How to enjoy Orlando, Florida as an adult

Whether you’ve been to Orlando before or are an Orlando virgin, it’s hard not to assume it’s a place strictly for families. But banish that vision of screaming kids and worn out parents firmly from your mind – it’s all an illusion.

It appears that the majority of Orlando tourists are actually adults travelling with other adults. And this is because this city caters to just about every thrill, whim and indulgence known to man.

Don’t believe us? Here’s our guide to enjoying an adults only holiday in Orlando, Florida.

Mix thrills with nostalgia at Universal and Disney

Let’s face it, we still watch, and will continue to watch Universal and Disney movies for the rest of our lives – so why not celebrate these cinematic masterpieces at Universal or Disney World parks?

If you’re a Harry Potter fan you’re going to want to splurge on entry to both Universal (Studios and Islands of Adventure) parks – as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is craftily split across both.

Here you can ride the Hogwarts Express, sample butterbeer, have a madcap adventure of Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™ or set flight on the Flight of the Hippogriff™.

And if you’re a bit more old school in your movie tastes, let’s not forget staple Universal rides such as the E.T. Adventure™ or Jurassic Park River Adventure™.

But where would Orlando the tourist juggernaut that it is today – without Disney World. With four parks to explore, you could easily dedicate an entire holiday just to exploring Disney.

But if you’re on a tight schedule and are looking for strictly adult thrills – enjoy a bit of vintage horror with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or rock out to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Or take a ride of the new Slinky Dog Dash rollercoaster at Toy Story Land.

Launch into the stars on Space Mountain or enter the wild west on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. Go on an African safari ride or take the ride that guests are often willing to queue up to four hours for – Avatar’s Flight of Passage – at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

And while Epcot has some incredible rides – including Mission: Space and Frozen Ever After – it also plays host to some fantastic festivals. Those with a green thumb should enjoy a stroll through Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (held each spring) where Disney characters, both original and contemporary, are bought to life through epic topiary displays.

Whereas foodies aren’t going to want to miss out on Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Here guests can enjoy wine tasting, culinary demonstrations and much more.

Experience some local adventure at Gatorland

Gatorland is a thrill and a half of a park that is also wonderfully kitsch. This locals favourite park is considerably more affordable than Universal and Disney and offers the perfect break from the usual Orlando fanfare.

As the name suggests, Gatorland is dedicated to all things alligator, the state’s natural giant reptile inhabitant. Hundreds of alligators live here, as well as several big cats, crocodiles, giant tortoises and a huge array of birds (so much so that it is regarded as a significant destination by bird watching communities).

A regular ticket at Gatorland will grant you access to its many shows – which include gator wrestling and feeding. But one of their ‘grunt packages’ is where the action truly lies. Additional addons include the opportunity to zipline across the park – and yes over crocodile and alligator enclosures – handfeed alligators yourselves, pose with and handle alligators, and ride the monster truck attraction.

Fly with zero training required at Wallaby Ranch

Ever wanted to experience flying? But put off by the grind of learning to pilot? Well Wallaby Ranch in Orlando offers the chance to feel like you’re one of the birds in the sky with its hang gliding experiences.

This hang gliding school offers 40minutes – 1 hour hang gliding experiences where you’ll travel up to 2,000 feet in the air with the careful guidance of a hang gliding expert. The Ranch is the first hang gliding park in the world, and has hosted news anchors, A List celebrities and thousands of Orlando tourists over the years.

Go off the beaten track with these authentic gems

Orlando of course is a thriving city of Floridian residents and has many local gems worth exploring. A delightful boat tour awaits at the historic Winter Park, where big names from Tom Hanks to past Presidents have enjoyed homes here, and the properties date back to the Victorian period.

Margaret Mitchell even wrote the last chapters of ‘Gone with the Wind’ while staying at one of the prestigious lakeside mansions.

And for some local hangouts head over to Boxi Park, a trendy up and coming leisure space made up of former shipping containers. Here you’ll find live music, food trucks and even a beer distillery and bar at Park Pizza and Brewing Company.

Brunch wise head over to hipster favourite The Glass Knife, a very Instagram-ready restaurant and bakery, where you can snap and indulge away to your heart’s content with their extensive donut, cake and savoury offerings.

Sleep and dine at the sprawling Swan & Dolphin Resort

If you want to stay in the heart of the theme park action, you really can’t go wrong with Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort. This sprawling hotel complex recently went under a $175 million (£132.8 million) refurbishment and is located directly next to Disney’s Boardwalk – a charming lakeside stretch of restaurants and bars.

From the Boardwalk guests can enjoy a free boat ride to Epcot or take one of the many free Disney shuttles to the other parks directly from the hotel.

Offering more than just location, the hotel offers multiple pools with poolside cabanas, a luxury spa and a great mix of both affordable and upmarket restaurants.

And the friendly staff are more than happy to lend a hand when it comes to making the absolute most out of your time in Orlando.

Yahoo UK was a guest of Swan & Dolphin Resort on behalf of Visit Orlando for the duration of this trip.