betsbw

My mother invited my family to join her in Orlando over Christmas week. I love the idea of Disney, but I know it will be very crowded. Can anyone suggest some alternate activities for my Mom? She's in her 70s and has 2 hip replacements. The parks just aren't going to be an option for her, even with a wheel chair, I think. Cooking classes, art museums, easily accessible shopping.

Fodorite018

Take a day and go to Winter Park. It is just on the north side of Orlando and very nice.

bnbtraveler

Winter Park is great! There is a Tiffany Museum (Morse Museum of Art) and a sculpture museum. The downtown area is called Park Avenue with lots of little shops and restaurants. Maitland is next to Winter Park and has a wonderful art museum as well as historical museum and historic house tour. This area is very beautiful with many lakes and treed parks. We have lived here over 16 years. If you were to get a wheel chair for her Leu Gardens in Orlando is a beautiful botanical garden, 52 acres and very wheelchair friendly. The camellia's should be opening now and there are all sorts of other flowers and plants...just gorgeous!

Orlando_Vic

Wekiwa Springs State park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/wek...gs/default.cfm
http://www.canoewekiva.com/

Blue Spring State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/default.cfm

Winter park Scenic Boat Tour
http://www.scenicboattours.com/

THE CHARLES HOSMER MORSE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
http://www.morsemuseum.org/home.htm

Leu Gardens in Orlando
www.leugardens.org

Rivership Romance
http://www.rivershipromance.com/
(discounts available thru Restaurant.com)

Orlando Museum of Art
http://www.omart.org/

Maitland Art Center
http://www.maitlandartcenter.org/

Orange County Regional History Center
http://www.thehistorycenter.org/

bnbtraveler

Thanks orlandovic. Also see - http://www.maitlandhistory.org

Christmas Eve Day the Morse Museum opens it's doors free to everyone...just a FYI!

betsbw

Thanks for the great ideas! I also read that visiting some of the Disney Resorts might be an option for a day outside of the parks. The lobbies are decked out for the holidays and many have arcade/game rooms, from what I've read. Maybe could take her to a character lunch or dinner (if we can get a reservation, that is) with the kids, so she gets a little of the Disney with the grandkids experience.