3 things to do in orlando

You know, Orlando is not all about “The Mouse.” Okay, well, maybe it’s a lot about “The Mouse.” But you’d be making a big mistake if you visit Orlando without branching out a bit. So, here are our three suggestions for things to do when visiting Orlando!

1. TOY STORY LAND

The themed 11-acre playground is Pixar Animation Studios’ next big blockbuster for Disney and comes 20 years after it first introduced cowboy Woody, space ranger Buzz Lightyear and the rest of their friends in the first “Toy Story” movie. Hollywood Studios’ Toy Story Land isn’t the first for Disney’s theme parks. It’s actually the fourth, coming after similar mini parks in Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

2. COCOA BEACH’S RETRO COOL

A quick, one-hour drive east of Orlando, the retro-cool town of Cocoa Beach makes for a perfect beach day trip and a welcome break from a hectic theme park itinerary. Cocoa Beach is the anti–South Beach, with low-rise hotels and many mom and pop–style shops and restaurants lining the oceanfront and surrounding streets. And the beach itself is a beauty, billowing with natural dunes that ripple with sea oats.

3. WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

The main attraction in Diagon Alley is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, which if you’re a fan of the books/movies, will remind you of one of the most epic sequences in the entire series. Not only will you traverse the labyrinth of underground vaults, but you’ll come face-to-face with Bellatrix Lestrange and He Who Must Not Be Named. Pro tip: If you haven’t read the last couple of books, it might be worth sitting this one out as there are some spoiler alerts in this journey.