Orlando’s New and Fan-Favorite Attractions and Accommodations for Families with Little Ones
ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando, the Best U.S. City for Families offers a plethora of fun for all ages and new experiences in 2022, including a brand new Peppa Pig Theme Park at LEGOLAND Florida Resort joining classic favorites like Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando and Seuss Landing at Universal Orlando Resort. Visitors will find an abundance of places to play, stay and dine that’ll delight even the youngest of travelers. Options range from character-themed family suites with bunk beds and resort pools featuring water play areas designed just for little ones to dining with their favorite iconic characters or enjoying a kid’s night out. Below is our list of Orlando’s new and fan-favorite attractions and accommodations for families with little ones.
THEME PARK ATTRACTIONS
LEGOLAND Florida Resort
The world’s first Peppa Pig Theme Park opens on Feb. 24, 2022, at LEGOLAND Florida Resort. The standalone theme park, crafted with preschoolers in mind, will feature sensory-rich and interactive attractions, themed playscapes, a water play area, live shows, and more. The park will also be a Certified Autism Center. Just steps away at LEGOLAND® Florida Theme Park, little ones can enjoy attractions like the DUPLO® Tot Spot, designed specifically for children under the age of two, and Ford Driving Jr. School, a driving course for ages 3+.
Walt Disney World Resort
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, a new ride at Epcot with no height restrictions, shrinks guests to the size of Chef Remy to race through Gusteau’s restaurant on a wild adventure.
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a first-of-its-kind show that puts little ones in the middle of the Disney and Pixar Cars universe.
The Disney Junior Play & Dance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a high-energy musical celebration where families can sing and dance along with Disney Junior characters like Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Timon, and Mickey Mouse.
The Advanced Training Lab, located in World Discovery at EPCOT, is a high-tech play area featuring space-themed games and activities for all ages.
SeaWorld Orlando
Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando is an immersive opportunity to stroll through Sesame Street, meet beloved characters like Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster, enjoy themed attractions like Abby’s Flower Tower, and dance along with the Sesame Street Party Parade. Sesame Street Land is also a Certified Autism Center.
Universal Orlando Resort
Seuss Landing at Universal’s Islands of Adventure includes attractions like One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish aerial carousel ride, The Cat in the Hat indoor ride, and Caro-Seuss-el, a classic carousel with a Seuss twist.
HALF-DAY ATTRACTIONS
Crayola Experience at The Florida Mall brings the magic of color to children while stimulating their creativity with dozens of hands-on attractions, including the newest, Meltdown, where guests can paint with melted wax.
SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium at ICON Park features 5,000 creatures from oceans across the globe. Each Tuesday, SEA LIFE hosts Toddler Time, created specifically to connect little ones with the amazing world beneath our oceans.
The KidsTown exhibit at the Orlando Science Center offers seven dynamic and interactive zones for kids ages 7 and under. From experimenting with cause and effect using massive water tables to learning how oranges travel from tree to table, little ones are encouraged to play and learn in a setting designed just for them.
GET OUTDOORS
At Gatorland, in addition to learning about Florida’s native reptiles, little ones can cool off and enjoy the Gator Gully Splash Pad or take a ride around the park on the Gatorland Express train.
Fun Spot Orlando offers carnival-like rides for little ones, including the Sea Serpent, a coaster made with gentle turns and dips, and the Kiddie Swings, a classic ride made especially for kids.
Located on the west side of Orlando and near Walt Disney World Resort, Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve features a butterfly garden, picnic area, and various hikes and trails.
Along with hundreds of animals, Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens offers a splash pad, playground, and petting zoo featuring animals like llamas, chickens, and goats, along with a special area to feed giraffes.
ACCOMMODATIONS
While most Orlando accommodations offer amenities geared toward families, these hotels and resorts go above and beyond with immersive themed suites:
Themed Rooms & Suites
JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa’s new collection of family suites offers exclusive amenities and two separate rooms with kid-approved loft beds, whimsical design elements, and interactive surprises, including chalkboard walls and a book nook. The connecting room layout gives adults their own retreat.
Universal Orlando Resort features themed Kids Suites, with decor based on Jurassic World at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Despicable Me at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, and stage space for a Future Rock Star at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando. Select property resorts also offer child-proofing upon request, including outlet guards, bed rails, Pack ‘n Plays and cribs.
At Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort’s rooms received a new look inspired by the Disney-Pixar film The Incredibles, featuring futuristic and modern décor. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort features family suites designed after different Disney films, including Finding Nemo, Cars and The Lion King, and traditional guest rooms inspired by The Little Mermaid.
Created especially for kids, the LEGOLAND Hotel offers four different LEGO-themed rooms for guests to choose from. They can participate in in-room scavenger hunts with daily LEGO prizes. At the LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel, families can enjoy immersive pirate-themed rooms.
Water Fun
The Grove Resort & Waterpark offers an onsite Surfari Water Park with dual water slides, a 695-foot lazy river, a kid’s activities pool, and a zero-entry pool. Smaller children have a two-story play area to run around in, including three waterslides, waterfalls, spouts, and a wading pool, for hours of free fun.
At CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort Orlando’s onsite park little swimmers can enjoy a special lagoon created just for them, featuring pint-sized slides and fountains. Each guestroom booked includes four tickets to the water park, and children under 36 inches tall always receive complimentary entry even when not staying at the hotel.
At Orlando World Center Marriott, little ones can learn to swim with the exclusive Baby Otter Swim School program. The outdoor resort pool complex offers a zero-entry heated pool and a children’s water playground with fountains, bubblers, and a small water slide.
Kids Camps
At the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, kids ages 4-12 can enjoy the complimentary Kids For All Seasons complimentary camp, featuring indoor and outdoor activities like themed crafts and supervised swim time.
DINING
An incredible destination for dining enthusiasts, Orlando offers fun, unique dining experiences for even the youngest of foodies.
Character Dining
Walt Disney World Resort offers a variety of dining experiences for guests to meet their favorite characters. One of the newest character dining options, where theme park admission is not required, is Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera
Resort. The rooftop restaurant offers a storybook dining experience with Mickey and friends, along with French and Italian cuisine.
At SeaWorld Orlando, kids will love the seasonal dining experiences offered at Sesame Street Land. Options like Count von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast and the Sesame Street Christmas Breakfast give kids of all ages the chance to enjoy a delicious meal with popular characters from the classic show.
Themed Ambiance
For the ultimate dinosaur enthusiast, T-REX Café at Disney Springs, an interactive attraction that includes a full-size restaurant with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs and simulated meteor showers, as well as a kid’s play area with a fossil sandpit.
The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen at Universal CityWalk is every chocolate lover’s dream – no matter the age. Little ones will enjoy interacting with Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome, the restaurant’s creator, and Jacques, her robot friend, who walk around the restaurant.
At Boxi Park located in Lake Nona, families can experience outdoor fun, food, and events. With food trucks made from shipping containers, this venue features a playground, a special kid-friendly green area for children to run around, and live entertainment.
About Visit Orlando
Visit Orlando is The Official Tourism Association® for Orlando, the most visited destination in the United States and Theme Park Capital of the World®. Visit Orlando connects consumers with every segment of Central Florida’s travel community, whether for a vacation or meeting. Home to seven of the world’s top theme parks — as well as refreshing water parks, outdoor thrill rides, activities to connect with nature, and a dynamic dining and entertainment scene — Orlando is welcoming to travelers of all ages. With 450 hotels, visitors have choices that span multi-acre resorts to themed boutique hotels. Orlando’s trusted theme parks, attractions, hotels, and businesses have developed comprehensive safety measures and worked closely with medical experts to create safe travel experiences. Find more information at VisitOrlando.com.
