Take a Virtual Trip to Orlando to Ride Rollercoasters, Hang With Animals, and Discover New Arts and Culture (Video)

Visit Disney World then a local art gallery with this virtual guide to Orlando.

Get some thrills, relaxation, and lots of kid-friendly experiences without leaving home.

As many people are following self-quarantine measures in order to combat the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), they’re also looking for ways to entertain themselves (and their kids) while they’re stuck at home.

Downtown Orlando from Lake Eola Park on a beautiful sunny Day
Susanne Neumann/Getty Images

It turns out, you can actually take an action-packed trip to Orlando from your home computer. Not only can you and your kids get a tour of Cinderella’s Castle, you can also learn more about the world, see wild animals in the zoo, take a virtual thrill ride, and many more experiences that you can only find in Orlando.

Visit Orlando rounded up some of the virtual experiences you can enjoy from the comfort of your home, including a ride down a 200-foot roller coaster, Disney World fireworks over the famous Cinderella Castle, zip lines, and even tours of museums, zoos, and relaxing spots.

City of Orlando

The Orlando Virtual Tour compiles 80+ experiences throughout Orlando, from theme parks to shopping hot spots, with a 360-degree perspective. So you can feel like you’re taking a vacation in sunny Florida without having to go outside.

The entrance to the Universal Studios Park is seen during the daytime. It features a beautiful formal garden, a small building and diverse business signs.
Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images

Theme Parks

Obviously, Orlando has a lot to offer in terms of theme park experiences. At Sea World, you can ride the tallest roller coaster. At the less recognizable Gatorland, take a thrilling zip line over alligators.

If you’re looking to get some summer vibes, take a float down the river at Aquatica’s Roa’s Rapids at the Aquatica Orlando water park.

At Walt Disney World, you can easily take a tour of Main Street in front of Cinderella Castle, or enjoy character meet-and-greets, peeks of new rides like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and much more exclusively from the Disney Parks YouTube channel. Or, take it easy on the lazy river inside a 5-acre waterpark located in the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World.

At Universal Orlando Resort, virtually visit the popular The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley as well as 360-degree videos of some of the most popular roller coasters in other parts of Universal. You can also look into restaurants on the Universal CityWalk and more on the Universal Orlando Resort’s YouTube channel.

Parents with younger kids can enjoy some family-friendly experiences from LEGOLAND Florida Resort, including a ride on The Dragon, an indoor/outdoor steel roller coaster.

You can also see how it feels to skydive indoors at iFLY Orlando, or virtually race through Andretti Indoor Karting & Games’ track.

Relaxation

There’s a lot more to Orlando than just theme parks. Explore a lake in Orlando’s Lake Eola Park while virtually riding on a giant swan-shaped boat.

Animals

Gatorland’s School of Croc hosts a Facebook live every day at 10 a.m. to showcase their animals. In the afternoon, their YouTube channel shares live-action encounters with animals like the Burmese pythons and crocodiles.

Similarly, the Central Florida Zoo also hosts a number of daily videos on Facebook live so you can see how the animals are living. SeaWorld’s Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin is also open for virtual tours of a penguin colony.

Education

There are a number of great ways to keep your school-aged kids engaged while they’re stuck at home. You can now stream educational IMAX films from the cinedome of the Orlando Science Center. MacGillivray Freeman is also streaming IMAX films.

The Kennedy Space Center is also hosting videos and Facebook Lives to show kids how it feels to live in space, as well as instruction in rocketry and much more.

Learn how Disney Imagineers design a theme park and enjoy interactive activities and lessons with this free online program created in partnership with the Khan Academy and Pixar. In addition, you can brush up your art skills and learn to draw Mickey Mouse in some of Disney’s how-to tutorials on the Disney Parks YouTube channel.

Music, movies, and museums

There’s a lot of arts and culture to be discovered in Orlando, too. The Timucua Arts Foundation is posting daily videos of previously recorded live performances on its Facebook page, as well as hosting a Digital Music Flea Market to help local musical artists.

Stuck in a Netflix rut? The Enzian Theater’s resident film experts have plenty of movie recommendations on the theater’s Facebook page.

There are lots of museums out there that are offering online tours, and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art is no different. Visit the museum's website to find PDF versions of gallery guides or learn about the museum’s history by streaming two available films: "A Legacy for the Community" and "The Tiffany Chapel: A Masterpiece Rediscovered".

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