For more activities for kids in Central Florida all year-round, be sure to visit Mommy Poppins Orlando, complete with a theme park guide, indoor activities around town, local classes and camps, the best parks and playgrounds, and so much more!

New Kid-Friendly Openings in Orlando in 2022: Theme Parks

1. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – Epcot

Get ready for Disney’s first reverse-launch coaster and one of the longest fully-enclosed coasters in the world. The ride rotates 360 degrees as riders embark on an intergalactic chase across the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Guests must be at least 42 inches tall to ride, and some parts of the ride are dark, which may be scary for little ones. Virtual queue is available through the My Disney Experience app.

Riders experience major thrills on Ice Breaker at SeaWorld Orlando. Photo courtesy of SeaWorld

2. Ice Breaker — SeaWorld Orlando

Appropriately named after the ice-covered Arctic peaks, Ice Breaker is SeaWorld’s first launch coaster. It features four separate launch elements, both backward and forward, including a reverse beyond-vertical drop. This thrill ride is located near the Wild Arctic attraction, and guests must be 54 inches or taller to ride.

Dare to ride the Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Photo courtesy of the park

3. Iron Gwazi — Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

This crocodile-themed ride is the fastest and steepest hybrid coaster in the world! Comprised of both wood and steel, this coaster features a 206-foot peak, speeds of up to 76 mph, three inversions, and a dozen moments of airtime. The thrill level is rated as extreme, and guests must be at least 48 inches tall to ride.

Enjoy the wholesome fun of Peppa Pig Theme Park. Photo by the author

4. Peppa Pig Theme Park – Winter Haven

A favorite amongst the preschool and toddler crowd, Peppa Pig debuted her very own theme park this year in Central Florida! Guests can visit with Peppa Pig and her friends at the standalone park located just outside of Legoland in Winter Haven. This amusement park features tot-sized rides, several themed playscapes, character meets, shows, and of course, a muddy puddle splash area!

5. Reef Plunge – Aquatica

Located at SeaWorld’s water park, Reef Plunge is a new water slide taking riders through an underwater adventure while spotting sea life such as leopard sharks, playful Commerson’s dolphins, and other cold-water fish. This ride is located next to the park’s most popular water slide, Dolphin Plunge. Riders must be at least 42 inches tall.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a wonderful combination of reality and fantasy. Photo courtesy of Disney

6. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser — Walt Disney World Resort

Star Wars enthusiasts are now able to stay aboard a starship for a two-night adventure through this all-inclusive experience. The journey begins on a launchpad with a simulated blast off into the galaxy. From there, guests board the Halcyon starcruiser and stay in passenger cabins with galactic views. During their stay, guests learn about the ship, encounter stormtroopers, partake in lightsaber training, and navigate the ship under the crew's guidance.

New Kid-Friendly Openings in Orlando in 2022: More Fun in Central Florida

7. Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex – Kennedy Space Center

This new multi-level attraction at Kennedy Space Center gives space enthusiasts of all ages up-close views of modern spacecrafts, including a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster and Orion crew capsule. The main concourse offers four different immersive 4D journeys, including Cosmic Wonders, Daring Explorers, Red Planet, and Uncharted Worlds. For each experience, guests must be 39 inches or taller to ride. Guests who do not meet these requirements or have sensitivity to motion can experience the ride without movement at the Observation Bay.

8. Max Action Arena – ICON Park

The ICON Park entertainment complex just keeps getting better! New to the complex this year, Max Action Arena features extreme virtual reality, axe throwing, escape room, and adventure rooms.

9. Terminal C - Orlando International Airport (MCO)

MCO opened a new terminal this year, making it easier than ever for tourists to visit the theme park capital of the world! Terminal C features 15 added gates capable of handling both domestic and international flights, as well as a train station set up to accommodate three regional rail systems. The terminal also includes additional shops, restaurants, and lounge areas.

Coolest Kid-Friendly Openings in 2022 Around the Rest of the Country

Mommy Poppins Launched in San Francisco and Miami

Our little family grew this year as we added San Francisco and Miami to the world of Mommy Poppins. Our two new sites join NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut, DC, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston, Orlando, and Atlanta. Also expanding: the cool things you can do on our site. We recently redesigned our search pages with a cleaner, easier-to-use design and new functionality. You can now find camps and classes on your local calendar of events and even buy tickets directly from our website — if an event has a red "Book It" tag, you can purchase tickets immediately, with no added fees. Oh yeah, in our spare time, we also created a new Earth Kids Guide and newsletter. Since the environment is one of the most critical issues facing our children’s futures, we wanted to think and talk about new meaningful and fun activities to engage children and families with sustainability each month.

Sloomoo Institute  — NYC, Atlanta, and Chicago

The Sloomoo Institute is a slime lover's paradise and an over-the-top sensory experience. After starting life as a pop-up in NYC, it’s now a permanent 8,000-square-foot space your kids will want to visit again and again. No worries if you can’t make it to New York, as Sloomoo opened in Atlanta and Chicago before the year ended. With the massive popularity of the idea (we’ve had editors visit in all three locations, and all their kids agree this is fun to the 9th degree), we suspect there will soon be outposts everywhere.

Rise NY — NYC

A brand new experience has opened close to Times Square that takes visitors on a breathtaking simulated aerial tour of New York City. With your feet dangling from the full-motion seats, you soar and swoop through the city, its landmarks, and all its seasons in RiseNY’s awe-inspiring love letter to the Big Apple. Hit all the tourist destinations at once…

Retro Roller Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center — NYC

Think you can only strap on skates at Rockefeller Center at Christmas? That's no longer the case, and we got the scoop on summer skating at Rockefeller Center. (Also, here are the best restaurants near Rockefeller Center, so your family won't wander into a tourist trap and can get some actually tasty eats.)

There's a Brand New Sesame Place — San Diego

One of our LA writers visited the park before it opened and got the inside story on what kids love about the country's newest theme park. There's a water park element to the place, too, which is open year-round, and it's definitely one of the best amusement parks in the US for kids under 5.

Dig World TX — Houston

This construction-themed adventure park opened this year near Houston. Here kids can operate the equipment instead of just watching: drive skid steers, dig dirt with excavators, and more. (Now Diggerland in NJ isn't the only construction-themed theme park!)

Philadelphia Museum of Art Expands —  Philadelphia

Wanna make like Rocky and run the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art? Well, now there is even more art to see, as the museum just opened 90,000 additional square feet.

Stranger Things Experience — Atlanta and Los Angeles

Any teen parent will tell you that finding the outings that they will not only agree to go on (with parents, not friends), but will rave about afterward, are few and far between. Well, this is one outing tweens and teens love. It consists of a walking adventure with an interactive storyline told by the cast of the TV show, a 3D VR adventure that just might make you scream, and a trip to the Starcourt Mall, where you can enjoy Scoops Ahoy ice cream and very cool photo ops.

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience — Westchester and DC

Harry Potter fans, rejoice! Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is a magical walk-through that takes guests along a nighttime woodland trail filled with creatures, characters, and scenes from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. Spectacular lighting and sound effects, mist, and interactive elements make visitors feel like they've truly stepped into the Wizarding World.

The Dr. Seuss Experience — Traveling show

This traveling show is one our Houston editor caught when it was there, and she said it’s as if the books have come to life. The show moved to Colorado and will continue touring the US from there. The experience gives kids a chance to see, hear, feel, and experience their favorite settings from nine of Dr. Seuss’ stories as they go from room to room to interact with each installation.

Did we miss any of your favorite new openings? Let us know on Facebook! Take time to explore Central Florida, support local businesses and events, and get ready for an amazing 2023!