Orlando is a city with many attractions, from golf courses to business centres, but most people grow up dreaming of it as the home of childhood’s most-loved characters. The original Walt Disney World Resort is joined by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Gatorland, Universal Studios and many more, making it a Mecca for family holidays. Book flights to Orlando and give your kids the time of their lives.
If you’re going on a family holiday, you might as well go all out, so check in to the Nickelodeon Suites Resort. This family hotel has specially designed kids suites, complete with bunkbeds, video games and walls brightly decorated with Nickeolodeon colours and characters. Head down to the Nickelodeon Lagoon so the children can burn off some energy on the seven water slides while you restore yourselves with a cocktail or two at the poolside bar. Once everyone’s hungry move in to the Lagoon Grill for delicious grilled dishes, sandwiches and salads, before you head back to your suite for an early night.
The first morning, pack the kids off to breakfast with their favourite Nickelodeon characters while you snatch a few more minutes sleep in the master bedroom’s king-sized bed. Nicktoons Café breakfast runs from 7am, and features healthy fresh fruit, omelettes, cooked breakfasts and pancakes to set little stomachs up for the day while they meet SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Once everyone’s up and about, take the hotel shuttle to Disneyworld’s Magic Kingdom Park.
Challenge cowboys, dress up as pirates and princesses, tackle monsters and go on more gravity-defying rides than you’ve ever seen in your entire life. Have lunch at one of the hundreds of cafés before rounding off the morning with one of the Park’s parades and a chance for your children to see all of their favourites in one go.
In the afternoon, make for Downtown Disney, and spend a few hours wandering in and out of the shops at the Marketplace. The best place to go to shop for all things Disney, the Marketplace is filled with shops and the largest Disney character store in the world. Stop for dinner at Cap’n Jack’s lakeside restaurant, and tuck in to seafood pasta, crab cakes, or roast chicken as you overlook the water. After dinner, cross over to West Side Downtown for a night-time treat and go up on the Characters in Flight balloon ride. Ascend to 400 feet and marvel at Disneyworld spread out far beneath you, before heading back to the hotel to bed.
The second morning, make for Barnie’s Coffee Kitchen. This place puts huge amounts of effort into making the perfect cup of freshly brewed coffee from their 50 varieties, and they’ll have a smile on your face in no time with breakfast baskets, bagels, frittatas and fruit bowls. You’ll need to be fully fortified for a day at Universal Studios. Spend the morning finding out what it’s like on a real working set as you stroll between film sets, themed rides and behind-the-scenes shows, catching glimpses of real film crews at work on the years hottest releases. Once you’ve tackled everything, head for lunch from locations around the globe at the World Expo cafeteria’s selection of Asian, Italian and American dishes.
In the afternoon, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a must-visit for any child who’s grown up with the series. Pass through the gates of Hogwarts and explore classrooms and Houses, before wandering the streets of Hogsmeade, stopping for a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks and sweets from Honeydukes. Fly through the air on the Dragon Challenge rollercoasters and steel yourself for the Forbidden Journey.
After a long day of excitement, make your way back to the hotel and drop the children off at Nick After Dark, where they can enjoy dinner, entrance to a Nickelodeon show and workshops, while you head out to celebrate your last night in style at the Cirque du Soleil show at La Nouba.
