Want to get away to Orlando minus the Theme Parks?

When you think of Orlando, Disney and the other dozen theme parks are probably the first things that come to mind. Well, I’m here to remind you that there’s more to see and experience in The City Beautiful. WonderWorks and the Crayola Experience are two places that you should check out on your next visit there. My family has visited both attractions twice during the COVID-19 pandemic and we felt safe and had a wonderful time! I highly recommend going on a weekday. At both locations, face masks are required, and reservations are not required. Both are fully indoors, so it makes for a great rainy or cold day experience.

• WonderWorks •

According to their website: WonderWorks is an indoor interactive amusement park for the mind that offers many Orlando activities. Fun for All Ages! Experience over 100 interactive exhibits. Special features include the indoor ropes challenge course, 4D extreme motion ride, laser tag, and the nightly Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show.

According to me: WonderWorks offered a great way to sneak in some education while having fun with my kids. The Extreme Weather Zone had us talking about hurricanes, the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and natural disasters. The Physical Challenge Zone featured games like air hockey and basketball that you usually have to pay extra for at other places. The Light & Sound Zone led to a dance party and practicing the piano with our hands and feet. The Space Discovery Zone has the best rides—if your stomach can handle NO gravity! The Imagination Lab is great for the preschoolers, but I also loved the throwback to the 80s and playing on a giant light brite! The Wonder Art Gallery is on every floor and it makes taking the stairs not too bad. My kids’ absolute favorite activity was the rope courses, which is also included with admission.

• Crayola Experience •

According to their website: Crayola Experience is where the magic of Crayola comes to life! With 70,000 square feet of attractions, Crayola Experience is Florida’s most colorful family destination for interactive, creative play! Families typically spend 3-4 hours exploring our 27 hands-on attractions. Go on a wonderful, whimsical adventure with our unique experiences, such as:
– Star in your very own coloring page
– Name and wrap your very own Crayola crayon
– Embark on a 4-D coloring adventure
– Learn how crayons are made in a live manufacturing show
– And so much more!

According to me: Crayola Experience is a fun time for kids under 10. This was our third visit and my 6-year-old loved it more this time because she is more independent. However, my son, who is 9.5, was less interested than our first visit 2 years ago. Our first stop is always Wrap It Up, where you create a crayon with your own words on it. The Adventure Lab is a fun area to challenge their mind, but again I think 6-8 years would like this best. One of my personal favorites is Be A Star, where you can create a coloring page using your picture. The Crayon Factory was interesting and informative and not too long. We were seated 6 feet away for other guests. The kids’ favorites were Drip Art, Kaleidoscope, and Melt & Mold —where they created cool art that you can’t do at home. Rainbow Rain was a cute area to dance and cartwheel through the rainbow rain on the screen. Rockin’s Paper turns art into life on the screen which was really neat for my little artists. My 6-year-old loved Scribble Scrubbies, Scribble Square, and Silly Selfies! I left the Activity Lab, Colossal Caddy, and Modeling Madness for last since we can always mold, cut, color, and paste at home. Please note, there are also two playgrounds on-site, but they are currently closed due to COVID. As you can see, there is plenty to do here, so I would allow at least 3 hours to experience it all.