We visited the coolest amusement parks in America at IPW Orlando 2022
We were lucky to see the coolest parks in Orlando. I went to Disney World, Universal Studios, Seaworld, and Gatorland.
This year IPW was organized in Florida, more precisely in Orlando. Organized annually by US Travel – the association that brings together all the states of the USA, each time in a different state of the Union, it started as a national event in 1969 in New York, traveling across America annually. In 2022 it made a stop in Orlando. I also wrote about this here, about how big Orlando is and how we ran from one place to another so we wouldn’t miss the opportunity to see some of the coolest amusement parks, parks for which thousands of families from all over the world come every year. Those from IPW, the largest tourism fair in the world, organized 2 special evenings for us, one at Disney World and another at the end of the week at Universal Studios. It was an exceptional organization where I became a child again for a few hours. They practically closed the parks for a few hours, leaving them at our disposal (those participating in the fair). A dream come true…
Orlando is recognized as the city with the most amusement parks in the world and visits here are overwhelmingly related to one of them. It is common to see families with two or three children walking quietly on the street. The hotels are adapted to this type of tourism and offer rooms with facilities for the little ones and enough space for any family. And the parks are archipelagos, regardless of the season.
It is expensive even for them and a visit here is made once every few years for an average family. If you add the entrance tickets to the park, accommodation and road tickets plus daily food for a family with two children, you easily reach several thousand dollars. It’s not a small amount of money for them either, and that’s why a visit to Orlando is a major event. Obviously, there are all ages here. From 1 year to 75 years old. Everyone enjoys the city and the parks. Orlando itself is basically built around these parks. It doesn’t have much to offer as a city break destination, let’s say, but it is the world capital of all amusement and adventure parks. Disney is so big, important, and brings so many benefits that at one point it had the right to vote in the City Council.
But let’s start with Disney World in Orlando because we have a lot to tell.
Disney World Orlando
The complex, which is an actual city with freeways and its own bus system, consists of 4 parks, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios, 2 waterparks, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach, plus countless enormous resorts. Disney World in Orlando is without a doubt the largest of the four in the world. It seems that at one point it had the status of an actual city, with a mayor and so on, having a say in regional politics and now it is left with votes in the City Council. I don’t know how much truth is in here, but it wouldn’t be surprising.
Depending on what you want to do and the time and money you have available, you can book Disney World tickets for between 1 to 6 days. In other words, one day for each park. With a standard theme park ticket, you have secured entry to one of the 6 parks, for a single day. Prices for such a ticket start from 110 USD and can reach 250 USD.
We only managed to see one part of the park, and I am convinced that to be able to see the whole park you need at least 3 days, if not more. But let me tell you what we saw there and what attractions we tried.
First of all, at 6 pm when I got there, Disney World was already closed to the public and opened only for IPW participants. The total surprise, a dream, to be able to try any attraction without standing in lines, to be able to order goodies from all the kiosks in the park, to enjoy food from all over the world prepared with love for us. It was a magical evening, with many emotions, and many surprises prepared by those from IPW. I took pictures with my favorite Disney characters. I went to the EPCOT area of the park and tried The Guardians, the newest and coolest roller coaster I’ve ever been on, a kind of takeoff in an intergalactic pursuit through space and time with the Guardians of the Galaxy. I also went to the Test Track, a high-speed car race, and a roller coaster with cars. I also really liked the NASA rocket launch experience at Mission Space. Go through several rooms until you reach the starting point. A very cool experience. I also went to “Mexico” for a little while, took a train ride, and visited China where I attended a Chinese-style show.
At the end of our visit, we attended a concert by a famous band in America, and the evening ended with an incredible fireworks display that I filmed to keep as a memory. We left there happy that we spent one of the most beautiful evenings in one of the biggest amusement parks in the world.
Maybe it seems to you that it is a lot, but I have done little. A carousel of emotions from the entrance until we left tired and happy. Famous characters from movies, roller coasters, food, drink, adrenaline, and relaxation. An amalgam that tires you but also makes you feel good. You know exactly what it’s like in an amusement park, you’ve all been to one. Well, multiply by 10 and you’ll realize the size of the experience here.
Disney World in Orlando is probably the most exciting place on the planet in terms of family fun. One day or six days will seem like too little time.
Universal Studios Orlando
Universal Studios is the coolest park for ages beyond childhood. From adolescence up to any age, the park is absolutely incredible. Here are the coolest attractions of all. There are 3 theme parks
- Universal Studios Florida,
- Universal’s Islands of Adventure,
- Universal’s Volcano Bay water.
We managed to see a little of each park and try some of the attractions. Let’s start with Universal’s Islands of Adventure, which is my favorite and I’ll tell you why. Compared to Universal Studios Florida where all the attractions are quite far away and the waiting time for the attractions is much longer. Here we were invited at the end of the IPW Tourism Fair to enjoy the attractions. We were on a continuous run for 4 hours to try as many experiences as possible.
Islands of Adventure now has 16 rides, 23 restaurants, over 20 food carts, shows, and more shops than ever before. Islands of Adventure’s biggest expansion came with the addition of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade in 2010.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a roller coaster in an artificial castle. We even went twice because we had time, but usually, it is extremely crowded and you have to wait in line for at least 30 minutes. Enter the towering castle gates and walk the familiar passageways and corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We joined Harry Potter and his friends in a thrilling adventure. Innovative, state-of-the-art technology (and a little magic) creates a unique ride. If you get there, I recommend not to miss it. It lasts around 10 minutes during which you will go through many adventures. And it’s not very dangerous either. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would give it an indulgent 8 for adrenaline and a 10+ for fantasy.
Another roller coaster is the Jurassic World VelociCoaster.
Speeding through the jungle, soaring high above the terrain, is the roller coaster’s apex predator: the Jurassic World VelociCoaster. You can climb into the vehicle for a high-speed race through the park’s paddock of kidnappers. Feel the rush of the hunt as you run alongside these nimble predators, twisting and gliding over land and water. Jurassic World VelociCoaster is at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
It’s time to join Hagrid™ as you fly deep into the wilds of the Forbidden Forest, beyond the grounds of Hogwarts Castle, on a thrilling roller coaster ride that delves into the paths of some of the world’s rarest magical creatures wizards. Experience Universal’s most themed and immersive coaster – only at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
I really liked that we met various characters and we also went to see Spiderman and take pictures with him.
I went to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, an 8+ to 9 roller coaster like adrenaline. With the 3D glasses, you are in a world where Spiderman fights all the anti-robots and saves the world while saving you too. You climb a skyscraper, you fall, and bad guys come from everywhere and are one step away from catching you.
I ate the biggest piece of turkey ever, of course, shared by the 2 of us. I leave the picture here so you can see the size of it. It costs only 11 dollars and includes some chips. We ate Chinese macaroni, the famous burgers with French fries, and delicacies from all over the world prepared especially for us. We also played basketball, shot archery, tried the attractions at the playground, and felt like we were 15 years old for a few hours!
On one of the days, we spent a few hours at Universal Studious where we tried the experience from Transformers 3D, Fast Furious Supercharged, Revenge of the Mummy, The Simpsons Ride and finally we met Gru at Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.
Universal Vulcano Bay
Is a water park with countless pools and slides and a volcano in the middle that can be seen from everywhere in the city, especially at night. We didn’t manage to get here either, the time being too short, but we noticed that there are buses between the three parks and you can easily go from one to the other in a maximum of 10 minutes.
It’s like a theme park with lots of water. And that big thing in the middle is just like a real volcano. Because you know volcanoes have water slides, the kind that will get you down at the last minute unless your friends (or kids) pressure you. And if you’re more of a go-with-the-flow type, you’ve got cool stuff like a winding river, a wave pool.
Entrance for one day is 80 dollars for adults and 75 dollars for children up to 9 years old. I say to reserve a whole day if you come here. It would be a shame to miss the 10 coolest experiences in Universal Vulcano Bay. Strong sensations in the strongest Aqua park in Orlando.
Gatorland Park Florida
At the invitation of IPW, we went to see Gatorland. It is a 110-acre Florida theme park and wildlife preserve located along the South Orange Blossom Trail, south of Orlando. It was founded 73 years ago by Owen Godwin on former cattle land and is still privately owned by his family. The entire park is built around crocodiles and the experiences you can have with them.
I fed crocodiles from half a meter, with pieces of meat that you throw directly into their huge mouths, I held a baby in my hand and understood how fragile they are at the beginning of life. I went ziplining over a lake full of crocodiles and as a curiosity, I even saw an absolutely white crocodile. Throughout the park, there are several thousand specimens that live in the lakes here. The park is built in such a way that you constantly go around them and observe each individual specimen. The wooden walkways are built above the water and you are at a short distance and still in perfect safety. There are not only crocodiles in the park, but you can see a lot of other wild animals, specific to Florida, and you also have an area where there is a water park and swimming.
The most interesting experiences here:
Feeding the crocodiles. Together with a guide, you enter a specially protected area and feed the crocodiles that come ashore with pieces of raw meat. You are 1 meter away from them and the experience is both interesting and exciting.
Zipline. Better said a chain of ziplines because there are about 7. You go from one to the other and the last one crosses the lake full of crocodiles.
Touching a baby crocodile. I really haven’t done that anywhere. You have the opportunity to hold a small baby crocodile in your hand. A baby that is one week/two years old. He is small and fragile, he follows his mother, and he has cold skin and a weak bite if he manages to pinch you. An experience that I don’t think I can repeat anywhere else!
Gatorland is a family park that combines crocodiles and several species of animals specific to Florida with a water park where children have a great time. Entrance costs 33 dollars for adults, and 23 dollars for children up to 12 years old. It’s worth every penny. It really seems like a good price to me.
SeaWorld Orlando
Seaworld is home to the world’s most famous whale, Shamu. Families can get up close and personal with ocean and sea life from around the world, watch live shows where whales and dolphins do tricks, and learn about saving our oceans. The aquariums are world-class, and there are even a few roller coasters for brave teens and adults to test their luck.
There is tons of shade near the attractions and at the aquariums, so Seaworld is a great theme park choice during those hot summer days when you need to get out of the sun. The staff here are very familiar with wildlife and marine life and are always willing to answer questions for guests of all ages.
And as a crowning glory, you can feed dolphins and orcas, obviously for an additional cost. I had a 20-minute experience in which I fed the dolphins. It was funny to be splashed with water by the dolphins’ tails, especially since it was extremely hot. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try the cool experiences with the roller coaster.
Entrance for a single day at this park costs 95 dollars for an adult and for children up to 3 years old the entrance is free.
These are only 4 of the coolest amusement parks in Orlando, but there are also other parks that we haven’t seen. Maybe we will have the opportunity to go through Florida again. Thanks to IPW for these wonderful experiences in the most beautiful place in Florida. We wanted to share these beautiful moments with you and recommend some of the most famous amusement parks in the world. I saw so much joy in the eyes of those who were in these parks that we were charged with a lot of positive energy, we enjoyed each park separately as when we were children. I have to confess that everything I experienced in Orlando for a week was beyond my expectations and I lived these moments together with people from all over the world, beautiful people who were invited to IPW, the biggest tourism fair in the world.