Etchings on the Attic Wall

Looking for a place to take your kids on vacation?  Try Nickelodeon Family Suites in Orlando, Florida.  It is the only Nick Hotel in the world and it was just renamed this year and was formerly associated with the Holiday Inn.  The entire facility is centered around kids.  It has themed-rooms, two pools areas that are styled after a water park , a mall, fast food restaurants, a kids salon/spa, a photo studio, a 3,000 square foot arcade, a miniature golf course, day and night programs, and a 4-D theater.

The hotel earned several awards in 2008:

• 2008 “Best for Children” (Orlando Magazine)
• 2008 Top 10 “Best Pools” (TripAdvisor)
• 2008 Finalist for “Outstanding Deals by an Individual Hotel” Award (Travelzoo)

Let’s start with the water parks (probably the biggest attraction).  It has “The Lagoon Pool” containing zero-depth heated pool and a 4 story interactive water tower with water slides, climbing nets, and water jets.  This tower also features a 400-gallon bucket that dumps slime on the crowd once per day and water at regular intervals!  There are also two whirlpools, a basketball court, a kid’s play area, daily Nick-themed activities, and poolside cabanas containing a TV, towels, lounge chairs, and a fan.  There is also lots of poolside entertainment from the staff which apparently involves throwing pies at your parents, group sliming and music.

The other water park is called the “Oasis Pool”.  It’s main feature is an Olympic sized swimming pool with water slides.  There is also a kid’s play area, a section for toddlers, a snack bar, and poolside cabanas.

The 4-D theater sounds like a lot of fun also.  If you haven’t heard of one of these before, it is basically a high-tech film that is interactive.  So, you are not only watching the film, but also feeling it (i.e. wind, water, scents, and of course slime).  The hotel also provides a Nick workshop where kids can create their own souvenirs such as art, suncatchers, T-shirts, and books.  In addition, you can sign your kids up for swim lessons (extra fee).

Furthermore, there are plenty of shows and other entertainment going on.  There are live shows, family improv, and karaoke with plenty of singing, shouting, smiling, and slime.  “Nick at Dark” allows the kids to participate by themselves (without parents) in a dinner, a Studio Nick show, a workshop, and a hands-on slime experience.

For the adults, there is a bar.  So, if the kids are driving you crazy, you need some quiet time, or you just need to stop smiling for a bit, go have a drink   I’m betting the staff smiles so much during the day that they go home and kick their pets   Joking aside, the staff is very professional and very enthusiastic.  The hotel is also very close to Disney and Universal Studios (including CityWalk) in case you want to get away from the hotel for a while and do something else.

This is an excellent place for kids to have fun with great activities designed just for them.  After a visit here, they’ll probably want to return over and over again!