50 Things you Must Do on any Disney/Universal Studios Orlando Vacation!
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
11. Plan an Irish themed celebration & dinner at Raglan Road (Downtown Disney)
Plan a dinner around one of the spectacular live Irish step dancing performances (held daily) at Raglan Road. As you feast on delicious, creative Irish cuisine, you will be treated to authentic Irish music and professional step dancing shows. The gorgeously designed dining area, built and shipped directly from Ireland, tasty cuisine from an Irish chef, and traditional Irish music, all come together really nicely, making you feel as if you have escaped Florida for a little journey into Ireland. Highlights include delicious Fish and Chips, The Four Provinces beer flight, and a vegan shepherd’s pie!
12. Take your pic with a character (Magic Kingdom)
You couldn’t possibly leave Disney without at least one picture next to a favorite character. Don’t feel like waiting in line? There are plenty of fun photo opportunities at Main Street without the wait!
13. Sit back and relax on a narrated safari ride (Animal Kingdom)
A relaxing trek on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom is the best way to explore this great park, especially when you need a break off your feet. You’ll see plenty of animals enjoying their lush natural habitats while also learning a few unique facts. Lots of great photo opportunities here, so bring your camera!
14. Dare to ride the Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios)
One of the scariest, most thrilling rides in all of the Disney parks, especially the case for those terrified of drops, is the Tower of Terror. So unpredictable, so scary, and so much fun all at the same time – this ride will keep you guessing as you never know how many stories you will drop! A stomach churning ride with lots of fun special ghostly effects will make Tower of Terror your go-to ride at Hollywood Studios.
15. Enjoy a thrilling roller coaster ride accompanied by a cool Aerosmith soundtrack (Hollywood Studios)
Aerosmith Rock N’Roller is a fast paced coaster which includes a great soundtrack as you ride in total darkness through the highways of Los Angeles. It’s scary, cool, and fun all at the same time. The best part is that you never know when you are turning or going upside down as you cannot see anything! The ride takes off at 60mph and continues on to 3 thrilling loops and several steep drops, all in the darkness. Aside from the ride itself, the waiting line is pretty cool for fans as there are plenty of rock n’roll props to explore.
16. Dine alongside wildlife at Sanaa
Sanaa is one of the top themed restaurants to visit in the Disney area. Located inside Disney’s gorgeous Animal Kingdom Lodge, the restaurant looks out upon the beautiful African savannah. As you feast on delicious Indian and African foods, you will be able to watch stunning exotic animals roaming about right before your eyes. The must try here is the delicious Indian Bread Service, served with Naan bread and 9 tasty accompaniments. The salad sampler, Zanzibari Vegetable Curry, and Kheer (rice pudding) are all worth a vacation splurge!
17. Take the scary ride up Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom)
Expedition Everest will take you on a fun and fast journey through the Himalayan mountains of Disney. As one of only a handful of rides at Animal Kingdom, the line is pretty long, however, definitely worthy of the wait! Expedition is a fun time with fantastic special effects, a scary steep climb to the summit with great overviews of the park, and lots of twist and turns.
Definitely one of the best rides in all the Disney parks! There is an 80 foot drop at the end right after you see Yeti, however, it is more of a curved drop so likely tame enough for those squeamish over steep, straight drops. On an interesting side note, this ride happened to make the Guinness World Records as the world’s most expensive roller coaster, costing more than a 100 million dollars to build!
18. Enjoy a good laugh at the Monster Inc. Laugh Floor (Magic Kingdom)
What a fun time! It’s not just kids’ entertainment, this Monsters Inc. show is a real blast with fun audience interaction, quality jokes, and nice special effects. The setup is like a real comedy show, with each show being completely different due to improvisation, meaning you can visit as many times as you like without getting bored. Kids will love seeing favorite characters like Mike Wazowski and adults will appreciate the much needed break from rides for a good old-fashioned laugh.
19. Pick up a sweet treat at Erin McKenna’s Bakery (Disney Springs)
Erin McKenna’s is a unique allergy-friendly upscale bakery, which originally opened in NYC. Cafes have opened in numerous tourist cities including Orlando. Free of all major allergens (all treats are gluten-free and vegan), a visit here is a treat for anyone with a sweet tooth. Whether or not you have any dietary restrictions, you will agree that these delicious treats will satisfy your sweets craving, not to mention give you a much needed energy boost after all that tiresome walking. Try out a delicious vegan soft serve ice cream to cool you off a bit or grab a few treats for your stroll (remember you are in Florida – eat them fast or they will melt!).
20. Treat yourself to a character latte (Disney Springs)
At Joffrey’s Coffee, you can enjoy your specialty drink of choice with a little extra Disney magic. For a small upcharge, enjoy your caffeine fix with Mickey or Minnie character art! Joffrey serves delicious drip coffee, espresso, and specialty drinks (the best offered around the holidays). It is conveniently located right next to Eric McKenna’s so pick up a sweet treat while you are in the vicinity.
