Kid-Friendly Nickelodeon Resort Minutes from Orlando Attractions
It's not every day a kid can ask SpongeBob SquarePants to pass the syrup across the breakfast table. Yet at Nickelodeon Suites Resort’s character breakfast, the time-honored pairing of pancakes and animation gets an interactive makeover—SpongeBob, Dora the Explorer, and others hobnob with guests during the meal, pausing for photos with their pintsize fans.
The 24-acre resort is chock full of family-oriented activities. At the 4-D Experience, the audience is immersed in a movie, thanks to special effects such as wind, water, bubbles, and scents. Elsewhere, there's a 3,000-square-foot arcade featuring a host of interactive games.
Two outdoor water parks feature pools, games, and a total of 13 slides and flumes. At Studio Nick, audience members become the stars at nightly live shows such as Double Dare. The Mall houses the Kids’ Spa, where youngsters can get mani-pedis and gossip about the nation's looming lollipop shortage.
Orlando, Florida: World-Famous Theme Parks and Cultural Surprises
Orlando may be forever associated with the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks—the most-visited entertainment resort on the planet. Spanning roughly 30,000 acres, it encompasses four theme parks, two water parks, five golf courses, and the Downtown Disney® Marketplace. There’s no shortage of things to do here: begin your day by boarding a rocket-shaped three-seater that climbs to 180 feet before entering a deep black tunnel and racing past stars, satellites, and constellations. Walk across the park to sample Moroccan cuisine for lunch, or ride a dune buggy through a haunted mansion. Before heading back to the hotel, take in the nightly fireworks, laser, and water show. Sunny Orlando is also home to Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, and Gatorland.
Those hoping to shake up the typical theme-park-dominated itinerary can head into downtown Orlando's vibrant arts district. The neighborhood boasts venues such as CityArts Factory, a multifaceted patchwork of gallery spaces, and SAK Comedy Lab, which hosts family-friendly improv shows five nights a week.
About a 10-minute drive north, you’ll find eight cultural institutions at Loch Haven Park, including the Orlando Museum of Art, which houses pieces by Georgia O’Keeffe, Robert Rauschenberg, Ansel Adams, and Andy Warhol. The park is also home to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orlando Science Center. Visit the science center to take a rover across a simulation of Mars’s red surface, or race on a 70-foot pinewood derby track.
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