I am a huge mermaid fan and being able to see the Weeki Wachee mermaid show let me live my fan girl…read moredreams. I went to the 11a show. The theater filled up quickly so get in line. Watching the performers was delightful. Even with the air lines under the water it was amazing to watch. Just being able to keep your eyes open underwater was astounding to me. We even got an extra performance for the Memorial Day holiday with a tribute to our service members. After the show they had a mermaid photo op that was donation based. After the show, I explored the rest of the park. It isn't that large but was a nice area and worth the $13 to get in. They have an area for swimming in part of the springs. I didn't bring my swimsuit but there were many people swimming and having a good time. There are some water slides too. They have a great gift shop. Loved having the opportunity to visit and see an iconic spot for mermaid lovers!

The mermaid show is the big draw from this "famous " Floridian roadside show. Once privately owned,…read moreit has now been acquired by the State of Florida. We were late for the show, because the website failed to post times and were unreachable via phone, email, or the websites frequently asked questions. We caught the last 15 minutes of the show as it runs from 11-11:30, 1:30-2pm and 3-3:30pm. It's a relatively small park. The mermaid show is cute if you have children under the age of 10 years old. Otherwise, give it a miss. Admission is $13 ea a little less for kids. 4 of us cost about $42 for entrance fees. They have a water slide that was not operating. They have a small "nature " walk. They have a boat that was not running to look at nature and they have a 30 minute animal encounter educational experience with a ranger. She showed and talked about two kinds of turtles, a snake and a small alligator. Walking around they have photo ops to look like a mermaid and after the show you have a chance to photograph yourself with a live mermaid from the show. If you have $50- $100 your kid can have a "mermaid makeover". We were at the park for maybe 1.5 hours. I suppose if the boat was running and the water slide was operating one could spend up to 3 hours. It was an interesting experience. Once is enough.

They Take advantage of kids and steal money especially if they have cash…read more They will overcharge your kids. NO REFUNDS! They are a scam business No management to resolve concerns. don't patronize this establishment. Dirty and unprofessional You've been warned!

Planet Obstacle is tucked away in an industrial park in Lake Mary. Google and Apple Maps will take…read moreyou to the front of the area, but just keep going and you'll eventually find it. Once inside, it's big, spacious, and packed with activities to keep kids busy and entertained. There's also plenty of seating for adults, good food specials, and even light adult beverages. The kids had a great time, and it felt age-appropriate for my nine-year-old as well as younger kids. My only gripe was that it was very warm inside, and the airflow didn't seem to be working well. I understand Florida heat, but some extra fans or better cooling would make a big difference. Overall, it's a fun spot for indoor play with kids, and we'd go back again.

Fun Spot America is a long-established business here in Orlando, Florida that can appeal to both…read morethe tourists and those of us fortunate enough to call Orlando home. It is nostalgic coming here and a great place to bring kids. Think like an old-school carnival or fair that is here year-round and you are just scratching at the surface. I would definitely recommend here. Go check it out and indulge the inner child within you.

I had a couple hours in the afternoon to use up between hotel check out and the conclusion of my…read morehusband's conference, so I took my kids to Fun Spot. I had heard from locals that it's a great local option over the big theme parks. Fun Spot was pretty great, for what it was. Free parking, free admission if you don't plan on riding rides, also a discounted adult pass if you only are going on rides with your kid who is too young to ride alone. The whole place was small, maybe the area of a handful of city blocks. And on the Sunday afternoon when we went, the place was quiet enough that we never waited more than a few minutes to get onto a ride. As we were only there for a couple hours, the cashier recommended the 4 ride pass for my kids, and the companion pass for me. But if one were to spend more hours there, buying the day pass online for $59.95 is quite a bargain. Not all rides were open, but the "big" rides that most kids want (the roller coasters and the go carts) were open. My daughter, who is not a big roller coaster fan, had a harder time finding kiddie rides that she actually wanted to go on, and she watched the go carts and didn't even want to try those with me driving. However, the place was small enough that I felt fine leaving my 10 year old son to go on rides by himself while I went on the Ferris wheel or the merry go round with my 8 year old. There are a bunch of food options available throughout the park. They were definitely more affordable than Disney prices! Most of the places offered souvenir cups with discounted refills, but there were also water stations set up throughout with free cups. I'd definitely come back if I had a few hours to burn and the kids didn't want to go swimming. Hopefully at some point, my daughter will change her mind about roller coasters, though!

Dates of sail: February 26 - March 2, 2025 Stateroom: 7626…read more This was our third and sadly, least magical cruise experience thus far. If this had been our first Disney cruise, I'm not sure that I would rush out and do another one, truth be told. On our previous cruises, everyone we encountered on the staff, from the Check In crew at the port to the stewards, to the random Cast Members we would come across around the ship, was friendly and welcoming. Here the staff seemed harried and tired, like we caught them at the end of a very tough shift and they had nothing left to give. While the food was still excellent, the service was not at the same level as our previous cruises. We simply adored our dining teams on the Magic and the Dream; taking pictures with them at the end of the cruise. This time, with Jonathan and Carlos, it was very transactional. There was no connection or anything engaging with the team. They were certainly pleasant but the Disney magic was lacking. Our room steward, Arawan, was efficient, but I only ever saw him twice: Shortly after we boarded and the last night of the cruise when we were preparing our luggage for disembarkation. He certainly kept the room clean, so I do appreciate that! However I noticed some things, maintenance-wise in the room that displayed a lack of Disney's attention to detail, such as some rust spots in the bathroom. I would expect that from Norwegian, but definitely not from Disney. One night at the hot tub there was a guy openly vaping and staff only came over to tell him the hot tub was closing, not that he could not smoke in this area of the boat. At some of the trivias in the various entertainment venues, we either got inundated with offers for drinks or completely ignored, there was no in-between! In addition, staff broke my husband's luggage. Points to them for trying to fix it and sending an apology basket, but now that we are back on land, he has to spend time and energy filing a claim for the damage and going through that whole process. Hopefully we recapture the magic on our next Disney cruise, as the Fantasy is my least favorite of our cruises so far.

Overall 4 stars. Food was mostly good but sometimes not that great. Service was pretty great. Very…read morelarge and busy ship. ***Note to vegans, not many vegan options like other DCL ships have

We had such a great time at Elev8 Fun! It's the perfect place for a fun, high-energy family outing…read morewhere everyone can find something they enjoy. There's such a variety of activities -- from arcade games to attractions -- so no one gets bored. It's clean, well-maintained, and organized in a way that makes it easy to relax and just enjoy the experience. What really stood out to us was the service. The staff was friendly, helpful, and patient, especially with the kids. You can tell they genuinely want everyone to have a good time. If you're looking for something fun to do in Sanford that works for both kids and adults, Elev8 is a solid choice. We'll definitely be back! We really enjoyed the pizza!

Very disappointed with our visit to Elev8Fun…read more First, they refused to honor leftover arcade cards from a previous birthday party and offered no alternative compensation. The bigger issue was on the ropes course. One of the foot ropes appeared to have excessive slack, and my son fell and scraped his leg badly enough that our day ended early. We reported the incident, but no compensation or meaningful effort was made to address the situation. Between the unused arcade credits and the lack of customer service after the injury, we left feeling that customer satisfaction was not a priority. Unfortunately, we won't be returning

My guy and I spent the day at Discovery Cove and it was honestly such a beautiful day. I'm a total…read morebeach and water girl, and he hasn't really done much like this before, so I was really excited to share the experience with him. From the moment we arrived to when we left, everything was really well done. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which set the tone right away. They have a buffet for breakfast and lunch with a good variety of options, so I feel like most people could find something they like. There are also smaller stands with snacks, pizza, and ICEE stations. Now let's talk about the drinks. There is just something about a frozen daiquiri when you're by the water. Highly recommend getting the drink package and trying a few... or all of them if you can handle it. I loved how many different areas there were to explore. Seeing dolphins swimming so close to the beach was actually kind of magical. They also have a monkey island which I was really excited about. It was closed when we got there, but I could still see them from a distance and I loved that. The aviary was really cool too. Tons of birds, but also tons of people. They recommend going first thing when the birds are most active, which we did, but so did everyone else. We got there about 45 minutes after opening and the birds already seemed a little over it. Honestly, I don't blame them. The Grand Reef was such a cool experience. I didn't really know what to expect, and even though it's man made, it still feels really immersive. Some of those rays are huge and have zero fear. They will swim right into you. My guy had never experienced anything like that and he loved it. I also liked that there were shallow areas and deeper sections if you wanted more of a snorkeling feel. The only downside for us was the Wind Away River. There are spots that get deep really fast, and that day they were apparently out of floaties because people were hoarding them and claiming areas. Staff even acknowledged it, which was frustrating because nothing was being done about it. It made parts of the river harder to enjoy than they should have been. Other than that, everything else was great and it made for such a fun day. Also the bar swings were a highlight. Loved those.

Date of review : 03/19/2026 All I can say is Amazing !!! We…read moresigned up for for the sting ray feeding . Check in is at 7am , we arrived and were promptly attended to. We had our own private ambassadors show us around the park and were escorted to the sting ray feeding area . We got our wet suits and lockers . Bathroom is very clean and has plenty of towels . The sting ray feeding was so much fun . The ambassadors are very informative . Trainers will feed the larger manta rays since they are larger and take vitamins but we fed the smaller sting rays which was a lot of fun. Also we got to feed small fish which was a fun treat for us . Monkey island pool - warmest water in the park Tropical river - slightly chilly but overall fun Great reef- chillest but once submerged not bad . Colder due to sea-life . Great reef was amazing , it looks like nothing but once you put googles on it's another world. Highly recommend. All inclusive drinks package - worth the money it can get pricy . Food - buffet style , it was okay . Not great , not good but satisfied appetite . Lots of towels , food all inclusive and a great way to spend time in Orlando !

During the Second Seminole War n 1836, the US Army established Camp Monroe on the shore of Lake…read moreMonroe to unload troops and supplies. On February 8, 1837, a force of Seminole Indians led by Emathla and his son, Coacoochee, attacked the camp, resulting in the Battle of Camp Monroe. Captain Charles Mellon died defending the fort and 14 soldiers were injured. The fort was renamed in his honor. Mellon was said to be buried near where he was killed under a large tree. Over the following months, the other soldiers killed at Fort Mellon were buried at a cemetery nearby the fort. Later on Mellon was reinterred in a cemetery in St. Augustine but not all of the bodies were moved. The remaining dead, about 20-26, who were buried at Fort Mellon are still there and nobody knows exactly where. Over time, the fort was abandoned and the cemetery was lost. The area around the fort developed into the city of Mellonville which was eventually annexed by Sanford. In January of 1938, the city commission voted to name a new park after Fort Mellon. Today the park is a popular gathering spot for outdoor recreation for the City of Sanford. Over 17 acres the community can enjoy basketball courts, outdoor exercise equipment, a fort themed playground, eight picnic pavilions equipped with tables and grills, and Central Florida's largest splash pad. The history, waterfront views, and well kept facilities have made this park a beloved destination for family fun in Sanford for decades. This park is a destination for family community gatherings, play, and fitness. Fort Mellon Park connects to the Sanford Riverwalk for even more recreational opportunities. .

This park is located right by the water in downtown Sanford. We were exploring the downtown area…read moreand had to stop when we saw the huge park. The park has has two sides. One for bigger kids and then a side for smaller kids. Perfect for families of different aged children. Both sides have really fun features for the kids. The older side resembles a castle with lots climbing, slides and a draw bridge. The younger side resembles a ship. It has rocking boats, shorter steps, and baby swings. This park has a nice padded floor but it is not covered. With the water near by and the direct sunlight it can be very hot for children so pay attention to this. Next to the park is the splash pad which is very large and fun for kids. The bathroom is located between the two. Some parts of the park seem unfinished or under construction. Overall it's a nice park with a lot to offer for locals or visitors.

As the name suggests, the park was truly an adventure! Everything about it was amazing. Hogsmeade…read morelooked incredible, and the castle felt so magical , it honestly felt like walking straight into the movie. The attention to detail throughout the park was impressive and made the whole experience unforgettable. The only downside was that a few rides were closed the day we visited, and the castle light show was unfortunately canceled. Even with that, there was still so much to enjoy. The park had plenty of places to eat, and the freestyle drink machines were conveniently located all around the park, except in the Harry Potter area. Overall, it was an amazing experience and definitely worth visiting for any Harry Potter fan!

Universals Islands of Adventures is a family favorite for us, the adults and also all of the kids…read moreabsolutely love this place. We just stopped by for our fifth visit, a testament to how much we enjoy the park. So anyway, we drive up from South Florida, get a hotel, make our way over to the park, and or course we are looking to go on some rides. But to our surprise and frustration, so many were closed for renovation or offline due to mechanical issues. For example: The Jurassic Park River Ride and the Pteranodon Flyers were both out of service due to long term renovation. Even the Mystic Fountain was closed! Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Kong Island and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey were supposed to be working, but all were offline for a number of hours throughout the day. Maybe we just caught them on an off day or something but it really made the trip a little bit annoying, waiting on line and then being told that the ride is now out of service for an unknown amount of time. And instead of having run, we have to constantly check back on the app for ride status updates. Lame. On a good day five stars for sure, but this time around it was a 3 star experience for me.