After all, you're in Orlando, and it's summertime. What could be better than spending an afternoon at the pool or hanging out at one of Orlando's kid-friendly night spots?
Fun Things To Do In Orlando At Night With Kids - Trip Advisor
Look no further if you're looking for fun things to do in Orlando at night with kids.
Here's a list of some of the best late-night attractions.
Magic Kingdom
Three different shows during the day include all your favorite characters from Disney Junior, such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake & The Neverland Pirates, Sofia The First, Doc McStuffins, Minnie Mouse Shorts & Fancy Nancy. Each show is approximately 20-30 minutes long and has a different theme. For example, "Mickey's Music Festival" is about music, while "The Great Puppy Adventure" is about puppies.
You can also ride on the "Liberty Square Riverboat," a slow-moving boat that takes you around the Rivers of America. This is an excellent way to see all of Magic Kingdom without having to walk too far or stand in line for rides.
Meet Disney Characters
If you have younger children who enjoy meeting characters, there are many opportunities for this at Magic Kingdom Park. At any given time, you will find dozens of characters roaming around the park interacting with guests and posing for pictures. It's never hard to spot Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse because they're always wearing their bright-colored costumes, but other characters, such as Donald Duck or Goofy, often wear regular clothes, so it can be harder to spot them!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade Village
Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure park is home to several great attractions, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade Village. The village is designed to look like Hogsmeade village from the books and movies, and it contains shops selling wizarding items, a restaurant, and even a ride!
The rides include Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (which simulates riding on broomsticks), Dragon Challenge (a pair of intertwined roller coasters), and Flight of the Hippogriff (a family coaster). Plenty of other shops sell everything from wands to Weasley sweaters.
Searsucker Chophouse & Tavern
Searsucker Chophouse & Tavern is a casual dining restaurant on Restaurant Row in Downtown Disney West Side. It has two bars, one serving craft cocktails, beer, and wine, and the other only serving beer. Burgers, seafood, and steaks are available on the menu (they have gluten-free options too). Additionally, they offer a wide range of wines by glass or bottle. Searsucker is open daily for lunch, dinner, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Searsucker is located inside Downtown Disney West Side at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Go Swimming At The Resorts
The Walt Disney World Resort has several pools, including one for adults only and one for guests staying at the hotels on the property. You can also swim at Universal Studios or SeaWorld.
See Broadway shows like Finding Nemo
The Musical or Lion King – Live on Stage! These shows are amazing; they keep the kids entertained while Mommy gets some peace and quiet!
Explore Icon Park At Night
Icon Park is a new outdoor entertainment district across Lake Eola and next to the Amway Center (home of the Orlando Magic). It features an eclectic mix of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and live music venues designed as a live entertainment destination for locals and tourists alike. If you plan on spending an evening here, start with dinner at one of the many restaurants, then head to the CityWalk-like area for drinks. If you want to see a show at Amway or take in some live music, check out The Social Orlando or House of Blues for an intimate concert setting or Firestone Live for nationally known acts like Third Eye Blind or Good Charlotte.
See A Movie At Amc Universal Cineplex 20 & Imax
Located inside Universal CityWalk and featuring stadium-style seating with surround sound; this theater offers multiple screens playing current blockbusters and classic films. If you plan on seeing a movie at Universal Studios Florida, this is worth checking out.
Go On A Segway Tour
Several companies offer guided Segway tours throughout Orlando, including SegCircle Tours, which also offers private tours through Universal Studios. These tours allow you to see all the sights while enjoying some exercise.
See A Live Show
The Blue Man Group is a fun performance for adults and children. It is a great way to introduce your children to live theater without them knowing it!
Watch Fireworks
If you are visiting during the summer, several fireworks shows will take place throughout the area, including at Disney World's Magic Kingdom and Magic Kingdom Park. These shows last about 10 minutes and include music and fireworks that dance to the music being played by live musicians on stage.
Take A Horse Carriage Ride
Several companies offer horse carriage rides throughout Orlando, including Old Town Trolley Tours, which have horse-drawn carriages available from May through October. This is a great way to experience the city from a completely different perspective and get some exercise while taking in the sights.
Visit Disney Parks Like Animal Kingdom
Visit the Disney parks during the day and then attend a fireworks show at night – The fireworks at Disney World are spectacular, and you can watch them from any number of locations around the park. If you have little ones that get tired early, consider taking them to one of the parks for the day so they can take part in some of their favorite rides and then head over to watch the fireworks from outside the park gates.
Orlando Magic Game
Watch an Orlando Magic game or another sporting event – Many cities have professional sports teams that play during the year, but Orlando has two major teams; The Orlando Magic basketball team and The Orlando City Soccer Club soccer team. If you love sports, then these are great ways to spend time together as a family while cheering on your favorite team.
Visit Gatorland
If you want something a little more relaxing than an amusement park, try visiting Gatorland, which is less than 30 minutes from downtown Orlando. The park has over 1000 gators on display and other reptiles like crocodiles and snakes. It also offers several shows throughout the day where you can learn about these creatures up close.
Furthermore, If you want to get close to some real live alligators, this is the place for you. They have over 200 alligators roaming their park, so be careful where you walk! You can also feed and take pictures with them, but don’t try to pet them because they bite!
Take A Trip On The Hogwarts Expres
There is no better way for Harry Potter fans to experience Hogwarts than by taking this trip on The Hogwarts Express from Universal Studios Florida™ Resort to Universal’s Islands of Adventure™ Park. It’s not cheap, though, at $20 per person each way (one-way tickets are also available), which makes it an expensive option, but if you can afford it, it’s worth doing once.
Visit Universal Studios
Universal Studios is open most of the year and offers many fun attractions, including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ Diagon Alley™ attraction which opened earlier this year! There are plenty of rides, shows, and attractions for everyone in your family at Universal Studios Orlando Resort.
Go To Disney Springs
The Downtown Disney area has transformed over the years into something more than just a shopping center. It now features high-end restaurants, unique shops, event space, and even an outdoor amphitheater for concerts. The kids will love spending some time here!
See A Show
Many great shows at Walt Disney World Resort, including Fantasmic!, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire, and more! If you want to see one of these shows, book your tickets ahead of time because they sell out quickly.
Visit Legoland
Legoland Florida is great for families with children ages 2-12. Families can enjoy rides such as King’s Castle Roller Coaster, Dragon Coaster, and more! Legoland also has Lego building areas where kids can build anything they want using Legos. Kids will love exploring Miniland, USA, where they can see replicas of famous cities like New York City or Washington D.C. built entirely out of Legos.
Beach Gardens
If your family likes thrill rides, you must check out Busch Gardens, right next door to both Legoland and Seaworld (and right across the street from IKEA!). Busch Gardens offers roller coasters, water rides with beautiful views of wildlife, and more.
On-Site Hotels
One of the best ways to experience Orlando at night is by staying at an on-site hotel.
The hotels near Universal Studios offer great views of the fireworks shows at night, and there are many other things to do in Orlando at night with kids.
Silver Glen Springs Florida State Park
Silver Glen Springs is a natural spring-fed lake in the Ocala National Forest. It is located northwest of Gainesville, Florida. The park is open year-round and has many activities for visitors to enjoy. The park offers swimming, canoeing/kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving. There are also hiking trails and picnic areas available for visitors to enjoy. The park entrance fee is $6 per vehicle for day use or $4 per person for walk-ins. It is recommended that you visit their website before you make your trip to Silver Glen Springs to check out the park's current conditions and any special events that may be happening during your visit.
Family Night At Ferris And Foster’s Famous Chocolate Factory
This event happens every Thursday night from 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., except on holidays and school breaks (see schedule below). Families can enjoy interactive fun with their children during this event while learning about the chocolate-making process! Children will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate to enjoy while playing games, making crafts, and creating memories! There will also be face painting available for children, as well as live music.
The Chocolate Factory offers a wide range of products, including but not limited to:
- Chocolate Covered Pretzels
- Chocolate Covered Oreos
- Chocolate Covered Pecans
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
WaterFire Orlando
WaterFire Orlando is an outdoor art installation that lights up the night in Downtown Orlando with a series of bonfires lit on Lake Eola Park's shore every Saturday night from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. until October 28th (except for Halloween, which is scheduled for November 1st). This free event is open to all ages; attendees are encouraged to walk around Lake Eola Park during this time! There will also be live music, food trucks, and other vendors during this event so you can enjoy yourself while enjoying the beautiful scenery surrounding you.
Fun Spot America
This amusement park has something for everyone – from roller coasters for thrill seekers to kiddie rides for little ones. There’s even a Ferris wheel that offers beautiful views of Disney World! If you plan on visiting Fun Spot America with young children, know that rides are only open until 10:30 p.m., so you have plenty of time to enjoy some serious fun before the park closes.
Orlando Science Center
The Orlando Science Center is a great place to visit if you’re looking for something educational to do with your family. This science museum features more than 250 exhibits, including a planetarium and a butterfly garden. It also has an IMAX theater where you can catch various shows, including documentaries, nature films, and more.
Wet ‘n Wild Water Park
If your kids love water slides and pools, Wet ‘n Wild is the perfect place to take them this summer! The water park has three different areas – Hurricane Harbor (which boasts 10 acres of waterslides), Surf Lagoon (with wave pools), and Riptide Reef (which includes lazy rivers). There are also plenty of areas where kids can play in shallow.
Disney Junior Dance Party at Downtown Disney District
The Disney Junior Dance Party is an interactive dance party hosted daily from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm at Downtown Disney District at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida! The dance party is filled with fun activities for kids, such as face painting, balloon twisting, arts & crafts, photo booths, and so much more! There are two different locations where you can enjoy this fun event; one location is located inside of Cirque du Soleil La Nouba Theatre (behind the Rainforest Café), and the other location is located outside near Splitsville Luxury Lanes Bowling Alley or between Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop and House of Blues Restaurant & Bar.
Three different shows during the day include all your favorite characters from Disney Junior, such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake & The Neverland Pirates, Sofia The First, Doc McStuffins, Minnie Mouse Shorts & Fancy Nancy. Each show runs at least 2 times every hour so that you can see them all.
Fantasmic - Nighttime Show On Water
The most popular attraction at Hollywood Studios is Fantasmic!, a nighttime show on the water. It features scenes from Disney movies such as Beauty & The Beast and Toy Story and fireworks with music. This show occurs twice every night at 9 pm and 10:30 pm in front of the Tower Of Terror (one of my favorite rides). If you have little ones who need to go to bed early or if it’s raining, this is an excellent option because it starts later than most other attractions, and most guests won’t be standing around in line waiting for their viewing spot too long.
There are many fun things to do in Orlando at night with kids. From fireworks to parades and light shows, the sky is the limit when it comes to family fun after dark.
Things To Avoid In Orlando At Night With Kids
Orlando is a city that offers something for everyone, including children. The city is filled with attractions, museums, and restaurants. However, there are some things that you should avoid doing with your children at night.
The first thing to avoid is going to theme parks after dark. This is because the rides and shows can be scary for children, especially at night when everything seems more intense.
Another thing you should avoid doing at night is going into downtown Orlando. Downtown Orlando has many clubs and bars where adults go to drink alcohol and party all night long. These places are not good places for your child to hang out in because of the loud music and flashing lights that keep them awake all night long.
