AALL 95th Annual Meeting & Conference
Orange County Convention
Center - Orlando, Florida
July 20-24, 2002
LOCAL ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
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AALL 95th Annual Meeting & Conference Orange County Convention
Center - Orlando, Florida LOCAL ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
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AALL Events SEAALL SFALL
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ATTRACTIONS
Plan Ahead!! We highly recommended obtaining tickets to the major theme parks prior to arriving in Orlando. Advance tickets to several area attractions may be purchased at special AALL rates. Be sure to submit your completed form (or page 42 of the Preliminary Program) no later than JULY 3rd. Discount coupons for a variety of attractions, restaurants and shops will also be available at the Hospitality Desk. In addition, American Automobile Association members may purchase discounted tickets to a variety of area attractions and restaurants in advance from your local AAA office, while other discounts may be obtained at the time of purchase by presenting a valid AAA membership card. This will save you money and time waiting in long ticket lines. Visit the attractions' web sites regularly, and watch for "special deals" and discounted prices when purchasing your tickets in advance online! Getting Around Town. Guests at the Conference hotels can take advantage of free shuttle service, with regularly scheduled trips to local theme parks and shopping. The I-RIDE Trolley offers a convenient, inexpensive mode of transportation, with a permanent stop at the Convention Center and many area hotels. Upon arrival, check with your hotel concierge, or at the AALL Hospitality Desk for information on where to purchase I-RIDE tickets (the 5 or 7 day passes are recommended). If you do not plan to rent a car, a colorfully decorated LYNX city bus are reliable alternatives. For more information on navigating Central Florida, check out the Orlando Survival Guide online and in the June issue of Spectrum. Want a "birds' eye view" or Central Florida, try a helicopter ride. Hours of Operation. Most major attractions and theme parks open early (8:00-9:00 AM) and close late (9:00 - 10:00 PM) during the summer months, although this is always subject to change. All of the parks and attractions offer a variety of dining and shopping. Guest services generally include strollers, wheelchairs, lockers, first-aid, foreign currency exchange, and 24-hour automated teller machines. Major Theme Parks. Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Sea World Orlando are the major Orlando area attractions.
Other Popular Attractions. No trip to Central Florida is complete without a tour of the Kennedy Space Center (one of the Conference Excursions on Thursday, JULY 25th). Billed as Central Florida’s "original attraction", Silver Springs is worth the trip. Located 90 miles north of Orlando in Ocala (Florida's thoroughbred horse country), Silver Springs includes glass bottom boat rides, beautiful grounds and parks. The popular television series, Sea Hunt, and early Tarzan movies were filmed here. About the same distance south of Orlando is Cypress Gardens, a family park with lots to see and do, and another example of a quieter, simpler time in Florida. During July, enjoy "Firecracker Saturday Nights" with extended park hours and a fantastic fireworks display. Check out the Southern Belle Experience, available for children ages 3 to 12. Want another taste of the "real" Florida? Spend a half-day at Gatorland in Kissimeee. This old-time Central Florida, pre-Disney attraction welcomes visitors through the giant jaws of an alligator to 35 acres of over 5000 live alligators and crocodiles - and don't miss the Gator Wrestling and Gator Jumparoo. Splendid China, located just southwest of Orlando in Kissimmee, is an attraction not to be missed. This quiet 76 acre park includes replicas of the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Live entertainment including acrobats, dancers and a tiger show make it a hit with everyone. Water Parks. The perfect way to cool down! Conveniently located on International Drive is the local favorite, Wet 'n Wild. Other area water parks include Water Mania on Hwy. 192 in Kissimmee, and the three Disney "themed" water parks - Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and River Country - all located in Lake Buena Vista. International Drive Attractions. While Sea World and the Universal theme parks are a short drive from the Conference hotels and Convention Center, there are several popular attractions and entertainment venues within walking distance (or a short I-RIDE trolley ride). WonderWorks, in Pointe*Orlando, is an interactive attraction with hundreds of hands-on exhibits, including earthquake simulators, virtual reality games and laser tag. Skull Kingdom features live performers, robotics and special effect wizardry (not recommended for very young children). Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum features amazing discoveries of explorer Robert Ripley and more than 200 oddities and exhibits. Titanic: Ship of Dreams, located in the Mercado Shopping Village, is the first permanent exhibition featuring artifacts from the Titanic. Take an interactive journey through the exhibit, and stand on a replica of the ship's deck, surrounded by the night sky (reproduced to look as it did on the night the ship sank). Another popular attraction at the Mercado is the Guinness World Records Experience. For the daring, try free fall hang-gliding or indoor skydiving in a wind tunnel at Skycoaster of Orlando or Sky Venture, both located on I-Drive. Cocoa Beach Attractions. There is plenty to see and do in nearby Cocoa Beach/Brevard County, so don't just hang at the beach! If you can't take the planned "narrated" day at Cocoa Beach Excursion on Saturday, July 20th, we recommend Ron Jon Surf Shop (on the beach at AIA and 520), the Cocoa Beach Pier on the north end of the Beach, and Olde Cocoa Village in downtown Cocoa (on the mainland, west of Cocoa Beach off the 520 Causeway). The list of local entertainment venues and attractions is endless … there is truly something for everyone in Orlando. Need more information? Try one of these online guides to help you plan your vacation itinerary:
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