Gonna take a little vacation, and go to orlando for sons graduation. Never been, so just wondering what yalls experience has been, and what i should check out while I'm there. So far we plan on hitting universal, universal island, and possibly the new water park thats opening this weekend. Have know idea about restaurants.

I lived in Orlando for 2 years, but I worked at Disney so I was pretty much just always doing Disney things. Orlando is full of every chain restaurant you could ever want...meaning I never really found great local places. Then again, I was in a different stage of life and was more focused on Tinkerbell and Cinderella than I was finding great places to eat.

I grew up in a suburb of Orlando. Where will you be staying? I know BradB on here still lives down there and could prob be a valuable source of info.

The mid evil times restaurant is pretty cool. We went and had a good time.

days Inn, somewhere pretty close to the parks, according to my wife

International Drive is the touristy spot out that way. I think they've got a ripleys Belive it or Not, FAO Schwartz, McDonalds with the world largest playground, outlet malls, bass pro...... I Drive

We were in Orlando about a month ago. We've always enjoyed Sea World more than Disney. Hampton Inn at SeaWorld was only about $120/night and gives out free fast passes and will bus you there free, less than 5 minutes away. Medieval Times and Escape Games are fun. Boston Lobster Feast is great if you like all-you-can-eat lobster, shrimp and king crab.

Universal City Walk has a number of restaurants in it. Good places to eat are not in short supply in Orlando. Just see what is close by when you get hungry.

BTW, if you haven't found out already, Universal is expensive. Buy the tickets that allow you to go from one park to the next in one day, but don't plan on doing the whole thing in a day. Also, you'll need to buy the Express option on your tickets at $100+ each if you don't want to stand in line. Disney's Fast Pass system is much better and doesn't cost extra.

Wth? For some reason I thought you were a lot younger.

Last time I was there for a trade show; dined at Capital Grille and Maggiano's; both were good.

Don't know when you're going, but you better make sure it is not during this crap.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-gay-days.htm

I'm in Apopka now for work, just north of Orlando. If you plan to travel any distance get a Sunpass. Dang toll roads everywhere.

Perch recommends Pulse Night Club.

Knew that was coming

Tinkerbell and Cinderella? Well hell sounds like you were on to something good to eat

He won't be able to avoid it. There is a heavy presence 24/7/365.

Need to add, the premium outlets are pretty good too. Got some great deals on Columbia shorts.

Lots of good eats in Orlando. Haven't been in about 10 years but they have local chain steakhouse named Charleys. Prime aged beef cooked over a wood fire, not under a broiler like most high end steakhousea. Great steaks.

grew up in Apopka just north of Orlando , now live in east Orlando ....tons of things to do here , 30 min east is port Canaveral and the inlet where all the big cruise ships come in , food over there is great as well...also the beaches over there great.

I know it is a chain, but there are none around us, so my family likes eating at Bahama Breeze when we go down there. No idea of the name, but in a strip mall on International Drive in the Sea World area, there is a family run Thai Place that I really liked. Other than that we pretty much just eat what we get a hankering for depending on what is handy at the time we are ready to eat.

My brother is the manager at the New Balance store in the outlet mall on I-Drive if you need some new kicks....