January 26, 2026, 3:06 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

Those who visit Orlando in the center of the US state of Florida usually do so for the amusement parks. Walt Disney World, Sea World, and Universal Studios have created their own worlds in the city. Thousands of visitors flock to the parks every day. The Walt Disney Group alone operates Magic Kingdom, where Mickey Mouse and Co. entertain families, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and two water parks. There is also Disney Springs, a kind of pedestrian zone with numerous restaurants, theaters, and stores.

In addition to the large amusement parks, there are also numerous smaller facilities—some are fantasy worlds, others are remnants of the old Florida, where Americans went on vacation in the 1950s and 1960s. An overview of theme parks in Orlando that are less well-known.

Gatorland: Gigantic Alligators

Gatorland is one of the theme parks in Orlando that has tended to be forgotten. It is located on the Orange Blossom Trail south of Orlando. Owen Godwin opened it in December 1949. It took a few years for the park to become a tourist attraction—people were initially skeptical as to why they should look at alligators in a park when the animals were everywhere in the surrounding swamps.

But the tourists came and looked at the snakes and alligators. Success finally came with a giant alligator that Godwin bought from a breeder in Miami. “Bone Crusher” was the name of the alligator, which was around five meters long and weighed 450 kilos, and which Godwin advertised as the largest that had ever lived in captivity.

The attraction along the highway has become increasingly popular—partly because a huge alligator mouth in pastel mint and pink at the entrance attracts attention. Godwin’s son Frank built the alligator skull after spending weeks studying a specimen on his kitchen table.

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The “Peppa Pig Park”: Entertainment for Peppa Wutz Fans

One of the newest theme parks in Orlando, which is part of Legoland, also has an animal theme: “Peppa Pig Park” in Winter Haven is all about the squeaky-pink pig family known in Germany as Wutz. The park, which opened in February 2022, is aimed at younger children and their families. The area is clearly laid out, the paths are short, and the rides are suitable for two to six-year-olds. In the park’s biggest and wildest carousel, Daddy Pig takes children and their parents in a red car—on an imaginary shortcut that only goes in circles, of course.

On Miss Rabbit’s balloon ride, a small carousel takes off a few meters into the air and slowly turns in circles. The park also has a water playground and a covered meadow, where a larger-than-life plush Peppa is available for photos several times a day.

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Volcano Bay: an Artificial Volcano with Lots of Slides

Universal Studios has built Volcano Bay. The central element there is Krakatau, a 61-metre-high artificial volcano. It can also be seen from Orlando’s highways. Things get really exciting in the park. There are around 18 water slides. The Aqua Coaster, similar to a roller coaster on land, provides a special thrill.

At the entrance to the park, which opened in 2017, visitors are given TapuTapu – a kind of wristwatch that can be used to check in at the slides. Guests can use it to queue in a virtual queue. Those whose turn it is are buzzed by the watch and can go to the slide. While waiting in line, visitors can whizz through the rapids of the Lazy River or cool off from the humid Florida heat in the huge wave pool at the foot of Krakatau.

H2O Water Park – Unforgettable Slide Experiences

Another water park called H2O is located in Kissimmee, south of Orlando, in the Margaritaville complex, named after the hit song by musician Jimmy Buffett. Marketed towards the Instagram generation, this park features a wave pool, a lazy river, and vibrant slides—some with oversized seating rings—that weave through brightly colored tubes.

Upon entry, visitors receive a wristband that logs their slide experiences, allowing them to easily share their aquatic adventures on social media.

Which Parks You Should Not Visit

In addition to Sea World, there is also the Discovery Cove theme park in Orlando. It is particularly recommended to avoid both theme parks, as they keep whales and dolphins in captivity. The sensitive animals become lonely and atrophy here and are also forced to perform tricks. At Discovery Cove, holidaymakers can even swim with dolphins in artificial pools. Sea World is also home to various orcas, whose living conditions have been described as catastrophic for years, according to animal welfare organizations. Although the park has now pledged not to breed any new animals, the remaining orcas continue to eke out an agonizing existence. There are also many water parks in Orlando that manage without animals, such as Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and Aquatica.