Orlando attraksjoner

You don’t have to be a space junkie to enjoy NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the only spot in the United States from which humans have been hurled into space. The plethora of hands-on exhibits, IMAX movies, and sheer magnitude of the shuttles will surely impress the most passive fan. One of the highlights is the Shuttle Launch Simulator, where budding astronauts are strapped into a cockpit and given high-fidelity ride, which creates the impression of an actual lift-off.

With a visit to Wild Florida Wildlife Park in the Florida Everglades, you can get an up-close look at the unique ecosystem of the area on foot or on an airboat tour. Wild Florida is a combination of a wildlife park and a launch point for airboat tours of the Everglades. In the wildlife park, you can walk through a zoo-like atmosphere where you'll see animals from all over the world. There are exotic animals from Africa, Australia, South America, and elsewhere, which you can even feed. There's a special focus on Florida's native wildlife in the park, too, including alligators, white tail deer, and tropical birds. You can walk through the park on raised walkways overlooking the animal habitats, and then you can take off on an airboat tour of the Everglades. After your tour, you can get your picture taken holding an alligator.

The Everglades National Park, covering much of the southeastern tip of Florida, is more than a big swamp full of alligators. True, you will see alligators - lots of them - but this unique subtropical wilderness also supports such creatures as American crocodiles, bottlenose dolphins, manatees, snowy egrets, bald eagles and ospreys. And amid the mangroves, cypress, hardwood hammocks and miles of sawgrass, there are endless opportunities for hiking, bicycling, canoeing, kayaking, or taking an airboat ride. You can book Everglades tours departing from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers in addition to Orlando. Spot alligators on a day-trip along the Tamiami Trail or take a two-hour tram tour in Shark Valley. When hunger pangs set in, stop in Everglades City for a plate of gator nuggets and frog’s legs. The visitor center at Big Cypress National Preserve has great exhibits for kids and an outdoor, water-filled ditch popular with alligators.

Get up close and learn about Florida’s wildlife at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Visitors flock here in droves to see manatees, in particular, that can be seen twisting, turning, diving and playing from the park’s underwater observatory. The park provides a safe habitat for black bears, bobcats, alligators, crocodiles and river otters, among other animals, and works to educate the public about Florida’s wildlife. There is a children’s education center on the premises to further this goal, while a specific educational program about manatees is offered three times every day. In addition to education, Homosassa is a great place for outdoor recreational activities. Bird watching is the most popular activity here, and bird walks are offered, during which guides will point out various species. Families also enjoy picnicking and taking nature walks, and if you don’t bring your lunch, that’s okay—the park has a café and concessions stand on the premises.

Walt Disney har fire hovedparker: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios og Animal Kingdom. Det er i Magic Kingdom at du finner det ikoniske Askepott-slottet, i tillegg til mange spennende attraksjoner. Animal Kingdom har en unik blanding av ekte skapninger og fantasiskapninger, med en stor dose Disney-figurer, historier og magi. På Epcot Center kan du få smakebiter av forskjellige kulturer, og i Disney’s Hollywood Studios får du oppleve det aller beste fra filmens verden, fra flammehav til biler som deles i to. Walt Disney World har også tre badeland, et handleområde, 22 hoteller, utallige steder å spise og transportsystemer.

Orlando has a new immersive celebrity hotspot where one can walk down the red carpet and step into the world of fame for an afternoon. At Madame Tussauds, guests are able to find out exactly how tall those sports icons really are, strike a pose with a pop princess, shake hands with a smiling Barack Obama and take a selfie with Einstein. The museum poses TV and film celebrities next to pop icons, the most well-known faces from the arts and science and throws plenty of history and pop culture personalities into the mix as well. The details of the wax replicas are on the usual Madame Tussauds level of incredible. Creating a wax statue requires taking hundreds of body and face measurements with calipers and measuring tapes, after which artists sculpt the perfect mold for the wax out of clay. Gluing on each hair individually, painstakingly painting facial features and recreating every last wrinkle ensures that the wax figures end up achieving a astonishing realism.

Sea Life Orlando is a brand new attraction in the city that only opened in May 2015. Roughly 40,000 gallons of water and 45,000 pounds of sand make up the home of over 5000 sea creatures, including green sea turtles, jellyfish, seahorses, black tip reef sharks and colorful clownfish. Some of the activities that visitors to the facilities can take part in include the Interactive Rockpool, where you can touch starfish, spot hermit crabs and learn about coastal rock pools as well as the Atlantic Ocean Exhibit with its 360-degree tunnel. There, guests can admire sharks and exotic fish from all angles and watch rays float gracefully overhead. Regular talks combined with feeding times let children and adults learn more about the animals as well. It’s a good idea to schedule a visit around those feeding times, as the wildlife will be the most active during those hours.

A fantastic blend of marine animals and thrill rides, SeaWorld is home to both Shamu the killer whale and Kraken, the floorless coaster. Journey to Atlantis brings both concepts together: it's an oceanic water-coaster with a 60 foot (18 meter) vertical drop. Little ones can ride a dolphin on the Sea Carousel, twist around on Jazzy Jellies, or ride the Shamu Express. Away from the rides, its beautifully landscaped grounds include a 17 acre (6.9 hectare) lagoon, flamingo and pelican ponds, and a lush tropical rainforest. SeaWorld also offers interactive programs, including the Sharks Deep Dive, which gives guests a chance to have limited, hands-off contact with more than 50 sharks. SeaWorld also provides opportunities to feed stingrays, sea lions, and other critters. Shows are equally spectacular.

The Orlando Eye is the brand new Ferris wheel in Orlando and is the biggest observation wheel on the east coast of the United States. At 400 feet above the ground, the Orlando Eye offers a completely new vantage point of Orlando and the rich landscape of Central Florida. On a clear day, you can see from the lively theme parks, glittering lakes and the downtown skyline all the way to Cape Canaveral on the coast. Additionally, iPads inside the 30 capsules let visitors learn more about the surrounding landmarks in several languages. The Ferris wheel is part of a whole entertainment complex, which apart from the ride with a view, also includes Madame Tussauds wax museum, the Orlando Sea Life Aquarium, shops and a food court. At night, the Eye lights up in a rainbow of colors and adds another 64,000 LED lights to the theme park capital of the world.

Florida is well-known for having some of the country’s best theme parks, and the 150-acre LEGOLAND Florida is one of them. Located in the city of Winter Haven -- 45 minutes from Orlando -- the park features over 50 rides, shows, attractions and impressive LEGO models, there is a lot for visitors, especially families with children, to explore. Additionally, because the original site of the park was Cypress Gardens, there are also vibrant botanical gardens littering the grounds. Immerse yourself in the world of legos by wandering through the 10 different “lands” comprising the park, including The Beginning, Fun Town, Miniland USA, Castle Hill, Land of Adventure, LEGO® City, Xtreme, Imagination Zone, Pirates Cove and DUPLO® Village.

Take an unforgettable journey through uniquely themed islands where your favorite adventures come to life. Soar above Hogwarts™ in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Hogsmeade™, help save the city on The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®, and escape the jaws of a T-rex on the Jurassic Park River Adventure®. Plus, with a Park-to-Park admission ticket you can ride between both lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ on the HogwartsSM Express.* HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s14) *Additional restrictions apply. © MARVEL. Jurassic Park River Adventure ® Universal Studios/Amblin. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2014 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

Pressed in our collective memory, the Titanic means more to us than a giant ship that simply sank—its sinking was the defining moment for an era, the end to runaway idealism while signaling a return to pragmatism for the American people. With 10 full-scale room recreations, over 100 artifacts recovered from the real Titanic (including 21 that have never been seen by the public until now), character actors and tour guides, a dinner show and intense interactive exhibits, Titanic the Experience in Orlando offers what other museums cannot—a gripping, immersive and real-world connection to this defining moment in history.

Aquatica Orlando is a sister park of SeaWorld Orlando and Discovery Cove. It follows a South Pacific theme with Australian and New Zealand mascots such as Roa (kiwi), Wae Wae (a takahē), Wai (dolphin) and more. Aquatica Orlando features thrill rides, family fun adventures and several themed animal areas. Dolphin Plunge is Aquatica Orlando’s signature thrill ride, in which side-by-side tube slides pass through a pool with a pod of Commerson’s dolphins. Hoo Hoo Run is another popular attraction that features a triple-dip multi-person raft slide, and Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is the tallest, steepest and only multi-drop tower of its kind in Orlando. If you want to check out some animal exhibits, you don’t have to be on Dolphin Plunge or Loggerhead Lane to see the Commerson’s Dolphin exhibit. Another animal exhibit at Aquatica Orlando is the African Spurred Tortoises that are often found along the Sahara Desert’s southern edge.

Clearwater Beach is a silky white-sand oasis along the warm, calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. More low key than its southern neighbor, the bustling St. Pete’s Beach, Clearwater Beach hosts plenty of spots for kayaking, shelling, and biking. Families especially like its gentle surf, which is perfect for swimming and water sports. Restaurants, shops, and hotels line Mandalay Ave., which runs parallel to the beach. At about 1 mi (1.5 km) long, the strip is easy to stroll. Day visitors should head to Sand Key Beach & Park, a wide beach for swimming and watching dolphins leap out of the sea. For non-beach activities, watch sea otters at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium or watch jugglers and magicians perform at Pier 60. You can also get out on the water on dolphin-watching cruises or even take a pirate cruise. To get an overview of the area, jump on the Jolley Trolley, which travels around Clearwater Beach and up to Sand Key.

With no roller coasters screeching overhead, no parades, no water rides and plenty of greenery, Epcot Center moves at a slower pace. Here you can smell the incense in Morocco, listen to the Beatles in the United Kingdom, eat sushi in Japan, and get a pastry in France. An acronym for “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow,” The Epcot Center is divided into two halves. The modern Future World, with its hard-to-miss iconic geosphere known as Spaceship Earth, explores modern technologies through myriad rides and displays. The other half is the World Showcase, where you can tour the world in a day by taking an intoxicating toe-dip into the cultures of 11 different countries, featuring Mexico, Norway, China, France, Germany, and Italy. Epcot also offers plenty of activities that appeal to inquisitive tots. The new Soarin' ride is a winner, and Mission: SPACE is good for getting the adrenaline pumping after one too many educational exhibits.

In this amazing place you're in a living storybook on a breathtaking adventure, filled with creatures real and fantastic. Animal Kingdom blends theme park and zoo, carnival and African safari, while mixing in a healthy dose of Disney characters, storytelling, and magic. Board a rickety jeep and ride through the Sahara, past zebras and lions, in Africa, or take a raging river ride in Asia, with Mt. Everest looming on the horizon. Here you can see Bengal tigers, huge fruit bats, Komodo dragons, and other exotic critters. DinoLand U.S.A. evokes a fun-filled small-town fair, with its carnival-style rides, games and a herky-jerky thrill ride that transports you back in time. Let your heart sing along in a moving musical celebration of the circle of life at Festival of the Lion King. Here, every path and trail invites you to explore the awesome surprises of nature, with all the enchantment of Disney.

Located in Lake Buena Vista, about 25 minutes from Orlando, Downtown Disney is an outdoor complex featuring retail shops, restaurants and entertainment. Unlike the Disney theme parks, Downtown Disney is free to enter and explore. The attraction is separated into three distinct areas including the Downtown Disney Marketplace, Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney Westside. The Downtown Disney Marketplace is where you’ll find the main shopping hub -- including World of Disney, the planet’s largest Disney merchandise store -- as well as restaurants and attractions. Indulge in an ice cream sundae and admire antique chocolate-making equipment at the Ghiaradelli’s Chocolate Shop and Soda Fountain, dine with life-sized wildlife at the Rainforest Cafe or get in touch with your inner child and ride the carousel.

One of the most exciting and flashy strips in America, I-Drive is packed with restaurants, hotels, shopping, and dinner theaters. And if that’s not enough, six of the world’s greatest theme parks make their home on I-Drive: SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Wet 'n' Wild, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Aquatica. I-Drive winds past Big Sand Lake, and part of the road is lined with palm trees and a pleasant walking district. Also here is Ripley’s Believe It or Not and Skyventure. Head to Pointe Orlando or Prime Outlets International for mega-mall shopping, or browse the quirky independent shops on Antique Row.

Ladies and gentlemen start your engines! The Daytona International Speedway, a 60,000 sq-ft (18,000 sq-m), interactive motor-sports attraction, hosts Winston, Nascar, stock and sports-car, go-cart, monster truck, and motorcycle races. The place goes crazy in February when the “World Center of Racing” hosts the Daytona 500, one of the biggest car racing events in the world. When there aren't any races, you can get a peek of the track for free. Adjacent to the speedway, race-car fans can take a Pit Stop Challenge, a 30-minute tram tour of the track, or roar up to 200 mph (320 km/h) in a spectacular simulator for a virtual reality-like race against other passengers in Acceleration Alley. Other attractions include an action-packed IMAX film, a 30-minute tram tour of the track, and the actual winning car from the Daytona 500 every year - scratches, dents and all!

Spider-Man®, now in high-def 3-D; and the Jurassic Park River Adventure®. Take a starring role in some of the biggest movies and TV shows ever created at Universal Studios®, home of the 3-D ride Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Shrek 4-D, Revenge of the Mummy®, Universal’s Superstar Parade, Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular nighttime show, and the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit® coaster. And enjoy the best in restaurants, nightclubs, shopping and movies at Universal CityWalk®. It’s all at Universal Orlando Resort, where vacation becomes adventure. TRANSFORMERS: The Ride – 3D – NOW OPEN! Embark on a daring adventure that redefines thrill rides. Opening Summer 2013, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride - 3D is an ultra-immersive sensory experience that puts you on the front lines of an intergalactic war between the Autobots and Decepticons. You’ll lose sight of the difference between fantasy and reality as ground-breaking high definition 3D film is fused with flight simulation technology on this epic ride.

A firm departure from the everyday, WonderWorks Orlando offers what most attractions cannot – a spin on this thing we call reality. Built to resemble an upside-down laboratory, this science museum offers over 100 hands-on exhibits built to test your belief of what is real and what is illusion. Filled with “oh, wow” moments that include rope obstacle courses, zip lines and laser tag, WonderWorks Orlando is an engaging step into science and discovery – one that will leave the whole family full of wonder.

Fun Spot America is a theme park with locations in Orlando and nearby Kissimmee. It is the only family-owned theme park in the area and admission is free to the park - you just pay to ride and play! The parks are fully equipped with activities to keep the fun going all day. Each location boasts unique, patented multilevel go-kart tracks, an arcade where visitors can play a variety of games and collect points to redeem for prizes, and several roller coasters. The Kissimmee park is home to the tallest SkyCoaster in the world, which stands at 300 ft (91 m), while the Orlando park is home to Orlando's only wooden roller coaster, White Lightening. There are also thrill rides, bumper cars, bumper boats, and load of other rides that are appropriate for kids and fun for the whole family.

Also known as the Orlando Odditorium, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando is on normal attraction, a fact you’ll discover as soon as you walk up. Designed to look off kilter, the appearance of Ripley’s is the first of many interesting oddities you’ll find here. This wild and wacky world is filled with wonder, and families can experience it all without leaving the city of Orlando. Filled with bizarre exhibits and mesmerizing optical illusions, Ripley’s includes life-size Terracotta warriors, a real shrunken human head, a two-headed dog skeleton, a shooting range and much more. Perfect for a step outside of the ordinary, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando has got the market cornered on quirky Florida attractions.

With its goofy, gaping alligator jaws as the main entrance, Gatorland is a reptilian wonderland filled with thousands of toothy alligators and crocodiles as far as the eye can see, as well as a few slithery snakes, slimy toads, and leathery turtles. A splintery wooden boardwalk, inches above the water, winds through the hundreds of alligators and crocodiles in the breeding marsh, and a three-story observation tower provides a soaring lookout for the birds of the wildlife habitat. Get up close on a leisurely walk through the park, or hop aboard the Gatorland Express Train, a treat for younger kids. The Jumparoo Show has 10 ft (3 m) long alligators leaping almost entirely out of the water to grab a hunk of meat from the trainer's hand. The Jungle Crocs Show highlights four rare species and gives an entertaining history lesson on the creatures. Indulge your Crocodile Hunter fantasy with the Trainer for a Day package.