When most people think of Kissimmee, Florida, they probably think of Walt Disney World.
When I think about Kissimmee, Florida I think about awe inspiring moments – moments that will last a lifetime in memories – with my children.
I think of all the “this is amazing” moments my boys would get to experience. I think of my children’s minds being open to new experiences, their hearts being open to being in each moment, and their spirits being infused with a lifetime supply of playfulness.
This is what my dream 10 day Kissimmee, Florida family vacation would look like…
Day 1, 2, and 3. For the adventurous spirit in my boys, I would start my dream Kissimmee vacation at Universal Orlando Resort. Last summer my boys and I attended a private Universal Orlando Resort breakfast…and we quickly fell in love with all of the attractions. From the Wizarding Word of Harry Potter to the Wet’n Wild water park, my boys love them all. One of the not-to-missed attractions for my boys is the new Transformers attractions and ride. This action packed ride places guests in the middle of a battle between rival characters from the film series and toy line.
Day 4. For the animal lover side of my boys, I would spend Day 4 at SeaWorld Orlando, hanging out with Shamu, birdwatching in the Pelican Preserve, riding the rides, and getting up close and personal with the dolphins.
Day 5. For the Lego obsessed side of my boys, we would go to Legoland Florida. Our first stop at Legoland will be The Quest for Chi – a new interactive family friendly water ride that allows riders to recover a stolen mystic power.
Day 6 and 7. By day 6, I think it would be time to get into nature and discover the natural beauty of Kissimmee. We’d start the day at Gatorland and spend the rest of the day exploring Kissimmee’s carefully preserved natural environment and amazing outdoor attractions. On day 7, we would zip line through the treetops of Florida EcoSafaris and then go horseback riding at Forever Florida.
Day 8. On day 8, we would keep it simple and spend the fishing on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, include Lake Tohopekaliga.
Day 9 and 10. We would end our dream Kissimmee vacation at Walt Disney World. Starting with Pirates Adventure, which takes families on a high seas journey, we would spend two days exploring the wonderful world of Disney.
A little more about my dream Kissimmee vacation…
Downtime. My dream vacation is b-u-s-y because there’s so much to do in Kissimmee. I know, however, that I will have to schedule a lot of downtime for my family. Downtime for my family means playing in the pool and lounging by the pool. For my kids, this also means playing mini golf…and for me this means going to the spa. This also means eating a lot ice cream with lots of toppings…and priceless moments with my family.
Accommodations. My dream accommodations would be close to the attractions we were visiting. Because my dream Kissimmee vacation includes going to so many different places, I would either want to stay in a centralized resort or many different resorts. For Universal Studios, I would definitely want to stay on site. My dream accommodation would include a two bedroom suite, a heated pool, complimentary breakfast, free parking, and unique and special perks that would make our stay extra special for my boys.
Food/Eating. Since is my dream vacation, I would totally lose 10 pounds during this vacation. Hey – a girl can dream. At the least, I would not want to gain weight. We wouldn’t need fancy restaurants, we will simply need healthy yummy food that can nourish us during our action packed vacation. Ideally, we would have a mini kitchen in each hotel room and would stock it with healthy and filling breakfasts and snacks. We would find lunches that we could take with us each day, so we don’t end up eating greasy fatty junk for lunch. For dinner, I would find something light but delicious. My kids would find perfect kid happy food. And we of course would have to find the best desserts to share every night.
Family vacations are so priceless. Sure they are fun and exciting and awesome and cool. But I find the true gift is the simple reality of being together without our regular routines. The true gift is being able to simply BE together.
Disclosure: Experience Kissimmee invited me to attend a White Sox game to learn more about the wonderful vacation opportunities in Kissimmee. I was not asked to write this post. Opinions are 100% my own.