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Congo River Golf & Exploration Co.
invites guests to
explore the "Congo" at one of four Central Florida locations. Its 36-hole
original International Drive location features 25 live alligators.
congoriver.com International Drive:
407-352-0042, Universal: 407-248-9181,
Kissimmee: 407-396-6900
Fun Spot Action Park allows guests to "Drive the Ride" on its five multi-level go-kart tracks and 13 rides, including seven rides for preschoolers. Fun Spot has more than 100 games in a 10,000-square-foot (900-square-meter) arcade. fun-spot.com 407-363-3867
The Grande Lakes Adventure Course is a multi-level obstacle course comprised of poles, cables and platforms with 25 traversing and climbing elements, including a 600-foot (183-meter) zipline, designed to allow every guest to choose their personal level of challenge. Newly opened is the Grande Lakes Junior Adventure Course, featuring 13 unique climbing and traversing elements, a mini swing and a 120-foot (37-meter) mini zipline. grandelakes.com 407-393-4007
Hawaiian Rumble Adventure Golf features two locations in the Orlando area, one on International Drive and one in Lake Buena Vista. Choose from two challenging Hawaiian-themed courses featuring a waterfall and a $100,000 musical fountain.hawaiianrumbleorlando.com Internat'll Drive: 407-351-7733
International Heli-Tours, located on International Drive, is a helicopter touring company that offers aerial tours of Orlando, Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, celebrity homes and more; showcasing the city's attractions, lakes and abundant wildlife. A unique tour offered is the Alligator Tour which takes guests on a journey over gator hot spots such as Lake Apopka. internationalhelitours.com 407-239-8687
Magical Midway is home toInternational Drive's most elevated go-kart tracks, intense thrill rides, midway rides and a huge video arcade. StarFlyer, the only ride of its kind in the United States, seats guests in swing chairs suspended 256 feet (78 meters) above ground. magicalmidway.com 407-370-5353
Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf offers two challenging 18-hole courses at both its locations. Visitors test their putting skills in a fun-filled setting of natural wonders, lavish landscaping and delightful pirate themes that offer swashbuckling fun for the whole family. piratescove.net Apopka-Vineland location: 407-827-1242; International Drive location: 407-352-7378
Putting Edge, an indoor putt-putt arena located at Festival Bay Mall on International Drive, takes miniature golf to a whole new level with psychedelic neon landscapes and pumping tunes that set the mood for fun. putting-edge.com 407-248-0700
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium is housed in a building that appears to be sinking, as though it fell victim to one of Florida's infamous sinkholes. Explore artifacts, collections, weird art/hobbies and interactive exhibits in 16 galleries of the odd and unusual from around the world. ripleysorlando.com 407-351-5803
IFLY Orlando, Orlando's high-energy vertical wind
tunnel, offers indoor skydiving in which visitors float on a column of air.
No parachute, no jumping and no experience are necessary. Reservations
suggested.
iflyorlando.com 800-759-3861/407-903-1150
The Holy Land Experience re-creates the city of Jerusalem and its religious importance between the years 1450 B.C. and A.D. 66 through costumed characters, dramatic enactments and high-tech presentations. The living Biblical museum is home to the Scriptorium, a collection of biblical antiquities dating back to 2200 B.C. theholylandexperience.com 866-872-4659/407-367-2065
Tiki Island Volcano Golf, located on International Drive, has two 18-hole courses and is surrounded by a four-story volcano with live flame effects, cascading waterfalls and suspended bridges. tikiislandvolcanogolf.com 407-248-8180
Van's Skatepark is Orlando's premier skateboard park
with varied riding areas and obstacles designed for beginner to advanced
skaters. Includes multiple ramps, bowls, street courses and an arcade.
vans.com 407-351-3881
Wet 'n Wild - Orlando offers a variety of multi-passenger thrill rides with loads of special effects. The Storm washes riders down a towering chute, swirls them around at high speeds and tumbles them into a splash landing while Disco H2O promises a groovy musical raft ride through the '70s. The park is open year-round with heated pools in the cooler months. wetnwildorlando.com 800-992-9453/407-351-1800
WonderWorks, Orlando's only upside-down attraction, features more than 100 hands-on interactive exhibits. Guests experience virtual reality and rock climbing as well as designing and riding their own roller coaster. The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show provides a high-energy comedy improvisation dinner show (separate ticket required). wonderworksonline.com 407-351-8800
UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT:
Blue Man Group, the wildly successful live
entertainment experience has a permanent home at Universal CityWalk.
The group entertains audiences of all ages with their live stage show
combining music, comedy and multimedia theatrics.
universalorlando.com 800-232-7827/407-363-8000
Universal's Islands of Adventure invites guests to "live the adventure" with technologically advanced thrill rides and attractions, including The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!, the Jurassic Park River Adventure, The Incredible Hulk and Dueling Dragons coasters. New in 2010 will be The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. universalorlando.com 877-688-8011/407-363-8000
Universal Studios Florida takes guests beyond the screen and into the world of television and film to "ride the movies." Visitors ride along with Shrek and Donkey at Shrek 4-D, battle the supernatural at Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride and hang out at "Krustyland" with America's favorite animated family at The Simpsons Ride. Newly opened is Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit, a thrill coaster allowing riders to choose their own musical soundtrack to listen to during their journey. universalorlando.com 877-688-8011/407-363-8000
WORLDS OF DISCOVERY:
Aquatica – SeaWorld's Waterpark features dual wave pools, two children's play areas, two lazy rivers, beaches and swimming areas, and plenty of water slides, including the Dolphin Plunge, which whisks guests through acrylic flumes amid a lagoon of jumping Commerson's dolphins. seaworldaquatica.com 407-363-2280
Discovery Cove is an exclusive island oasis where guests can swim with dolphins, snorkel with tropical fish and rays and hand-feed exotic birds. It is an all-inclusive, reservations-only adventure that includes a full day of activities, swim/snorkel gear, breakfast and lunch, plus a seven-consecutive-day pass to either SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Aquatica – SeaWorld's Waterpark. discoverycove.com 877-434-7268/407-370-1280
SeaWorld Orlando features 200 acres (80 hectares) of
sea-themed shows, attractions and rides, including newly opened Manta, a
"flying coaster;" Kraken, Orlando's longest, tallest and fastest floorless
roller coaster and Shamu's Happy Harbor, a children's play area with
pint-sized rides. The Shamu show, "Believe," combines a "killer whale
ballet" of grace and agility with an original music score. Shows and animal
exhibits include polar bears, beluga whales, manatees, sea lions, penguins,
dolphins and more.
SeaWorld.com 800-432-1178/407-351-3600
Orange County Regional History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, explores 12,000 years of the area's rich history with interactive exhibits, artifacts, archives and special shows. thehistorycenter.org 407-836-8500
Orlando Brewing, located near downtown Orlando, is the only organic brewery and taproom in the Southeast and one of only 10 in the United States. Free tours are available and live music is featured weekly. orlandobrewing 407-872-1117
Orlando Museum of Art features traveling exhibitions and permanent collections of American and African art as well as lectures, art appreciation classes and children's activities. OMArt.org 407-896-4231
Orlando Science Center offers an observatory, giant screen theater and hundreds of hands-on exhibits on four floors which offer opportunities to explore, experiment and discover.osc.org 888-672-4386/407-514-2000
Indy Racing Experience, located at the Walt Disney World
Speedway, gives race fans and thrill seekers the opportunity to drive and
ride in actual cars that were used in past Indianapolis 500 events. After
suiting up in authentic driver fire suits and being strapped in by a pit
crew, guests can feel the speed, g-forces and pressure of true IndyCar
racing. Drivers and riders must be 18 years of age or older.
indyracingexperience.com 888-357-5002/317-243-7171
Richard Petty Driving Experience takes motorsports fans out of the grandstands and puts them behind the wheel of a stock car. Ride-and-drive programs on the 1-mile (1.6-kilometer), tri-oval Walt Disney World Speedway and 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) Daytona International Speedway are available. Drivers must be 18 years of age and riders must be at least 14 years of age. 1800bepetty.com 800-237-3889/407-939-0130
Wallaby Ranch Hang Gliding Flight Park, located just south of Orlando in Davenport, teaches guests to hang glide 2,000 feet (610 meters) from the ground using tandem aerotowing techniques and no previous experience. wallaby.com 863-424-0070
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT
Characters in Flight – This new tethered helium balloon
attraction, located at Downtown Disney, lifts guests 400 feet (122 meters)
into the air to experience a 360-degree view of the Walt Disney World
Resort.
disneyworld.com 407-939-6244
Cirque du Soleil's "La Nouba" in Downtown Disney West Side features a renowned blend of acrobatics and state-of-the-art special effects with more than 70 artists from around the world performing in a custom-made theater seating 1,671 guests. lanoubaorlando.com 407-939-7600
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park offers exciting adventures and unique encounters with real, exotic animals, plus one-of-a-kind guest experiences with fictional animals and giant dinosaurs from the prehistoric world. Not-to-miss attractions include Expedition Everest, a high-speed train adventure, "Finding Nemo – The Musical,"a live 30-minute musical show, TriceraTop Spin, Primeval Whirl!, DINOSAUR and Kilimanjaro Safaris. disneyworld.com 407-824-4321
Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park features one of the world's tallest, fastest free-fall speed slides in a whimsical "winter" setting. It is the largest of Disney's water parks, with 22 water slides and "icy" bobsled runs that stay comfortably warm and thrillingly fast. disneyworld.com 407-939-7812
Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf course is a 36-hole golf adventure featuring Fantasia Gardens, an 18-hole miniature golf course with a theme taken from Disney's classic animated film "Fantasia," and Fantasia Fairways, an 18-hole challenge course designed with strategically placed bunkers and hazards. disneyworld.com 407-560-4870
Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios) is a theme park with a complete motion picture and television studio. Feature attractions include the American Idol Experience, Toy Story Mania!; Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show; Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage!; Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. disneyworld.com 407-824-4321
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park offers guests twisting tides, roaring rapids and relaxing rivers. Whether navigating the nine water slides – including a water coaster thrill ride, swimming with sharks and tropical fish or conquering waves in the United States' largest wave pool, this exotic paradise promises to be the wettest water adventure known to man…or fish. disneyworld.com 407-939-7812
Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf course is an interactive miniature golf experience with two 18-hole wacky, elf-sized golf courses. One course carries the zany, snow-covered Florida theme found at Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park, while the other takes a more tropical, holiday theme, with ornaments hanging from palm trees.disneyworld.com 407-560-3000
DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park is a
five-story, indoor, interactive theme park that combines Disney's magic with
cutting-edge technology. Guests climb aboard a real river raft on
Virtual Jungle Cruise, ride a roller coaster of their own design on Cyber
Space Mountain or become part of a human pinball game in Mighty Ducks
Pinball Slam. Some attractions require a separate charge.
disneyworld.com 407-828-4600
Epcot takes guests to 11 nations at World Showcase and
fast-forwards them to tomorrow in Future World. World Showcase offers
a kaleidoscope of nations – The American Adventure, Canada, China, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Norway and the United Kingdom –
brought together to celebrate cultural heritage. Don't-miss rides include
Mission:SPACE, simulating a real space shuttle blastoff; Soarin', which
lifts guests 40 feet (12 meters) aloft inside a giant projection screen
dome, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends, a whimsical and visually stunning
attraction that has the stars of "Finding Nemo" swimming amid the live
marine life of the huge aquarium in The Living Seas pavilion.
disneyworld.com 407-824-4321
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex hosts
nearly 200 Amateur Athletic Union events, Atlanta Braves spring training and
the Pop Warner Super Bowl each year. Sports lovers can enjoy a whole
community of spectator fun with 200 acres (80 hectacres) of facilities that
can host more than 30 sports.
disneyworld.com 407-939-7529
Magic Kingdom Park features seven magical lands with attractions, restaurants and shops based on favorite Disney themes of fantasy, yesterday and tomorrow. Popular attractions include Mickey's PhilharMagic, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Space Mountain and The Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, an interactive adventure inspired by Disney-Pixar's "Monsters, Inc." disneyworld.com 407-824-4321
Sammy Duvall's Watersports Centre at Disney's Contemporary Resort – Fun in the sun is the name of the game at Sammy Duvall's, where visitors can learn to wakeboard, kneeboard, water ski and parasail. Licensed drivers age 16 and older can rent a personal watercraft (minors under age 18 must have an adult present to sign rental waiver.) sammyduvall.com 407-939-0754
Biplane Rides Over Kissimmee offers guests the chance to ride in—and even fly— an open cockpit 1943 Boeing Stearman, an authentic World War II trainer, over Disney and other attractions. biplaneridesoverkissimmee.com 407-473-9142
Full Speed Arcade gives visitors the opportunity to race against other riders in full-motion NASCAR simulators or play a round of golf in an 18-hole, indoor black light miniature golf course. fullspeed.cc 407-397-7455
Gatorland, one of Central Florida's first attractions, is home to thousands of alligators and crocodiles, as well as a petting zoo, bird sanctuary, mini water park, eco-tour and action-packed outdoor entertainment, including daily alligator wrestlin' shows. gatorland.com 800-393-5297/407-855-5496
Green Meadows Petting Farm features a two-hour guided tour to see more than 300 farm animals. Visitors are encouraged to have a first-hand experience by petting the animals, taking train and hay rides, milking a cow and riding a pony. Picnic areas are available.greenmeadowsfarm.com 407-846-0770
Old Town Shopping, Dining & Entertainment Attraction features 75 unique specialty shops, eight restaurants, 21 thrilling amusement rides and Sky Coaster. This free-admission, free-parking attraction offers the look and feel of a Florida town at the beginning of the 20th century. Car shows every Friday and Saturday feature hundreds of classic cars. old-town.com 800-843-4202/407-396-4888
Warbird Adventures, Inc. offers guests the chance to fly like the aces of yesterday in the Premier Fighter-Trainer of WWII — the North American T-6 TEXAN. Whether they want a thrilling aerobatic adventure or a smooth, straight and level flight, the experience is tailored just for them. warbirdadventures.com 407-870-7366
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens showcases hundreds of rare or endangered animals, including cheetahs, elephants, kangaroos, baboons, leopards and some of the most powerful snakes in the world. Newly opened is ZOOm Air Adventures, a zipline experience. centralfloridazoo.org 407-323-4450
Hard Knocks is an indoor combat simulation arena open for entertainment, law enforcement training and corporate team building. Visitors to Hard Knocks will have the opportunity to execute missions that challenge them to defuse bombs, rescue hostages, protect VIPs and eradicate the enemy in an urban themed combat area. Hard Knocks also features a LAN Gaming Lounge with multiple LCD televisions and a high definition movie theatre for some of the best video gaming around. hardknocksorlando.com 407-359-9091
Scott's Maze Adventures, located in Zellwood,features a 6-acre (2.4-hectare) corn maze, 3-acre (1.2-hectare) tree maze, picnic area, nature walk and various entertainment attractions for public, group and corporate events. Open seasonally in the fall. longandscottfarms.com 352-383-6900
Brevard Zoo, located in Melbourne, features more than 550 animals representing 165 species, from North and South America, Asia, Australia and Africa. Unique experiences including hand-feeding gentle giraffes and kayaking through wetlands. brevardzoo.org 321-254-9453
Daytona International Speedway, home of the Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400 NASCAR races, offers exciting racing; guided Speedway tours; Daytona 500 Experience The Ultimate Motorsports Attraction; and the Richard Petty Driving Experience. daytonainternationalspeedway.com 386-253-7223
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers tours of behind-the-scenes areas with views of Space Shuttle facilities and launch pads. Visitors can feel what it's like to blast into space in the Shuttle Launch Experience, meet a real astronaut every day and see "Space Station 3D" in the world's largest twin IMAX® theater. The Astronaut Hall of Fame features the world's largest collection of astronaut memorabilia, displays, exhibits, hands-on activities and simulators.kennedyspacecenter.com 321-449-4444
Silver Springs, the park famous for its Glass Bottom
Boat ride and Fort King River Cruise, encompasses the largest artesian
limestone spring in the world. Other highlights include bear, panther and
crocodile exhibits; a children's petting zoo; animal shows; a historical
museum; and headline concerts.
silversprings.com 352-236-2121
Zero-G Corporation provides a full-day experience featuring a weightless flight that only astronauts have had access to prior to now. Flights depart from the Kennedy Space Center. gozerog.com 800-ZERO-G-800/954-756-1000
Adventure Island is a 30-acre (12-hectare) water park
featuring thrilling slides and tube rides, the Splash Attack play area, a
20-foot (6.1-meter) platform for cliff jumping, lagoons, waterfalls and more.
adventureisland.com888-800-5447/813-987-5660
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is an exciting family adventure
park offering an array of fascinating attractions based on exotic encounters
within the African continent. Busch Gardens offers a unique blend of
thrilling rides, one of the country's premier zoos featuring more than 2,700
animals, live shows, restaurants, shops and games. One of its many coasters,
SheiKra, is the tallest dive coaster in the world.
buschgardens.com 888-800-5447/813-987-5777
Citrus Tower, located in Clermont, provides a panoramic view of rolling hills, spring-fed lakes and citrus trees from three Tower Observation Decks. The Tower offers in-season fresh citrus fruit for sale, either to take along or for gift shipments. A restaurant and gift shop are also on the grounds. citrustower.com 352-394-4061
Dinosaur World, located in Plant City, has more than 150 life-size dinosaurs located on its grounds. Examine fossils and learn why dinosaur remains are not found in Florida. Visitors can shop for hard-to-find dinosaur toys and educational materials in the gift shop.dinoworld.net 813-717-9865
Drivetech Racing School at USA International Speedway in Lakeland gives racing fans the opportunity to get behind the wheel of an authentic NASCAR racecar. Guests race like the pros as they drive the laps drafting, passing and leading, setting their own pace around the track. drivetech.com 800-678-8864/909-349-0255
Fantasy of Flight in Polk City invites guests to explore the romance and nostalgia of flight in self-guided "immersion" experiences that chronicle the history of aviation. Guests can enjoy the world's largest private collection of vintage aircraft, flight simulators, back-lot tours, hot air balloon flights and open cockpit biplane rides. fantasyofflight.com 863-984-3500
Florida Eco-Safaris at Forever Florida offers eco-safaris via horseback, zipline or in a swamp buggy through a nature preserve with nine ecosystems. The Zipline Safari, Florida's first zipline experience, takes guests on a treetop nature tour reaching heights of 55 feet (16.8 meters) and speeds up to 20 mph (32.2 kph). floridaecosafaris.com 407-957-9794
Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards, located in Clermont, is Florida's largest premium winery. Visitors can take a free tour of the winery, sample wines in the tasting room or purchase a bottle of the award-winning Lakeridge wine at the gift shop. lakeridgewinery.com 800-768-WINE (9463)/352-394-8627
Revolution The Off-Road Experience in Clermont lets visitors take the wheel of an all-terrain vehicle, Hummer, Jeep Dune Buggy or high-speed rally car for a few hours of off-road fun. Or, guests can take to the water for wakeboarding, waterskiing or fishing. revolutionoffroad.com 352-400-1322
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Comments from Attendees at Previous Education Conferences: "The most enjoyable conference I can ever remember attending." "Great presentations and the opportunity to "network" at the receptions was fun and useful." "Just wonderful planning on your part." "Food was stupendous." "Such good work in planning and implementation. |