Florida Roadtrip from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale and Miami

Part 3 – Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Christmas Eve in Miami: Route to Visit Florida

This is Part 3 of 3 – Jump to Part 1 (Miami, Delray Beach, Naples, and Everglades) or Jump to Part 2 (Fort Myers, Sanibel, St Pete and Clearwater)

ORLANDO – December 17th to 20th

It has long been my (Kach) ultimate dream to go to Disney World and Universal Studios, ever since I was a child, so when we found out that Visit Orlando was going to make it come true I was ecstatic! Orlando is much more than theme parks, it’s a place of outstanding natural beauty, arts and culture, museums and multicultural cuisine. Remember this route to visit Florida.

Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Florida and Orlando.

This is partly why, upon arrival in Orlando, our trip didn’t begin by charging straight into Disney. Instead, we headed to I-Drive 360, a recently opened entertainment complex, to experience three awesome attractions – The Orlando Eye, Sea Life Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds – to see a little more of what Orlando has to offer.

The Orlando Eye – At 400 feet tall, the Orlando Eye is a giant observation wheel, similar to the London Eye, where visitors can experience 360 views of the area from a fully sealed, air-conditioned capsule. There is even a little computer console inside with a digital map and information about everything you can see. The views were breath taking and the giant, white structure of the wheel itself was beautiful in its own, changing with the view as it rotated, revealing new parts to itself.

Sea Life Aquarium – A new underwater attraction with many large glass-walled viewing tanks, full of colourful fish, sharks, jellyfish, sea horses and loads more.

Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Sea Life Aquarium.

Madame Tussauds – The world’s most famous celebrities come to Florida, now we get to visit them whenever we want! Although Jonathan is from the UK, neither of us have ever actually been to the original Madame Tussauds in London, so we were both really looking forward to it. We met celebrities, politicians, sports figures, musicians, even the entire British Royal Family!

Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Madame Tussauds London.

Where did we stay?

3 nights in The Waldorf Astoria Orlando, Set amongst 482 acres of the protected natural habitat of Bonnet Creek nature preserve, Waldorf Astoria Orlando is inspired by the original Waldorf Astoria New York. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by the signature Waldorf feature clock located below the domed reception ceiling, reassuring us that we were indeed in the right place. Not that we needed to be told, as effortless sophistication and classic style radiated from every surface. Our King Deluxe Suite had outstanding views across the whole of Bonnet Creek and a beautiful sunrise in the mornings. The white-linen, king size bedroom was separate to the living and dining area, decorated in a luxurious classic-contemporary style, making it very easy to relax. Jonathan finally found the bathrobe to end all bathrobes in the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, but he’s afraid he may never find another one as good as this again! With six restaurants and bars, each unique in style and cuisine, there was no shortage of places to eat and drink. The swimming pools, spa, golf club, fitness center and other amenities mean there’s never any shortage of things to do. The hotel itself is within minutes of all the Disney World Park, with coach transport included with your reservation, so we didn’t have to drive the car and think about where to park. Read more about out amazing Waldorf Astoria Orlando story here – Luxury Hotel Review: Waldorf Astoria Orlando, Florida

You can check details and latest rates on Agoda or Expedia or visit their website directly at Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Don’t just take our word for it though, check out their reviews on TripAdvisor

What we did:

• Drinks and bites night – On our first night, after checking into our suite at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, we met with Suzanne, Director of Marketing, who told us more about the hotel, the area and gave us some valuable advice on our ambitious plan to visit 3 Disney Parks in one day! She also introduced us to cocktail and small bites menu in Peacock Alley, where we tried their unique signature drinks, the Peacock Egg and Looking Glass cocktails, as well as a simple but delicious board of fine cured meats, flavourful cheeses and lively accompaniments, like olives and house-made preserves.

• Disney World – The next day, we started our ambitious one-day journey through Disney World. We planned our day ahead, deciding to focus on three parks, instead of the full four – Magic Kingdom, Disney Hollywood Studios and Epcot. With the new Fast Pass system, we were able to choose 3 rides which we could fast track onto at certain times of the day, then we could do the same at the other parks, but just one at a time. Luckily for us, we weren’t traveling with kids, so we were able to choose the rides and attractions we both wanted to go on, so we saved a lot of time in each park.

In Magic Kingdom, we saw the morning parade, met Mickey Mouse, got soaked on Splash Mountain, raced around Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain.

Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Magic Kingdom Park.

In Disney Hollywood Studios, we tried the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and the Indiana Jones stunt show.

In Epcot, Disney’s science and technology centre, we did the Mission SPACE simulator, Test Track and had some amazing Japanese food in the World Showcase area, which features the culture and cuisine of 10 different countries. Check out our whole Disney World story – coming soon, but for now, check out all the attractions at prices at Disney World Orlando.

Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Walt Disney World.

• Universal Studios – The next day we had one last park to visit – Universal Studios – the ultimate collection of thrill rides, themed experiences and simulators spread out over two parks. We were incredibly lucky to have the Express Passes, as some of the lines were over one hour long. Universal seemed to be aimed much more at an older age bracket, with less fantasy and more adrenaline and thrill rides, roller coasters and simulators. Our favourite rides were all of the Harry Potter rollercoasters, which we mind-bending mix of a roller-coaster, 4D cinema, and simulation. Check out our full Universal Studios story – coming soon, but for now, check out all the attractions at prices at Universal Studios.

• Family Meetup – We wrapped up our final day with an amazing Filipino meal at my aunt and uncle’s house, about half an hour away from Universal Studios, close to I-Drive 360. We hadn’t had Filipino food this good since my mum traveled with us through South America!

After checking out of the Waldorf Astoria Orlando the next day, we had lunch with my family and spent the night with them at their house.

FORT LAUDERDALE

The next day, we got up early and drove to Boca Raton, where we had a meeting with TravelPro luggage, who have agreed to be our new luggage sponsor in our continuing quest from Monkey Backpackers to Luxury travelers! Scott, the VP of marketing, showed us around the office and even their testing center, where all of their luggage is put through brutal tests of strength and durability. So for now, we’ve put down our backpacks and are traveling with brand new rolling luggage – a 30” TPro Bold drop bottom duffel for Jonathan and a Crew 10 hardside spinner case for me, both with matching hand luggage too!

Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Fort Lauderdale.

Where we stayed:

3 nights in Lago Mar Resort and Club (compliments of the management) Located along a quiet corner of Fort Lauderdale Beach and around the corner from Port Everglades, where the cruise ship glide out to sea, Lago Mar Resort and Club is a little different to most the beach resort hotels we’ve stayed in. Luxury, hospitality and exceptional service are synonymous with Florida, but when we stepped out the car, everything instantly felt a little more personal, as if everyone knew we were coming. A family owned and run business since 1959, the Lago Mar has passed down through three generations of family management and many of the staff have been there for five to ten years. With 500 feet of private beach and two swimming pools, there’s no shortage of space to relax and find your own quiet corner. There are 164 suites and 40 resort rooms, all furnished in understated comfort and luxury. The Lago Mar Spa is another haven of relaxation and rejuvenation, with a steam room, massage and beauty treatments, where we enjoyed a couple’s deep tissue. You can read more in our whole Lago Mar story – coming soon!

What we did:

• Relaxation. Rejuvenation – We spent our days in the hotel, simply relaxing and enjoying the pool, the expansive private beach and the ocean view and breeze from the comfort of our balcony.
• New friends and Family – On our final night in Lago Mar, we met with Debbie, the 3^rd generation owner of the hotel, for drinks and dined with her daughters, Dani and Demi and family friend Andrew, in the hotel’s Acquario restaurant. We shared starters of homemade vegetable chips and fresh tuna salad, authentic hummus, with Mahi Mahi and pan-fried scallops for the main course. Every dish was fresh and unique, with its own spin on traditional flavours. After dinner, we all went to the Boatyard, a sophisticated yet laid-back waterside bar and grill, for a couple of drinks and some dessert. It was great fun meeting everyone and learning more about how Lago Mar came to be!

You can check details and latest rates on their website directly kach.howe@gtravelgurus.com

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