Our Family Trip To Orlando

We decided to take a family trip to Orlando, Florida a few years back where we spent 9 days over the holiday season.  Everyone was so excited especially the two little ones.  Walt Disney World!  Here we come!

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The boys are so excited, they drew a map to Florida as well started their count down on their calendar that hung on their wall.

Our home away from home. We decided to stay outside of Disney and booked a 4 bedroom 3 bath home with a pool through VRBO.   This home provided us so much space that we were not worried about stepping on each other.  The garage was converted into a game room with a pool table and dart games.  It also had an outdoor heated pool that was a great way to end our days filled with fun activities.

Disney World 

We chose a 3-day pass to Disney World to allow us time to visit the parks.  The first park we went to was Disney’s Hollywood Studio. 

This was at a time when Frozen just came out and our boys were so in love with them.  They loved them so much that this trip was catered around being able to see them.  We reserved a showing in the evening which included a dessert party.

Raiden patiently waited in line for 2 hours to meet Elsa and Anna! He loved every moment of it!

Otherwise, taking pictures with the Disney characters must be a dream of MINE as the boys did not care for it. 

We spent the other 2 days at the Magic Kingdom.  Once we arrived and parked our car, there were a couple of options to get to the Magic Kingdom. You can take the ferryboat or water taxi or the Monorail. We did both the ferryboat and the Monorail.

One tip for when visiting Disney World is don’t forget the FastPass+. This helped us plan which rides to go to and bypass the long lines. With the purchase of your ticket or annual pass, you can reserve access from their selections attractions, entertainments and more up to 30 days in advance. If you opt to stay at a Disney hotel, you can reserve up to 60 days in advance. The best part about the FastPass+ is that it is complimentary with your ticket.

Sea World

Growing up in San Diego I have visited Sea World San Diego many times. I was excited to be able to visit Sea World Orlando.

I will say that Sea World Orlando is nothing like Sea World San Diego.  We enjoyed seeing the different sea life there.

Capturing this beautiful photo while in the Manta Aquarium. This unique 360-degree aquarium has more than 3000 marine animals inviting you to an unbelievable experience without having to jump into the deep open sea.

Here is our shark encounter as we walked through the world’s largest underwater tunnel. YIKES!

There are many rides that we were able to enjoy. The favorite for the kids was the Journey to Atlantis which they probably rode a handful of times.

Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove is a must do.  They do require you to make reservations and is all-inclusive.  It includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and all you can drink.  We also reserved a private cabana so we have a “home base” to go to and not having to worry about finding an available spot or lose a spot when we decide to go swimming.

Our cabana came with a host, a fridge with drinks and snacks, towel service and a private locker.  Our host was great in helping us with all of our needs. 

Our cabana was situated overlooking the Grand Reef where the boys spent the majority swimming and snorkeling with the tropical fish.

Swimming with the dolphin.  That was the highlight of our day! Breanna and I were able to take on this experience and enjoyed every moment of it.  A little bit nervous being so close with the dolphins but they were so gentle and friendly. 

The Freshwater Oasis was a great escape for the boys as they were not tasting saltwater there. There is a nice cave-like area where you can stand under it and is behind a waterfall.

Here you can access the lazy river. This lazy river is surrounded by lush and tropical plants/ trees. And tons of birds.  It has shallow areas and as well as areas where it is quite deep.  Make sure you have your life jacket on at all times.

Stop by the aviary to see the many different birds. This was the highlight for Vang but not so much for the kids. They just want to stay in the water.

Clearwater Beach

We took a day trip to Clearwater Beach. It was a 2-hour drive from Orlando. We spent the day at the beach and lounged around. It was quite chilly and there was a slight wind. We did not get to swim in the ocean but was still able to enjoy ourselves on the beach.

Old Town

Old Town is an outdoor shopping mall and entertainment complex in Kissimmee. We stopped here for some shopping and spent some time on the fun. The shops are unique that it seems that you have stepped back into time.

The rides are perfect for the kids to enjoy.

We enjoyed our time here in Orlando especially during the holiday season with all the festivities and lights.

What is your favorite thing to do in Orlando?

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