By Meher Castelino
One of the most fun and entertaining places in the USA is the city of Orlando in Florida. There is a lot to do and it’s great for grownups and kids. The first stop for anyone visiting Orlando is Disney World. Here is where kids have a ball and grownups can go back to their childhood.
Our visit to Disney World was like entering a wonderland. Fantastic hotels, the famed amusement parks of Disney World the wonderful rides - it was a land that had everything one dreams of. There are over 27,000 hotel rooms that cater to the holiday makers from around the world. There are golf courses, fishing sites, the world of Disney store the largest in the world and many more. There is also a Disney Cruise Line from Port Canaveral to Nassau and Disney Island for those looking for sea fun. Besides the fun part of it the Orlando Disney World has 600,000 sq ft of Convention centre where American companies hold their conventions.
The wonderful thing about Disney World is the respect for the environment. There are environmentally friendly cars run on natural gas. There is recycling of food which is given away and computers run everything in Disney World.
The other place that is on the “must visit” list in Orlando is Universal Studios. Here is where we managed to relive the many movies we saw. There was the “Honey I shrunk the Kids” show, then Terminator a visit to the Jaws ride and many other trips that allowed us to be a part of the movies by being actually there. The very interesting part about Disney World and Universal Studios is the fact that after every ride or trip the exit is through the tempting souvenir stores which drive young and old crazy as one wants to shop till one drops.
While in Orlando there is one restaurant that has to be visited which is Planet Hollywood owned by Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis. This is the place for ardent Hollywood buffs since there are enough souvenirs from their favourite movies to admire. We saw Ursula Andress’s boots from “Clash of the Titans”, a spear from “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”, the Von Trapp’s suit from “Sound of Music” the Star of “Rocketman”. The food at Planet Hollywood is typical American fare and the quantities are enormous so one has to either share or ask for half portions.
Another place worth a visit is Kennedy Space Centre from where the first space shuttle Columbia took off in 1981. When a rocket or shuttle takes off the nearest the press and guests can sit is 5 ½ kms away and a 294 ft high water tank with 30,000 tons of water defuses the shock, noise and heat at take off time. The indoor museum at Kennedy Space Centre and the different programs are a feast for the eyes and brains making one wonder how science has progressed so fast.
Lodging in Orlando is very easy with many comfortable motels and inns that offer budget accommodation from 40 dollars upwards with free continental breakfast. Food is not a problem in the city as there are hundreds of snack and meal places along with Indian restaurants that cater to ethnic palettes. Orlando is the place to head throughout the year for it has everything to offer with a climate that is nearly like India.
