New job, new hair (shorter anyway, maybe I'm balding) new dogs, I'm back. Hopefully...
New job, new hair (shorter anyway, maybe I'm balding) new dogs, I'm back. Hopefully...
Member since:30.01.2001
Reviews:69
Members who trust:35
OrlandoFlorida, Wow! Where do I start, can I fit all the information in this review, will I forget details as is so often the way of great places, let’s hope not. I booked my trip to Orlando in October 1999 for Summer 2000, there were 4 of us going, all adults (21-33 years old) Therefore we had no children and several people had told us it was more for kids.
We flew from Manchester Ringway to Orlando Airport, taking little over 9 and half-hours. The flight itself was pretty good (Monarch Air) and we touched down at 2 in the afternoon. That meant we were in the hottest part of the day, so my first tip is this, have loose US change in your pockets to get a few cold drinks when you get off the plane and out of the airport.
The Airport.
Orlando Airport isn’t among the worlds most luxurious. It has lots of seating, and a few little shops and cafes in the departures lounge, but there is little to do in the event of a delay. It is however kept extremely clean and tidy, making it a little more bearable. There is in the departure area a small terrace where you can overlook the runway. This means the kids (should you have them) will have something to do rather than run screaming round the terminal.
For kids and big kids like me there were a few arcade games, so again loose change would be a help, there is also a duty free shop selling a variety of souvenirs, expensive fragrances and lots of alcohol. The prices are very reasonable especially if the exchange rate is as good as we had.
The staff at the airport are like all the staff we met in Orlando, kind, courteous and very helpful. They put half the people who work in our tourist centres to shame with their knowledge and desire to help. We had few problems there but what little queries we did have were promptly and efficiently dealt with.
The arrival area was a little busy as you can expect, but the baggage handlers were working overtime and we waited 10 minutes before all our bags were through. From here it was a short walk to the holiday centre where our minibus was waiting. There was also the aforementioned very well placed soda store, where I promptly bought 8 very cold bottles of water, they were gone in 5 minutes.
On To Orlando.
So a satisfactory start at the airport out of the way, it was time to head to our accommodation. It is a fair drive to the centre of Orlando (International Drive) from the airport and it’s worth considering this when booking, a taxi would be reasonably dear and a bus doesn’t run that far, so check your operator provides a shuttle.
Our hotel (The Enclave Suites) was just off International Drive, near the Wet n Wild Water Park.
!!!!!!!!!!I MUST STRESS THAT THE ENCLAVE SUITES ARE A GREAT PLACE TO STAY, THEY WERE ON HOLIDAYS FROM HELL A FEW MONTHS BACK AND THAT WAS VERY UNFAIR AS THEY WERE GREAT – I WOULD HAPPILY RETURN THERE !!!!!!!!!
Sorry, had to get that in.
Our hotel was perfectly situated, International Drive is the main road in Orlando that runs right from Seaworld at one end, past Universal and on to several shopping outlet villages. We were a stones throw from it.
Once settled in our rooms, we went for a stroll around the local area. There were several little shops and plenty of restaurants and bars, and the trams whizzed by all the time. It was getting on for 6pm so we headed back to the hotel and changed, before resting a while. The next 13 days were going to be busy...
The Attractions.
We crammed so much in to the holiday I felt dead by the end, we had done more than I thought possible in 2 weeks and felt like we had had 3 holidays.
For me the jewel in Orlando's crown (but then again I am a movie maniac). Situated 5 minutes off International Drive the sprawling complex that is Universal Studios is actually 3 complexes in one.
Universal Studios.
The original of the centres offered by Universal, this is the place for all movie lovers. Entering, you will pass the giant Universal globe, making the first must have photo of the holiday, before passing through the gates and into what seemed like Hollywood. On the approach you are greeted by some of the most famous theme tunes in the world, like Jaws, Psycho and Back To The Future, it really sets the scene. Universal Studios is a mix of rides, shows and general entertainment.
Depending which way you walk, the first you come to is likely to be Twister, the ride based on the Bill Paxton film. Not strictly a ride, this is more of a visual effects demonstration. Watch as the tornado destroys things in front of you, the flames are extremely hot but the effects
are quite amazing.
Going round the corner will bring you to the first proper ride – King Kong. You sit in a cable car going round a city as the giant ape destroys things around you. The main thing that got me was the way it was done. You didn’t just travel the course and leave, you had a guide who was pretending it was real, the whole scenario was set as you queued, with news broadcasts explaining how Kong was loose and we should all evacuate in the cable cars. This makes it different to anything you have seen before, it felt almost dramatic, and the scare near the end...well I’ll leave that to you to find out about.
Strolling on I almost died at what I saw next. Amity. Not a scene from the town made famous in Jaws, but the whole town. Just like in the film, preparations for the parade and the summer were underway, to the left was a shark caught by hunters who thought it was the rubbery one himself. The whole set-up was quite breathtaking, to see a location recreate in such amazing detail was something I’d never ever seen, and I felt like I was in the film. Of course they had to have a Jaws ride, and again this was done like a real life set-up. Boat Tours. You take the tour with a guide who suddenly sees a fin, the rest I leave to you to imagine, but bear in mind that the shark looks as real as the 1977 one (i.e. fake)
Round a little further sees the Wild West stunt show, which I sadly missed but I was told it was awesome, all the usual horseback, falling off roofs tension of great old west movies (apparently)
A little further on was the MIB (Men In Black) ride. At the time it was the newest attraction and therefore had the largest clue. What was impressive here was the intro you get from none other than the film stars Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Rip Torn. It’s another scenario as you are the new recruits sent out to bag the aliens. This one though is interactive, as you use guns ion the front of your vehicle to nail aliens and amass a score. Great fun.
Moving on (we did that a lot) you get to the Back To The Future ride which was closed when we went for maintenance. It looked good though. A little down the street, and after meeting Xena and The Blues Brothers, as well as getting a glimpse of the Ghostbusters we went into the Terminator 2 ride. This is a huge 3D presentation again set out like a real life scenario. On a tour of Cyberdyne systems something goes wrong and we must watch the final battle between the original characters of the film and the deadly Skynet computer, as well as the newly formed T-1,000,000. The effects here are staggering, through your 3D glasses I challenge anyone not to try and touch the Terminators head as he surveys you, it’s amazing. The ride lasts a good 20 minutes, but is something not easily forgotten.
There are other rides, but they are the main part of it. But that’s not the end, there are literally hundreds of places to eat, drink and be entertained. We had a beer in an Irish pub whilst watching the Blues Brothers perform live. S
Shopping is another biggie here, but it can get expensive. There are shops for each ride all offering high quality and highly priced merchandise, but there are some great keepsakes.
Islands Of Adventure.
The newer of Universals theme parks, Islands Of Adventure is a stunning set of rides and attractions based on 4 unique areas of Universal Entertainment. The area is split into 4 sections, each named islands.
The first is Marvel Super Hero Island, this is a land of fast rides and great action. The coasters here are visible for miles and are among the fastest in the world. The first one that you notice is the Hulk. It’s based on the comic book character and is easily spotted due to its bright green track. The novelty here is the start of the roller coaster, not content with a big drop like normal coasters, this actually shoots you into the coaster at around 0-60mph in 3 seconds. The feeling is awesome. There are twists and loops and an amazing drop, all culminating in a screech of brakes and the inevitable rush to get back in the queue.
Dr. Dooms fear fall is a simple idea for a ride. Sit in the seat, attached to a 180-foot vertical tower, and be catapulted into the air at amazing speed before shooting back down. It left my stomach way behind me and the view was as good as anything in Orlando.
The Spiderman ride was among my favourites. It used the same 3D effects as the Terminator ride at Universal Studios, but adds the great idea of a ride. You travel along in the car, but seeing 3D images all the time, at the end you feel like you are falling 300 storeys and the effect is flawless. Like in Universal Studios, a real life scenario is acted out to add realism and excitement.
The next island is Toon Lagoon, where all the buildings look a little like Fred Flintstone’s house. Overused colours, great bog seats and comedy signs add to the effect, and the rides aren’t bad either. Whilst slightly more child oriented the 2 water rides on this island are as good as any.
The Bluto and Popeye Bilge Rats are a version of our water rapids, where you sit in a large eight-person tyre and race around the track, I guarantee you a soaking (and so do universal by offering passers by water cannons)
The log flume is like any good flume, full of awesome drops and great soakings, but it’s the sheer velocity attained on the last drop that leaves this ride in the memory.
The next island is a mass of trees and vegetation with some very famous gates. Yes the giant gates from Jurassic Park are yours to see as Jurassic Park is entered. The theme from the movie plays as dinosaurs fly above you and emerge from the bushes (not real of course)
The rides range from the tame like the fly by pterodactyl flight to the amazing river ride. Another soaking is due here, I’m glad the weather is so good. There is also a full recreation of the HQ in the first film where lots of interesting dino facts can be seen.
We moved on to The Lost Continent, where myth and magic was the order of the day. Among the magic shows, olde worlde shops and attractions lies the twin roller coaster. Aptly named the duelling dragons this is one for the bravest only. Sit in one of 2 coaster carriages and scream off on what is on its own a great ride, but add the fact that there will be several near misses with the other car, including a seemingly impossible twin loop and this is one of the best coasters in the state. Each carriage offers a different route so it’s worth queuing to do both.
We skipped through the final Island, as it is purely for the kids. It’s called Seuss landing and is based on the characters and creation of Dr. Seuss. It looked very nice, but only for kids really.
Citywalk.
Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are joined together by a quite wild entertainment complex known as Citywalk. Overlooking a man made river and the worlds largest Hard Rock Cafe, Citywalk is a mix of bars, restaurant and entertainment, as well as pubs and clubs. There is also a cinema complex showing the newest films. Several of the restaurants do a deal where you can get a movie and a meal for a good price. We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe and saw a film for $17 each (about £12)
Verdict.
Universal’s complex is a fantastic addition to this amazing holiday, I rated it as the best simply as I had fun from minute one of 3 days in there. Yes the merchandise is overpriced like everywhere else and drinks cost a bit, but the entertainment value is second to none and the sheer variety of things to do is overwhelming. An absolute must for fns of films or great rides. Kids will love it too. With loads of places to eat and each ride offering a good photo at then end, memories of this place will last.
There is something for everyone, rides, entertainment, shopping and relaxation points. I promise you’ll use a few rolls of film, and recognise half the places from the movies. The cost (which is explained in detail later in the op) is extremely reasonable, and makes the whole thing well worth it.
How can I do an Orlando op without Disneyworld, well pretty easily in a way. We only did one of Disney’s 4 main parks, we were a little short on cash and ad so much else to do. We chose MGM studios as the park to do and having seen the other 3 on TV I’m glad we did.
Like Universal, movies are the theme here, but it’s all a little bit Disneyfied. This means higher prices f course, but an amazing attention to detail. There are characters to meet all over the park. But we were there for the rides, and we were treated to some of the best.
The Aerosmith Rock n Roller Coaster is an in the dark coaster, set like universal in a real life situation (that of rushing to get to the gig on time.) This ride has the fastest start I have ever known, you sit in the carriage as Steve Tyler (the singer) counts you down. You then speed off from 0-60mph inside 1.5 seconds. Your head snaps back and you realise why the cushion is so big. Inside the track is decked out like a motorway, and has immense twists and turns to cope with.
The Tower Of Terror is set in a giant hotel, where the Twilight Zone is the main ingredient. Tales of how a lift plummeted 30 floors are told as you queue, and guess what ? You’re in that lift. The drop when it comes is staggering, doors open moments before the first drop of a full 30 storeys, and then you shoot back up to do it again The view is amazing, I swear I saw Manchester from up there.
The other rides are good too, several coasters and log flumes, but we spent so much time on the aforementioned pair that we didn’t do a lot else.
The night ended with an amazing light show, where more fireworks were used in half an hour than are seen in Britain in a year. The visual spectacle of the light show was amazing, especially when they projected cartoons onto water sprays.
Verdict.
MGM was a great day out, but it is only a quarter of Disney and I’d like to see more. there are tons of places to shop and eat (including a toy story themed restaurant.)
There is a lot to see and do, but I didn’t think it was better that Universal. Entry was also more expensive and the day passed pretty quickly. The looks of the place are amazing though, and it is a highly recommended day out.
Seaworld.
One of Orlando’s oldest, yet most underrated attractions Seaworld is a place we spent almost 4 days due to the excellent content.
It is at the end of International Drive and easily reached by the I-Ride tram network. The entrance sees you going past a pool of fake animals, but it sounds so real we had to stop and make sure. Inside the routes you can take are pretty varied, but the attractions are excellent whichever way you go.
The Dolphin nursery is a clear favourite, you can see baby dolphins swim with their mothers, and it’s quite tranquil to watch. Across the way is the stingray pool. Stroking these is akin to stroking jelly, but it’s a real sensation.
The dolphin beach is where the adult dolphins can be viewed and fed. Some of Seaworlds best photos come from here. After all everyone loves Dolphins don’t they?
Moving on you get to Kracken, the roller coaster of Seaworld. It’s a very fast and floorless affair, the initial rise is around 200 feet and the speed is immense. The twists are very tight and the feeling is amazing. We rode this 13 times while we were there, it'’ that much fun.
Just over from Kracken was Neptune’s Roller Coaster/Log Flume. Whilst this mountain of a ride starts a s a water ride after a few drops it becomes a roller coaster, and a mean one at that. Not as good as Kracken but well worth a ride.
But Seaworlds strength is in its shows and animal displays. Their star turn Samu the Killer Whale is in about 3 shows per day, we saw the last one, which combined the whale with a great light show. We also saw part of another one but got too soaked to report on it :o)
The shows we saw were the excellent Walrus show, which consisted of seals and a walrus doing a pirate thing. Weird but to be marvelled t, and we also saw the pets on stage show. Here we saw ordinary pets do great things, tightrope walking cats, skateboarding dog and a pig that introduced the acts.
Seaworld is famous for its animal sanctuaries and shows, but their biggest sanctuary when we went was for the little known manatee. Soon to be extinct Seaworld is pressing for more awareness of these seal like creatures in the hope they can be saved. Their manatee exhibition was both informative and interesting.
Seaworld also boasts (like everywhere else) a huge range of eateries and shops. Lots of self branded merchandise, as well as Budweiser things (Bud makers Anheuser Busch sponsor Seaworld.) The prices were far more reasonable than Disney or Universal, and made for a cheaper day out.
HINT. You have to try the cake stall on the right of the main entrance, I recommend the choc n cherry pie.
About an hour away from Orlando is Busch Gardens. Also run by Anheuser Busch, this is a combination of awesome rides and great safari like locations. It can be easily reached by car, or there is a $5 shuttle from Seaworld. Good value really.
As you get to Busch Gardens the Gwazi roller coaster is the first thing you see. Impressively built, this is clearly homage to our very own Grand National at Blackpool. A traditional but huge wooden coaster built in real old time style, with two carriages at a time. The speed hits in excess of 100mph and that means a mean old ride.
The other coasters, Kumba, Scorpion and one whose name escapes me were very busy, and we spent so long on the safari section that we missed them. They looked fast and awesome though.
So to the safari. Great plains of grass allowed animals of all kinds to roam free, whilst a gentle train took us round the plains to see them. Lions, Tigers and all sorts of animals were on display. Add to that the reptile and bird sanctuaries, as well as the croc pits and eagle shows and this is a place animal enthusiasts have to go to.
There is the usual selection of places to eat and a glorious restaurant in the centre, as well as loads of snack and drink bars. All the shops are, like Seaworld, well priced.
Wet N Wild.
Well what can I say, over ten high speed water slides, 2 water raft slides, wave pools, relaxation pools, bars, cafes and loads of water based activities to try. Jetskis can be hired in the Laguna and there seems so much to do it’s untrue. It’s cheap to get in and the ticket lasts all day. The queues can be long and are quite sun exposed so take decent amounts of sunblock. Like many water parks safety is paramount and Wt n Wild doesn’t disappoint, loads of lifeguards and excellent safety policies make sure you have a safe day. Good for a relaxation day.
Belz Outlet Village
Shoppers (like me) ahoy! This is the place. Orlando has a few little outlet malls but they are dwarfed by the sheer size of this place, Belz has over 100 shops selling everything from clothes to furniture, DVD’s to CD players. The prices are genuinely cheap, I got several designer shirts, pants and some shoes, as well as 5 DVD’s for less than £100. It was great value, I just wish I had more space in my case.
The sort of shops you will find include exclusive outlet stores of DKNY, Timberland, Reebok, Adidas, Nike, CK, Guess and loads more. There is a great selection in each store and these aren’t seconds or damaged goods. The are simply end of range or what was left before new stock arrived at the main stores. The bargains are incredible, and like everywhere here there are places to eat.
HINT : This really can take a long time to do, especially if you are a shopaholic (this means you Moose) so plan a good few hours for it.
Situated at the opposite end of International Drive from Seaworld, this is again easily reached by bus or the I-Ride trams.
Pointe Orlando.
Another set of shops, no outlets here but a nice selection. We have a Disney store, which surprisingly was cheaper than the stores in Disneyworld itself, several smaller stores selling trinkets and things like sunglasses and watches. There is a terrific entertainment store where I picked up yet more DVD’s as well as a few more diverse stores such as Magnetville USA and Glow! which is their equivalent of our gadget shop.com.
There is also a huge cinema, which incorporates an Imax screen, as well as a large selection of eateries and coffee-houses. It’s all very well kept, and rounded off by FAO Schwarz, a massive toy store, (the same franchise as the store seen in Home Alone 2.) This store alone can take an hour to see as there is so much to do (OK I mean play with, but hey I was on holiday)
Great for relaxation, I know you probably think golf is golf but think again. Orlando Crazy Golf courses do not consist of 18 silly little tracks with a few decorations, far from it. The first, Pirates Cove has 36 holes in total set on 3 levels with some amazingly designed holes. Caverns, waterfalls and slopes all play a part. There was another course near Wet n Wild but we had no time to play it, they had live crocs too!
Cheap and fun for all this is another great way to relax and catch some sun, and needless to say they had a cafe.
Like Seaworld a lesser hyped of Orlando’s tourist spots, Gatorland is never the less a terrific day out. There are loads of Crocs and Gators to see, as well as about 10 different shows.
As well as the crocs and gators they have snakes and yes, spiders apparently (although I never saw them because I detest them with a passion)
Another cheap day out, this one will require a taxi as it’s a little further out, but worth the trip I promise. Cafe and shop (yawn) :o) I think that’s about all we did there, but there’s still more to tell you. Travel. Assuming you don’t hire a car there are plenty of ways to get to the places you need to go in Orlando. On International Drive we have the I-Ride trams, at a flat fare of 75 cents from anywhere to anywhere they represent terrific value. Serving the whole of International Drive from Belz to Seaworld and with around 40 stops, they will take you anywhere in that region. Beware our sadistic driver who had a habit of making you holler “Yo!” to stop, or he didn’t. He also seemed to enjoy abusing the tram full sign before letting people on, a sort of Orlando’s Dom Joly maybe? The buses are also pretty good, a flat rate of $1.50 gets you a ride anywhere, and they are a lot cleaner than ours. Taxis are a little pricier, but they are all air conditioned and comfortable, plus they are happy to arrange pickups and are very reliable.
Eating. Surely I said there were enough places to eat, yes all the attractions offer a myriad of places to eat, but what about a simple night out? Several places offer all you can eat buffets, with optional steaks for a few dollars more. This offer extends to breakfast as well, but leave early as the queues do form. The prices are ridiculously low, and 4 people can easily eat to their hearts desire on £20. My personal recommendations are : International House Of Pancakes (IHOP), Ponderosa and Western Steer. All good food and damned cheap. The other thing is free coke, whatever soft drink you have they refill it ad nauseum for free. Make sure you take the toothbrush! Weather. Hot. Damn hot. You know this, everyone does. Suncream is a must but I must advise you do not buy it here, get it in Florida as our creams are pretty ineffective over there (I forget why) Their creams will do the job a lot better.
Cash. Orlando is essentially cheap when you’re there, it’s just expensive to get to. Food, shopping is all cheap, but park tickets can be expensive. We got a deal called a Flexticket which for £140 got us 10 days unlimited access to Seaworld, Busch Gardens, Universal (all of it) and Wet n Wild. Mega value, but the Disney tickets were nearly £40 each, although I think they do deals if you go to more than one park. Travel agents can advise you best. Overall. A masterpiece of a holiday, I loved every minute of every day here. I would like to, no I will go back. It’s great, it’s huge and I probably only saw half of it. And still that’s the longest review I ever wrote so imagine if I spent longer there.
I hope you liked my op, sorry it was sooo long but I had to fit it all in. If you want to know more, or have a query leave a comment, I’ll try to help.
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Excellent detail on this wonderful holiday destination. I enjoyed reading it even though I have been there twice already. It's a great review for someone who hasn't been there yet.
ajfoster 24.01.2004 21:45
Excellent review! I appreciate the thoroughness as I'm sure you didn't overlook any important facts. However, I noticed you went into great depth about some of Orlando's attractions that have product pages of their own. It might have paid you a little more if you broke them out of this review when you could and then refer to them in this one. ...Or were those product pages added after this was posted? Once again, great review. --AJF
Pookie_Rabbit 04.09.2001 18:23
A well written and concise report to say the least! Having been to Orlando three times I would add a couple of things.
First you say the airport isnt that good and quite a way out of town. I dare say you are refering to Sanford airport which is a good 45 minute drive from Orlando. It is used for UK charter flights. Actual Orlando International is pretty close to ID etc. but tends not be used by the likes of Monarch and Brittani now.
I guess for someone who hasnt been to Orlando I would recomend also going to the MK and Epcot before spending extra days in Sea World and Gatorland.
Overall all though really useful.
Cheers, Pookie
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