Attractions
Orlando’s theme parks are fast becoming a haven for thrill-seekers in search of the ultimate adrenaline rush. Home to an eclectic collection of hair-raising thrill rides, Orlando offers pulse-racing experiences that plummet and spiral visitors through their vacation. Whether you’re looking to test the barriers of speed or see how many loops you can stomach, Orlando has enough heart-pounding attractions to impress even the most veteran thrill-ride fanatics.
At Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure, an adrenaline-lovers paradise, find some of the scariest roller coasters in town. You may
turn green as you’re shot out of a tunnel and go from 0 to 40 miles-per-hour in two seconds flat on the Incredible Hulk Coaster (52” minimum height). Or, face off on Dueling Dragons (54” minimum height). Pick from one of two tracks and reach speeds of up to 55 miles-per-hour as you nearly collide into the other coaster. For a little more rock with your roller coaster, head on over to Disney-MGM Studios. Join Aerosmith as they try to make it to their concert on time in this out-of-control cross town limo ride reaching speeds of more than 60 miles-per-hour on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster (48” minimum height). Kraken (54” minimum height) at SeaWorld Orlando takes you on a heart-pounding journey at speeds of up to 65 miles-per-hour on the only floorless coaster in town with seven gravity-defying loops.If all these loops and high speeds are a little too much for your taste, there are other roller coasters to test your bravery. The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World offers two roller coasters that nearly everyone in the family can scream together on. Speed through space on Space Mountain (44” minimum height) or careen through an old mining town on Big Thunder Mountain (40” minimum height). On Epcot’s Test Track (40” minimum height) take part in all the tests of an automotive proving ground, including racing up to 60 miles-per-hour.
You can even find thrills without moving at all. Test out some of Orlando’s simulator rides that will keep your energy rush up. Help Spider-Man save the day at Islands of Adventure's The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (36” minimum height), a 3-D first-of-its-kind adventure where you’ll feel like you’re web-swinging right alongside Spidey. Or blast back in time on Back to the Future: The Ride (40” minimum height) as you strap into that famous Delorean and ride the movie at Universal Studios! At SeaWorld Orlando, board a “jet helicopter” and journey to base station Wild Arctic (42” minimum height) where you’ll explore the frozen tundra and come face-to-face with live polar bears. At Disney-MGM Studios blast into hyperspace on Star Tours (40” minimum height) where you’ll dodge the Death Star and fight intergalactic battles on this Star Wars-inspired thrill ride. Or take a trip to Mars at Mission:SPACE (44” minimum height) at Epcot, where you’ll become a member of an astronaut team with a cosmic mission. Feel the force of liftoff and experience an exhilarating out-of-this-world journey.
If you’re not afraid of heights–-or free-falling–-check out Disney-MGM Studios Tower of Terror (40” minimum height) or Islands of Advenure’s Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall (44” minimum height). Take a tour of the abandoned Hollywood Hotel in a freight elevator and be dropped 13-stories again and again and again…Or Dr. Doom will whisk you 150 feet into the air only to push you down faster than gravity.
And finally, if the action gets too hot, a water ride is the perfect way to cool off - if you’re brave enough. Orlando's theme parks offer a variety of thrill rides that have a splash-tacular ending. At the Magic Kingdom, Splash Mountain (40” minimum height) takes you through a Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah day until your log flume splashes down five-stories into a briar patch. At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls (42” minimum height) and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges (40” minimum height) take you on adventures with very splashy twists. Jurassic Park River Adventure (40” minimum height), also at Islands of Adventure, will have you running from raptors where the only escape route is an 85-foot heart-pounding drop. At SeaWorld Orlando, Journey to Atlantis (42” minimum height) takes you on a 60-foot drop as you race to protect the lost city of Atlantis.
Home to many of the greatest amusement technology advancements in the world, Orlando’s theme park thrill rides continue to spin and spiral to new levels of excitement.
Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned Orlando vacationer, this list will surely provide a few unique ideas for what to do in Orlando during 2005 and beyond. For more information on any of the following activities, contact the Official Visitor Center at 1-800-551-0181 or 407-363-5872 and speak to an Official Travel Counselor. Or stop by in person. The Official Visitor Center is conveniently located at 8723 International Drive on the southeast corner of International Drive and Austrian Row.
1. Live out your rock star fantasies at Hard Rock Vault.
2. Have a drink at the tiki bar in Tchoup Chop, Emeril Lagasse’s newest restaurant.
3. Paddle a swan boat on Lake Eola.
4. Smell the roses at Harry P. Leu Gardens.
5. Cast a line for bass fishing with a guide.
6. Marvel at Tiffany glass at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art.
7. Find Chief Osceola in the mural at Celebration Hotel.
8. Touch a stingray at SeaWorld Orlando.
9. Canoe down a serene river.
10. Count the manatees at Blue Springs State Park.
11. Race your friends on go-karts at Fun Spot Action Park.
12. Airboat through the natural grasslands.
13. Drive a stock car at 125 mph at Richard Petty Driving Experience.
14. Tour the world in under a mile at Epcot.
15. Go whale watching at Port Canaveral.
16. Dine at the world’s largest Hard Rock Cafe.
17. View the stars from the largest refractor telescope at the Orlando Science Center.
18. Get a taste of Hawaiian fusion at Roy’s Restaurant.
19. Float over the area in a hot-air balloon.
20. Fill your shopping bags with Tiffany’s, Jimmy Choo and Cartier at The Mall at Millenia.
21. Feel the G-forces on a roller coaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
22. Swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove.
23. Play golf on the same courses as Tiger Woods.
24. Design and ride your own roller coaster at WonderWorks and DisneyQuest.
25. Create your own teddy bear at The Florida Mall.
26. Learn to be a thespian at the UCF-Shakespeare Festival.
27. See the weird and wild at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium.
28. Glow in the dark at Pointe*Orlando.
29. Learn to water-ski at Sammy Duval’s Water Sports Centre.
30. Go antiquing on Orange Avenue and in Mount Dora.
31. Body surf at Wet ‘n Wild and Water Mania.
32. Hold a gator or snake at Gatorland.
33. See the Bible come to life at The Holy Land Experience.
34. Uncover bargains at flea markets.
35. Gamble in international waters on Sterling Casino and SunCruz Casino cruise lines.
36. Jam at Bob Marley’s open-air house.
37. Capture the grace of ballet.
38. Dodge waterspouts in shooting fountains.
39. Be an artist at Crealdé School of Art.
40. Pedal an underwater treadmill at Celebration Health.
41. Recapture the history of the Seminole wars at Fort Christmas.
42. Play in snow at Celebration.
43. Be rescued by Arnold Schwarzeneger at Terminator 2: 3D.
44. Visit the state of Florida under one roof at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center.
45. Watch golf greats at a national PGA event.
46. Pedal down the Atlantic boardwalk at Disney’s Boardwalk.
47. Pick an orange from a tree.
48. Fly a jet fighter at Stallion 51.
49. Battle comic villains with Spider-Man.
50. Smoke a cigar in a private room at Ybor’s Martini Bar.
51. Taste local wine at Lakeridge Winery.
52. Test new toys at Once Upon a Toy.
53. Fly in a World War II plane at Flying Tigers Warbird Museum.
54. Cause a margarita volcano to erupt at Universal CityWalk.
55. Be a clown during Cirque du Soleil.
56. Dine with characters at your favorite theme park.
57. Swim in 72-degree water year-round at Wekiwa Springs.
58. Eat fries at the world’s largest McDonalds.
59. Learn country line dancing.
60. Visit the oldest African-American municipality – Eatonville.
61. Catch spring baseball training.
62. Savor Italian ice cream at the Portofino Bay Hotel.
63. Shake hands with the most famous mouse in the world.
64. Eat Green Eggs and Ham at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
65. Pose for a photo with a four-story Big Wheel bike.
66. Learn to Salsa and Meringue at Latin Quarter.
67. Shop for surf gear 24 hours a day.
68. Record your own music video at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island.
69. Enjoy a carillon concert at Historic Bok Sanctuary.
70. Ride a bull in a rodeo at :08.
71. Tour International Drive on an I-Ride Trolley.
72. Meet the residents of “Port Charles” and “General Hospital” at ABC’s Super Soap Weekend.
73. See the movies come to life at Universal Studios.
74. Feel the forces at U.S. Space Camp.
75. Buy top goods at great prices at the area’s outlet centers.
76. Savor the real key lime pie – it’s yellow!
77. Dine outside year-round.
78. Learn to sky dive.
79. Trade pins at Epcot.
80. Go back to the early days of roller coasters on Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
81. Watch fireworks from California Grill.
82. Touch an iceberg at Titanic ~ The Exhibition.
83. Test your BMX skills at Orlando Skate Park.
84. View American folk art at House of Blues.
85. Learn to hula dance at a luau.
86. Shoot hoops at NBA City.
87. Milk a cow at Green Meadows Petting Farm.
88. Feel the force of an earthquake at WonderWorks.
89. Come face-to-face with Jaws.
90. Enjoy a meal prepared by a chef of the stars.
91. Ride the famous glass-bottom boats at Silver Springs.
92. Build an animal, car or anything else at LEGO Imagination Center.
93. Find animals in the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
94. Dine at Gloria Estefan’s restaurant.
95. Parasail above Central Florida’s chain of lakes.
96. Celebrate New Year’s Eve every night at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island.
97. Boat through lakes and canals in Winter Park.
98. Grill your own pancakes in an old sugar mill at Deleon Springs.
99. Hover in the air during a session at SkyVenture.
100. Get up and move at the gospel brunch at House of Blues.
101. Stand on the highest point in Florida – Iron Mountain at Historic Bok Sanctuary.
102. Get married with Mickey as your best man.
103. Drop 13 stories on Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios.
104. Perform as a duck master during the Duck March at The Peabody Orlando.
105. Putt-putt through wild animals and pirates.
106. Cheer on a cowboy at Silver Spurs Rodeo.
107. Be surrounded in your own in-hotel room theatre.
108. Be a marine life trainer for a day at SeaWorld Orlando.
109. Eat space food.
110. Wrap up in seaweed at spas.
111. Have your waiter sing to you at Bergamos.
112. Get shrunk at Disney-MGM Studios.
113. Improve your golf game.
114. Attend a Nextel Cup race at night.
115. Eat above the city at Manuel’s on the 28th.
116. Taste gator bites and gator ribs at Gatorland.
117. Purchase discount tickets at Orlando’s Official Visitor Center.
118. Shop at one of nine regional shopping malls.
119. Buy fresh produce at farmer’s markets.
120. Discover the lost city of Atlantis at SeaWorld Orlando.
121. Rent a Harley-Davidson.
122. Dine at a restaurant owned by 13 famous race car legends.
123. Watch the horse from Black Beauty at Arabian Nights.
124. Get chased by a chain saw gang during Halloween Horror Nights.
125. Discover a bird’s eye view from a helicopter.
126. Solve a mystery at Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Shows.
127. Sit in the hot seat at “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire – Play It!”
128. Plummet 125 feet (37.5 meters) on a water slide.
129. Team up to protect your home base during laser tag.
130. Shoot clay pigeons at TM Ranch.
131. Scream at Skull Kingdom.
132. Dine in Cinderella’s castle at The Magic Kingdom.
133. Play with your food at The Melting Pot.
134. Walk down New York Avenue at Universal Studios.
135. Launch into space on Mission: SPACE at Disney's Epcot.
136. Pump your adrenaline at Paintball World.
137. Swing a racquet during tennis lessons.
138. Marvel as fireworks light up the sky.
139. Experience the force of a tornado at Twister.
140. Be part of the pit crew at Daytona USA.
141. Dine at your favorite country club at Bill Murray's Caddyshack restaurant.
142. Enjoy the opera or the philharmonic.
143. See the newest independent films at the Florida Film Festival.
144. Assess your fitness at RDV Sportsplex and Celebration Health.
145. Buy your last-minute gifts at one of the airport’s many shops.
146. Dance on a spinning dance floor at Mannequins.
147. Drink a pint and eat fish and chips at Cricketers Arms Pub and Eatery at The Mercado.
148. Observe downtown Orlando at night from its rooftop bars – Latitudes & Sky60.
149. Be a splash victim by Shamu.
150. Feed and bark back at sea lions.
151. Test-drive a car at Test Track at Epcot.
152. Watch top recording artists perform.
153. Play Frisbee golf at Barnett Park.
154. Go rollerblading at West Orange Trail.
155. Ride the largest, fastest, tallest roller coaster in Orlando at SeaWorld Orlando.
156. Come face-to-face with wild animals at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
157. Come thisclose to a predator of the deep at Sharks Underwater Grill at SeaWorld.
158. Eat sweet corn at the Zellwood Sweet Corn Festival.
159. Go back to the future at Universal Studios.
160. See International Drive upside down from a window at WonderWorks.
161. Dine with an astronaut at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
162. Relax on a white sand beach.
163. Learn how to draw a cartoon at Disney’s animation studios.
164. Become a particle of food at the Orlando Science Center.
165. Swim in a guitar-shaped swimming pool.
166. Gaze out on an African savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
167. Listen to rock ‘n’ roll music under water at the Hard Rock Hotel.
168. Fly through the air on the sky coaster at Old Town Shopping, Dining & Entertainment Attraction.
169. Cheer on your knight at Medieval Times.
170. Pose for the cover of your favorite magazine.
171. Spot bald eagles and blue herons on Orlando’s lakes.
172. Hear the tales of great African-American musicians at the Wells’ Built Hotel.
173. Bring home a can of moon soup from Chalet Suzanne.
174. Experience Central Florida’s natural beauty on horseback.
175. Sleep in a castle.
176. View the workings of a movie studio’s costume department.
177. Bask in the moonlight during a carriage ride downtown.
178. Place your bet at a Jai-Alai game.
179. Celebrate your heritage, whether Irish, Native American or Polish at local festivals.
180. Learn more about the history of Orlando and the definition of a “cracker” at the Orange County Regional History Center.
181. Go on an African safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
182. Careen through the streets of Hollywood on Rock ‘n Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith at Disney-MGM Studios.
183. Eat lunch or dinner at a drive-in theatre at Disney-MGM Studios.
184. Bathe in a heart-shaped whirlpool spa in Holiday Inn Family Suites' sweetheart suite.
185. Laugh at the nation’s best improvisational comics at SAK Comedy Lab.
186. Set sail for a lunch or dinner cruise down the St. Johns River.
187. Buy beer for a nickel at Big Belly Brewery on Wednesday night.
188. Sing along with the crowd at dueling piano bars.
189. Eat a peanut butter hamburger at Jungle Jim’s.
190. Marvel at the mansions in Winter Park.
191. Buy art off the walls at Café Tu Tu Tango.
192. Ride on a “double decker” bus at The Peabody Orlando.
193. Share the “kitchen sink” at Disney’s Beaches & Cream Soda Shop.
194. Defend the world against aliens at MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack at Universal Studios.
195. Enjoy a private booth at McCormick & Schmick.
196. Watch sea turtles hatch on the coast.
197. Eat fresh, local strawberries in the middle of winter.
198. Walk under a monster truck at Race Rock.
199. Have your horoscope read at Disney’s Boardwalk.
200. See the caricature faces of famous Orlando residents at the Palm Orlando restaurant.
201. Learn about the history and future of space flight at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
202. Picnic on the shores of Lake Eola.
203. Accelerate to 120mph in under two seconds at G Force Drag Racing.
204. Make memories of a lifetime . . .
home | about us | floor plan | rates | terms | reservation | attractions | car rentals | events | faq | spanish speaking | more pics | more info | Luxury Home
©2005, Chasedev Enterprises