Downtown
Orlando
If you're looking for Walt Disney World, look again - it's located in
the entirely separate city of Lake Buena Vista. Believe it or not, Orlando's
a city in its own right, and the locals would feel just fine, thank
you very much, if all those ear-wearing yahoos would just get back in
their cars and keep moving (except, of course, when they spend their
money here).
Once the outta-town attractions are pared away, Orlando's main distractions
comprise the Harry P Leu Gardens, an estate with over 2000 varieties
of camellia and an 18th century mansion; the Orlando Science Center,
which has a gator hole and the physics-phriendly Tunnel of Discovery;
and the Orlando Museum of Art, which showcases Mayan archeological finds.
Given these heart-pounding highlights, most visitors use Orlando as
a base from which to make excursions to nearby theme parks.
Walt Disney World
You can't help but be happy in 'the happiest place on earth.' You're
expected to be so at peace that it seems as if the air in Disney World
has been infused with high doses of Prozac. Anti-depressants aside,
the world that is Disney is a true testament to one man's vision to
amuse the masses and make money for the favor. And while Uncle Walt
remains a controversial, authoritarian figure, everybody's still crazy
about his famous mouse.
When California's Disneyland, built in 1955, took off in a big way,
Walt Disney realized that tons of hotels, restaurants and other tourist
draws were springing up nearby and cashing in on his visitors. As a
result, he became determined to control every aspect of vacations to
his theme parks (and to keep all the profits himself). In the years
to follow, Disney discreetly bought up thousands of acres of land in
central Florida until his death in 1966. His successors opened the second
Walt Disney park - Disney World - 5 years later.
In its first year, Disney World saw over 10 million visitors, and it
remains one of the world's top tourist destinations, now attracting
more than 20 million visitors a year. It's also the world's biggest
amusement resort, covering an area twice the size of New York's Manhattan.
It has its own transport system, emergency services, police force, energy
plant and more than 20,000 employees. It would have made Walt very,
very happy.
Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT Center and Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park are
the three main parks within Walt's Disney World. The centerpiece of
the Magic Kingdom is Cinderella's Castle, the most recognizable of Disney's
logos. Within the Kingdom are a series of 'lands,' including the tautological
New Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Adventureland.
EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, and its
trademark silver geodesic dome is visible throughout Disney World. EPCOT
Center is divided into two main sections: Future World, a combination
amusement and educational park, and World Showcase, a well-presented
re-creation of 11 countries - Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, the UK and the USA (there's a logic
in there somewhere).
Disney-MGM Studio's rides and attractions are absolutely first rate,
but it's far less of a working studio than they'd have you believe.
Most of the 'rides' here are 3D, with the notable exception of the Twilight
Zone Tower of Terror, which is arguably the park's best and most terrifying
ride. The 3D stuff in Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D is so real that
kids (and, fess up, adults too) try to reach for the characters.
It's best to buy your tickets before you arrive, either at a Disney
store or by mail from Walt Disney Guest Communications, since lines
to buy tickets can be very long. There are numerous ticket prices and
options. Disney World is about 20 miles (32km) southwest of downtown
Orlando, west of I-4, in a town called Lake Buena Vista. The best way
to access the park is by car; if that's not an option, a bus leaves
every two hours from Orlando's Lynx Bus Center.
Universal Studios Florida
So you want to be in pictures and the only offers you've had are for
'experimental' films made by creeps? Then Universal Studios may be more
your style, a place to live out your wildest film screen fantasies while
remaining fully clothed.
Like Universal Studios in Hollywood, Orlando's Universal Studios is
a combination working movie studio and theme park. What this means essentially
is that you can admire stars from afar and live vicariously through
them.
Some of the best attractions for relieving star-envy include Terminator
2: 3D, a spectacular 3D simulator experience where you get to be Ahnold;
Back to the Future, which has phenomenal special effects; and Earthquake
- The Big One, which is so dynamite it hits 8.3 on the Richter scale.
Popular shows include the Animal Actors, Dynamite Nights Stuntacular,
Ghostbusters and the Gory Gruesome & Grotesque Horror Makeup Show.
The Hitchcock 3D Theater is a tribute to the master of suspense.Universal
Studios is 4 miles (6km) southwest of downtown Orlando near the intersection
of I-4 and the Florida Turnpike.
SeaWorld Orlando
Somewhere along the way someone figured out that people would pay to
see wild animals splashing around in chlorinated pools. This fact has
spawned places like SeaWorld (owned by the Anheuser-Busch beer empire),
where landlubbing people sit poolside to admire leaping dolphins, sliding
sea lions and crashing killer whales. Not quite as crass as it sounds,
SeaWorld has some entertaining and educational marine theme exhibits.
The park also puts its money where its mouth is, sending out a SeaWorld
Animal Rescue Team to rescue endangered manatees and restore them to
health. One of the best animal rescue outfits in the country, the team
is partially funded by park admissions.
SeaWorld's highlights include the Whale & Dolphin Stadium, which
includes 40 dolphins that have been born at the park; Manatees: the
Last Generation?, which shows a fine nature film about these endangered
creatures; the Sea Lion & Otter Stadium, full of mimicking sea lions,
otters and walruses; and Terrors of the Deep, a visual reminder that
sharks and barracudas have really sharp teeth.
SeaWorld is 10 miles (16km) southwest of downtown Orlando near the intersection
of I-4 and the Bee Line Expressway (Hwy 528), west of International
Drive. |
