster, or the links on the official website.
You can also take the tour as part of your New York Sightseeing Pass. This multi-attraction pass will save you money overall if you’re doing a heap of tourist sights in New York, and I highly recommend it. With that said, my understanding is that you can’t prebook a tour slot with the pass and instead have to present it at the MSG Box Office. Obviously you’ll be out of luck if the day’s tours have all sold out, or those that remain don’t fit in with your plans. Personally, I’d just prebook the tour even if you get the Pass – you’ll put your Sightseeing Pass to use elsewhere anyway.
Aim to arrive at the Garden about 15 minutes before your designated tour time. You’ll have to pass security as you enter the venue, but its a quick metal detector process. Once inside, you can browse the merchandise in the MSG Store and check out the “Walk of Fame” tiles paying tribute to Garden legends while you wait for your group to be called. Once the tour begins, you’ll take some photos before following your guide for the next hour. Use the bathroom before the tour starts, as you’ll only be able to go at a designated stop once on the tour.
Tours of Madison Square Garden differ slightly in the order of stops and what you’ll actually see (particularly on game days), but for the most part you’ll the following highlights. You’ll learn about the Garden’s history through exhibits in the concourse, step out into the empty arena at numerous levels, stop by the luxury suites and hopefully even see the locker rooms of the local sports teams. I’ve actually done the tour twice – once when the Garden was set up for a Knicks game, and the other when ice hockey was being played that night. I was surprised to learn that the ice rink always covers the arena floor during hockey season, and can be covered easily by insulated material that sits underneath the basketball court or performance stage. I learnt all this while sitting in the penalty box!
While getting right down on the arena floor was great, it was even cooler to head up to the Chase Bridge. Unlike any arena in the United States, Madison Square Garden has two bridges suspended from its ceiling which provide standing room views from the rafters. The building is designed in such a way that the bridges don’t obstruct any views from the other seats further back – there’s not a bad seat in this house! From the Bridge, you also have the best view of the banners that hang from the rafters celebrating the championship wins and record number of performances at the Mecca of entertainment.
You’ll spend a decent amount of the tour learning about the historic events that have taken place in Madison Square Garden. The redesigned arena concourse showcases this history through the “Garden 366” exhibit. Spanning all the way around the circumference of the atrium, there are decorative plaques commemorating an event that took place in MSG for every single day of the year (dating all the way back to 1879!). Breaking up the timeline are a few larger plaques that focus on major events, and there’s even some interactive panels that play footage from certain events.
The upper concourse featured another historical exhibit, this one loaded with memorabilia from throughout the Garden’s history. You’ll see Elton John’s guitar, seats from the old Garden, and the locker of the legendary Wayne Gretsky, amongst so much more. There’s also interactive mini-games here where you can take virtual shots at goals or defend against legendary hockey players. This all culminates in a virtual reality experience, where you’ll adorn a headset to take a stage side seat for an MSG performance by the legendary Billy Joel!
Your tour of the Garden will also take you into the arena’s version of Celebrity Row – an assortment of luxury suites. Serving premium food, staffed by full service attendants and offering excellent views of the action, up to 24 people can watch a game from these intimate booths – for a hefty price tag of course! You’ll only visit one suite on your tour, but no two are identical, each with their own unique furnishings.
I think the highlight of the tour has to be the Knicks and Rangers dressing rooms. Make sure you’re taking the tour on a day that neither is playing so that you’ll stand the best chance of getting to stop by. They’re right next to each other and are emboldened by the teams logos on the floor (although in the case of the Rangers, their logo was actually covered up – apparently so that nobody stands on it – a major NHL faux pas).
I really enjoyed taking an All-Access Tour of Madison Square Garden. While it probably isn’t for everyone, as a huge fan of sports entertainment, the venue has always held a special place in my heart. Visiting was a must for me when I was in New York, and I was very satisfied with the tour. Both times I’ve taken the tour, the guides were excellent, brimming with knowledge and trivia. If you want to learn more about MSG, I recommend this tour. If you’ve taken it, let me know the most interesting thing you learned about the Garden.