Florida Travel Guide
Orlando & Kissimmee
No one who travels to this part of the world should be under any allusions. Do not expect high art, or a spiritual experience, there is no aesthetic beauty or intellectual challenge. This is fun. Pure and simple unadulterated fun.
Kissimmee was a small town in a quiet farming district of central Florida when Walt Disney chose it as the site for his new theme park complex. When the building work began the fate of this town and its neighbour Orlando was sealed. When Walt Disney World opened in the early 70's it was the start of a boom for building and tourism that has subsequently made this area one of the world's biggest tourist attractions.
Where to Go and What to See
Kissimmee
This town is only a short distance from the Disney Empire. Here is the original Magic Kingdom with its Tommorrowland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Fantasyland. This is the original model, as copied from Disney's first park in California and subsequently in Paris. Mickey and his chums are to be found here wandering around capering for the crowd's pleasure.
EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow) was the second Disney theme park and is an imagined version of how we might live in the future. Opened in 1982 this park has been updated to maintain its contemporary feel. There are also the national pavilions, which seek to teach the visitor a little about each of the eleven chosen nations.
Disney MGM Studios is a theme park that mixes education and entertainment. There are backstage tours, stunt driving and special effects shows all mixed in with wild rides. Do not miss the 'Rock and Roller Coaster' a new ride that seems to begin by launching you, by rocket, down a tube into a rollercoaster in the dark accompanied by flashing lights and loud heavy rock music. Utterly brilliant.
The most recent theme park is Disney's Animal Kingdom. Opened in 1998 this is in effect an enormous Safari Park. Highlights are the African 'Kilimanjaro Safaris' and the Indian 'Maharajah Jungle Trek'. The idea of this is to be an educational and conservation enterprise though it is done in Disney's own special way.
There are also three waterparks on the Disney site. To get full value out of the above expect to spend a day in each. Within all the Disney Empire there are numerous hotels and restaurants all aimed firmly at the family.
Orlando
Home of all the other theme parks, Orlando is a sizeable place; this is where the airport is and the non-Disney hotels. It is also where the tee shirt shops, fast food joints and nightlife is.
Chief amongst the theme parks is Universal Studios. This is a working film studio on 400 acres of land. It also includes some killer rides. Do not miss the 'Back to the Future' ride. There are others including a Twister and a Men in Black ride. There is also the 'Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies Show', which shows some of the tricks of the filmmaker's trade.
The newest theme park in the area is the Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. This is a theme park for the new millennium and clearly designed to beat Disney at their own game. Especially recommended is the 'Amazing Adventures of Spiderman'.
In direct competition with the Disney water parks is 'Wet 'n' Wild'. One of the rides is 80 or 90 feet high and just off vertical. Don't forget to keep your legs crossed. The queues in all the water parks can be lengthy and wearing only a swimsuit makes you very vulnerable to the sun. Take the necessary precautions.
For slightly more sedate entertainment visit Sea World. This is a theme park come aquarium. The big attraction is 'Shamu' the performing killer whale; there are also other performing sea-mammal shows. This may not be to everyone's tastes but there is still much to enjoy by way of exhibits that are more conventional, look out for the sharks in the Terrors of the Deep section. Sea World has also just opened its first ride 'Journey to Atlantis'.
Eating, Drinking and Sleeping
Staying in the Disney resort can be a little more expensive than elsewhere in the area. You may also find you want to escape Disney for a little while. Orlando has many places at reasonable prices due to the competition for the tourist dollar. The same can be said of the food. Much of it tends to be American fast food from the well-known chains but Orlando does have some good restaurants.
There is nightlife on the theme parks but a trip to historical downtown Orlando is worth a trip especially Church Street Station.
|
|
|
