Info about a couple of Orlando attractions????

[Tommybob]

In light of attendance at the parks being down and the parks are closing earlier I'm thinking of incorporating a couple of other attractions in our plans.

Does anybody have any info about Ripley's "Believe It Or Not". Is it worth the time?

There is also another attraction which is a building thats turned upside down. Anybody have info on that one? ......or..... does anyone have any suggestions for something interesting to do at night with a 13 and a 10 year old boy!

Thanks

 

[WebmasterBarry]

I haven't been to Ripley's, but the upside-down building is Wonder Works. Here is my trip report on it:

One of the most recognizable buildings on International Drive is the upside-down
building. If you have seen the building, you have seen WonderWorks. Although it is a
well-known building, not too many people know what is inside.

Inside the building are over 75 interactive exhibits amaze, amuse, and even toss you
around. One exhibit simulates an earthquake. Another is a hurricane simulator. A VR
simulator lets you fight other guests in a computer-generated environment.
WonderWorks has an electric chair simulator. You sit in the chair and you can feel what
it's like to be electrocuted (minus the annoyance of death). You can hang glide over
simulated environments. You can play music on a big piano. Smaller exhibits are optical
illusions. The building also has a roller coaster simulator ride. An upper floor is a huge
laser tag arena. You can also eat pizza and other junk food in the snack bar below.

WonderWorks had a lot of exhibits that you can find at many science museums. Unlike
science museums, WonderWorks doesn't have scientific explanations on what causes
these phenomenons. The attraction has the air of the cheesy tourist attraction.

As I toured the building, I thought "tourist trap!" many times. I think the Orlando
Science Center or even Disney Quest would be a better value for the money. At the
Orlando Science Center, you learn as you have fun with the exhibits. I always feel like
my head is ten pounds heavier from all the things I've learned there. Disney Quest has a
better set of exhibits. The best thing about WonderWorks is that is open until midnight
daily. Other attractions around International Drive close much earlier. Still,
WonderWorks is not a bad place to spend an hour or two.

Next door to WonderWorks is Pointe*Orlando, a collection of shops and restaurants.
Notable shops are a huge FAO Schwartz and a large Disney Store.

For more information on WonderWorks, go to their website at
www.wonderworksonline.com.

 

[SimonV]

I'll second Barry's opinion that the Science Center is probably a better bet than WW. The Marinello Folk Art Museum is also near OSC. The Titanic exhibit at The Mercado is also good for an hour or so, while Ripley's should amuse you for about the same length of time (and is quite fun, especially for children of 8-14). The new Orange County History Center downtown is well worth seeing, while I also love Gatorland for a taste of something different. Or you could spend half a day in Winter Park - some neat museums (don't miss the Morse Museum), parks, gardens and shops, plus the excellent 50-minute boat tour around the local lakes.

 

[nhrenee]

We're going to check out disney Quest in a couple of weeks (even though we're going to Universal Studios ) with out 7 and 12 year old. Might be another option for you.

 

[Amazing-grace]

Thorughly enjoyed Ripleys, it filled an evening for us

 

[deena]

in the past during the summer and found it to be a great and entertaining way to spend an hour or so. All of the exhibits were interesting with lots of neat items displayed for viewing as well as descriptions for reading. We had a fun time and plan on visiting another time in the future. Hope this helps.

 

[Tommybob]

Thanks everyone, this info really helps, I think we will definately do Rileys and will consider Wonder Works