Flea Market Fun in Orlando

By Janice McSherry 

Despite the high-tech attractions of the world’s greatest theme parks, old fashioned flea markets in Orlando rank near the top of the list as one of the most visited attractions in all of Florida. If you are flea market enthusiast and are visiting Orlando then you owe it to yourself to spend some time in the area’s busy flea markets. 

Your first stop should be Flea World. It is certainly the biggest in Orlando and it might just be the biggest in all of the United States. It is located outside of Orlando on Highway 17-92. On any weekend (and it is only open on weekends) as many as 50,000 visitors come to the market.  The market has an indoor and an outdoor area and includes 1700 booths. If it is a very hot day then spend more time in the air-conditioned indoor area. 

Flea World is actually much more than a flea market because it also has the kind of entertainment and fun areas that you would expect in an amusement park or in a theme park.  

The entertainment includes acrobats, magicians and other circus performers as well as exotic animal acts.  

Right next to the flea market you will find Funword with its go-karts, miniature golf, bumper cars and bumper boasts, adult and children’s rides, a large game arcade and a birthday party area. 

You can understand the appeal of Flea World with its huge shopping area for the dedicated flea market enthusiasts and with rides and fun for the rest of the family. 

Here is the vital information that you will need to enjoy Flea World: Flea World is on Hwy 17-92, Sanford, FL 32771 and its telephone number is (407) 330-1792. 

When it comes to flea markets, Flea World is not the only show in town. There are other large and small flea markets vying for attendance. Another large one is Maingate Flea Market. It is located on Highway 192 not far from the main gate of Disney World (and that’s how it got its name!). 

Maingate flea market usually has around 400 booths and is well known for its ethnic food specialties. The exact address is at 5407 Irlo Bronson Highway (Highway 192) in Kissimmee and the telephone number is (407) 390-1015. The market is open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day of the week. 

There is one more, big flea market on Highway 192 and it’s the 192 Flea Market in Kissimmee. The 192 Flea Market was the first flea market of this area and it has 400 booths to choose from. One of the features of this market is the possibility of buying Disney souvenirs and memorabilia at lower prices than in nearby Disney World. The market is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the exact location is 4301 West Vine Street (Highway 192) in Kissimmee. 

These are the main and most popular flea markets in the Orlando area, however if you check the local newspapers you will find others as well. According to some observers, you can expect to save a good amount of money by shopping in these markets rather than the nearby malls. Whether you really save 30% of course depends on your selectivity but in any case you are bound to have a lot of fun at these markets.