Orlando

Walt Disney World's first park, opened in 1971 around Cinderella Castle and six lands, mixing classics such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain with TRON Lightcycle Run and nightly fireworks.

💡 Be there at opening time and do the most popular rides first. The paid Lightning Lane system, bookable in the My Disney Experience app, cuts waiting times: its price varies according to the date. Guests at Disney hotels and a few partner hotels get in 30 minutes early. Price: one-day ticket from $119, about €102, depending on the date.

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Disney's 1982 park in two halves: science pavilions around the silver sphere of Spaceship Earth, with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and the World Showcase's eleven national pavilions around a lake.

💡 Start with the attractions near the entrance in the morning, then go round the World Showcase in the afternoon and evening, when it opens and the tasting stands are running. The France pavilion is a long way from Parisian cooking: book at Japan or Morocco instead. Price: one-day ticket from $119, about €102, depending on the date.

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The film and TV park, opened in 1989, home to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge with Rise of the Resistance, Toy Story Land and the free-falling Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

💡 Rise of the Resistance is the most sought-after ride in the resort: aim for park opening or book an individual Lightning Lane pass. The Skyliner gondola links the park to EPCOT and several Disney hotels. Price: one-day ticket from $119, about €102, depending on the date.

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A 200-hectare zoological theme park around the 44-metre Tree of Life, with a truck safari through the savannah, Avatar's glowing world of Pandora and the Himalayan-themed Expedition Everest roller coaster.

💡 Do the safari in the morning, when the animals are active, and come back to Pandora after nightfall to see the vegetation light up. The park often closes earlier than the others. Price: one-day ticket from $119, about €102, depending on the date.

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Universal's third park, opened in May 2025, where portals around Celestial Park lead to Super Nintendo World, the Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe's classic monsters and How to Train Your Dragon's Isle of Berk.

💡 The park requires a separate ticket, to be bought well in advance for American school holiday dates. Arrive before opening time: the queues for the Nintendo and Harry Potter worlds grow from the very first hour. Price: one-day ticket from $139.99, about €120, depending on the date.

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Universal's two original parks, linked by the Hogwarts Express through the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade, with the VelociCoaster and Hagrid's motorbike coaster among America's most thrilling.

💡 To ride the Hogwarts Express, you need a "park-to-park" ticket valid in both parks. The Express Pass, sold separately, cuts out much of the wait; it is included for guests at three of Universal's upmarket hotels. Price: one-day, one-park ticket from $124.99, about €107; Express Pass from $119.99, about €103.

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NASA's spaceport at Cape Canaveral, an hour east of Orlando, with the Space Shuttle Atlantis, a rocket garden and a bus tour to a 110-metre Saturn V moon rocket, plus frequent launches.

💡 Check the launch schedule on the centre's website before fixing your date: some viewing seats are sold at extra cost. Arrive at opening time, at 9am, and take the bus in the morning, as the queue grows quickly. Parking is extra. Price: $77, about €66, for ages 12 and over; $67, about €58, for ages 3 to 11.

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