Star Escapes: Why celebs like Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Serena Williams are heading for Orlando

August 20, 2019

By Caitlan Moneta

Adapted from Hello! Canada Issue 675

Year-round sunny skies, scurrying geckos and swaying palm trees are par for the course in the city whose claim to fame is family fun. Best known, of course, as the birthplace of Walt Disney World, Florida's third largest city that sprang to life when Walt Disney's theme park dreams became a reality in 1971 with the grand opening of the Magic Kingdom.

Since then, it has become the ultimate destination for wet and wild thrills, enchanted adventures and up-close animal encounters.

Orlando has even welcomed the royals! Princess Diana memorably visited with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, in August 1993, screaming in delight as they braved the 16-metre drop at Splash Mountain.

Countless other notables, including Claire Danes, Serena Williams, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon (pictured), have also visited, making forever memories with their mini-mes.

For more information, head over to visitorlando.ca. Be sure to keep reading (if you're online) or click through this gallery for a look at some of the very best Orlando has to offer!

Photo: © John Parra/Planet Hollywood/Getty Images

EXPLORE

With seven of the world's top 25 theme parks situated in Orlando, you'll never be at a loss for things to do. But lines and wait times can put a damper on an otherwise perfect day.

Universal Orlando Resort's VIP Experience, which invites guests to build their own itinerary (and ride the newly opened Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure coaster at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as many timse as your stomach can handle!), lets you bypass the crowds. A private guide meets you for early entrance to the park, grants front-of-the-line access and takes you behind-the-scenes for a one-of-a-kind experience.

If you've already checked Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort off the list, give Discovery Cove (pictured) a try. The all-inclusive day resort limits attendance to ensure that you can always find a lounger by the beach. We recommend booking a private cabana, which comes with a fully stocked fridge and treasure chest filled with snacks. Always wanted to swim with sharks? Book early! You can also snorkel with tropical fish, float down the lazy river and feed exotic birds – but the real draw is the bottlenose dolpin swim that gets you up close and personal with the majestic animals.

Trip tip: Orlando is landlocked, but a two-hour drive will take you to Clearwater Beach for soft sand and Insta-worthy sunsets!

Photo: © @thatsotee

INDULGE

There's no better way to relax after a long flight or escape from the humid climate than booking in for an opulent treatment at the Four Seasons Resort, conveniently set on the grounds of Walt Disney World. Try the Sticks and Stones Massage, a take on the classic hot-stone massage, where they use sculpted basalt stones and birchwood massage sticks to knead every knot. Face plant into the heated bed and soak up the deliciously scented basil-infused mix left below your nose as you ponder which of the five essential massage oil blends you'll choose (the citrus, inspired by Florida's orange groves, is bliss in a bottle).

If gastronomic experiences are more your speed, head to Orlando's first food hall, East End Market, for a half-pound chocolate chip cookie from Gideon's Bakehouse or take a short drive to the neighbouring city of Winter Park and grab a seat at The Wine Room (pictured), where you can sample over 150 kinds of wine and linger over a decadent selection of cheeses.

Photo: © Mark Ashman/The Wine Room

TASTE

With more than 5,000 restaurants to choose from, you'll never go hungry in this city – there's something to delight every taste bud! Thanks to the booming food scene, celebrity chefs are flocking to Orlando, offering everything from American home cooking to international cuisine. There's Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' Florida Kitchen, Guy Fieri's curated menu at Planet Hollywood and Rick Bayless's Frontera Cocina.

But if you're going to hit one, make it iron chef Masaharu Morimoto's Morimoto Asia (pictured). The glitzy space is the newest flagship location cooking up pan-Asian dishes from the modern glassed-in kitchen.

Start with a signature Morimotini (Japanese vodka and junmai sake) and sweet chili and hoisin spare ribs and perhaps the Peking duck? And be sure to ask about any sushi or sashimi specials. When we visited, a deliciously marbled, melt-in-your-mouth bluefin tuna had just been flown in from Japan.

STAY

Although the Four Seasons Resort (pictured) is five years old, it feels brand new. The 443-room lakeside retreat, dotted with gardens, pools and towering cypress trees, is the tranquil antidote to the bustling parks outside its gates. Stroll through the sprawling lobby and you're greeted with deep, comfortable couches, bouquets of bird of paradise and a cute café serving cones of gelato or your morning coffee fix.

The hotel also happens to have a Royal Suite that can be extended to nine bedrooms and has hosted heads of state and many a famous face.

If you can will yourself to leave your plush room, there's plenty to keep you busy on the property. An adults-only infinity pool, rock climbing wall and golf course are the tip of the iceberg. If you're craving retail therapy, pop into the beautifully curated Wardrobe boutique for a pair of exclusive Missoni-designed Minnie Mouse ears ($150) – or something more extravagant, like the one-of-a-kind Kimberly McDonald opal mermaid necklace ($75,000) modelled after Ariel's in The Little Mermaid.