Beat the heat: Double up on indoor-attraction combinations

Beat the heat: Double up on indoor-attraction combinations

“Humid enough for you?” was a greeting I received recently from a friend. We all put up a valiant fight, but we’ve entered that season in Central Florida where it’s both the heat and, yes, the humidity working against us.

Naturally, in these conditions, we advise sunscreen, constant hydration and following the first rule of theme-parking: Find your shade. But at this time of the year, also consider staying (gasp) in the great indoors.

Orlando has plenty of air-conditioned attractions to consider when the heat or the patented afternoon thunderstorm cranks up. This week, at the risk of sounding awfully People magazine-y, we present Hot Couples, pairs of indoor options that are geographically close, with one being new-ish in town and the other being more classic/veteran/old school.

Museum of Illusions staff Dayna McNally, right, and Isaac Cabrera showcase an upside-down room, one of the attraction's exhibits at Icon Park in Orlando on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
Museum of Illusions staff members showcase an upside-down room at the Icon Park attraction. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)

Iconic duos

Next-door neighbors at Icon Park are Max Action Arena and Museum of Illusions. Max Action is an entertainment center with options such as escape rooms, ax throwing and what it calls “Zero Latency Extreme Virtual Reality.” Museum of Illusions features mind-bending visuals, many of which are Instagram-able and/or educational. Icon Park offers an array of combo deals for its attractions, not to mention the Great Florida Road Trip game that’s an add-on to a Wheel cycle.

Visitors inside Ripley's Mirror Maze explore the International Drive attraction that will be opening soon.- Original Credit: Ripley Entertainment
Ripley’s Mirror Maze visitors explore the International Drive attraction’s pathways. (Courtesy Ripley Entertainment)

Ripley ripple effect

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium has been remodeled and now includes an “Out of This World” gallery with historic Apollo 11 footage, a 3,000-pound meteorite and Luke Skywalker’s original lightsaber. Next door is Ripley’s Mirror Maze, an LED-lined challenge that may make you reflect on your choices.

Scenes from Lonely Dog Immersive Experience, an attraction opening on International Drive in spring 2023.
Scenes from Lonely Dog Immersive Experience, an attraction opening on International Drive in spring 2023.

Go-karts and Dog days

Among the indoor entertainment at Dezerland Park Orlando is a Go-Kart course called Karting Orlando, which has received a makeover with a huge hairpin curve for its electric vehicles to negotiate. Just down the road is the new Lonely Dog Immersive Experience that’s a theater-in-the-round/projection/artsy storytelling device, and it emerges from the art of New Zealand’s Ivan Clarke, who brings to life a working-class guitarist dog, a high-fashion feline and other canine characters with songs of freedom as a soundtrack.

Scenes from Country Nights Live, an offshoot show from Pirates Dinner Adventure near International Drive.
Diners get into the act during Country Nights Live, an offshoot show from Pirates Dinner Adventure near International Drive. (Dewayne Bevil/Orlando Sentinel)

Country music in the air

Indoor skydiving is the unlikely I-Drive activity at iFly Orlando, which allows customers to take vertical wind tunnels (and flight suits) for a spin. A more boots-on-the-ground outing is down the road with Country Nights Live, a dinner show with dancing from the people at Pirates Dinner Adventure.

On the movie

We’ll break form to visit entertainment giants. At Universal CityWalk, there’s the Great Movie Escape, which has dueling challenges based on “Back to the Future” and  “Jurassic World.”  Down the interstate, a piece is Cirque du Soleil’s “Drawn to Life,” a show with a Disney animator storyline at the production’s home base at Disney Springs.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.

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