Top 10 Things to See on the Orlando Helicopter Adventures Tour

Start from one end and work your way to the other as you spot Disney Springs’ beautiful buildings. From the Aerophile helium balloon on the edge of the lagoon and Cirque du Soleil on the West Side to Rainforest Café and the green LEGO dragon at the Marketplace and every iconic restaurant in the middle, you can see it all. It’s easy to see restaurants like Planet Hollywood, The Boathouse, Jaleo by José Andrés, House of Blues Orlando, and Morimoto Asia. If you know your way on the ground, you’ll surely have it right in the air.

If you’ve stayed at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, you know the resort is a big one. When you see it from above, you’ll realize just how massive the property is! This 63-acre convention resort spreads out between Osceola Parkway and International Drive.

The beautiful atrium in the middle towers above the rest of the property where inside, unique restaurants like Villa de Flora and MOOR offer incredible dining and where you’ll even see live gators.

Outside the atrium, you’ll find the large pool area with a cabana-lined pool, 3-acre Cypress Springs Water Park, and more. The large buildings on the outside of atrium make up the more than 50,000 square feet of meeting space for large events and conventions.

From up above, you can see the iconic streets of Old Town and attractions at Fun Spot America Kissimmee. Watch as people launch from the world’s second tallest SkyCoaster, wave their hands on the only wooden coaster in Florida, and stroll the streets of yesteryear. Old Town is filled with local shops and places to grab a bite to eat. Plus, their weekly classic and muscle car shows are famous and must-sees on your next vacation.

Soar over the beautiful landmarks of Walt Disney World Resort as the tour takes you over EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Orlando Helicopter Adventures makes you feel as though you’re riding on Soarin’ Around the World and passing over the new additions and construction at EPCOT. See if you can list the countries around the World Showcase: DestiNations Discovered. If you’re interested in the nightly fireworks, you won’t want to miss the night helicopter tour at 9 p.m. where you’ll get a rare view of the EPCOT fireworks show. 

Get a unique view of Hollywood Studios and the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The iconic The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Chinese Theater are immediate attention grabbers. Then, you’ll be taken over a canopy of trees which makes up Animal Kingdom. On foot, it may be difficult to note where you are with the huge greenery towering over you, but when you’re high in the sky, you can easily see the Tree of Life, floating rocks of Pandora – The World of Avatar, and all the greenery in which the animals roam during the Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Have you been to Typhoon Lagoon when the waves come rolling in from the tidal pool? Well, you’ll get to see them from a different view and trust us – it’s incredible! Get to know the Disney water parks from above and notice the intricate layout of all the water slides, wave pools, lazy rivers, and more at Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. 

When you see all the blue and green roller coasters, colorful water slides, and a rainforest-like spot, you know you’re above SeaWorld Parks & Resorts. SeaWorld Orlando is full of some of Florida’s fastest roller coasters including Mako and Ice Breaker. You may even be able to spot some underwater creatures from your tour! Across the way, you’ll also see Discovery Cove and Aquatica SeaWorld’s Waterpark. Discovery Cove is an oasis for families looking for an all-inclusive park with cabanas, dolphin meet and greets, all day food and drink, and more. Aquatica is packed with exciting water rides, slides, and two different rivers – one is lazy, and one is thrilling!

Try spotting your favorite buildings from above as you fly over Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. You can’t miss roller coasters like The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. The bright colors below really stand out against the pavement and it’s truly a sight to see! You may have thought you reached the highest height while on the new Jurassic World VelociCoaster, well now you’re really high in the sky overlooking all of the attractions at once!

Once you exit the theme park, you’ll find an array of shopping and dining options at Universal CityWalk. Surrounded by a beautiful pond and iconic Universal Studios globe sign, CityWalk is filled of restaurants like NBC Sports Grill & Brew, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen, and Bigfire, plus many more unique cuisines that are perfect for all families. And from the helicopter, you can spot it all and have a game plan in place when you take to the attraction via foot. 

Hold on tight as you fly above Universal’s Volcano Bay water park. You won’t miss the iconic volcano right in the center of the park. See the expansive property of water slides, wave pool, cabanas, and shady spots. You’ll notice just how massive this water park is! Try counting how many slides there are on your journey (hint: there are more than 20!). 

There’s no way you could miss The Orlando Eye at ICON Park! The huge, white wheel towers over International Drive and all the incredible restaurants and attractions below. Although The Wheel gives you a 400-foot view of the area, you’ll be 1,000 feet over the ground and can see even more space! Add this spot to your to do list and spend the evening restaurant hopping from Gordon Ramsay’s Fish & Chips and then attraction hopping from the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium to Madame Tussauds Orlando.

Starting your trip out with a helicopter tour is the perfect way to get the lay of the land and your vacation hot spots planned out. Your guide will even point out other Central Florida locations to maximize your stay in Kissimmee. When planning your next trip, sign up for our newsletter for discounts, local happenings, and travel tips.