Holiday in Orlando Home page

Advice about Orlando, and the other wonderful things you can do during your stay.

The best way to experience a truly memorable holiday is to try something new, so here are a few suggestions.

Orlando one of America’s top holiday destinations and not just because it has theme parks, there are a wide range of other unique activities in the area that offer an alternative to the traditional attractions at Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld.
The best way to reach the theme parks most cost effectively and quickly, is by rental car equipped with a GPS system. We highly recommend, since public transportation is limited, and taxis are expensive in the Orlando area, that you visit
www.carhire-florida.co.uk and book your hire car with them today.

Air Boat Rides

Imagine literally gliding over the water along the Florida coastline as you experience a high-speed airboat ride. Available as a group or private tour, the group airboat rides last about 30 minutes (with longer private tours available on request) and offer an up-close look at alligators and other wildlife. You will remain dry, however, sun and protection against the wind is recommended. Tours start every day between 9:00am and 5:30pm (weather permitting). Prices start from: - Group tour prices: $24.95 (adults), $18.95 (children, ages 3 to 10). Private tours cost $53.45 per person, with a two person minimum. More info visit: www.bcairboats.com/

Helicopter Tours

One way to explore the Orlando area is by air. Several companies offer group and private helicopter tours. Operating from private helipads located on both International Drive and the 192 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway an introductory five to six minute flight will cost $20 to $30 per adult, however, 30 minute tours are also available at around $225 per person. More info visit: www.internationalhelitours.com/ - www.airfloridahelicopter.com/ and also www.sunshinehelicoptertours.com/.

Horse Riding

There are a handful of stables offering horse riding lessons and trail tours. No previous riding experience is required, and these tours are open to people of all ages. Plan on spending about $50 per person for a one-hour guided trail tour with a small group. Private instruction will cost upwards of $75 per hour. All required equipment is provided. Each stable has different hours of operation. Reservations are required. Some of the Orlando area stables offering tours and riding lessons include, www.horseworldstables.com - www.clarconafarm.com/ - www.coutscroft-morgans.com/ - www.freedomride.com/ and www.sweetmusicfarm.com/

Hot Air Ballooning

For adults looking for a romantic experience, nothing in the Orlando area beats an early-morning hot air balloon ride. Experience breathtaking views from hundreds of feet in the air as you glide smoothly through the sky while the Florida sun rises. Each balloon ride ends with a champagne toast. The flights last between an hour and 90 minutes. The colourful balloons are operated by friendly, experienced and licensed pilots. Take off times and locations vary based on weather conditions. Prices start at $175 per person and reservations are required. More infovisit: www.orlandoballoonrides.com

Indoor Skydiving

The experience of skydiving is available for people who don’t want to actually jump out of an aeroplane with a parachute. Indoor Skydiving offers a unique and extremely safe indoor skydiving experience that utilises a wind tunnel powered by an airplane engine to simulate the freefall experience associated with skydiving. Participants wear a special suit, helmet and goggles (provided); receive the required instruction, and then experiences two one-minute flights on a column of air flowing at 125 mph, under the supervision of an instructor. While the skydiving freefall experience is very real, you’ll never actually be more than eight to ten feet off the ground. The whole experience, including training, lasts about an hour. Extended flights are available for an additional fee. Sky Venture is open daily, until at least 9 or 10pm. Reservations are required. Prices start at $44.95 per person. An extended, private family flight package is available (for up to five people) for $229.95. Indoor skydiving is suitable for anyone over the age of 12. No previous experience or special physical skills are required. More info: www.skyventureorlando.com/

Racecar Driving

For anyone interested in experiencing the high-speed thrill of driving a NASCAR racing car around a professional track, at speeds up to 160 mph, the Richard Petty Driving Experience <http://www.1800bepetty.com> at the Walt Disney World Speedway is a guaranteed adrenalin rush. Several different driving and ride-along experiences are offered. For people too young or not comfortable driving their own manual (standard) transmission vehicle, a private ride-along programme with a professional driver is offered. However, after participating in some group instruction, more adventurous drivers can take the wheel and race around the track themselves. For drivers, a few different packages, lasting between three hours and an entire day, are available. Prices range from $399 to $1,250 per person. The shorter, ride-along experience starts at $109 per person. Reservations and a driver’s license are required. All safety gear and necessary instruction is included. More info: www.1800bepetty.com/

Vintage Aeroplane Rides

Located in Polk City, Florida, an easy 30-minute drive from the WDW Resort is the Fantasy of Flight <http://www.fantasyofflight.com> interactive air museum. This private airfield and hanger facility is owned by Kermit Weeks, a flight enthusiast and pilot who has amassed a vast collection of vintage aeroplanes from throughout the history of aviation. Each has been expertly rebuilt or restored and is fully operational. While dozens of aircrafts are on display within two massive hangers, flight demonstrations and air shows are presented on weekends and during peak tourism periods. In addition, private biplane rides are offered for an additional fee. Feel the rush of flying in an open cockpit with the wind in your face, just as the pilots did during the golden era of flight. A 15-minute ride in a vintage New Standard D-25 biplane from the 1930s (operated by a licensed pilot) is priced at $69.95 per passenger. More info: www.fantasyofflight.com/

Public Transport

The Lynx bus system is Orlando’s only public transport, but it covers most of the city, Orlando International Airport, the theme parks and most of the main tourist areas. The routes (Links) are symbolised by pink paw-print signs. One day to seven day and 30 day passes are available, all of which represent significant savings if you take more than two regular-price journeys a day.
Link 38 runs from International Drive to downtown Orlando. Link 42 goes from the airport to International Drive. Link 50 runs from downtown to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Link 51 runs from the airport to downtown Orlando.Link 56 runs from Kissimmee’s Highway 192 to the Magic Kingdom.

In addition, all Disney resort properties offer complimentary transportation (bus, ferry or monorail) to the Disney parks. In downtown Orlando, the free Lymmo bus service operates around the city centre. On International Drive (one of the main tourist thoroughfares); there is also the I-Ride-Trolley a cheap bus service linking all the main hotels and points of interest. There are one day, three day, five day, seven and 14-day passes available, all of which represent great savings on individual journeys. More info visit: www.golynx.com - www.iridetrolley.com

Driving in the City

Most attractions are well signposted and easy to find on Orlando’s road system but traffic can be very heavy on key routes in the morning between 0800 and 0930) and evening between 1600 and1800. Motorway I-4 is the key east-west route but should be avoided at rush hour if possible, while International Drive can also be seriously congested in the evening. Universal Boulevard is a good alternative. To the south, Highway 192 is the main route to Disney from the busy Kissimmee area, but using the Osceola Parkway toll road is often a better bet.

Art and other places of interest

There is a small but thriving arts centre in Orlando, the majority of which is centred on the downtown area. The Orlando Ballet www.orlandoballet.org is Central Florida’s only professional resident ballet company and one of the few ballet companies of its size performing the full-length classical ballets, mostly at the new Orlando Centroplex).
Orlando Shakespeare Theater www.orlandoshakes.org offers classical productions year round at the John & Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center on Princeton Street in the Loch Haven Cultural Park. The latter also houses the Mennello Museum of American Art www.mennellomuseum.com and family-friendly Orlando Science Center www.osc.org .
The Bob Carr Performing Art Centre, 401 West Livingston Street www.orlandovenues.net is the premier venue for theatre, ballet and opera, while Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 East Princeton Street www.orlandorep.com, is a professional company that works in partnership with University of Central Florida to stage family-appropriate classics and riffs on kids’ literature. There’s the regular main stage season, an ‘American Classics’ series that honors US playwrights, and a youth academy for aspiring young actors.
Winter Park, just to the north, is home to two fine museums - The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, 445 North Park Avenue www.morsemuseum.org, which features the world’s finest collection of work by Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Cornell Fine Art Museum, 1000 Holt Avenue www.rollins.edu/cfam.
For cinemas, Downtown Disney (AMC 24, Downtown Disney, tel: (407) 298 4488), Universal’s CityWalk (Universal Cineplex, CityWalk, Universal Orlando Resort, tel: (407) 354 5998), Pointe Orlando (Muvico Pointe 21, Pointe Orlando, tel: (407) 926 6850) and Festival Bay (Cinemark 20 at Festival Bay, tel: (407) 352 1042) all boast multiscreen cineplexes, while the non-profit alternative cinema Enzian Theater, 1300 South Orlando Avenue www.enzian.org, in the suburb of Maitland, is home to the Florida Film Festival each April.