5 guides Updated September 23, 2026

Orlando guides

Shortlists that agree with every verdict on the site

Shortlists of hotels, restaurants and cheap days out, written to agree with the verdict on every page they link to.

Disney's Contemporary Resort A-frame tower with a monorail train gliding into the building

Best hotels near the parks

Pop Century and Cabana Bay are the value picks, the Polynesian is the Deluxe to pay for, and three well-known hotels cost more than they give back. Rates and fees as we found them.

8 picks, 3 skips $131 to $1,049 a night Rates for Nov 17 and Dec 8
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Pairs well with

Where to stay in OrlandoIs staying on Disney property worth it?Lake Buena Vista and Disney Springs
The red Hogwarts Express locomotive beside the stone walls of Hogsmeade Station, Islands of Adventure

Harry Potter in Orlando

Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and the Ministry of Magic sit in three different parks. Here is the ticket that covers all three, the ride Express will not help with, and the Butterbeer you can buy without a ticket.

3 parks, 3 Potter lands Train needs park-to-park Epic 1-day from $139.99
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Pairs well with

Universal Islands of AdventureUniversal Studios FloridaUniversal Epic Universe
Four plates side by side: oxtail peanut stew, a piece of nigiri, a Cuban sandwich and a blue cheese burger

The Orlando restaurant shortlist

A Filipino dinner in Mills 50 beats every Disney signature table, an $11 Cuban beats every park lunch, and a $79 space-themed elevator ride is the one to skip. Prices as of September 2026.

16 checked, 7 to book first $11 Cuban to $295 prix fixe Michelin 2026 status noted
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Pairs well with

KayaThe Ravenous PigVictoria & Albert's
Public lakeside lawn and grasses on the shore of Lake Baldwin in Orlando's Baldwin Park

Free and cheap things to do in Orlando

A theme park day now runs well over $100 a head before parking. These are the outings that cost nothing or less than a park parking fee, checked in September 2026, with the catch for each.

Free to $34.99 a head Parking rules are the catch Prices checked Sep 2026
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Pairs well with

Disney SpringsLake Eola ParkWekiwa Springs State Park
The curved stone rotunda entrance of the Orlando Museum of Art in Loch Haven Park

Orlando on a rainy day

Rain does not close the theme parks, but it closes outdoor rides. Universal Studios Florida is the park to pick on a wet day; Epic Universe is the one to move. Plus the indoor options off the parks.

Jun-Sep rain: 6-8 in. a month Best wet park: Universal Studios Science Center shut Wednesdays
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Pairs well with

Universal Studios FloridaOrlando Science CenterCharles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art

Build the rest of the trip

Everything else on the site, with what is in it.

Theme parks 14 Attractions 10 Experiences 9 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 Articles 3