Other Attractions

"Anything-you-can-do-we-can-do-better." This seems to be the Orlando motto. Every time one park adds an attraction, the next park feels the need to add two attractions, and so on, and so, and so on. This has been going on since Mickey first arrived in town. The battle between Disney and its top-ranked challenger Universal Orlando, which each year since 1999 has chipped away at what once was WDW's virtual monopoly, however, is a good thing -- at least for you and me. Each time one park tries to outdo the other, we reap the benefits of their additions. Still, make no mistake: Disney is king, leading in theme parks (4-2) and smaller attractions (9-1). It has a 2-to-1 edge in nightclub venues, a huge lead in restaurants, and, when it comes to hotel rooms, its lead is insurmountable.

Nevertheless, Universal is trying. It had a substantial growth spurt in 1999, bolstering its original park, Universal Studios Florida, with a second theme park, Islands of Adventure; a nightclub and restaurant complex, CityWalk; and its first resort, Portofino Bay, a 750-room Loews hotel. In January 2001, it opened a second resort, the Hard Rock Hotel, and, in 2002, its third, the Royal Pacific Resort. Universal Orlando has more than 2,000 adjoining acres on which to expand, and, while the company's lips are sealed, it's known there are plans for at least two more hotels, a golf course, and possibly 300 acres of additional rides and attractions.

A few miles south, SeaWorld and its sister park, Discovery Cove, also grab a share of the Orlando action. In 2004, SeaWorld added a 5-acre shopping and dining area, appropriately named the Waterfront.

Aside from greater variety, these players mean more multiday packages and special deals for you. To compete with Disney, SeaWorld and Universal Orlando teamed up on multiday pass options a few years back. They offer a FlexTicket that also includes admission to Wet 'n Wild (a Universal-owned water park) and has an option to include Busch Gardens in Tampa.

While the wars rage on in the traditional tourist areas, it has finally dawned on the rest of Orlando that Central Florida is one of the world's favorite vacation destinations.

Since the early 1990s, downtown Orlando has gotten a makeover that woos hundreds of thousands to its attractions, nightclubs, and restaurants. Recent expansions at the Orlando Museum of Art and the Orlando Science Center show the city is trying to grab its share as well. This expansion means visitors can enjoy the spoils: more variety, greater opportunities, and a world beyond the theme parks.

There are -- surprise! -- a number of cool things in Orlando that don't revolve around Mickey, the Hulk, or Shamu. Now that we've covered the monster parks, we're going to explore some of central Florida's best smaller attractions.

Elsewhere in Central Florida--These listings are out of the mainstream tourist areas, meaning you won't have to battle heavy crowds. The Central Florida Zoo, Orlando Museum of Art, and Orlando Science Center are close enough to incorporate a visit to Winter Park if you choose to make a day of it.