Orlando for adults

There’s a world of unexpected experiences to enjoy around the city

JUST a short distance from the hustle and bustle of International Drive is the stylish and upmarket area of Winter Park.

It is home to the rich and famous, Tiger Woods was a resident at one time, who live in huge lakeside mansions, and is known as The City of Culture and Heritage.

It’s even got its own Park Avenue and Central Park with individual shops, high-end restaurants and bars and museums.

The community was founded in the late 19th century and is Central Florida’s oldest. It has cobbled streets and Spanish-style buildings, including the gorgeous Alfond Inn just around the corner to all the action.

Contemporary art gives the building its unique atmosphere and the profits from the boutique hotel help to endow Alfond Scholars at local Rollins College. One of the best features is the beautiful rooftop swimming pool. Luxury personified.  

Just a short walk from here you can take an hour-long scenic boat ride around Lake Osceola and two other lakes, scenicboattours.com

The boat ‘captains’ have a wealth of knowledge about who lives or once lived in the huge houses. It’s a fun outing.

Another favourite of mine in Winter Park is The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Park Avenue. It has the world’s most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany. We are all familiar with his superb glass lamps, but there’s so much more here. There’s jewellery, pottery, paintings, art glass, windows, lamps and an elaborate chapel interior created for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. morsemuseum.org

Nearby on the same street, Italian eaterie Prato is a great place to eat. www.prato-wp.com

Near the Alfond Inn is the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens. Housed in the former home of the late, renowned Czech sculptor. The three-acre grounds that go down to the lake make a peaceful place to relax and contemplate the art. polasek.org

Disney parks and hotels

Of course, you can’t come to Orlando and not go to the parks, even if it’s just for a couple of days. As Walt Disney World continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary, this is a great time to visit. 

Another stylish place to stay is the new Swan Reserve hotel, a short walk from Disney’s Epcot and Hollywood Studios and with a free boat ride to the two park entrances. Guests can use the facilities at its two sister hotels, including the fabulous Shula’s Steak House. 

With pre-planning made easy on the Disney Experience app, it’s so easy to reserve ride times and even book restaurants to make a day at any of the parks go well. The Disney Genie+ option for a small fee enables you to book Lightning Lane (quicker access) entry times at certain rides. Epcot stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow and the vast site, which is under a major regeneration, is a place to learn about nature – with land and sea pavilions, discovery and celebration. My personal favourite is Soarin’, which takes you on a breathtaking virtual flight around the world’s most iconic places.  

The World Showcase is set around a central lake with an imaginative representation of 11 countries – Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, the United Kingdom and America.

Throughout the year there are special festivals and events, including the International Flower and Garden Festival which was in full bloom when we visited earlier in the year. Also, when at Epcot you must not miss the end-of-the-day music and light show spectacular – HarmonioUS. 

With a single-day Park Hopper ticket we were able to transfer to Hollywood Studios at 2pm by boat.

Everything movie-related is here, especially the immersive Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge experience. Be transported to Batuu where you’ll mingle with ‘rogue traders, droids and strange creatures’. Disney invites visitors to ‘take control of the fastest ship in the galaxy on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run’ and join in an epic battle between the Resistance and the First Order, on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Rishi Sunak would be in his element!

Our all-too-short venture around two of Disney’s parks brought back just how much we’d missed this world of wonder, where you can just let yourself escape everyday worries. It’s just MAGIC!

disneyworld.co.uk   

What’s new at Disney?

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, in Epcot’s first “other-world” showcase pavilion – is a storytelling coaster that rotates 360 degrees, including the first reverse launch.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at Epcot, is where guests shrink to the size of Chef Remy and go on a wild adventure.

‘Disney Enchantment’ at Magic Kingdom Park – has music, stunning fireworks and enhanced lighting and effects.

Space 220 Restaurant – has virtual daytime and nighttime views of Earth from 220 miles above the planet’s surface from Centauri Space Station. 

‘Disney KiteTails’ at Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a new daytime entertainment.

50th Anniversary Celebration Sips and Bites – more than 150 new food and drink offerings with a touch of EARidescent shimmer.

Don’t miss…

Wild Florida

After a short drive out of Orlando, this safari-style experience gives you a glimpse of ‘real’ Florida. There are 100 native and exotic species to see, including alligators as you take an airboat ride across the water before taking the drive-thru safari. There are also sloths, lemurs and bobcats and a chance to see giant alligators leaping from the water to compete for lunchtime meat treats. wildfloridairboats.com

Orange County Regional History Center

Based in a restored 1927 courthouse in Downtown Orlando you can learn about the area’s history from prehistoric days to its present incarnation as a theme park heaven.

Sports action and entertainment

Downtown, 20 minutes from International Drive, is also where you can watch a sports game or enjoy a concert. www.visitorlando.com

Travel facts

Get all the information you need at disneyworld.co.uk and www.visitorlando.com

A night’s stay at the Alfond Inn is from £200 per room, www.thealfondinn.com

Standard rooms at the Swan Reserve start at around £250, https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/resorts/swan-reserve/