AviaSim Orlando Review: Is the Flight Simulator Worth It?

We paid $196.73 total for AviaSim Orlando's Duo Package with the +20-minute flight option. We bought it in 2025 and flew in spring 2026 — once as a date and then again with a friend after a computer issue during the first visit led the company to offer a replacement session.

Worth It Rating

Overall: 8.1/10 ❤️ Best for: Anyone genuinely interested in flying, airplanes or seeing what an airliner cockpit feels like 💰 Value: 6.5/10 ✨ Experience: 8.5/10 ✈️ Realism/quality: 8/10 🎮 Uniqueness: 9/10 🚗 Worth the drive from Orlando: Yes, if aviation interests you 💸 We'd pay up to: About $200 for two people ❌ Skip it if: You have no real interest in flying or cockpits — it is expensive for a casual novelty ✅ We'd go back: Maybe, especially to take someone new who loves aviation

THE VERDICT: Yes — but for the right person. If you've ever wanted to know what it feels like to control an airliner from the cockpit, this is a genuinely cool splurge. If airplanes do nothing for you, the price is harder to justify.

What the experience is actually like

Both people in our Duo session got to fly. We practiced takeoffs and landings multiple times and could choose the cities and airports we wanted to fly into or out of. The instructor showed us the controls at the beginning and then coached us as we went.

I went in with no aviation knowledge and still enjoyed it. The coolest part was simply being the person in control — even knowing it was a simulator. The instructor told us the cockpit setup and controls were representative of how they work in the real aircraft, which made the experience feel much more substantial than a video game.

The location is the weird part

AviaSim Orlando is inside the pool-house area of the Baymont by Wyndham in Kissimmee. You don't walk into a normal attraction lobby. Instead, you arrive at the hotel, wait near the front desk and meet the instructor, who then walks you back to the simulator. The hotel staff do not run AviaSim.

It feels strange the first time because you may wonder whether you're in the right place. Once you're actually inside the simulator, though, the experience itself is good. Parking was free outside.

The one downside: the system can be finicky

On our first visit, the computers went down for about 10 minutes. AviaSim handled it well and offered us another session, which is why I ended up doing the experience twice. The simulator also felt a little finicky at times. That didn't ruin the experience, but it is worth knowing that this is sophisticated simulation equipment rather than a perfectly seamless theme-park attraction.

Who should book it?

For aviation-curious beginners, though, you do not need any prior knowledge. The instructor walks you through what to do, and you still get the fun of taking off, landing and choosing where you want to fly.

A few details that changed my value rating

The simulator session was private, and we were allowed to take our own photos and videos throughout the experience. That matters because a big part of the fun is having your own cockpit footage afterward.

My personal ceiling is about $100 for this experience. We paid more than that for the Duo Package with the extra 20 minutes, so I would call it a splurge rather than an easy casual-date purchase.

That said, the extra 20 minutes was worth paying for. It gave the instructor enough time to show us the controls without making the teaching portion feel like it was eating up our flight time, and then both of us still had time to take off, land and fly several times.

I would consider doing it again because I am genuinely interested in learning to fly. For someone with zero interest in aviation, I would not spend this much. For teens, adults, aviation fans, and kids who are truly obsessed with airplanes, it is a much easier recommendation.

Updated Worth It Rating: 8/10. THE VERDICT: Yes if flying or cockpits genuinely interest you. I would personally want the price closer to $100, and I would keep the extra 20 minutes rather than cutting the session shorter.