WHERE FANTASIES MEET THRILLS
Theme parks are a must when visiting Central Florida. From Tampa to Orlando, the never-ending thrills can take your breath away. Even if you’ve had a chance to experience some of the area’s major attractions on a previous visit, prepare to be wowed. Florida’s theme parks are continuously adding new, fun-packed excitement and adventures to the delight of families and all ages year after year.
SEAWORLD ORLANDO
Infinity Falls is a twisting and turning river rapid ride that showcases a lush South American jungle environment and native animals that call this habitat home. Wind your way around soaking fountains and waterfalls as you pass the remains of an ancient civilization. The adventure features a vertical elevator that lifts rafts in preparation for a 40-foot drop into churning and exhilarating waters. Now you’re ready for SeaWorld Orlando’s first launch coaster, Ice Breaker. This chilling new coaster features four airtime filled launches, backwards and forwards, culminating in a reverse launch into the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida—a 93 foot tall spike with a 100-degree angle as well as a series of exciting twists, turns and airtime hills.
Visit Sesame Street Land. Walk around this six-acre neighborhood and visit Big Bird’s Nest, Hooper’s Store and all the famous characters. Rides include Big Bird’s Twirl ‘N’ Whirl and Super Grover’s Box Car Derby, among others.
The Killer Whale Up-Close Tour gives guests the opportunity to learn about the park’s majestic killer whales in a 45-minute tour. The large windows at the popular Dolphin Nursery gives guests a chance to see mothers and young dolphins up close. Throughout the animal-themed exhibits at SeaWorld Orlando, you’ll learn about the park’s ongoing work in the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife—over 40,000 animals spanning a duration of more than 50 years.
Nearby, Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive day resort with a list of interactive animal adventures, welcomes guests to swim with both dolphins and sharks. The Signature Dolphin Swim Experience offers the opportunity to interact with a dolphin including an unforgettable swim. The aweinspiring shark swim allows guests to enjoy closer-than-ever encounters with several species of these legendary marine predators. SeaWorld Orlando donates five percent of the proceeds from this attraction to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) in support of shark conservation and research. This experience is available to guests 10 years and older. Discovery Cove also features a Ray Feeding experience, which gives guests the chance to feed various species of stingrays as well as thousands of tropical fish.
Aquatica, SeaWorld Orlando’s Water Park, features high-speed water slides, exhilarating wave pools, and 80,000 square feet of sparkling white, sandy, artificial beaches to the delight of all ages. This one-of-a-kind water park is also home to Ihu’s Breakaway Falls, a multi-drop tower waterslide. Dare to
try the KareKare Curl. Seating two passengers in each circular raft, it features a 35foot drop down an enclosed tube slide, providing a high-adrenaline, weightless water park thrill.
BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the undisputed king of coasters in West Central Florida with world-class coasters: Kumba, Montu, Sheikra, Cheetah Hunt, Scorpion, Cobra’s Curse, Tigris and the newest, Iron Gwazi. Billed as North America’s tallest, world’s fastest and steepest hybrid coaster, it reaches a speed of 76 miles per hour. For younger guests, the park offers two mellower rides, SandSerpent and Air Grover.
Of course, Busch Gardens Tampa is much more than roller coasters. It’s also one of the country’s premiere zoos.
At the park’s state-of-the-art Animal Care Center, guests can observe animal care firsthand and even take part in animal-care experiences ranging from nutrition and treatments to X-rays and surgeries.
UNIVERSAL ORLANDO
Charting new territory is the Bourne Stuntacular. Traveling to three continents as Jason Bourne is pursued by sinister characters, this not-to-be-missed stunt show combines modern technology and live action.
Harry Potter fans will want to experience Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Board magical motorbikes to fly far into the dark forest past Hogwarts Castle, towering trees and magical creatures, while dodging fierce beasts. At 50 mph, it will rocket you forward, sling you backward and drop you—with a free-fall vertical dropping you nearly 17 feet.
At Islands of Adventure, the new Jurassic World VelociCoaster takes you for a high-speed dash as you feel the rush of the hunt racing alongside a pack of velociraptors, twisting and soaring above the land and water.
Guests can’t get enough of Volcano Bay, Universal Orlando’s third theme park. Unlike Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, Volcano Bay, featuring Krakatau, the 200-foot volcano overlooking a South Pacific Island, is all about getting wet. The volcano is home to the park’s Krakatau Aqua Coaster, an exciting coaster that propels you upward and downward through the volcano’s interior peaks and valleys. Volcano Bay offers more than 30 experiences including a multi-directional wave pool with sandy beaches and twisting multi-rider raft rides. Take the Ko’okiri Body Plunge, a 70-degree, 125-foot fall through a trap door, or relax on the Kopiko Wai Winding River.
WALT DISNEY WORLD
With spectacular views, the Disney Skyliner aerial gondolas offer convenient connections with four Disney Resort hotels, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot, via five stations.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you may find yourself shrunk to the size of a toy to explore the world of Andy’s backyard with your favorite Toy Story characters in Toy Story Land. This area also showcases Slinky Dog Dash—a family roller coaster. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a trackless dark ride located inside a replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. With conductor Goofy, be prepared for unexpected twists, slapstick gags and incredible transformations as Mickey and Minnie try to save the day. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge features two ride options: Being part of a six-person crew on “Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run” where you walk through a full-sized replica of the Millennium Falcon and then climb into the cockpit where Hondo Ohnaka leads a secret mission. A cast member hands each person their role assignment—a pilot, gunner or engineer. “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance” is a massive, multi-platform attraction, unlike anything else at Disney World. Guests are in an epic battle between the First Order and the Resistance, boarding an Imperial Star Destroyer with 50 animatronic storm troopers waiting in formation.
Another jewel is Pandora—The World of AVATAR, at Animal Kingdom. Experience the Na’vi River Journey as it transports you
through a bioluminescent rainforest, while AVATAR: Flight of Passage invites you to take an exhilarating 3D flight on the back of a mountain banshee.
At Epcot Center, the thrills of the fun blockbuster films “Guardians of the Galaxy” come to life in a new rollercoaster attraction. Called, “Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind,” the family-friendly coaster experience rotates 360 degrees to focus guests on the action. This thrilling ride features the first ever reverse-launch on a Disney coaster and is one of the longest enclosed coasters in the world.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in the France pavilion is a trackless dark ride. This 4D experience finds you on a daring culinary caper that will zip you through the kitchen, dining room and walls of Gusteau’s famous Paris restaurant.
LEGOLAND FLORIDA RESORT
Take the young ones aged 2 to 12 to LEGOLAND theme park, in Winter Haven. It boasts more than 50 rides, attractions and shows as well as life-sized LEGO displays. The Peppa Pig Theme Park opened last year. It features six rides, themed playscapes and a water play area. It is a Certified Autism Center and offers accessible rides for wheelchairs.
INTERNATIONAL DRIVE
Make time to visit Orlando’s International Drive a.k.a. I-Drive, home to smaller, yet no less exciting attractions.
At ICON Park, board The Wheel, a state-ofthe-art observation wheel with breathtaking views of Central Florida. Or, take an invigorating spin on the Orlando StarFlyer, a 450foot-tall swing ride attraction. The Slingshot and Drop Tower are both new park attractions. The former lowers riders into a volcano and, as it erupts, guests will launch in the air at 100 mph and then plummet back to earth. Boasting one of the fastest and smoothest ride systems to date, the latter carries riders up 40 stories into the sky then free-falls at 75 mph. Also at this complex, visit Madame Tussauds wax museum and the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium.
Nearby, the Magical Midway Thrill Park offers a variety of rides and attractions and FunSpot America offers roller coasters— including a 250-foot SkyCoaster—multi-level go-kart tracks and arcade games. Ripley’s Believe it or Not is the center for all things odd and quirky, while Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition takes you on that fateful cruise among full scale re-creations of the doomed ship.
Dezerland Park is an indoor fun park with a trampoline park, go-karts, bowling, arcade games, and features The Auto Museum— home to one of the most engaging auto/vehicle collections in the world with exhibits including a car collection of famous Hollywood stars and rare James Bond cars.
Dinner shows also include such diverse choices as the Pirate Dinner Adventure, the Titanic First-class Dinner Gala and the Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Show.
MORE ENJOYMENT AWAITS
Orlando Watersports Complex features a modular series of inflatable, interlocking climbing obstacles, pathways and slides for hours of watery fun.
Gatorland is a great place to see alligators of all sizes. Enjoy the Gator Zip Line and the Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure where you board monster-style off-road vehicles to adventure over hills, through mud puddles and across a pond full of alligators in a 15 minute rugged adventure ride alongside the swamps that feed the headwaters of the Everglades.