Road Trips & Recipes with Kathy Witt: Yes, Orlando is a haven for relaxed pre-holiday family fun

What could be better than a morning spent surrounded by palm trees, children’s laughter and the sounds of rushing water? How about one where all to-do lists are forgotten while you float along a lazy river and relish some we-time with the family before the onset (onslaught) of the holidays? And if that morning unfolds at Orlando’s gorgeous World Center Marriott on a perfect blue sky day, even better.

Yes, Orlando can be all about the theme parks, but it can also be a respite for indulging in quiet moments and unhurried family fun—a calm before the storm of shopping, putting up lights, baking cookies and wrapping gifts.

Play: With moonwalking dolphins, frolicking penguins and barking sea lions, SeaWorld Orlando is a charming but manageable park with something for everyone. Holding the title of world’s most popular marine life adventure park, it offers a variety of animal shows and exhibits that also include polar bears, manatees and beluga whales, plus 200 acres of shops, midway-style games and rides from the thrill scale’s mildest (the classic carousel) to the wildest, like the newly opened Pipeline—the world’s first surf coaster that launches riders 110 feet up, up and away and at 60 mph.

One of SeaWorld Orlando’s biggest draws is Sesame Street Land, which replicates TV’s most beloved street and brings the show to life. The area is adorable, with Rosita’s Harmony Hills playground for romping and creating music; Rubber Duckie Water Works with watery blasts, fountains and pop jets; and rides named for its famous residents: Super Grover’s Box Car Derby, a zippy little roller coaster that is fun for everyone in the family; Elmo’s Choo Choo Train; and Cookie Monster’s Cookie Drop.

The neighborhood is known for its award-winning parade, character meet-and-greets and a sensory-friendly, Certified Autism Center room for children with autism. Interactive elements—Create-A-Monster, Burt and Ernie’s Doorbell, Oscar’s Trash Can (warning: unwanted knocks get grouchy responses)—let kids make so many discoveries on their own. And with an Elmo Interactive Light-Up Bubble Wand, available in SeaWorld gift shops, kids can point to yellow stars to activate a variety of immersive activities.

A real treat for park visitors is dinner in the dimly lit Sharks Underwater Grill & Bar. The restaurant is a calming oasis, like dining in an aquarium as sharks, schools of fish and other sea creatures glide about just beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Though casual, the restaurant has an upscale atmosphere and menu, with entrées including filet mignon and miso-roasted Atlantic salmon, and a children’s menu of pasta, chicken and popcorn shrimp. Dessert is a must, particularly the enormous and very sharable four-layer cake filled with orange cream, cream cheese and chocolate chips and garnished with a sweet, filled cannoli. Wine, beer and cocktails are also served.

Stay: The recently and beautifully renovated Orlando World Center Marriott makes it easy for families to rest, relax and resort. The hotel gracefully arcs partially around the lavish main swimming pool, a zero-entry lagoon pool with waterfalls, kid’s splash zone, water slides and one terrifyingly steep speed slide. The surrounding decking is lined by chaise lounges and shady umbrellas.

The adjacent River Falls waterpark has a lazy river that seems to meander along forever beneath the palm trees, plus a 50-foot central tower from which three slides twist, turn and swirl their way into the plunge pool below. With groupings of chaise lounges and umbrellas along with waterside cabanas, there is no reason to leave, except to grab lunch or a snack from the poolside bar and grill.

Adults will love the 18-hole championship golf course and the resort spa, and the kids will be drawn to the flashing lights of the arcade and those of the nightly laser show—all synchronized to a bouncy pop score and seen from the pool, main patio and even from the private balcony of many of the guestrooms.

Adding to the overall enjoyment of this hotel is a daily schedule of family-fun activities, like the Gatorland Experience animal encounter, poolside movies, water-based activities such as a pool noodle relay, arts and crafts, and a variety of contests and challenges—scavenger hunts, cartoon coloring and hula hooping, trivia and more.

Dining options are plentiful, from the Japanese steakhouse, Mikado, to the breakfast buffet served at Latitude & Longitude. Families will especially love the convenience and cost savings of shopping at the Central Pantry, stocking a choice of breakfast, lunch and dinner items, including hot, made-to-order favorites like grilled cheese and pizza, a huge assortment of snacks and beverages including coffee and tea, soft drinks and Starbucks drinks—even wine and liquor selections.

Eat: Plan an evening out at The Polite Pig, Michelin Recommended and owned by James Beard nominees James and Julie Petrakis. Known for its modern take on barbecue and Florida-inspired cuisine, the restaurant is a standout among the many dining options at Disney Springs, a trendy gathering spot with more than 150 restaurant, shop and entertainment options—live music, animal encounters, movies, even a hot air balloon ride—tucked into four neighborhoods (The Landing, Marketplace, West Side and Town Center) and built around bubbling springs.

Among wood-fired smoked and grilled munchables is a tasty smoked chicken wrap with spinach, roasted tomatoes, dried cherries and sunflower seeds topped with avocado puree. A tomato and watermelon salad is a fresh flavor explosion with feta, mint and pickled watermelon rind. On the drinks side, Florida craft beers are featured along with more than 100 different bourbons.

Those with a sweet tooth and a love of nostalgia should head to JoJo’s ShakeBAR for one of its colossal shakes like the Chocolate Nirvana garnished with a giant chocolate chip cookie, chocolate doughnut hole and chocolate-covered marshmallow and finished with a rim full of chocolate crumbles. Amid neon signs, disco balls, arcade game tables and tributes to celebrities of the 1980s and 1990s, JoJo’s wows with its onion ring towers and cheese- and bacon-covered waffle fries, smash burgers and specialty shakes and a lineup of kicky cocktails, including fan favorite champagne sangria.

Treat: Starring a fire-breathing dragon and a prince on a quest to make the perfect pair of chocolate slippers to win the heart of the princess, the tour at Chocolate Kingdom, a bean-to-the-bar micro batch factory utilizing old world machinery, is nothing short of magical. It begins in the theater to learn chocolate trivia, like the fact that French artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec invented chocolate mousse—which he originally called chocolate mayonnaise. (Thank goodness it was renamed.)

The tour continues onward to the discovery of chocolate, a scheme to keep chocolate a secret (which worked for nearly a century), and the equipment designed to make chocolate smoother, lighter and richer. A guide and the prince converse about chocolate-related discoveries as the tour winds through several rooms and outstanding exhibits, including a sailing vessel, vividly colorful mural and the Mystical River of Chocolate. Yes, there are samples, and they are delicious. And there is an add-on option for a chocolate bar custom created while on tour. After watching a chocolatier make it per your specifications, the bar is delivered by conveyor belt.

From beginning to end, this original, enchanting and engaging tour is hands-down one of the best, most entertaining non-theme park experiences in Orlando—and it is fun for every member of the family.

Deals, discounts and seasonal specials: Orlando World Center Marriott (www.marriott.com) is offering a “Celebrate the Holidays – $25 nightly credit” now through New Year’s Eve to celebrate the season with seasonal activities, delicious dining and unforgettable experiences with mermaids, vivid glow parties and spectacular fireworks on NYE.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration (www.seaworld.com/orlando) is now underway through Jan. 2, with the park transformed into a winter wonderland of millions of sparkling lights. From Elmo’s Christmas Wish Show to Christmas movies at Seafire Grill, signature events fill the park’s holiday calendar.

Frontier Airlines (www.flyfrontier.com) offers nonstop service to Orlando from more than two dozen cities, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Atlanta and Dallas. The airline offers two bundle package options that pair extras with the best price possible: The Works (available only at initial booking) includes a carry-on bag, checked bag, seat selection, board first, flight flexibility and 100% refundability. The Perks (lowest price at initial booking and can be purchased anytime) and includes a carry-on bag, checked bag and seat selection.

For more information, contact Visit Orlando at www.visitorlando.com.

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Kathy Witt is a travel writer and the author of Cincinnati Scavenger: The Ultimate Guide to Cincinnati’s Hidden Treasures (Northern Kentucky’s and Southeast Indiana’s, too) and Secret Cincinnati: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure. Her newest book, Perfect Day Kentucky: Daytrips, Weekend Getaways and Other Escapes, will be published Spring 2024. Contact Kathy at KathyWitt24@gmail.com or visit www.KathyWitt.com.

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Recipe

One of Orlando’s favorite restaurants, the Michelin Recommended Polite Pig, serves a warm and delicious beer cheese fondue with its HOP salt pretzel. The recipe is top secret, but you can create something similar at home with store-bought soft Bavarian pretzels and homemade beer cheese fondue.

Favorite Beer Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, halved crosswise

1 cup light beer

1 cups Emmental cheese, grated

3 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 TBS cornstarch

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp dry mustard

Pinch ground nutmeg

Instructions

Rub the inside of saucepan with cut sides of garlic, then discard the garlic. Pour in beer and bring to a simmer over moderate heat.

Coat the grated cheese with cornstarch. Gradually add cheese to pot and cook, stirring constantly to prevent cheese from clumping. Do this until cheese is melted and creamy—but do not let boil.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard and ground nutmeg. Bring fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring until thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Portion into individual crocks to accompany soft pretzels or other dippers.

©2023 Kathy Witt. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.