When you enter Epcot, you'll see the famous Spaceship Earth globe. Turn left, and you'll head to Future World East (Mission: Space, Test Track). Head right instead, and you'll find Future World West, where you can meet Minnie and Mickey Mouse and Goofy, or you can ride Soarin' or the Seas With Nemo and Friends.
Epcot visitors eat well around the World Showcase, home to 11 countries with represented architecture, history, and food and beverages: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada.
The International Flower and Garden Festival is still going on every day now until May 28. Sample a wide variety of dishes and drinks at the outdoor kitchens peppered throughout the park, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is the park's nightly (9 p.m.) fireworks, music and lights show, which happens at the World Showcase Lagoon.
Epcot is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, but its "Extra Magic" hours during NPE are 9-11 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8 and 8-9 a.m. on Thursday, May 10.
A single-park, single-day adult ticket for Epcot on Saturday or Sunday is $122. A single-park, single-day adult ticket for Epcot during the week is $114 each.
Hollywood Studios
First opened as a theme park and functioning production studio, Hollywood Studios is split into six themed areas inspired by Los Angeles and old Hollywood: Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake (Star Tours), Grand Avenue, Pixar Place (Toy Story Mania), Animation Courtyard (Star Wars Launch Bay), Sunset Boulevard (Twilight Zone Tower of Terror).
Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge won't be open until June 2018 and 2019, respectively, so you'll have to plan a return trip.
Watch Mickey Mouse battle Disney villains at the Fantasmic! lights and lasers show every night at 9 p.m. There's also Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, a fireworks display, at 9:30 p.m.
Regular hours at Hollywood Studios are 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m., with extended hours morning Sunday, May 6 and 13 at 8 a.m.
If you only want to check out Hollywood Studios, a single-day, single-park adult ticket is $122 on Saturday or Sunday. A single-day, single-park adult ticket during the week is $114.
Animal Kingdom
This zoological-themed park, designed around the conservation of animals and the environment, opened 20 years ago on Earth Day. The 145-foot-tall Tree of Life is to Animal Kingdom what Cinderella's Castle is to Magic Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom's themed areas are Oasis, Africa (Kilimanjaro Safaris), Asia (Kali River Rapids), Discovery Island (It's Tough to Be a Bug), Dinoland U.S.A. (Finding Nemo — The Musical) and Pandora — The World of Avatar (Avatar Flight of Passage). Pro tip: Pandora's two big rides can have wait times up to three hours, so book your FastPass+ times in advance.
Animal Kingdom is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week, with "Extra Magic" opening time of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9 and Saturday, May 12.
Single-day, single-park adult tickets for Saturday or Sunday are $122, while single-day, single-park adult park tickets are $114 during the week.
Universal Orlando Resort
Less than five miles from the Orange County Convention Center is Universal Orlando Resort, which includes Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure, Universal's Volcano Bay water theme park and Universal CityWalk. If you're more of a thrill-seeker, then either Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure is for you.
No matter which park — or parks — you choose, you have to enter Universal CityWalk, off Universal Boulevard, first. Universal CityWalk also houses dozens of full-service restaurants and quick-service food establishments, entertainment complexes and retail stores.
Those who want to experience both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, the two theme parks, should purchase a park-to-park ticket, which allows for going back and forth between the parks. If you're a Potterhead — the name given to Harry Potter fans — and want to ride the Hogwarts Express between Universal Studios Florida's King's Cross Station and Islands of Adventure's Hogsmeade Station, then you will need a park-to-park ticket.
A single-day, park-to-park adult ticket for Saturday or Sunday will run $179, while one during the week will cost $170.
Visitors can purchase an Express Pass, which gives passholders priority status when boarding rides and attractions. Unlike Walt Disney World's FastPass+, the Express Pass is not included in regular park admission.
For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.universalorlando.com.
Universal Studios Florida
Similar to Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida was built as a theme park and a functioning studio. The seven themed areas at Universal Studios are Production Central (Transformers: The Ride, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem), Hollywood, San Francisco, New York (Revenge of the Mummy, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon), London/Diagon Alley (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter), World Expo (The Simpsons Ride) and Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone.
One of Universal Studios Florida's biggest draws is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, designed like the London streets and Diagon Alley, including the Leaky Cauldron, Ollivanders wand shop and Sugarplum's Sweetshop. Ride the multidimensional Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and then grab a glass of Butterbeer.
If you're not interested in taking the Hogwarts Express over to Islands of Adventure and just want to spend a few hours at Universal Studios Florida, then a single-day, single-park adult ticket runs $115 during the week or $124 on the weekend.
Universal's Islands of Adventure
Visitors entering the park from the Universal CityWalk arrive at the Port of Entry "island." From there, clockwise, the other islands are Marvel Super Hero Island (the Incredible Hulk Coaster, the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man), Toon Lagoon (Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls), Skull Island: Reign of Kong, Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park River Adventure), the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade (Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey), the Lost Continent (Poseidon's Fury) and Seuss Landing (the Cat in the Hat, Caro-Seuss-el).
A single-day, single-park adult ticket is the same for Island of adventure as it is for Universal Studios Florida: $115 Monday through Friday or $124 for Saturday or Sunday admission.
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment operates three parks and neighboring hotels, but the most notable park of the bunch is SeaWorld Orlando. Like the parks at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando is divided into different areas: Port of Entry, Sea of Shallows (Flamingo Cove, Alligators), Sea of Legends (Jewels of the Sea Aquarium), Sea of Ice (Penguin Habitat), Sea of Delight (Sky Tower), Sea of Mystery (Shark Encounter), Sea of Fun (Shamu's Happy Harbor) and Sea of Power (Beluga Whales, Walrus and Harbor Seals).
In addition to the animal exhibits are the roller coasters and other major rides: Mako, Kraken, Manta, Journey to Atlantis, Infinity Falls, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin and more.
The other parks by SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment are Discovery Cove, which includes swimming in the Grand Reef and interacting with dolphins, and Aquatica Orlando, a water park.
A single-day, single-park ticket to SeaWorld Orlando purchased at least one day in advance is $80, compared to a day-of purchase of $100. Multiday and multipark tickets are also available. More information: www.seaworld.com/orlando.