Congo River Golf

Image: gocardusa, Flickr (license)

The other sight you’ve likely seen while driving around the Orlando area is that of a downed propeller plane sticking out over a few holes of mini golf. That is another mini golf chain, Congo River Golf.

Much like most mini golf chains, Congo River Golf doesn’t have a weak course in its portfolio. They’re all quite fun — but one does stand out above the others. The Route 192 location near Kissimmee is no doubt the furthest course from either Disney or Universal. However, it makes up for it with sweeping scale and excellent theming.

There are hills and mountains to climb. There are tikis and rock formations to dodge. And, of course, there’s a pit of alligators — real, live alligators — to remind you which state you’ve chosen to vacation in.

Whether you’re looking for family fun, or just a date night for two, Congo River Golf is an excellent choice.

The Mighty Jungle Golf Adventure

Image: The Mighty Jungle Golf Adventure

Located on Route 192 just south of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you’ll find a bit more kitschy version of the animal kingdom at the Mighty Jungle Golf Adventure.

While other courses amaze and excite with fun animatronics and wacky hole layouts, the Mighty Jungle keeps it fairly simple — tricky greens, a couple of obstructions here and there, and a few fun animal sculptures.

However, what makes it earn a spot on this list is that it’s one of the best values in the Orlando area — coming it at almost half the price of Disney’s courses. On top of that, its location on the somewhat sleepier side of the Disney property keeps it relatively uncrowded and quiet — a far cry from the insanity you can see on International Drive. If you just want a simple night of mini golf that won’t break the bank, but still is a lot of fun, this is a great option.

Disney’s Fantasia Gardens

Image: Disney

In 1996, Disney was in the midst of what it called the Disney Decade — am expansion project that would see the face of Walt Disney World change dramatically. As part of this expansion, Disney knew that it needed to not only create reasons to keep guests on its property for longer, but also to recreate the reasons guests left its property.

One way they did this was by building their first-ever mini golf course: Fantasia Gardens.

There are, in fact, two courses at Fantasia Gardens, and they’re both worth playing but for very, very different reasons. Fantasia Gardens, the course, is a beautifully themed and whimsical retelling of the film, Fantasia — itself an episodic work exploring iconic works of classical music through animation.

Those holes are fun and family friendly, and they have everything you love about 1990s Disney imagineering: bright colors, incredible mood, and a good bit of humor. In my opinion, Fantasia Gardens is simply the best mini golf course in the world — at the very least, it’s the one that feels the most Disney.

But, Disney also built on the property what has become known as the most difficult mini golf course on the planet. No, it’s not full of loops and pipes and windmills — rather, it’s very similar to real, actual golf. There are sand traps, water hazards, and long par fives. Par, technically, is 72 for the whole course. Bubba Watson, a professional golfer, shot 50 when he played. It’s just that challenging.

All things being equal, play mini golf at Fantasia Gardens. You won’t find anywhere better.