Welcome to Orlando! As a local mom, I wanted to share some of our family’s favorite indoor activities. There are so many wonderful outdoor activities to do around Orlando and Central Florida (check out my post). But between the extreme heat and rain that our area is known for certain times of the year, sometimes you need indoor activities to be able to enjoy some A/C and shade.
With these activities, I kept in mind that most people would probably be staying down by the parks, so I kept everything within 45 minutes from Disney.
In this post, we will be covering these family-friendly activities:
- Crayola Experience
- Orlando Science Center & the Southern Live Oak
- Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
- Splitsville Luxury Lanes at Disney Springs
- Medieval Times
1) Crayola Experience
Crayola Experience is one of our favorite indoor activities. I took my kids for the first time last summer when they were ages 6, 5, and 2. All of them had a great time and we ended up staying for 4-5 hours and had lunch while we were there.
When we arrived, I was surprised by how many things there were to do. The place feels like a manageable size, it is not too big. And yet, they packed it full of things to do. I want to note that while many of the activities are included in the cost of your ticket, there are some that require a token or are an additional fee. You are given two tokens per ticket but if you want more tokens then you will have to purchase them, they are 50 cents each.
Let’s talk through the things to do.
- Wrap It Up: You can customize the label to create your own personalized Crayola Crayon. Your child gets to pick the color and then design the label and then it creates it for them. This activity does require a token.
- Activity Studio: Here you can cut, color, and craft themed projects and the theme varies
- Color Playground: This was a favorite of my kids. This is a playground that is designated for ages 5+.
- Toddler Town: They have another playground geared for younger kids as well as a giant bright light board.
- Be a Star: Kids can take a picture (they get to pick what the scene is) and it prints into a coloring page for them to color.
- Cartoon Creator: The CrayolaBot will take a picture of you and sketch you into a cartoon character that you can then color.
- Character Appearances: We got to meet the yellow crayon while we were there and take a picture.
- Drip Art: We loved this! The kids can drip melted wax on to spinning paper and create a work of art.
- Melt & Mold: You choose what mold you want and then they melt the wax into that mold. My kids chose a shark. So essentially, they left with a shark shaped crayon.
- Stomp & Play: A huge hit with my kids! It is an interactive floor and it kept my kids entertained for 30 minutes. I had to drag them away from it. And best of all, it is surrounded by benches so there is plenty of space for the parents to sit while the kids play.
- Colossal Caddy: This is a huge coloring station.
- Scribble Scrubbie: You get one free scribble scrubbie included in your ticket. And at this station you can color, scurb, and play with them.
There are additional activities you can do but are an additional cost. They include gem mining, glitter tattoos, sand art, slime lab, and arcade games. My kids love arcade games, so we did do those and they earned tickets.
Crayola Experience does have a place to get food inside as well as snacks and drinks. Crayola Experience is inside the Florida Mall so if you want to wait to eat until after you leave, there are plenty of places to choose from at the mall.
There is a Crayola store on your way out that has lots of Crayola items you can purchase if you are interested.
Crayola Experience is a great place for families, especially if you want to find a fun option indoors to beat the heat or the rain.
Cost: From $30.99 for ages 3+. You can get $3 off when purchasing your ticket in advance online. There is a family package that is $142.95 and includes 4 tickets and a family meal. If you live in the area, I recommend looking into the annual pass. If you think you would go at least twice during the year, the annual pass is worth it.
2) Orlando Science Center
The Orlando Science Center is located in downtown Orlando and provides hands-on science exhibits as well as Kids Town, which is geared towards younger kids and provides a place for them to play and learn.
We are annual passholders here and go here frequently, especially during the summer months where it is hot and rainy. No matter how many times our kids have been, they can still easily spend 4-5 hours here.
From digging for dinosaur fossils, to stepping inside a simulator that feels like you’re in a hurricane, to watching a movie about space, there is no shortage of things to do here.
If you want to be able to eat lunch while you are here, they have 4Roots Café on the ground floor that offers flatbreads, bowls, salads, and sandwiches.
Cost: The general admission cost is $22 for children ages 2-12, $27 for teens ages 13-17, and $29 for adults ages 18+. Parking in the garage is also $4/hour and the address to the garage is 782 Princeton St, Orlando, FL if you would like to be able to map it.
3) Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games offers indoor kart racing, laser tag, arcade games, and bowling. Our kids love this place so much that it is where they have chosen to go on their birthday for the past few birthdays. But it is not just fun for the kids, it is geared towards adults as well. My department at work did a corporate outing one time and we all had a great time as well.
Activities
Kart Racing: The indoor kart racing offers various tracks that you can go on that are geared towards different ages. When you purchase your race, they will give you your time. You can’t just walk up and race, you need to go at the time that you are scheduled to.
- Mini Mario karts are for the youngest audience. The top speed is 15MPH and they keep the track very simple. The minimum requirements are age 4 and 36 inches in height.
- Junior karts are for ages 7+ and a height requirement of 48 inches. They have a top speed of 20MPH and the track is bigger and has more turns than the Mini Mario. It’s the next step in getting them ready for the bigger tracks.
- Intermediate karts are for ages 12+ and a height requirement of 54 inches. My nephew has done this one before and had a great time. It is definitely bigger than the other two.
- Adult karts are for ages 18+ or ages 15-17 with a valid driver’s license. This is the biggest track and looks very fun.
Arcade Games: Playing arcade games is where our family spends the most time, my kids love it. We did the $25 option (I’ll talk about pricing below) for each child the last time we went, and it lasted us awhile. The last time we went, we did the $10 option, and the kids went through it quickly and we ended up adding another $10. When playing some of the games, you can earn tickets that you can then trade in for prizes at the end. This is a big deal for my kids. And keep in mind that the tickets are virtual, they are added to your card. So do not lose that card!
Laser Tag: You can choose to play laser tag, and it is a 10-minute window of play time that you get. When you purchase the ticket for laser tag, they will give you your timed entry, similar to the kart racing.
Bowling: Tucked away on the other side of the building from the racing, arcade games, and laser tag is bowling. It is a nice bowling alley with multiple lanes. This is a fun activity for people of all ages.
Dining: There is a restaurant in the middle of the building, and it is good, I was pleasantly surprised with the options on the menu and how good the food was. So I do recommend it if you are there and need a lunch or dinner break.
Cost
- Mini Mario Race: $15
- Single Junior Race: $19
- 3-Pack Junior Race: $49 (this can only be used on one child)
- Single Intermediate Race: $29
- Single Adult Race: $29
- Arcade: You can add $10 for 50 points, $25 for 150 points, $50 for 300 points, or $100 for 625 points
- Laser Tag: $15 for a 10 minute experience
- Bowling: Monday-Friday is $35/hour and Saturday-Sunday is $45/hour (maximum of 6 people)
We typically purchase a single race and then a loaded card for arcade games. And we don’t do one card with the larger amount because our kids each want (and it is so much easier for me and my husband as well) for our kids to have their own card. So the $25 option worked great for us this past time we went.
They also offer packages if you prefer to do that. I would check out their website or look into the options when you go in, but one option is the thrill package. It is $59 for one high speed race, one attraction, and a $25 game card.
Overall, we love Andretti and I’m sure we will be back again soon. My older two sons are great ages to go here (6 and 7). My youngest is 3 and while he hasn’t done the racing yet, he loves the arcade games and could spend all day there.
4) Splitsville Luxury Lanes
Located in Disney Springs, Splitsville is a bowling alley that also offers billiards, food and drinks, and live entertainment. Bowling is a great indoor family activity to do and Splitsville takes bowling up a notch.
Splitsville takes lane reservations as well as accepts walk-ins. They do charge a premium of $10 per person for a lane reservation (see rates below). Walk-ins are on a first-come, first-serve basis. And knowing how busy Disney Springs can get, I would recommend making a reservation unless you plan to go in the morning. I think you would most likely be fine in the morning.
The cost depends on how many bowlers you have and I am sure they fluctuate the pricing by day. For a Friday, it is $31/per person during the day and $36/per person at night. The amount of time you are allotted depends on how many people you have:
- 1-2 Bowlers: 1 hour
- 3-4 Bowlers: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 5-6 Bowlers: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 7-8 Bowlers: 1 hour 45 minutes
- 9+ Bowlers: Requires a second lane reservation
5) Medieval Times
Medieval Times is an indoor dinner and show that will excite the kids but is fun for all ages. Included in the price is a 4-course feast and 2-hour tournament that you get to watch.
The show includes sword fighting and jousting. And the feast includes garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, corn, potatoes, and a dessert. They also offer meals for those who are vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free.
The cost is $76.95 per adult and $46.95 per child.