Located between Orlando and Tampa, but closer to Tampa is a magical place!
Do your children love to see and learn about dinosaurs, well then Dinosaur World is the place to go!
Dinosaur World is located roughly 1 hour from Orlando and just outside the Tamp area. It is off I4 at exit 17. There is a shell gas station off the exit and great fruit stand. You will need to go up a few exits if you want to eat a meal. If you put the address in the GPS it will take you there. You will arrive through a big gate decorated for Dinosaur world. There is a huge free parking lot with room for RV's to park. I always pre-purchase our tickets through AAA. (you must be a AAA) member to get them. We always get general admission for all adults and each kid gets an excavation ticket. This will get them the fossil dig and gem find. You will get your tickets if you buy them there or we exchange your AAA print out at the gift shop.
It is a huge gift shop full of dinosaur, gems, jewelry and more. For the most part is reasonably priced. They do rent wheel chairs there for $5. The only food they sell here is Pringles in a machine and drinks in a machine. There are lots of picnic tables throughout the park. We always bring a picnic lunch and eat there.
After you get your tickets there is a small museum. It is a little dark and at one park a dinosaur will roar and move its head but nothing scary.
They then have at certain times a fossil dig. (10:30 am, noon, 2:00 pm and 4:00pm) It is a big sand box and they are given and sand sorter and a small box. They can find as many fossil as they want but can only keep 3. They will put them in a little baggy for you. To me they look like little rocks, but they will tell you what each is. There are also shark teeth. We try to get there about 10:15 to get tickets then start with the fossil dig. Otherwise you have to start in the dinosaur part and come back out for the next one.
They have two huge playgrounds. One for ages 5 and under and one for ages 5-12. They are in the sun, but besides that, they are great and well kept.
There are lots of picnic benches here.
They have a rock gem which is included in the price of the excavation packet. You can buy it separately if you did not buy it ahead of time, but it will cost you more money in the end. Your child may get wet at this part so you may want a change of clothes. My son did in the two year old range. He does not now that he is older.
After this you will go to a nature walk area. The grounds are well kept and there are 2 sets of picnic benches back here, a soda machine and bathrooms. You walk along the trail and see big fake dinosaurs with a little bit of information about each one.
There is a show in a cave, and a mammoth exhibit and there is one huge sand box to "Dig for Dinosaur bones."
There is one section where if you have quarters, you can buy fish food for the fish.
Look how cute the trash cans are!
Make sure to bring suntan lotion and bug spray. Most of it is covered in the shade but can still be hot in the summers. It is very stroller friendly.
