July 1998
Volume 62 |
Number 7
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| Orlando - A World
Showcase of Excitement and Fun |
The April 1998 NEWSLETTER article "Orlando
- Fun for All Ages" provided a brief historical synopsis
of the entertaining city of Orlando. ASA is proud to have Orlando
as its host city for this year's Annual Meeting, October 17-21,
1998.
With a plethora of theme parks, water parks, zoological parks,
museums and recreational attractions, visitors will certainly
find something to keep them busy during their stay in Orlando.
This rapidly growing city houses destinations for those who are
movie lovers, wildlife fans, sports fanatics, cultural admirers
and, especially, Disney fans.
Orlando is best known for its world-famous theme park, Walt Disney
World. Walt Disney World is composed of four main parks, the first
and most well-known being the Magic Kingdom. Upon entering the
Magic Kingdom, you will catch a glimpse of Cinderella Castle,
which stands at the heart of the Magic Kingdom. Seven different
areas, Main Street, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty
Square, Adventureland and Mickey's Toontown Fair, make up the
Magic Kingdom and are filled with everything from rides to shows
to future technologies.
Walt Disney World is also home to EPCOT (Experimental Prototype
Community of Tomorrow) Center. EPCOT consists of two main areas,
Future World and World Showcase. Spaceship Earth, the 180-foot-high
geosphere, serves as the centerpiece for Future World and traces
the various means of communication that have developed throughout
the years. Future World also gives visitors the opportunity to
travel through different pavilions that are themed on topics such
as agriculture, health and fitness, communication, energy, ocean
and transportation.
The 11 countries of World Showcase present visitors with a hands-on
approach to the cultures, traditions and cuisines of these areas.
World Showcase re-creates some of the landmark architecture and
historic scenes of the various countries. Visitors can stroll
through the heart of Paris or view the Great Wall of China. Upon
entering Norway, visitors can sail through the fury of the North
Sea, and Mexico allows visitors to cruise the ruins of Mayan and
Aztec civilizations.
Another theme park within Walt Disney World is Disney-MGM Studios.
This park offers a look at the movies, from Disney's animated
classics to some of the old Hollywood greats. A re-creation of
the 1930s' and 1940s' Hollywood Boulevard and a reproduction of
Mann's Chinese Theater are just a couple of the many nonanimated
attractions that draw visitors to this park. If you're looking
for animated entertainment, MGM Studios is the place to visit.
Children will love the many rides, shows and behind-the-scenes
tours based on animated Disney films such as "The Little
Mermaid" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
The newest theme park to be added to Walt Disney World is Disney's
Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom, which spans over 500 acres, is
filled with thrilling encounters with real, imaginary and extinct
creatures. An incredible feature of the new park is the "Tree
of Life," which stands 14 stories high and is carved with
various animal forms. The park consists of five lands: Safari
Village, Africa, Asia, DinoLand and Camp Minnie-Mickey. These
areas give visitors the opportunity to discover prehistoric beasts,
embark on a safari, visit with Disney characters and brave a white
water rafting expedition.
If you haven't found what you're looking for at the Walt Disney
World theme parks, Orlando offers many other attractions to capture
your interests.
Universal Studios Florida consists of more than 400 acres filled
with movie sets, shows, shops and rides. It is divided into six
major areas: the Front Lot, filled with shops and memorabilia
exhibits; Hollywood Boulevard, home of the "Terminator 2"
ride; Expo Park, which includes the "ET" and "Back
to the Future" rides; Production Central, where visitors
can catch a glimpse of Nickelodeon shows filming; New York, home
of King Kong and San Francisco/Amity, where visitors may experience
an earthquake or see a great white shark.
Sea World offers many exhibits on endangered mammals. Perhaps
its most famous attraction is Shamu, the killer whale. Visitors
to this park are able to touch and feed dolphins, to helicopter
past mammoth glaciers, to view a beluga whale surface and to come
up close to polar bears.
Cypress Gardens, central Florida's first tourist attraction,
opened in 1936. Home to more than 8,000 varieties of plants, Cypress
Gardens remains a botanical treasure. Cypress Gardens is also
famous for its "Ski Xtreme" water skiing show, its ice
skating show "Moscow on Ice Live" and the "Wings
of Wonder" butterfly conservatory, which holds 1,000 free-flying
butterflies.
If you're looking to indulge in some aquatic activities, Orlando
is definitely the place to go. With several water parks in the
area, visitors can ride the waves, whirl down water slides or
simply lie back on an inner tube floating along a river. Whatever
water activities you're looking for, Orlando's water parks are
sure to have them.
Disney offers three water parks from which to choose: Blizzard
Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and River Country. Blizzard Beach is Disney's
largest water park, encompassing 66-acres of water-filled fun.
Designed after the concept of a ski resort that turned into a
water park once the snow melted, Blizzard Beach is home to some
of the longest, tallest and most exciting rides. Mt. Gushmore,
a 90-foot snow-capped mountain, contains water slides of all shapes
and sizes. The world's tallest and fastest free-fall water slide
is located on Mt. Gushmore and stands an astounding 120 feet high.
So if you're looking for some thrilling water rides, Blizzard
Beach has an assortment of them.
Typhoon Lagoon also contains some exciting water attractions.
With nine water slides and the world's largest wave pool, Typhoon
Lagoon is one of the most popular water parks in the Disney area.
Perhaps you're looking for water rides that are a bit less extreme
than those at Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. River Country
is home to some old-fashioned water activities. Designed to resemble
an old swimming hole, rope swings and tire swings prevail in River
Country and may be the choice for those who wish to have a relaxing
time at one of Disney's water parks.
The Orlando area has two other water parks filled with thrills
and spills: Water Mania and Wet 'n Wild. Water Mania contains
outrageous water rides such as a 72-foot free-fall speed slide
and a water slide that sends you plummeting down 320 feet of turns
- head first. You can also float along an 850-foot tropical river
or get in a round of miniature golf while visiting this park.
Wet 'n Wild is another adventurous water park in Orlando. Known
as the nation's best-attended water park, Wet 'N Wild is open
year round to water park enthusiasts. This park offers water rides
and attractions for people of all ages.
If you're ready to spend a relaxing day away from the theme park
atmosphere, perhaps a trip to one of Orlando's three wildlife
refuges is what you crave. Disney's Discovery Island is an 11.5-acre
zoological park featuring a fantastic collection of exotic birds,
enormous reptiles and a lush array of trees and tropical plants,
all set along winding bamboo paths.
The Brevard Zoo features more than 400 animals. There are many
hands-on exhibits where visitors can actually encounter and learn
about various animals close up. Animals from Latin America and
Australia are found here, and all of the inhabitants from these
areas live in natural settings with other animals of the same
habitat. The Brevard Zoo also features an extensive outdoor aviary
that houses several species of Australian birds, some of which
have no problem approaching visitors as they walk through this
exhibit.
Central Florida Zoological Park, spanning 21 acres, is one of
the smaller parks in the area. With many native and exotic animals
making their homes here, this park is a great place to spend the
day. There is a petting zoo for children, and on the weekends
they offer pony and elephant rides and animal-feeding demonstrations.
Orlando is also home to many art and historical museums as well
as several dining and shopping places and entertainment complexes.
From hot air ballooning to auto racing to scuba diving to helicopter
tours, adventure abounds in this area. If you want to try some
recreational activities, visit one of Orlando's many golf courses.
You may even want to get in a game of tennis or embark on a canoeing
or fishing excursion.
Whatever type of activity you are looking for, Orlando seems
to be the ideal place to find it. Visitors to Orlando are assured
of having a variety of activities to entertain them throughout
their stay!
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