A Parent’s Guide to Dezerland Orlando: Things to Do and More
Orlando may be a paradise for families, but the weather does not always cooperate. Between extreme heat, heavy thunderstorms, and yes even the occasional cold day, there are times when you need to stay indoors. This is when Dezerland Orlando comes to the rescue.
There is no admission fee, and the parking is free. And while everything inside the doors has a cost, it’s a fun place to walk around and do a few fun things with the kids.
In Case You’re Interested:
>> Super Fun Family Restaurants
>> Cheap Family Fun
>> Orlando Hotels with Waterparks
Here are the five things I love to do with my family at Dezerland Orlando. This parent’s guide includes helpful info like pricing, hours, and requirements.
Things to Do at Dezerland Orlando
- Orlando Auto Museum
- Dezerland Arcade and Pinball Palace
- Verse – AR Theatre
- Putting Edge – Mini Golf
- Indoor Karting
- Toxic Blast
Orlando Auto Museum
The centerpiece attraction inside Dezerland is the massive and impressive Orlando Auto Museum. Anyone who loves cars is going to have their mind blown at this place. Walk through multiple rooms to see an incredible array of cars from all eras, multiple countries, and even ones that appeared on the big movie screen!
Wear comfy shoes because you’ll be strolling through 250,000 sq. ft. of car displays. There’s even a Batmobile room, James Bond vehicle museum, Vespas & motorcycles room, and many other displays.
Admission is about $35 per adult, but consider springing for the VIP tour – just $15 more per person. You’ll get your own personal tour guide, AND be able to sit in multiple famous cars including the Ghostbusters Ecto-1, Back to the Future’s Delorean, and a few more surprises.
My husband, son, and I had the pleasure of experiencing the Orlando Auto Museum VIP Tour as invited guests for Father’s Day, and my husband’s jaw dropped quite a few times. Climbing into the Ecto-1, a James Bond vehicle, and a few others made him absolutely giddy.
We learned lots of interesting facts, and when our son got a little restless I could move on with just him, while my husband and our guide could take their time chatting about the cars.
Parenting pro-tip: Dezerland has quite a few special deals! One of them is Movie Car Monday, all day every Monday, 50% OFF Orlando Auto Museum General Admission (adult and child), Promo Code: MOVIECARMONDAY (online and in-person)
Dezerland Arcade and Pinball Palace
Try as I might to limit screens and games for our son, you’ve just got to let loose and have fun in an arcade once in a while. The arcade inside Dezerland is one of my favorites because it’s massive, but it is not overwhelming.
There is plenty of natural light coming in, which helps with some of the over-the-top lights, displays, and sounds. And it is organized really well! All of the small riding vehicles for toddlers and young kids are in one spot. All of the air hockey and pinball type games are near each other, and so on.
Plus, the game card is good for return visits. We explored this arcade with my brother and my nieces and nephews last summer but did not use up the full value of the arcade card. We returned with just my son this summer – and the card still worked!
Pinball Palace is on the other side of Dezerland and is most of an adult vibe. Pricing here is different as well. There are a few video games besides 90 different pinball machines, plus a bar for adult refreshments. Pinball Pass $15.98 per hour.
Verse – AR Theatre
One of the newest additions to Dezerland is Verse – AR Theatre. It may not seem like much from the outside, but once you don the AR headset, you’ll be transported to another place or time.
Verse has multiple experiences for you to choose from, and each participant can do their own experience, or enjoy the same adventure together. Augmented Reality (AR) is different than virtual reality. AR is fantastic for folks who may feel a little weird from virtual reality because AR uses the real world and augments it. You can still see what and who is around you rather than feeling closed in.
We had the opportunity to experience the Unreal Garden and I loved it. Rather than some sort of perilous adventure with potential scares or a stressful mission, Unreal Garden is beautiful and relaxing.
I did not expect the auditory interaction – and the music selection enhanced the experience. Unlike many attractions in Orlando, I felt relaxed and happy rather than recovering from a stressful thrill.
We also tested the new Primal Ranch, which is much more on the adventurous side, featuring dinosaurs in a Western setting. Our son enjoyed walking around and seeing a variety of dinosaurs at different angles. We will be back to try other experiences offered here – I loved it!
It is a little pricey at $44.99 for adults, and $34.99 for students, children, or military. But it is truly a unique experience – my photos do not do it justice!
Putting Edge – Mini Golf
The glow in the dark, black lit Putting Edge Mini Golf has been a staple of this venue on International Drive for many years. When it’s raining or hot out, mini golf outside becomes a chore. But inside Dezerland this indoor, glow in the dark mini golf is a blast!
Indoor Karting
On my first visit to Dezerland I was a bit frustrated because our son was not old enough for the Junior Track. Racers must be 7+ years old and a minimum 48″ tall to participate. He is anxiously waiting for his chance to do the indoor karts at Dezerland.
Besides the Junior Track, the regular pro track for ages 12 and older spans approximately 7-9 heart-pounding laps.
A souvenir head sock is required to be worn during this activity, and costs about $4. The “First Time Guest” option includes a Dezerland PlayCard and the head sock. Returning guests must bring both of these items to qualify for the discounted rate.
Adult Race (First Time Guest with Playcard & Gear) (Age 12 and older) $32.90
Junior Track Race (First Time Guest with Playcard & Gear) (Age 7 and older) $24.90
Toxic Blast
Toxic Blast is a one-of-a-kind experience recently added at Dezerland Park. Guests gear up with a state-of-the-art gel blaster, a hopper full of “gellets” and colored masks and enter an interactive, black-light arena for a 45-minute battle against their friends and families.
Kids can play (5 and up) in the smaller kid zone area made especially for them. And don’t worry about stained clothes. The environmentally friendly “gellets” won’t leave a permanent mark since they turn to powder when dry.
Dezerland offers a pass that includes Toxic Blast, Pinball Palace, and the auto museum which is at a discounted rate than if you bought them separately.
Dezerland Orlando Info
Address: 5250 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819
Hours: Monday – Thursday,11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 12:00 am, Saturday 10:00 am – 12:00 am
Sunday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
*Some experiences have different operating hours and may open later than Dezerland itself
Website: https://dezerlandpark.com/attractions/
Oh, one more thing… Dezerland Orlando happens to be right next door to Villatel Orlando, which is home to some of our favorite themed vacation rentals in town!
Find affordable activities for kids in Orlando with our guide.
