The worlds of Orlando: reserve your magic carpet for a family fling to the fantasylands of Central Florida

Travel America, Jan-Feb, 2003 by Randy Mink

TO THE CASUAL VISITOR, IT seems that Orlando has no houses. Looking out a bus window or driving from the airport in your rental car, you see lakes and swamps, pine woods and palmetto-studded fields, but no neighborhoods. The smooth ribbons of roadway just lead to hotels, amusements, or commercial areas. Someone must live in Florida's sixth largest city, but nothing looks very residential, except for an occasional apartment complex.

This perception of unreality meshes well with Orlando's reputation as a carefree world of fantasy and fun. In today's climate of unease and uncertainty, Americans--more than ever--need a place to escape. So it's no surprise that Orlando, thanks to the theme parks of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld, continues to be the nation's top family vacation destination.

Orlando holds a warm place in the hearts of our family of four. It's a joy to go back to old haunts--to ride favorite rides, dine in familiar restaurants, walk movie-set streets, and just get swept away in the carnival atmosphere. And there's always a new ride, show, parade, or place to eat because each park outdoes itself to keep fresh--and keep up with the competition.

We've been going to Orlando since the kids were little. As teenagers now, they're drawn to different magnets, particularly the roller coasters and other thrill rides the parks have added in recent years to widen their reach.

On our trip last year, we made a dream discovery--a little piece of heaven called Discovery Cove. Exclusive and expensive, this brainchild of SeaWorld Orlando is not unlike visiting a private island in the Bahamas. Landscaped with palms, tropical flowers, and tons of sugary white sand fringing crystal-clear lagoons, it's a reservations-only retreat for those who want a barefoot romp in paradise. Daily attendance is limited to 1,000.

The highlight for Discovery Cove guests is swimming with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. After an orientation video, a group of seven guests clad in flotation vests heads to the lagoon with a trainer, who explains the behavior of the graceful marine mammals.

In water about 10 feet deep, we took turns interacting with a 700-pound dolphin named Rose, rubbing her back, giving a kiss, and feeding her fish. Then we each held on for a little ride, clutching her pectoral fin.

Besides the dolphin encounter, activities at this one-of-a-kind oasis include snorkeling with sting rays and tropical fish, mingling with tropical birds in a free-flight aviary, floating down a river through waterfalls, and relaxing in beach chairs by a resort-style swimming pool.

The all-inclusive price at Discovery Cove ($219, plus tax) covers all activities and equipment, towels, lunch, parking, and a pass for seven days of unlimited admission to SeaWorld Orlando (which charges about $50 for one day). It's certainly a splurge item for most families' budgets, but the. memories are priceless.

SeaWorld Orlando, a 200-acre theme park, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Disney and Universal parks--in terms of appeal, size, and admission price. You really need a full day there--and still won't see all of it. Trainers demonstrate the awesome power of killer whales in the signature "Shamu Adventure" show, where audience members in front rows can expect to get soaked. Visitors can toss fish to California sea lions at Pacific Point Preserve, feed dolphins and sting rays in the Key West section, and visit Antarctica at the indoor Penquin Encounter.

SeaWorld's Kraken roller coaster, named after a mythological underwater monster, is the highest, fastest, and longest in orlando. Journey to Atlantis--part water ride, part roller coaster--is another recent whiteknuckle addition that's helped put SeaWorld on the radar screen of families with older children.

If teens could spend just a day in Orlando, they likely would choose to hang out at Universal's Islands of Adventure. This "next-generation" theme park is adjacent to Universal Studios movie theme park. Connected by the CityWalk dining-entertainment complex, the dynamic duo, along with three new resort hotels, make up Universal orlando.

At Islands of Adventure, the longest lines form at the state-of-the-art Incredible Hulk and Dueling Dragons roller coasters. The latter's dragon-shaped racing cars furiously barrel toward and around each other at speeds close to 60 m.p.h., escaping collision by mere inches. Other must-dos include Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls water flume; Doctor Doom's Fearfall, a faster-than-gravity drop from a 200-foot tower; Jurassic Park River Adventure, a raft trip through dinosaur habitats capped by an 85-foot plunge; and the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, a heart-stopping 3-D ride.

The less daring find their own pleasures at Islands of Adventure. There are plenty of rides for younger children, especially at color-splashed Seuss Landing, where the whimsical characters from Dr. Seuss books spring to life on rides like The Cat in the Hat and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. At Green Eggs and Ham Cafe, have a cheeseburger or its namesake specialty.