ORLANDO, STILL THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN

ORLANDO, STILL THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN
Story and photography
by Eric Anderson

Looking for experiences, less expensive but still out-of-the ordinary? How about floating on air? The easy way is the 20-minute drive (407-933-4337 www.bcairboats.com) for airboat rides at Boggy Creek. Says pilot Edgar Alexander, "It's an educational adventure. Kids keep saying, 'This is better than a zoo!'" The boats needing only two inches of water to show the Central Florida Everglades and are powered by 454 Chevrolet engines.

	Floating on air at the simulated skydiving activity, Sky Venture (407-903-1150 www.skyventure.com) uses a different engine: electricity - and its electric bill hits $200,000 a year. "We don't blow our customers up from the ground," says Omar Arias, the manager, "we suck 'em from the top by vacuum. That lets us control the air flow better." This in turn helps the novice skydivers (of ages 2 to 88) stay upright -- but kids who'd rather be upside down can head for the new Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure (800-232-7827 www.universalorlando.com). They'll go from 0 to 40 mph in two seconds and be feet up before they know it.

After so frantic a ride, some families might want something quieter. An unexpected pleasure at 8445 International Drive, fairly close to the Convention Center, is the Titanic Exhibition. Interest has peaked since Cameron's 1997 movie but the presentation is well done and interesting as well as informative. "Titanic was the largest man-made structure in the world," says Jim Trebowski, a guide portraying passenger Harry Markland Molson. "It was built by the Irish, run by the British and owned by the Americans." He stands before a poster advertising the Titanic's return voyage from New York priced at $36.25 for a Third Class ticket to London, and First Class $130. "Interestingly enough," he says, "at this busy time of immigration to the Americas, the ship was only half full on its maiden voyage yet sold out for its return from New York."