1.5 Hours North of Manhattan (Metro North)
Best Times To Visit: Apr - Oct
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I recently visited around the Orlando area, Kissimmee to be exact. So much to do and very convenient to places such as Epcot, Universal Studios, Disney, Sea World and my favorite spot Port Carneval. If you like seafood The Bayou Kitchen & Lounge is amazing. Staff was friendly, presentation was mind-blowing, and the food will have you ready to kiss the chef. We stayed at the Developer Inn Maingate, staff was nice, breakfast decent and location was good. Overall Kissimmee Florida is a good and safe place to travel while black.
Orlando is the land of Fantasy & Fun. I stayed for short while actually on business but I was tempted by the array of activities, stores, restaurants and events there. What am I saying…..I worked 6 days a week and still managed to visit “The Fun Spot” which was a Carnival with a huge lit up Ferris Wheel, an Arcade and other rides you could pay for per-ride or with a day pass. I enjoyed – after a long day of doing people….just being able to do, Me. Universal Studios and Walt Disney were also right there, I didn’t get a chance to explore this time but the Hilton I stayed in had super two-for-one deals, free shuttle and concierge service support. I managed to watch Ava Duvernay’s “Origin” based on the book “Caste” by Black Female Author Isabel Wilkerson at the Disney AMC Theatres – there is a bar there with seated menu service where you can order food from the app – Nice Touch.
Orlando is amazing. All major theme parks, restaurants and entertainment. Orlando is a melting pot of people and good customer service is usually delivered. Florida can have some racial undertones but orlando doesn’t give off those vibes. All and all orlando is a place I recommend us to visit.
When you hear Orlando, most people automatically think of the Amusement Parks and Attractions. While that is likely the biggest tourist lure, the nightlife in Orlando cannot be ignored.
Disney Springs has a ton of food and drink offerings, and events and shows well into the evening, and Disney’s Boardwalk offers street performers with an old timey Atlantic City type feel, with a dueling piano bar and a discotheque. While, Universal’s CityWalk has a more grown up feel with bars and live entertainment, and numerous dance halls. But the real nightlife, is downtown Orlando, where the locals go to have fun.
The Wall Street/Church Street area downtown Orlando, literally has something for everyone! The entire street is dotted with bars and eateries, and at the end, lies Wall Street Plaza with an open air courtyard at the end, where you can literally bar hop, as bars are within mere steps of each other. Various music types boom from Latin, Hip Hop, Pop, Jazz and even a little Country, and in between are all types of food, and a welcoming and inviting culture.
I have traveled to many destinations but my all time favorite vacation was my son’s first trip to Orlando Florida last year for his 3rd birthday!
We enjoyed visiting the Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom is a top Disney park to stop at with a toddler. They have age appropriate rides like the Tea Cups, Dumbo Rides, and even a water play area for them to cool off. My son definitely ate his weight in Mickey shaped ice cream. He enjoyed seeing his favorite characters during the parade down Main Street. Personally I believe Magic Kingdom is overrated. There is no shade and limited seating.
While we did love visiting Magic Kingdom, nothing could compare to our trip to Peppa the Pig Theme Park! This park is not a Disney park, but is worth exploring. My son LOVES Peppa the Pig! When we pulled up at the park, the look on his face was PRICELESS! This park is a great park to take toddlers. Its not too big at all but it has a bunch of rides and activities for the kids. They even have a FREE meet and greet. My son took his first roller coaster ride, which he LOVED! They have about 10 or so rides for kids, parents can also ride too!
Our final stop, outside of shopping, was the Crayola Experience! Not only did my son love it, so did I, lol. You have the opportunity to make your own crayon, make your own coloring sheets, color your own animals, plus so much more. This is a must visit!
We definitely enjoyed Orlando Florida. Next up for his 4th birthday, Disney Wish Cruise-Oct 2023!!
Traveled to Disney World FL with family (adults and children, mixed ages from toddler to tween). When traveling to Disney, staying in a resort and/or time share 10-15 minutes from park will save so much money and add convenience. Since Orlando is a pretty diverse place, you’ll find lots of spots with Melanated families mingling. Floridays Resorts had tons of black families, however this location is more for an apartment /Airbnb type of feel on vacation.
Eatonville is a very historic city in the suburbs of Orlando with a lot of history founded many years ago, the people here are very nice and welcoming and they have homes here and a park, also they have some very good restaurants were you can get your typical southern cooking like Mac n Cheese and green beans.
They just recently had a celebration here and it is always nice to see a city like this recognized for its rich history.
I went to downtown Orlando to party. Everyone was cool however, there were no “Black” parties going on. Apparently, I missed the Hip Hop night. I ended up still having fun. Sugar Factory is lit!!!
Okay, so anybody that knows me also knows that I’ve stood strong in my argument that Universal Studios/Islands Of Adventure is waaaaay better than Disney World. I’d have 2 hour long back-and-forth debates with my lady explaining to her that Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure is the place to be to have fun as an adult. My lady would argue that there’s so much to do And see in Disney and how it’s all “magical” and everything. Being the stubborn and strong opinionated person I am, I remained in denial….UNTIL…. I went with her family to Disney World for the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival in September 2019. Let me tell you plain and simple…. I AM A CHANGED MAN lol! Not only did I have an AMAZING experience, but I literally felt like a big ass kid again lol! As an avid foodie, the endless circle of cuisine and beverages from countries of over the world like Australia, Japan, Canada, France, Italy, Africa, and so many more literally had me in a frenzy! What’s dope is that my lady bought us the deluxe cod package in which we had literally HUNDREDS of credits to use for the multitude of snack bars and restaurants throughout Epcot and Disney in general, including premium restaurants that are typically very pricy and hard to land a reservation for (Le Cellier and Cinderella’s Castle for example).
From themed simulation rides, to snacks, and drinks, and food and then more rides, more snacks, more drinks, and MORE FOOD, I mean I was a happy camper to say the least. I had an amazing time and being with people that I love and enjoy being around made the experience that much more fulfilling!
Long story short, YA BOY IS A DISNEY FAN, DAMN IT! And I am proud of it! So if there any other men that read this who are just as reluctant about Disney as I was, I implore you to let your guard down and visit Disney during the food and wine festival, and I guarantee that your feelings will change!
PRO TIP: Get the Deluxe food package and you can stay in Disney for a week with your family and still not have to worry about food.
– Monty Lans
Instagram: @montylans
Orlando is well known for its theme parks! You can spend the entire trip at Disney World, Universal Studios including its waterpark, Volcano Bay. On our last trip, we were traveling with young kids and wanted a few alternatives to the them parks. We ended up visiting Leu Gardens, which was absolutely beautiful and much larger than envisioned. It is essentially a botanical gardens there. Lake Eola Park was another great option! We rented a swan boat for about 30 minutes to paddle around the lake. There were a few scenic structures we enjoyed as we navigated through the park.
For the Swan Boat Rentals, the regular price is $15 for 30min. There was also a groupon deal for $11.50.
https://www.orlando.gov/Parks-the-Environment/Parks-Recreation-Neighborhood-Centers/Lake-Eola-Park/Rent-a-Swan-Boat-at-Lake-Eola
https://www.groupon.com/deals/lake-eola-swan-boat
I have been to Orlando every summer since I was a kid and it never gets old to me! We always get a hotel on International Drive because they are very affordable and close to all of the major theme parks such as Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World and many more! On my last visit I had a chance to go to the newest theme park Volcano Bay which is a part of Universal Studios. Every visitor in the park is given a wearable watch called tapu tapu which is a virtual line so that you don’t have to physically wait in line…Very unique experience. If you decide to go there I would suggest that you make sure the date that you choose when you’re purchasing your ticket is actually the date that you want to go because if you arrive at the gate and your tickets say a different date than the actual date they will turn you around. At Universal resort they have the Universal Studios park and Island of Adventure park… Island of Adventures have the most roller coasters ….Universal Studios have more of the theater rides…. there is an option to do two parks in one day but I find that extremely tiring… plus if you go on a busy day the lines can be up to 70 to 90 minutes long so we do 1 park a day
I have been to Orlando countless times for family vacations and solo vacations. I have been to Universal Studios, EPCOT, and Disney World. My most recent trip to Disney World was a lot of fun because I was older and able to appreciate the entirety of it a lot more. Disney World isn’t just for children, although that’s their target market, they have BeerFests and adult activities as well. My favorite part of Disney a world was magic Kingdom. I’m a child at heart so seeing the parades was a lot of fun. I recommend getting fast passes for the Avatar Ride (I went on that like 5 times), as well as the Yeti Ride. If you’re going to go to Disney World and you what the FULL experience, I suggest you go for at least a week so that you’re able to see each park in its entirety.
I really had to review my city! Orlando has so much to do, other than Disney and Universal. We have International Drive with many attractions, Kings Bowling, Pointe Orlando Mall (Improv, BB Kings, Taverna Opa,) For nightlife it can be hit or miss some places to go downtown is: Ember, Eve, Wall Street (Row of Bars), Vintage that will play a good mix of hip-hop and R&B. The best time to come is in May for the Caribbean Carnival and all those festivities. Gotta love the “City Beautiful”!
I just came back from Orlando where I rented a 5 bedroom 5 bathroom vacation house that cost about $1,200.00 for 4 days. It was an amazing experience where instead of paying around the same price per person for a hotel we were able to get a house and have our privacy including a pool and jacuzzi, a water park on the resort, concierge service and free shuttle service to all of the Disney parks. If you are going to Orlando to visit the parks it is very costly but Orlando is relaxing, quiet and peaceful place to vacay. I haven’t been down there in a while but I was happy to go back and would def recommend if traveling with a group to look into renting a home instead of a hotel room. I will be back down there soon enough!