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10 Things to Avoid When Visiting Orlando's Theme Parks

Walt Disney’s first Florida theme park opened in 1971, envisaged as a place where dreams could come true, even if only for a little while. It took six years and $400 million to create “Disneyland East,” which has surpassed Walt’s own dream: instead of being a spin-off of California’s Disneyland Park, it has become the USA’s most popular theme park, attracting more than 15 million visitors every year (some 40,000 each day). And here are 10 things that you should avoid if you plan to visit the theme parks in Orlando.

1 Park Visits When School’s Out

All the parks are packed during school breaks (late Jun–late Aug; late Dec–early Jan; mid-Feb, and Easter),

since that’s when locals hit the parks with their kids. Summer is the worst, since not only is it crowded, but it’s also brutally hot. The least crowded months are November plus early and late February.

2 Theme Park Isolation

Don’t spend every waking minute in Orlando’s theme parks, because burn-out is inevitable. Make sure you take time to see Central Florida’s natural attractions, Smaller Attractions, and Museums.

3 Early Arrivals

It might seem smart to hit the theme parks as soon as they open, but it is not always the best plan. Kids who arrive early tend to collapse by 2pm and are a mess the rest of the day. Instead, take it easy in the morning and head for the parks in the afternoons and evenings. Temperatures are cooler and the parks take on a magical glow under the lights.

4 Inflexibility

Relax. It’s a vacation. There are no prizes for those who joylessly cram every single ride at their chosen theme park into one day. Make plans, but be flexible. Don’t attempt to do everything on your list, and maybe save a few things for the next visit.

5 Big Meals In-Park

In general, theme-park food is bland and overpriced, so don’t waste your main meal of the day on it. Instead, at Universal, check out the eateries on Citywalk; while at Disney, visit one of the excellent resort dining options, where you’ll find that high-end restaurants offer great value. Parks allow same-day re-entry on single tickets – just be sure to get your hand stamped before leaving.

6 Free and Discounted Tickets

There are a lot of offers floating around Orlando that sound too good to be true. If someone promises free or heavily discounted tickets, ask “What’s the catch?”, especially if they’re promised a Disney ticket. Most are timeshare salespeople trying to get you to “buy” a week’s holiday for the next 20 years. In some cases they have legitimate tickets, but most of the time you have to endure hours of sales pitches. Usually, such properties are overpriced. However, I advise you plan your trip ahead and get your Orlando tickets online before you leave home.

7 Wearing Skimpy Bathing Suits at Water Parks

Ladies should consider one-piece suits at water parks since most of the best rides can quickly rip off a bikini top. Alternatively, wear a T-shirt over the bikini for added protection. Guys, for reasons not necessary to elaborate upon here, should avoid Speedos altogether.

8 Public Transport

Lynx buses might appear to be everywhere, but don't set your schedule by them, especially for longer trips. They stop frequently, are notoriously slow, and are generally ignored by locals.

9 Downtown’s Westside

The area of Downtown south of Colonial Drive and west of I-4 is not a particularly safe place to wander around. Avoid it. But if you are going to a destination here, including the Greyhound Bus station, call a cab.

10 Rush Hour on I-4

Sometimes called “Orlando’s Parking Lot”, I-4 can get very congested, particularly during evening rush hour (3–6:30pm), as attraction employees head home. Disney-generated traffic on I-4, between Lake Buena Vista and US Hwy 192, has a life of its own. Traffic jams there can occur around the clock.

Photos via Flickr Creative Commons

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