My husband and I were so excited to take our son to Orlando, FL, for a 3-night vacation. I’m excited to share with you our recommendations for a weekend on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Orlando.

The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate provided our lodging accommodations; all opinions and reviews are my own. This post also contains sponsored links.

 

 

Our son, Paul, had never been to Orlando, FL before, and with his 7th birthday in November, we decided it was the perfect time to take him. We flew from Birmingham, AL, to spend three nights and four days in Orlando, FL. My three daughters had been to Orlando and Disney a few times when they were younger; we wanted it to be special for our little guy, so it was just the three of us. We enjoyed visiting Disney parks daily, eating some delicious local fare, and spending time with one another.

I’m excited to share with you our recommendations for a weekend on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Orlando.

 

 

I wanted to keep it simple, both with how you spend your time so that it’s not too much packed into a few days, but also to encourage you to make the most of the quality time you spend with your loved one.

 

Where To Stay:

We’ve stayed at other places in Orlando in the past, but after this weekend, we’ll never stay anywhere else but the Omni Orlando Resort At ChampionsGate. This hotel is a dream for adults and children; we fell in love with it when we walked in the front doors. With lovely grounds, spacious pools, lazy rivers, and even water slides, we could have spent an entire day just enjoying these water activities!

 

Plus, their customer service was top-notch. Paul had gotten a souvenir that required batteries, and of course, we didn’t have any. If you’re a parent, you realize that this is a tough spot to be! LOL. On a whim, we asked the front desk if they had any on hand. The next thing we knew, they were at our door with the batteries for his toy. They even brought a small screwdriver to open the battery compartment on the toy. If that isn’t top-notch customer care, I don’t know what it.

 

The hotel amenities are fantastic. There is a great cafe for breakfast and a restaurant for dinner. It’s truly a fantastic place to stay. 

If you happen to be going to the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate around Thanksgiving 2020, head HERE to see what the property is offering!

What To Do:

This was Paul’s first trip to Orlando, FL, so we got 3-day park passes to take him to Disney.  The first day was more like a 1/2 day, so we enjoyed visiting Disney Springs, which he loved. (The best meal we ate the entire time we were there was at Disney Springs. The food at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ is so good it’s hard to put into words.) On the second day, we headed to the Magic Kingdom; the third day was at Epcot and the final day at Hollywood Studios.

 

We went to the Disney parks during the COVID-19 pandemic; Disney updates what attractions/dining/entertainment is currently unavailable; make sure to check their site!

 

Here are some of our favorite attractions at each park:

• Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain, The Barn Stormer, Under The Sea, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Peter Pan Flight, and seeing the castle lit up at night for Christmas (so fun to have it decorated for Christmas while we were there in November).
• Epcot: Soarin’ Around The World, The Seas With Nemo And Friends, Test Track, Frozen Ever After, Mission Space
• Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Land, Star Wars area + rides, and enjoying yummy snacks too.
• Disney Springs: LEGO store, T-Rex

 

Where to Eat:

I saw several people at the park wearing themed Disney shirts; many said things like “I am just here for the snacks” or had food/snack graphics with Disney ears on them.  Disney has some really yummy food; and, after walking 26 total miles in 3 days, I didn’t feel as guilty, haha!

 

Below are our favorites:

• Coral Reef Restaurant: Epcot
• Sunshine Tree Terrace: Magic Kingdom
• Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies: Magic Kingdom
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe: Magic Kingdom
• Docking Bay 7 Food And Cargo: Hollywood Studio’s
• Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop: Disney Springs

Other tips and tidbits of our weekend in Orlando, Florida:

We did not rent a car, instead, we used Uber during our time there.  Based on our best estimates, when comparing it to renting a car, it’s probably a break-even proposition, financially, but we felt like it saved us the hassle of parking (plus parking fees), and those doing rideshare at Disney can be dropped off at the gates!

Carve out time to spend at the Omni Orlando! We could swim at night, but having a full day where you can relax by the pool and enjoy all the water activities it has to offer is highly recommended.

As far as going during the COVID-19 pandemic, we felt very safe while traveling.  From Uber drivers having hand sanitizer available and everyone wearing masks to Disney parks taking temps as you enter and keeping lines socially distanced at the attractions, we felt so grateful for all the precautions being taken.

 

Our family vacation to Orlando, FL, was one we will always remember! I loved sharing with you where we stayed, what we did, and where to eat! Now, are you ready to go?!