By Sandy Klim

Florida is a celebration of spectacular and thrilling theme parks and attractions. With new rides and entertainment opening yearly, there's always something fresh and exciting to experience at these world-class entertainment venues.

Walt Disney World
Walt Disney's dream of building a family friendly park came to life near Orlando, beginning a trend that would make Florida one of the world's most popular and awe-inspiring destinations. Walt Disney World dazzles the imagination with four unique theme parks.

The Magic Kingdom, Disney's original attraction, brings storybook Disney characters to life. Journey through seven distinct lands, including Frontierland, Tomorrowland and Mickey's Toontown Fair.

Nearby, Epcot lets you experience the music, architecture and flavors of countries around the world. Warm, steaming croissants await you in France, while nimble acrobats fly through the air in China. Newly opened Soarin' gives you a free-flying adventure across the natural wonders of the Golden State of California aboard this thrilling ride. With the wind in your hair, glide 40 feet in the air as you look down upon the breathtaking vistas of Yosemite National Park and redwood forests.

Disney's MGM Studios is a salute to the movies. Favorite classics come to life in rides, shows and attractions. And be on the lookout for lions, giraffes, hippos and elephants at Disney's newest park, Animal Kingdom.

For a distinctly unique vacation, check out the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts. Kids can stay cool in any of the four pools, including the three-acre grotto and beach, play a little water volleyball, hit the water slide or hang out under a waterfall. You can also indulge your favorite tastes at one of the 16 onsite restaurants and lounges, including the Bluezoo, which combines the freshest seafood with coastal cuisines from around the world.

Are you ready to discover a well-kept secret? The Disney Vacation Club allows you to enjoy the benefits of seven participating resorts while receiving Vacation Points that can be used for future accommodations. You'll be able to vacation at dream destinations around the globe, including most Walt Disney World Resort hotels, select Disneyland Resorts in California, Disneyland Resort Paris and the Disney Cruise Line.

Universal Orlando
Universal Orlando features two distinct theme parks, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Universal Studios lets you ride the movies at the largest-working motion picture studio outside of Hollywood. Go behind the scenes into the action of some of your favorite movies. At the new Fear Factor Live, gravity-defying stunts and more challenge audience participants as they compete against other guests in front of an audience of thousands. Revenge of the Mummy plunges guests into total darkness as they face fireballs, scarab beetles and an army of warrior mummies on this psychological thrill ride.

Islands of Adventure brings together five distinct islands where you'll experience unexpected adventure and innovative thrills as you journey through each one: Seuss Landing, The Lost Continent, Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon and Marvel Super Hero Island. The spectacular and hi-tech thrill rides will challenge your senses. If thrills are your passion, you won't want to miss the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, a wild combination of 3-D effects and heart-pounding twists and turns.

A favorite of kids is Seuss Landing, where you'll ride a couch through the pages of the famous children's book The Cat in the Hat. Spin and swerve this way and that as that mischievous cat and his friends "Thing One and Thing Two" almost bring down the house.

SeaWorld Adventure Park
SeaWorld Adventure Park captivates audiences with stunning animal performances. Opening in spring of 2006 is Believe, one of the most ambitious projects in SeaWorld's history. The production showcases majestic killer whales with awe-inspiring choreography, an elaborate three-story set, original musical score and panoramic screens.

Also opening are kid-friendly additions to Shamu's Happy Harbor, including a killer whale-themed coaster, a jellyfish samba tower ride and a beach-bucket tea cup ride.

Discovery Cove
Adjacent to SeaWorld is Discovery Cove, a tropical park that focuses on interaction with marine animals. This self-contained paradise lets you swim with dolphins and snorkel among sharks, stingrays and tropical fish.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens in Tampa takes you to the Edge of Africa for a close-up view of lions, hippos and hyenas. Curious giraffes are known to wander up and join your safari tour. The park offers a marvelous combination of spine-tingling rides, exotic entertainment and stunning gardens.

Recently, a baby Western Lowland gorilla was born at Busch Gardens. More than 58,000 people went online to vote for their favorite baby name. The winner, with more than 18,000 votes, was Bolingo. The name means "Love" in Lingala, a language spoken in the Congo region of Africa where these endangered gorillas are found.

Not to be missed is SheiKra! SheiKra gives riders a 70 mph, adrenaline-pumping experience like no other. At 200 feet, SheiKra now holds the crown as Florida's tallest roller coaster. This thrill machine is also the tallest dive coaster in the world and the first of its kind to incorporate an Immelmann Loop and a 138-foot dive into an underground tunnel with a water-feature finale.

Water Theme Parks
Florida wouldn't be complete without great water theme parks to help you beat the summer temperatures. Many feature tropical-themed swimming pools, daring water slides, gentle tubing rivers and surf-producing wave pools. Some of the best are Water Mania, Adventure Island, Wet 'en Wild, and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach and River Country.

Many of the non-water attractions also have great kids' splash-and-play areas. After a few hours in the sun, they're ready to cool off. Be sure to pack a swim suit and change of clothes for the little ones.

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For information on Florida
call: 1-800-291-9012
or go to: an.VISITFLORIDA.com

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