Tr avel report FLORIDA
airline, my knees and ankles didn’t scream in protest for the duration due a lack of legroom.
In fact the moment we were airborne I actually felt better. I’m not suggesting that a simple seat upgrade is going to cure anyone’s fear of flying, but having more room to spread out certainly helped me relax.
I put on the fluffy socks in my complimentary flight kit, sat back, and for a moment the image of my charred luggage bobbing in the water somewhere off the coast of Greenland was banished from my mind.
Also there was gin. The gin helped.
Nine hours later we were sweltering in the October heat of Orlando, which is a rather lovely city in its own right and not just a place down the road from some theme parks.
Our hotel, The Rosen Centre, is vast in a way that only American hotels are. Its cavernous lobby is home to a bar and several restaurants, as well as a convenience store with its own bakery. The rooms are modern and, for the price, nicely fitted.
Early next morning we set off for Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive, entirely man-made resort with a lush landscape, sandy beaches and tropical lagoons.
In all honesty we’d been looking forward to this more than any of the other parks. Why? Well, Discovery Cove is home to a pod of bottlenose dolphins, and as part of our package we were due to swim with them. Also there are no roller coasters. Entrance includes all meals, snacks and drinks.
Once you’re inside you don’t have to pay for anything. It also includes wetsuits and towels – even sunscreen.
After a long flight this was the perfect way to start our trip.
It’s such a peaceful place. Narrow paths wind their way underneath a lush jungle canopy. There’s an aviary where you can hand-feed birds of paradise, and winding river you can float down, swept along by a gentle current.
Kids can snorkel with manta rays and tropical fish in the Grand Reef while mum and dad relax on one of the beaches. I’d recommend, if budget allows, splashing out on a cabana – a private hut bordering one of the lagoons.
They’re perfect for families who want a little more privacy.
The dolphin swim is an optional extra, but it’s worth every penny.
The whole experience lasts about half an hour, during which one of the resort’s trainers explains all about dolphin behaviour and how the animals interact with each other.
You’re given the opportunity to touch and feed the dolphin before being taken on a brief ride through the water holding on to its back.
Ordinarily I baulk at the use of the word ‘magical,’ but that’s exactly what it was. It’s a theme park, yes, but it’s also a zoo and animal sanctuary with a dollop of holiday camp chucked in for good measure.
In the space of a hundred yards you can ride a roller coaster, see an elephant, and watch an ice dancing show.
It’s at once dizzying and exhilarating. It’s also home to some of Florida’s best rides, and while my partner could scarcely contain her excitement, I was convinced I’d spend the day miserable and nauseous.
Turns out I was wrong. There are roller coasters, and then there are Florida roller coasters.
The Cheetah Hunt, a twisting, jinking high-speed ride, successfully whitened our knuckles, while Montu and Cobra’s Curse had us grinning like lunatics.
Being fired face-first at the ground isn’t my idea of ‘fun,’ but if that’s your gig Falcon’s Fury is the ride for you. It’s a 335ft drop tower – the biggest in North America – that gives riders five seconds of complete freefall. Utterly bonkers in every way.
Away from the rides there’s a safari park offering guided tours in the back of specially converted flat-