Take a visit to Florida’s largest shopping centre!

If you need to pick up some last-minute gifts or just want to treat yourself to a special holiday purchase, there is no better location to visit than the Florida Mall!

Conveniently situated less than 15 minutes drive away from Orlando International Airport, and not too far from the Disney and Universal parks, The Florida Mall is your one-stop shopping destination in the heart of Orlando! The largest shopping centre in Florida, the Mall spans a whopping 1.7 million sqft and plays host to over 20 million visitors every year. With more than 250 stores - including eateries and attractions - there is something to keep even the most reluctant of shoppers occupied!

Tip: This mall is busiest at weekends, so try to visit midweek if you can.

For the kids (big and small!)

The Florida Mall is home to some great attractions that the kids will love visiting. The Crayola Experience is a colourful two-storey, 70,000 sqft site featuring 26 hands-on experiences that are designed to stimulate creativity! While you are there take a photo with the world’s largest Crayola – Bluetit – which is nearly 16ft long. As it will take three to four hours to explore the whole attraction, it’s sensible to arrive at the venue early to leave the rest of the day free for more shopping!

Tickets for the Crayola Experience are available to purchase with us at Debbie’s Villas. Please get in contact on 01892 836822 for more information and prices.

Find an inspirational doll in the American Girl store, which is a subsidiary of toy giant, Mattel. With accompanying books that tell the background of the doll from their own viewpoint, the American Girl dolls (which also include boy dolls) have been awarded the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award eight times! While in-store you’ll also be able to stop for a bite to eat in the American Girl Bistro – which also has seats designed for your doll friends! There are also special events held in-store at American Girl – check the mall website for full details!

“Lots of places to eat and every type of store you can think of. You could spend the day here!”

Take a break from your shopping spree and head to the Children’s Play Area. This is a free activity centre with plenty of fun interactive exhibits which are great for keeping the kids entertained while you put down the shopping bags and take the weight off of your feet!

OK, so this isn’t strictly for children only – but a visit to M&M’s World should certainly be on your itinerary if you have a sweet tooth! The Orlando store is brimming with plenty of colourful M&M’s merchandise, as well as an M&M’s NASCAR! After marvelling at the M&M’s chocolate wall and stocking up on tasty chocolaty treats, make sure that you snap a photo with one of the store’s M&M’s characters!

For the shopaholics

There’s something to suit for every budget at the Florida Mall, from major American department stores such as Macy’s or JCPenney, sports retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods, clothing and make-up stores such as H&M, ZARA and Mac Cosmetics where you can pick up all of your holiday essentials, to the stylish designer label of Armani Exchange.

“Great store selection and easy parking.”

Are you looking to buy some jewellery to mark a special occasion while you are in Florida? Then stop off at Mayors, a luxury jewellers and watch-retailer which is renowned for selling high-quality, world-famous brands.

You can even pop into the Tesla gallery where you can learn more about their innovative electric cars and products. Having problems with your Apple devices and don’t want to miss out on taking your holiday photos? There is an Apple Store conveniently located in the mall, where you can get advice, try out new products or pick up some must-have accessories.

Best food places

With all the shopping you’ll be doing, you’ll need to refuel to keep up your energy! Fortunately there are plenty of places to stop off and enjoy something delicious – ranging from light bites, such as those served at Subway and Meson Sandwiches, to full sit-down meals! With more than 40 venues around the site serving up food there is something to suit every taste and budget. Head to the Dining Pavilion where you will find a core selection of eateries serving a vast range of food styles.

“Great food court and child’s play area – my kids loved it!”

Fancy a burger? Then why not try out one of the offerings from Five Guys, which arrived in the UK back in 2013 – where you can select from an unlimited amount of toppings and watch it being freshly-prepared in front of you!

You also have an input on your meal at Spoleto Italian Kitchen, which has restaurants in the US, Brazil, Costa Rica and Mexico. Here you can create your perfect dish, as they offer a seasonal menu with a selection of toppings to suit your individual tastes. Take a seat and check out their menu for some inspiration!

Carlo’s Bake Shop is the perfect place to indulge your sweeter side! The chain of family-owned bakeries are known for featuring on US reality show Cake Boss, and are famous for their mouth-watering pastries, cakes and desserts.

Souvenirs & mementos

As well as the chocolates you can get at M&M’s World, there are plenty of other stores where you can pick up some special gifts that loved ones back home will treasure. Don’t forget to pop into the Disney Store to pick up some branded merchandise, which includes all of your favourite Disney characters with a massive range of toys, collectibles and clothing! The kids will love heading inside the store’s castle or waiting patiently in front of the magic mirror for iconic Disney characters to appear. This is the perfect place to find some souvenirs of your holiday, without having to carry them around the theme parks all day!

If you are in the mall from 29th March – 20th April and have young children with you, you might want to get a photo of them with the Easter Bunny to keep as a memento of your Florida visit. For a full list of dates that the bunny will be ‘hopping’ to meet you, see the website.

There’s something to keep everyone entertained at The Florida Mall and you are bound to have a great time whether you are a shopaholic or just a casual shopper! Let us know which stores you recommend we visit next time we are over there!

Mall opening times:

• Monday – Friday 10am – 9pm
• Saturday 10am – 10pm
• Sunday 12pm – 8pm

Individual store opening times may vary – check their *website** for more details.*

Address: 8001 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32809-9132