5 Orlando Family Vacation Ideas

Orlando can be considered paradise for kids of all ages. Theme park trips let parents become vacation heroes in their kids’ eyes — while bridging generations through stories of the magical adventures they remember from their own childhoods. Although parks are the major draw to the Orlando area, there is so much more to explore before or after a family cruise vacation from Port Canaveral.

Water babies will revel in boating, waterpark and natural spring outings, which often come bathed in a hefty layer of local wildlife. Museums and cultural moments add depth to a visit to the region. 

Read on to discover top Orlando family vacation ideas near Port Canaveral, including theme parks, outdoor attractions and coastal towns perfect for cruise trips.

1. Orlando Serves Up Science and Sea Critters to Spare

Connecting with the heart of this magical family vacation destination means diving deep into the world of its marine life. Theme parts celebrating these creatures (and performing hundreds of rescues each year) give guaranteed access to marine life encounters and lessons on local conservation efforts.

Check out behind-the-scenes tours at SeaWorld, all-inclusive Discovery Cove and SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium to feed sharks, swim with dolphins or meet a penguin. The Orlando Science Center's “Life” exhibit features the largest animal and immersive habitat program in its history, exploring the rainforest, ocean and swamp. If “Life” inspires you, hop onto a Boggy Creek airboat to the headwaters of the Everglades for animal spotting in Florida’s wild.  

● Cruise Port: Port Canaveral. 

● Distance to Port: 55 miles, with Boggy Creek being 76 miles from the port.

● Ages: All ages. 

2. Enjoy a Universally Great Family Vacation

The theme here is pure family fun. Affordable on-site hotels for large families (the two queen/one king combo with kitchenette and dining table at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort was perfect when I brought my son and his teen friends), huge pools with activities, packages with heavily discounted admissions for longer stays and a happening hotspot of an entertainment center make pairing this theme park with a Royal Caribbean cruise one of the best things to do in Florida with kids before you even step foot in the park.

● Cruise Port: Port Canaveral.

● Distance to Port: 58 miles.

● Ages: All ages.

Universal Epic Universe

Universal Studios Florida

Islands of Adventure

Universal CityWalk

This admission-free entertainment center offers restaurants with live music and loads of flair. Performances and a broad assortment of quick-and-easy fast food favorites are joined by sit-down stops such as Bigfire with wood-smoked steaks and tableside s’mores. 

We start our park days with a stop at VooDoo Doughnut and rarely make it past The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen without stopping for their over-the-top loaded milkshake creations.

Stay Where You Play for Major Park Perks

Loews Portofino Bay at Universal Orlando Resort, rumored to be modeled after director Steven Spielberg’s favorite vacation location, is a Mediterranean dream. The picturesque Harbor Piazza with cobblestones, parked vespas and bobbing gondolas adding to the “viva Italia!” vibe comes alive with the sound of Musica Della Notte, as nightly operatic melodies echo into the crowds. All this and an excellent sand-flanked pool with waterslide, frozen fruit kabobs and activities (a serene adult pool is tucked away by the garden) make for a delightfully civilized way to stay. 

We loved taking the boats to the park with early access to key Volcano and Potter points and skip-the-regular-line unlimited ride access, as well as the library of family games to lend and childproofing kits. If you like to rock or roll up to a luau, Loews Hard Rock and Loews Royal Pacific Resort share these same park perks. 

3. Pick a Park and Pack a Picnic

If these parks had a theme, it would be nature. Visit Blue Springs State Park and meet manatees for days. Snorkel, swim or sightsee — hundreds of these beauties bob below the boardwalk during the winter months. 

Enjoy ranger-led horseback riding at Lake Louisa State Park to explore 20 miles of hiking trails with a beach and fishing pier. 

Clear-bottom kayak or tube at Kelly Park and Kings Landing for otter, turtle and fish spotting. Skip the swim and go for the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, with an audio tour, so you can spot alligators and rich local bird life from the safety of your car.

● Cruise Port: Port Canaveral.

● Distance to Port: 82-84 miles. 

● Ages: All ages. 

Four Fresh Ways To Feed the Family

World Food Trucks Passport-Free Picnic — The first and largest permanent food truck park in the U.S. has what you want, serving 100 international meals on wheels in the heart of Orlando. 

Eat Dinner, Don’t Become It — Immersive eateries include T-Rex Cafe’s dino-packed dining and Rainforest Cafe’s gorilla-chest-thumping, elephant-trumpeting, monkey-hooting calls to the dinner table.

Batter Up — Be a breakfast hero at historic Old Sugar Mill Pancake House, where a DIY tableside grill releases your inner diner cook, complete with “all you can eat” batter delivery.

Wine and Wander — Don’t bottle up your feelings, hit Orlando’s Wine & Art Walk in Thornton Park and grab a glass and go on a 20-tasting-strong trek, with live entertainment and a night market.  

● Cruise Port: Port Canaveral.

● Distance to Port: 63 miles, with World Food Trucks being 86 miles from the port. 

● Ages: All ages. 

4. Walt Disney World Resorts

It can be a tough sell to make a family trip to Orlando without stopping at the “house of mouse.” Fortunately, Royal Caribbean ships sail from Port Canaveral, a mere hour away, giving you the opportunity for a few days to add on before or after the sailing. Theme parks, an entertainment district, sports venues and dozens of lodging options help you plan a perfect trip. 

● Cruise Port: Port Canaveral.

● Distance to Port: 67 miles. 

● Ages: All ages. 

Magic Kingdom

This classic theme park, imagined by Walt Disney, has charmed generations of parkgoers who share old stories and make new memories with every visit. Classic rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World and Space Mountain never get old, while new rides like TRON Lightcycle and Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away parade prove there's always something new to experience.

Fantasy reigns in this magical place, and the night appropriately ends with the spectacular fireworks show, Happily Ever After.

Epcot

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Although much of this park honors Hollywood history, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge immerses guests in a world of Jedis and lightsabers, you can even belly up to Oga’s Cantina for an outpost cocktail creation. 

Toy Story Land gives little visitors plenty to do — the Slinky Dog Dash is adorable and our family never misses a chance to compete in carnival games on the Toy Story Mania! ride.  Set your clock for the main show, “Fantasmic!”

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney Springs

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels and Disney Dining Plan

Kids go wild over the balcony rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge, with 30 African species to watch on the hotel’s savannas, including giraffe, zebra, ostrich and wildebeest. Creative characters find Art of Animation tops, with drawing classes and Cars, Little Mermaid or Lion King themes in the pools and rooms. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort would make Moana proud with monorail access to parks and live ukulele in the air.

No matter where you lay your Mickey-eared heads, opting for a Disney Dining Plan will save you time, stress and money with included snacks becoming a highlight for kids who get puckish in the parks. Most families opt for a quick service plan, which allows counter service meals in the parks, hotels and Disney Springs. A sit-down meal version, which includes character dining, is also available. Several times each year, a free dining plan promo runs with lodging packages for major savings.

5. Plenty of Space To Enjoy

One of the coolest aspects of sailing out of Port Canaveral is the proximity to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. When timed right, you might even see a launch from the decks of your ship. Have lunch with an astronaut or take the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour, which stops at 60 interactive exhibits and the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Get the star treatment at Spaceport KSC motion theater, ride into incredible space journeys to Mars, Saturn and Jupiter, or see if you have the right stuff on a space shuttle ascent into orbit.

● Cruise Port: Port Canaveral.

● Distance to Port: 2 miles. 

● Ages: All ages.

Prep for Your Perfect Orlando-Based Cruise

Port Canaveral sits on the Atlantic Coast, around an hour drive or 53 miles east of Orlando. Before you book shuttles to reach the port, check out one-way car rentals. We've scored SUVs and minivans for a fraction of the price due to rental companies' need to shift cars back and forth to the port to accommodate other cruising families.

Blending land and sea can create the ultimate family vacation. If time is tight, opt for a long weekend cruise and fill in the extra days with theme parks and Orlando nature sites. Royal Caribbean sails for 3-7-day getaways to The Bahamas (including Perfect Day CocoCay) and longer cruises to Eastern and Western Caribbean ports.

Royal Caribbean knows how to do family vacation right, with a variety of connected and suite cabins to suit every group, dozens of daily activities to enjoy together, included kids clubs for sailors from 3-17 (and under 3, for a fee), waterparks and splashpads, live performances, parades and dozens of eateries serving up tempting tasters to fuel the fun.

Set Sail for the Ultimate Family Vacation in Orlando