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I spent four days in Orlando, running from theme park to theme park, ride to ride, like a middle schooler on summer break. The Florida sun beat down on me as I stood in line after line anticipating the next exhilarating plummet, loop or death-defying turn. I am a thrill-ride junkie. It doesn’t matter that I’m well past my adolescent years. I still get excited about amusement parks. Orlando is the place for theme parks. Not only does it host Disney World and its conglomeration of parks (MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Epcot), but O-Town is also home to Universal Studios, Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Wet-N-Wild water park - not to mention several outlet malls for those not interested in manufactured fairytale play lands. For thrill-seekers, there are several offerings in Orlando. Magic Kingdom is not the place to go if you’re in search of 65-mile-per-hour rides - but we recommend a visit so that you don’t miss out on the magic. Invest in a park hopper (a ticket that will get you into Disney’s four main parks over a period of days) and check out MGM Studios, where you’ll lose your stomach on the Tower of Terror (a 13-foot free fall) and the new Aerosmith Rock-N-Roller Coaster (an enclosed coaster that shoots you through the dark at top speeds as Aerosmith’s latest tunes blast all around you). While you’re at MGM Studios, be sure to check out The Great Movie Ride, an adventure that takes you through movie history in the recreated Mann’s Chinese Theater. MGM is also home to the new Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3-D show and Star Tours, a thrill ride inspired by the original movie trilogy. The Disney park hopper will also get you into Animal Kingdom, the giant’s newest creation. I strongly recommend the Kilimanjaro Safari ride. Here you’ll find yourself among nature’s true animal kingdom. As you maneuver through an actual wildlife preserve, keep your eyes open for lions, tigers and bears. No, not bears, but you will see giraffe, gorillas, elephants, hippos and alligators (among others) from your unobstructed view in an open-sided safari jeep. Thrill-seekers, nestled back in Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland USA you’ll find Dinosaur, a time-machine attraction that hurdles you back into the Prehistoric Age. Although there are no heart-stopping hills, your breath will be taken away during the chaos as dinosaurs terrorize you on all sides while the infamous asteroid that destroyed them all approaches Earth. Give yourself enough time to explore Animal Kingdom. There are several attractions to keep you busy, including It’s Tough to Be a Bug, a clever 3-D flick hosted by Flik (from the movie “A Bug’s Life”). Put on your bug eyes (3-D glasses) and get an interactive peek into the life of an insect. Watch out for the exterminator and the Stink Bug, both of which give the audience a good spray. Make your way over to Epcot (park hopper works here too), Disney’s cultural megacenter. Showcasing a slew of countries (including Germany - where there is an actual German pub - Italy, France and many more), Epcot is a hands-on playground for learning. Each country is situated in its own alcove and maintains the look and feel of its heritage through architecture, cuisine and music. So, if you’re in the mood for Mexican, head over to Mexico and scarf down some tacos. But not before you ride Test Track, Epcot’s newest ride. Sponsored by General Motors, this ride will give you a front-seat view of life as a crash test dummy - literally. Test Track takes you through a series of tests that each car goes through before it’s given a stamp of approval. You’ll test the car’s endurance through rough terrain, hairpin curves and top speeds (up to 60 mph). Don’t worry, unlike the real crash test dummies, you won’t slam head-on into a wall. Other interesting attractions I uncovered at Epcot include Spaceship Earth (found inside the giant Epcot “ball”), The Living Seas and Innoventions. Innoventions is filled with hands-on learning experiences for all ages. Sit in the ultimate home theater or sneak a peek at future technological gadgets that will change our lives forever. Theme park aficionados can buy park hoppers in all sizes, shapes and colors. There is the Ultimate Park Hopper, which is exclusively for Disney Resort hotel guests; the Park Hopper Plus, which offers five-, six- or seven-day options and includes passes to Disney’s three water parks and Pleasure Island; and then there’s the basic Park Hopper, which gets you into Disney’s four parks for three, four or five days - depending on your length of stay. You can find pricing information on Disney’s Web site - http://www.disney.com. One thing I will definitely mention is the new FastPass Distribution. The FastPass eliminates long lines. Yes, you read that correctly. Don't worry about those hour-long lines anymore. Currently, there are only a few rides at each park using FastPass distribution, but the concept is growing and will soon span all attractions. Here's how it works: There are FastPass distribution machines located outside the attraction. Slip your admission ticket into the machine. It will then spit out a slip of paper giving you a certain time within which you should return to the ride. If you return during the hour printed on the paper, you don't have to stand in line. You can't use the FastPass before or after the printed time, and you can only have one FastPass at a time. Once you use your current FastPass you can then obtain another one for another (or the same) attraction. The hourly time slots help to avoid bulking up at particular rides and help to evenly disperse guests throughout the park. On to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure . . .
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