Florida is known for its white-sand beaches, year-round sunny weather, and a collection of some of the world’s best theme parks. Here, you can enter the enchanting world of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando or shrink down to the size of a toy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s also the place where coasters take you to new heights at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and everything is awesome for mini thrill-seekers at Legoland Florida.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit all the parks in the state; here are 10 of the best theme parks in Florida so you can start planning your next trip.
These are the best theme parks in Florida for all age groups
Magic Kingdom
This park set the standard for the Florida theme park industry we know today when it opened in 1971. Today, Magic Kingdom Park bridges the old with the new, inviting guests to relive the tales of childhood and enjoy beloved attractions, like Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s also the home of Disney World’s newest ride, TRON Lightcycle/ Run, a thrilling roller coaster.
Magic Kingdom is the park I often find myself returning to again and again, with its picture-perfect Cinderella Castle and the old-timey feel of Main Street, USA. There’s a distinct charm here that hasn’t been replicated, and that feeling of nostalgia is especially palpable in classic attractions like It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion.
EPCOT
EPCOT is a unique park that started as a passionate vision from Walt Disney; its name stands for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. While it didn’t exactly pan out as he expected it to, it stands alone as one of the very best theme parks in the world, marrying entertainment with education in a world’s fair-inspired experience. World Showcase features 11 different countries presenting their cultures through shopping, dining, and attractions. The other half of Epcot sparks imagination and inspiration, with a focus on advances in technology that explore space, time, and the future depicted in one-of-a-kind attractions, like Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land.
It’s my favourite park to dine at, thanks to its year-round restaurants — the very best at Disney World — and acclaimed food festivals. It also shines from season to season, with enchanting holiday décor in the winter and stunning topiaries come spring, offering something new to see visit after visit. Disney movie fans will also find some of the best film-inspired attractions, including high-spirited Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, one of the longest indoor roller coasters in the world.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes the yesteryear glam of Tinseltown and combines it with the biggest films of the modern age, inviting park goers to step into the worlds of these beloved franchises. Without a doubt, its showstopper is the immersive Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a pioneering feat of Walt Disney Imagineering. Here, all five senses take an intergalactic journey with otherworldly bites and trailblazing experiences, like the astonishing Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. And park newcomer, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, is pure family fun.
My very favourite rides at Disney World are here, including The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, known for its unique ride system, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. I also enjoy the vibrant Toy Story Land, adorably themed with stellar character interactions and great rides, including all-ages roller coaster Slinky Dog Dash. Its unique dining options have become a family mainstay, like the delightfully quirky Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, which invites diners into a dimly lit indoor movie theatre as they munch on American eats from within retro cars.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney World’s most beautiful park is inspired by the company’s devotion to animal conservation; they even tapped legend Jane Goodall to consult on the project’s conception. The park explores vast cultures of the globe, from Africa to Asia, within scenic lands. Its pinnacle, Pandora — The World of Avatar, will impress Avatar film superfans and casual viewers alike. Here, you can find one of Disney World’s best rides, the exhilarating 3D flying simulator attraction, Avatar Flight of Passage.
A visit here isn’t complete without experiencing Kilimanjaro Safaris, which guides riders on a tour of a wildlife reserve with hundreds of majestic creatures. Tapping into its global inspiration, food here is some of the most eclectic and ambitious I’ve found at Disney World.
Universal Studios Florid
Inspired by the greatest moments from entertainment history, Universal Studios Florida is a movie and television-themed park that began as an actual working studio. Several lands pay homage to iconic backlot sets, including San Francisco and New York, and it’s since evolved to include a colourful Minion Land, Simpsons-themed Springfield USA, and an upcoming DreamWorks Land. This is also where muggles can find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley, one of the most impressive theme park feats of all time.
The Wizarding World here is a real treat, from its Butterbeer ice cream to Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts, a 3D indoor roller coaster that captivates with thrills and fun. Potter aside, the park carries a very retro feel maintaining much of the charismatic nature it debuted with in the 1990s. And I hope it never gets rid of the classics, like the ET Adventure dark ride and Men in Black Alien Attack. This park is all about the little nuances to me, like roaming characters impersonating Hollywood greats and kitschy entertainment as depicted in Universal’s Horror Make-up Show.
Universal Islands of Adventure
A short ride on the Hogwarts Express (or walk to the gate) will take you to Universal Orlando’s second theme park, Universal Islands of Adventure. Here, Universal takes its nod to movie magic and adds a serious dose of thrills, most notably in the form of its two best roller coasters, the impeccably themed Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and the heart-pounding Jurassic World VelociCoaster. You’ll also find a Harry Potter-themed land that transports guests to the snow-capped streets of Hogsmeade and even inside the iconic Hogwarts Castle.
There’s a transportive nature to this park that I just love as I wander from one highly-themed land to the next, including the whimsical Seuss Landing. It’s a true day-to-night park that’s easy to navigate, home to incredible rides, and packed with lots of gems, including some of the best restaurants at Universal Orlando.
Legoland Florida
Themed to the brightly-hued bricks, Legoland Florida is the place for the next generation of thrill seekers, home to entry-level roller coasters and kid-friendly attractions. The park’s newest attractions include Pirate River Quest, a scenic boat ride through the former Cypress Garden, and Lego Ferrari Build & Race, a hands-on experience like no other. And park goers aged five and under can visit the first-ever Peppa Pig Theme Park, centred around the beloved British cartoon character.
While the attractions may focus on younger guests, this is really a park for everyone. I could spend hours exploring Miniland and its large-scale Lego structures portraying iconic cities around the globe. The park’s signature apple fries are worth a visit alone. And with several on-site resorts, a water park, and two theme parks, it’s become a bona fide destination.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Home to over 50 attractions, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is an animal-focused theme park with an emphasis on pushing boundaries. Here, you’ll find the tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster in the world, Montu, as well as the area’s largest zoo, with over 200 animal species. One of its newest coasters is the adrenaline-pumping Iron Gwazi which ascends 206 feet in the air and reaches speeds of up to 76 miles (122 km) per hour.
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While Disney festivals get all the attention, this park’s award-winning Food & Wine Festival is reason alone to visit and wows me with globally inspired bites and live entertainment.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon
Find quintessential Disney storytelling at Typhoon Lagoon, one of Disney World’s two water parks. There’s a rich backstory as you visit a former tropical paradise that’s been wrecked by a typhoon. It’s a delightful mix of approachable thrills and family fun, as evident with Miss Adventure Falls, an immersive whitewater family attraction. And you’ll feel a world away from Magic Kingdom as you float Castaway Creek, an over 2,000-foot-long lazy river.
There’s an effortless, relaxed vibe at Typhoon Lagoon, and although the slides are great, the highlight for me is North America’s largest wave pool set against a towering mountain. Snacks abound, including delicious Caribbean-inspired bites and even the famous Dole Whip.
Universal’s Volcano Bay
Universal Creative took its excellence in theme park design and applied it to the world of water parks for the first-of-its-kind Volcano Bay. The park is 25 acres of pure South Pacific-inspired paradise centred around a 200-foot human-made volcano. Plus, Universal flexes its culinary skills with inventive foods so good you’ll forget you’re at a water park.
Admittedly, I’ve never been a water park person, but this one truly blows the others out of the water. If I’m feeling daring, I’ll ascend the daunting steps to the top of the volcano for the thrilling Ko’Okiri Body Plunge. I also love the fast-moving Fearless River which requires guests of all ages and sizes to wear a lifejacket because it’s that intense. But there’s also plenty to do for the non-sliders, like lounge on white-sand beaches or hit up one of the many beach bars reminiscent of a tropical resort.
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(Feature Image Credit: Valerie de Leon/Travel + Leisure)
This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com
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