ORLANDO (dpa) – The horrific terrorist attacks of September 11 have brought many changes to tourism in the United States. But although the big pleasure parks in Florida were closed in the immediate aftermath, they have all now reopened, and Orlando, Florida retains its title of American capital of modern leisure pursuits.
And while security has certainly been stepped up in the parks, tourists are not expected to face any further problems, says Orlando’s tourism office in Mainz, Germany.The sheer space devoted to leisure parks, sporting events, museums and spectacular shows in Orlando puts it in a class of its own. And although the city is far from the coast, there is plenty for water- sports enthusiasts to do. Around 300 lakes and swamps offer plenty of variety for sailing enthusiasts, canoeists and water-skiers.Thirty years ago, the people of Orlando earned their money with raising cattle, and growing cotton and citrus fruits. Today’s Orlando experienced its rebirth in 1971 when Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom opened. The city now has more than 102,000 hotel rooms and 3,800 restaurants – and more are opening every day for the 42 million tourists who come here annually.Seen for the first time, Orlando may appear somewhat confusing: its design is typically American and everything can be reached by car. South of the centre, there are just a few hotel complexes, car parks and leisure parks connected by a skywalk. This means that visitors to the downtown area can leave their car at a lot as the centre is only a few blocks in each direction and its attractions can easily be reached on foot.Nightlife in the centre is concentrated in Church Street. There are numerous bars, pubs, restaurants and discos in its historic buildings, although the programme is primarily focussed on the wants of the tourist masses. The atmosphere is still decent inside to the sounds of Dixieland jazz and rock’n’roll. In Rosie O’Grady’s, the barmaids even dance can-can on the bar.The leisure parks require a lot time, and if you go on one of the many rollercoasters, you’ll need a strong stomach, too. A most people won’t get round to visiting all the parks in one holiday, a selection has to made. Sea World and Discovery Cover, for example, are attractions featuring dolphins and killer whales and other marine life. Univeral’s Islands of Adventure and Walt Disney World are fairgrounds which offer carousels and rides in all sizes and at all speeds.Gatorland, as its name suggests, concentrates on alligators. Baby reptiles and their parents, some of them as long as canoes, tumble around here. Visitors here are naturally treated to the daily attractions, including feeding time. This exciting experience involves a man on a platform on the edge of a lake throwing wheelbarrowfulls of meat and fish into the water. After the first piece is thrown, they all crowd around the platform snapping their jaws.Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral provides a glimpse into the history of aerospace. NASA, the U.S. space agency, is based here, around an hour’s car-drive from Orlando on the Atlantic coast. The space centre first shows visitors a film of the many fascinating attractions at Cape Canaveral, in one of the rocket launches they show, you can even feel the floor vibrate a little. Former astronauts answer questions several times a day.A bus also runs to the Apollo/Saturn V Centre. In the remodelled control centre, visitors can experience the launch of Apollo 8. The centre also has an exhibition dealing with the moon landing programme featuring a genuine Saturn V rocket measuring almost 111 metres. For those with a little more time, a detour to the ISS assembly halls is well worth it. From behind thick glass in the gallery, visitors can view the construction of the International Space Station.Sports fans are also well provided for in Orlando. The city is home to professional basketball team Orlando Magic. Even during the normal season, tickets can be bought on the night at the ticket office. Although it’s an expensive endeavour because of the strong dollar, if the Magic ever reach the playoffs it gets much more difficult to get hold of tickets at short notice.For those looking for a bit of physical activity, Orlando makes a great base. The city has around 125 golf courses, while hiring a canoe or a kayak makes a great day for the whole family. Boats can be hired at Wekiva River, for example, half-an-hour by car north of Orlando. You leave civilisation behind on the Wekiva and the huge number of turtles and exotic birds give an idea of how Florida must have looked before the arrival of the white settlers.
