9 experiences Updated September 23, 2026

Things to book in Orlando

Shows, airboats and the Space Center, with the real price

Airboats, dinner shows, Cirque, balloons and the Space Center, with the operator's own price and the catch each one leaves out.

Visitors approach the EXPLORE entrance at Kennedy Space Center with rockets rising behind palmsIt depends

Kennedy Space Center tours from Orlando

Driving yourself is cheaper for most groups of two or more and lets you stay until closing. A guided day trip makes sense if you have no car or no appetite for a 60-mile drive home at 5 p.m.

Adults $77, kids 3-11 $67 Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. About 50 miles east of Orlando
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Kennedy Space Center Visitor ComplexCocoa BeachDo you need a rental car in Orlando?
A Boggy Creek airboat on the water in Kissimmee with a row of palm trees behindWorth it

Airboat rides near Orlando

An hour on an airboat near Kissimmee costs about $49 to $64 and usually finds alligators. Just know where you are: the headwaters of the Everglades system, not the national park.

About $34 to $64 per adult 30, 60 or 90 minutes Kissimmee and Kenansville
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GatorlandOld Town KissimmeeKissimmee and US-192
The Crystal Palace restaurant's white glass domes beside a canal and footbridge at Magic KingdomIt depends

Disney character dining

Character breakfasts are the value play: most sit in Disney's $35 to $59.99 band, while lunch and dinner at the same tables run over $60 per adult. Book at 60 days out.

$35-$59.99 or over $60 a head Book 60 days ahead 12 character meals
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Magic KingdomEPCOTWalt Disney World tickets
Armored knights on white horses in a Medieval Times sand arena before a crowd of dinersIt depends

Medieval Times Orlando

A two-hour joust with a four-course chicken dinner on West 192 in Kissimmee. Great with kids aged about 6 to 12, fine for groups, skippable for couples who care about food.

Adults $76.95, kids $46.95 Two-hour show W. Vine St. (US-192), Kissimmee
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Pirates Dinner AdventureDrawn to Life by Cirque du SoleilKissimmee and US-192
The white tent-roofed Cirque du Soleil theater at Disney Springs under a blue skyWorth it

Drawn to Life by Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil plus Disney animation, 90 minutes, no intermission, from $69 all-in. The best evening show in Orlando that does not need a park ticket. Check the dark days first.

From $69 including fees 90 minutes, no intermission Disney Springs West Side
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Disney SpringsDisney Springs evening loopAerophile at Disney Springs
The blue-striped Aerophile tethered balloon at Disney Springs against white cloudsWorth it

Aerophile at Disney Springs

Eight minutes, 400 feet up, $29.99 plus tax. A cheap, short view over Disney property that only flies when the wind and the Florida storms allow. Go at dusk.

$29.99 adults, $24.99 kids About 8 minutes aloft Disney Springs West Side
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Disney SpringsDisney Springs evening loopHot-air balloon rides
Three colorful hot-air balloons inflated on a launch field near Orlando at sunriseIt depends

Hot-air balloon rides

An hour in the air at sunrise over the lakes and countryside around Disney, from about $325 a head. Worth it for a milestone, with a flexible day in reserve for weather.

From about $325 per person Sunrise flights only About 3 hours, 1 hour aloft
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Aerophile at Disney SpringsOrlando without theme parksWinter Park
Clear green spring-fed swimming basin at Kelly Park near Apopka, ringed by tall oaks and palmsIt depends

Tubing at Kelly Park (Rock Springs)

A 25-minute float down a clear spring run near Apopka for $5 per car. The catch is capacity: 280 cars in the morning, 50 more at 1 p.m., and summer lines from before dawn.

$5 per vehicle Opens 8 a.m.; full early in summer Apopka, about 35 min from downtown
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Wekiwa Springs State ParkBlue Spring State ParkOrlando without theme parks
The upside-down WonderWorks building on International Drive in Orlando under a blue skyIt depends

Pirates Dinner Adventure

Acrobats and sword fights on a replica galleon in an indoor lagoon, with a three-course dinner. Great for pirate-mad kids. Budget for parking, drinks and the seat upgrades it pushes.

90-minute show, 90-minute pre-show Kids from $43.95; parking $8 6400 Carrier Dr., near I-Drive
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Medieval Times OrlandoDrawn to Life by Cirque du SoleilInternational Drive

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Theme parks 14 Attractions 10 Events 9 Day trips 6 Walks 4 Areas 6 Hotels 14 Restaurants 16 Local food 8 Bars 5 Plan 11 Itineraries 6 Worth it? 8 Guides 5 Articles 3