Review - Florida - Orlando - Disney Springs

Whenever I'm in Florida, I almost always end up at Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida. It's a shopping and restaurant mecca within Walt Disney World.

Parking in any of the garages is free (for the time being!). They have smart parking whereby you can see how many spots are available per floor and then you look for the green light for an open spot. After you park, you will head to the second floor via elevator or stairs.


Before you can enter Disney Springs, you must now go through a temperature and security check. This long, unorganized line took quite some time. People were not social-distancing if that's important to you. They did require masks.

Since this visit occurred during what I call
Spring Break season", around 6pm EST, it was crowded (as it was pre-Covid). The dinner crowd was out in full-force and long lines were seen at every restaurant.

The Disney Store now requires shoppers to enter a queue to be allowed in the store a few at a time. The Disney Store line (which is hidden on the far side of the building) took over 45 minutes.


The Lego Store had some new decor on the outside - Fantasia Mickey, Star Wars characters, and Frozen. They removed the buildable racecar area and put in a queue to enter the store.

Disney Springs did offer entertainment - there was a concert playing on the stage area and there were other "local" musicians. Some of the shops had closed early (around 8pm EST). We skipped some of our favorite places because the lines were too long. Overall, it's starting to feel more normal (pre-Covid).

Review - Florida - Orlando - Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum

   

On a recent trip to Orlando, my family finally stopped by Madame Tussauds Wax Museum off International Drive in ICON Park in the heart of Orlando.

There's a free parking garage beside the park which, in my opinion, was super-busy and chaotic on a Saturday afternoon. Cars zip through around tight corners. Spaces felt smallish. Keep an eye on young children because there is no formal walkway.

Entry prices vary depending whether you want to add-on other experiences (like the Aquarium). Prices start at $25 per adult or $20.50 per child. If you have a LEGOLAND Annual Pass (like I do), you can get in free! There are probably other discounts to be found on the Internet. I'd definitely check before I buy tickets at the door.

When you enter the museum, you will be directed to a green screen for a photo which you can purchase at the end of your visit.

So what is Madame Tussauds? It's basically a large museum that you wander room to room viewing handmade lifelike wax statues of actual famous people. The rooms are divided up by category - political (they had Obama, Trump, Lincoln, etc), Inventors (Einstein, Edison, etc), Athletes (Shaquille O'Neal, Peyton Manning, etc), Musicians/Singers (Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, etc), Television (Oprah Winfrey), Movies, and so on. Each statue/scene was accompanied by a plaque describing who the person was and why they were being featured.

The museum is also interactive. Some of the scenes had dress-up costumes or accessories (like a guitar or a cape) that you can try-on. There were also hands-on activities (being on TV with Oprah was a highlight). The DC Comics section offered a type of game that you can play if you want.

Toward the end of the tour, they have an exhibit and movie showing how the statues are made and the history behind Madame Tussaud. Fascinating for adults. Boring for kids.

Overall, it was a great place to visit and take lots of selfies.

Address: 8387 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819

Hours: Sunday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., Friday & Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

For more information, check out their website, https://www.madametussauds.com/orlando/en/