There are countless benefits for establishing a family vacation tradition. Resort owners in Orlando can make trips to their favorite local theme park when they stay at their resort. Children and those young at heart enjoy fun and thrilling rides, tasty meals, and enchanting experiences at world-renown places like Walt Disney World®, Universal Studios Florida™, and SeaWorld® Orlando. 

Since these fun-filled sights host millions of visitors each year, they renovate their attractions so frequent guests have new experiences each time they visit. Learn about the latest changes to popular theme parks and the city of Orlando that resort owners and their families will enjoy on their next vacation to this beautiful city. 

Walt Disney World 

It’s hard to believe that the most visited vacation destination in the world opened its doors just less than 50 years ago, but Walt Disney World sees more than 58 million visitors each year. And, for a good reason! This theme park incorporates the well-loved characters and stories into a thrilling and magical world for all ages to explore.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom® Park

Disney’s Magic Kingdom® Park is one of the four original parks that opened in 1971, and it is home to the iconic Cinderella Castle. During the park’s recent closure because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cinderella Castle got a new paint job. Now it is pretty in pink and shines tall with its royal blue roof toppers covered with a glimmering gold finishing touch. 

The TRON Lightcycle Power Run roller coaster is scheduled to open before the theme park’s 50th anniversary in 2021. Guests will find the new attraction in Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland. The thrilling adventure creates an experience straight out of the futuristic film TRON: Legacy. 

Guests board recreations of the lightcycles from the action-adventure movie complete with neon rimmed wheels. Riders pass through a wondrous light and display system that transports them into the science fiction future. The roller coaster will be the fastest one the park has ever had, reaching over 60 mph.

EPCOT®

EPCOT® is the park seeing the most transformation with several new attractions and dining options. Delicious additions at EPCOT® will include:

• Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts and Barbecue, which is a fast-casual restaurant. It just opened and is a great stop at the American Adventure pavilion for barbeque and refreshments!
• Space 220, which is a space-themed table service opening soon. Complete with international cuisine as well as a vast collection of wines and craft beer, it’s a great stop for couples looking for a stellar meal!
• Le Crêperie de Paris, which is scheduled to open at the end of summer 2020 in the France pavilion. Families can grab a quick sweet treat or enjoy the ambiance and menu crafted by celebrity chef Jerome Bocuse. 

Speaking of restaurants in EPCOT®, visitors will love the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction, which is modeled after the version at The Adventure at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. Boarding “ratmobiles,” riders shrink down to rat-size and race through the Parisian kitchen avoiding Chef Skinner. Disney set the kid-friendly ride to open in 2020.

Since Marvel Comics is now part of the Disney family, the park’s newest roller coaster is based on the Guardians of the Galaxy film. It is the first Marvel-based attraction at Walt Disney World® and is set for opening in 2021. The Guardians of the Galaxy ride will be one of the world’s largest enclosed roller coasters.

Disney also announced a Mary Poppins-inspired attraction to supplement the United Kingdom pavilion in the World’s Showcase. Guests will visit the home of the Banks family at Number 17. However, no other details have been released as of writing.

Disney is in the midst of constructing a new nighttime spectacular for around the World Showcase called HarmonioUS. The performance choreographs light, water, fire, and lasers in keeping with the inspirational global theme!

Universal Studios Florida™

The Bourne Stuntacular is a stunt show taken straight from the brand of movies, novels, and television productions. Audience members will get an eye-full as professionals bring the cinema to the stage following the storyline with fistfights and chase scenes! The show promises 20-foot high flames, free falls, and parkouring.

Harry Potter fans already love the many book-based rides at the park, including Hogwarts Express, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Last year, Universal Studios Florida™ added Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure to its list of featured attractions. Visitors will love jumping on the magical motorbikes to fly by some of their favorite characters like three-headed Fluffy. 

SeaWorld® Orlando

This theme park is opening its first multi-directional launch roller coaster. With an opening 100-degree drop, the Ice Breaker will have the steepest vertical descent in Florida! Thrill-seekers can expect many twists and turns from this steel ride. 

Aquatica® Orlando

The newest attraction at Aquatica® Orlando is KareKare Curl, which is a thrilling tube ride. Inspired by the popular surf spot KareKare beach in New Zealand. The slide has a massive curve-shaped wave wall that gets rafters’ adrenaline going! It’s a great option for couples and families with older children since there is a minimum height requirement of 48 inches. 

Newest Spots in Orlando

The city of Orlando is always changing, and great new restaurants and attractions are always popping up! Near ICON Park™, two record-breaking rides are opening soon. One is the Orlando Slingshot, which catapults riders 450 feet in the air, and the other is the Orlando Gyro Drop Tower, which drops passengers into a 75 mph free fall of 300 feet.

The Orlando Slingshot will be the world’s tallest slingshot while the Orlando Gryo Drop Tower will be the world’s tallest freestanding drop tower. The two newest attractions are excellent additions to the tallest observation wheel on the East Coast, which already resides at ICON Park™.

The Texas-based, dine-in movie theater chain, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, will open in Orlando as the first location in Florida. Guests can order meals and drinks while watching the latest releases in big comfy seats!