Overwhelmingly, travelers associate Orlando with Disney World and Universal Studios.
Videos by TravelAwaits
This Florida hotspot welcomes around 75 million visitors. Of that 75 million, close to 60 million will swarm the city’s most popular amusement parks. But even the most hardcore Disney fans will wander off the reservation, so to speak.
Aside from amusement parks, visitors also enjoy things like manatee paddleboard adventures, trips to the Kennedy Space Center, visits to the Orlando Aquarium, and even art museums.
But what about shopping?
Along with unique hotel boutiques, Orlando is home to premier malls like The Mall at Millennia and The Florida Mall. Home to major fashion brands and retail favorites, they’re almost like separate amusement parks for those who enjoy shopping.
But given how much the average family spends at Disney World, you might not be surprised to hear that Orlando also excels in outlets. Unlike traditional malls, shopping outlets offer brand names from Adidas to Calvin Klein at slashed prices.
And when it comes to the best outlets in Orlando, there are tiers.
Want to add a little retail therapy to your next Orlando trip? Here’s a breakdown of its best outlet malls.
Best outlet malls in Orlando
Orlando International Premium Outlets
Welcome to Florida’s largest outlet mall. Sprawling over 773,000 square feet, this behemoth of discounts is home to more than 180 designer outlets. (Did your jaw just drop? That’s an insane amount of outlets.)
In fact, this outlet center is so popular that it sees around 20 million visitors wander through its open-air halls every year.
While that probably sounds intimidating, Orlando International Premium Outlets offers plenty of dining and parking options, EV charging and mobile charging stations, stroller rentals, and family restrooms.
Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets
This outlet offers a slightly more upscale experience than others. That’s thanks to its range of hyper-luxurious brands, from Prada to Burberry to Carolina Herrera.
That being said, you’ll also find more standard fare, from Under Armour to Lululemon.
I think the main appeal here is for international guests who want deals on global, upscale brands. In fact, Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets offers services like currency exchange, along with valet parking and attraction sales tickets.
Orlando Outlet Marketplace
Orlando Outlet Marketplace is regarded as the outlet for the other shopping outlets, leading you to some of the cheapest finds in the city. That being said, you might need to shop around a little bit more.
Endurance shoppers rejoice—your patience will save you up to 65% off normal retail prices.
If you like to do your shopping quickly, you should probably stick to one of the outlets listed above. But if you like to shop around for fun like me, then go for the Orlando Outlet Marketplace or Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores (below).
Both offer 40 stores from major brands that sell high-quality pieces.
Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores
Factory stores are usually some of the cheapest options for shoppers, as the middleman is removed from the equation. (For the most part.)
At this outlet mall, you can find deals that are 70% off the regular retail price.
Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores include 40 well-known names, along with smaller and lesser-known brands. As one of the newer outlets, the stores are also massive. That bodes well for crowded weekend shopping trips.
Tips on how to have a great shopping spree
You could spend an entire week-long vacation in Orlando perusing its best offers at these outlets.
In fact, many visitors spend a day or two shopping at Orlando’s top outlets—but with so many visitors showing interest in Orlando’s outlet malls, I wanted to leave a few happy-shopping tips for you.
According to Visit Orlando and advice from locals, the best way to go shopping is early in the morning or late in the evening. Between 10 am to 12 pm, parking lots and stores are mostly empty. The same is true right before closing between 7 pm to 9 pm.
Additionally, some people recommend taking Ubers to and from the outlets rather than fighting for a parking spot. It’ll also save you a little bit on parking in paid lots.
Lastly, Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is usually the least busy of all the outlets, in case crowds give you the willies. But keep in mind that a factory store usually sells lower-quality goods than outlets. (Outlets sell discounted retail from stores while factory stores sell pieces that are usually produced differently.)
