Orlando has More than Mickey

by Adele Woodyard

One of Orlando’s more unusual attractions, is a brand new ICEBAR for adults. That’s right, a bar and the whole room it’s in, made of ice. You face the chill in a hooded poncho and wool gloves, a welcome touch when you hold a vodka drink in a glass made of ice. Open 5-11 p.m. daily; Chill lounge 4:30 p.m.-midnight Wed.-Sun.; 4:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Thurs.-Sat. 8967 International Drive.

Step outside and glance across the street, and you’ll think you must be drunk or dreaming. WONDERWORKS is an upside-down building! More than 100 interactive exhibits makes it an amusement park for the mind. Open 9 a.m-midnight, daily. 9067 International Drive.

The whole family can also enjoy SKYVENTURE where you skydive indoors. Dressed in full flight gear, you actually soar above the floor, buoyed up by 125 mile an hour wind.
Open 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. daily. 6805 Visitors Circle.

This time around Disney came up with a “freebie” pass to the Magic Kingdom—IF you’re there on your birthday. Steve was and spent the day with Mickey, Minnie and all the Disney crew. Meanwhile I skipped Aquatica, SeaWorld’s new water park where you can plunge down a tube among the dolphins, for Universal Studios and The Simpsons Ride, with my favorite animated family.

A less expensive, if hokey, amusement park, is Old Town in Kissimmee. Greasy burgers, tinny music and fake screams of kids on “thrilling” rides remind you of your once carefree days. Here is Old Florida at its best—or worst, depending on how you look at it.
Open 10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. 5770 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway.

Like many Floridians, we’d thought of Orlando itself in terms of theme park ticket costs, that seem to climb out of sight every year. To our surprise, the assignment that brought us here, opened doors to more places that fit our next “$5 or less” eBook. But you’ll still need to read our current e-book, 100 FLORIDA “freebies” and “cheapies”,  that’s out now, to find the ones we already knew.