by The Escape Hatch | Jul 21, 2022 | Local Events and Attractions
12 Amazing Facts About Orlando, Florida
Every tourist planning a visit to the United States dreams of stopping at Orlando in Florida. In Central Florida, Orlando is more than home to Universal Studios and Disney World. Exploring the city is so much more fun when you know the places to visit and their history. Orlando is more than just the world’s largest theme park hub and the “city beautiful”; there is much more to this metropolis. Read on to find out some fantastic, offbeat, and alluring facts about Orlando that will make your upcoming trip one you will remember. (more…)
by The Escape Hatch | Jul 15, 2022 | Local Events and Attractions
Newest Attractions in Orlando
No matter how often you have been to Orlando, you will always find something new the next time you go. Orlando constantly adds new attractions in theme parks and many new resorts. Some other new things you might see are restaurants with new dining options, ventures by celebrity chefs, or locally loved, homegrown establishments. Keep reading to discover why you must visit Orlando to check out all these fantastic new attractions.
Ice Breaker is named after the icy peaks of the Arctic and features four air-time-filled forward and reverse launches. The Ice Breaker has the steepest vertical drop in Florida, measuring 93 feet at an angle of 100 degrees. The thrills increase as riders progress through intense twists, turns, and airtime hills. Ice Breaker is the first launch roller coaster in SeaWorld. It is a perfect family coaster as the minimum height required is 54 inches only. Ice Breaker had been scheduled to open in 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic and other reasons, it got delayed and opened on February 18th, 2022.
Some other facts about the Ice Breaker
• Vertical top hat – 80 feet
• Track length – 1,900 feet
• Track traveled – 2,750 feet
• Maximum speed – 52 Mph
• Duration – 80-90 seconds
• No. Of trains – 2 trains
• No. Of coaches – 3 coaches per train with 3 rows per train
Star Wars Galactic Star Cruiser at Walt Disney World
The Star Wars: Galactic Star Cruiser opened at the Walt Disney World Resort on March 1st, welcoming the guests for a 2-night vacation experience. It is “part live immersive theatre, part themed environment, part real-life role-playing game, part culinary extravaganza.” After the check-in at the cruiser terminal, the guests go to the Launch pod that jumps to hyperspace, leaving Florida behind, traveling quickly to the Halcyon star cruiser in space. There they can catch glimpses of passing asteroids, spaceships, and distant planets. Along the way, they can also dress like the characters from the onboard boutique, The Chandrila Collection. There they have Star Wars-themed clothing, accessories, droids, collectibles, and home goods. The narrative of this cruiser takes place between “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” While aboard. The guests can meet characters from the movies like Chewbacca and Rey. Even new ones like an enthusiastic mechanic named Sammie, singer, and songwriter Gaya, and firsthand Lt. Harman Croy.
Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
The new, record-breaking coaster opened finally for the public on March 11th after weeks of previews. Iron Gwazi is a rebuilt of the wooden Gwazi. For this version, the Busch Garden chose a crocodile theme. In North America, this is the first hybrid coaster and the fastest and tallest of its kind in the world. It has two trains, seats 24 passengers, and stands at 206 feet. The ride begins by turning left from the loading station and climbing the 206-foot chain lift hill. On reaching the summit, the train falls 206 feet at a 90-degree angle again. The ride’s highlight, the barrel roll, comes after a couple of 76 mph turns and shot drops. The airtime hills come even later.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a state-of-art indoor roller coaster featuring superheroes who debuted in the 2014 film and opened on May 27th, 2022. The company said that EPCOT is going through “the biggest transformation in its history.” This ride reportedly cost $500 Million, which is vital to the change. It is less of a ride and more like living in your own Marvel film. Guests are put into the storyline the moment they get into the line; the coaster works through a battle between the guardian and a giant presentation of a Celestial being. It features some hit songs like Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “September.” The total immersion is precisely the point of the ride, according to the Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Josh D’Amaro.
Steinmetz Hall
The Steinmetz Hall opened at Dr. Phillips Centre of Performing Arts in downtown Orlando on January 14th, 2022. The hall has earned an N1 sound rating, the lowest level humans can hear. The N1 sound rating means the audience can listen to performances like never before. A two-week grand celebration was held for the opening of this attraction, featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennifer Hudson, Lyle Lovett, and the best Orlando has to offer.
Lake Nona Wave Hotel
The Lake Nona Wave Hotel is a leading establishment, offering 216 guest rooms, 16 one-bedroom suites, two penthouse suites, and three restaurants and bars. The hotel debuted in December 2021 with amenities such as voice-activated room controls. It focuses on healthy well-being and provides access to the first Chopra Mind-Body Zone in the world. The hotel is at the Lake Nona Performance Club with over 400 art pieces and a 50,000 square-feet sculpture garden.
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
This 14-story, 349-room hotel tower debuted in late 2021 at Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Reserve. The property is within walking distance of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. It offers meeting rooms with rooftop terraces, a restaurant, a full-service health club, and a 90-foot-long pool. Other attractions nearby are; Disney Fantasia’s Garden Miniature Golf course- 2 min walk, Disney’s Hollywood Studios – a 7-minute drive, Orange County Convention Centre- 15 minutes drive, Universal Orlando Resort- a 15-minute drive and Universal Studios Florida- 24 minutes drive.
Ette Hotel Orlando
The Tuscan-inspired, 126-room Ette Hotel opened in Orlando in May 2022 near Walt Disney World. Ette focuses on well-being as it is an alcohol-free property, offering culinary experiences in partnership with Michelin star chef Akira Back. Even the spa here provides services for everyone. This hotel is a perfect base to explore the city, about four miles south of Orlando’s famous theme parks. The decoration here is in an organic palette with sleek furnishing, featuring Peloton bikes, Technogym weights, plush bedding, Frette towels, and Le Labo and Salt and Stone products. All these amenities soothe the customers’ senses and increase the spacious rooms’ comfort level.
To sum up, Orlando is an ever-evolving city and changing with time. There is always something new to it. It is called the theme-park capital of the world for a reason. And that is along with other additions to the city.
Stop By The Escape Hatch!
Don’t forget to visit us here at the Escape Hatch of Orlando while you are seeing the many other attractions Orlando has to offer. We have some of the highest-rated escape rooms in Orlando. Book now online!
by The Escape Hatch | Jun 17, 2022 | Local Events and Attractions
A trip to Orlando is not complete without visiting some amazing beaches near this fantastic city. From the famous Cocoa beach to the not-so-famous but my personal favorite, New Smyrna Beach, we will review the best of the best beaches near Orlando. In just over an hour, you can reach various beaches to fit any beachgoer’s needs. You might think of Orlando as the theme park center of Florida and possibly the entire world. Still, they also have some of the best beaches in the USA.
Cocoa Beach is located only 45 minutes from the city of Orlando. This beautiful coastline offers a relaxed atmosphere and fantastic views of nature at its best. Surfers love the waves here, and you will see surfers regularly or give surfing a try yourself. If you need surfing lessons, they are offered here. Be sure to check us out before or after you visit Cocoa Beach, as this is the closest beach to The Escape Hatch in Orlando.
This Beach has lots of top-rated restaurants next to it, such as Coconuts on the Beach. They offer unique cocktails, or try their Mahi Sandwich. Cocoa beach is also famous for its deep-sea fishing options. You are only a short drive away from the amazing Kennedy Space Center, where you can actually meet astronauts. If you time it well, you can watch a rocket shoot into space! Not many places you can do that, right?
New Smyrna Beach is a personal favorite of mine. It boasts 13 miles of beautiful white-sand beaches. But the best part is you can drive onto the beach and park, saving a considerable hassle of parking your car far away and having to lug all your stuff to and from the beach. It’s only around 1 hours drive from downtown Orlando.
Work on your tan, or go surfing; it’s also great for beach fishing. They have decent-sized waves for surfing. This is one of the lesser-known beaches, so it’s usually not too crowded except on national holidays. And it’s more family-friendly than some of the others on this list.
The New Smyrna downtown area also has some lovely shops and restaurants you should check out on your way to the Beach. A few notable restaurants you should try are the Outriggers Tiki Bar & Grille and The Grille at Riverview, both reasonably priced and highly rated.
Daytona Beach, like New Smyrna Beach, enables tourists to park on its lovely white sand beaches, as evidenced in this live video of Daytona Beach. It’s about an hour’s drive from downtown Orlando and has its own “Main Street Pier,” where you can fish or watch the seagulls. There are numerous restaurants, such as the Inlet Harbor Raw Bar and Grill, and plenty of hotels to stay at during your visit.
Check out the Boardwalk Amusements and go shopping at the Ocean Walk Village Shoppes. The Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet is a great family getaway, and admission is only $8 at the time of this writing. It’s a great learning experience for the whole family.
Looking for a true tropical paradise within driving distance? It may be a bit further to drive than some of the beaches mentioned in this article, but it’s worth the trip. Clearwater Beach is located on the Gulf of Mexico and has truly white sandy beaches, which are much whiter than New Smyrna. It almost looks like snow. The water is also more aqua green/blue, and the beaches are very well maintained. It’s a bit of a trek, but if you want to go jet skiing or snorkeling, this is the beach for you.
Clearwater is one of the top-rated beaches in the entire USA. You feel like you are in the tropics due to the consistent warm/hot weather throughout the year. A true gem that should not be missed. Don’t forget to check out Crabby’s Beachwalk Bar & Grill for their amazing Oysters and margaritas! Or have breakfast at the “Another Broken Egg Cafe” and try their amazing pancakes.
It’s a bit of a drive, but Vero Beach is worth the two-hour drive from Disney World. It’s a small Florida city on the Atlantic coast. Be sure to visit Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. Its white sanding beaches, sand dunes, and local turtle population are active between May and October. They have many great surf shops, such as the Wabasso Beach & Surf Shop or the Riverside Theatre, which hosts hundreds of performances.
With its tropical vibe and beautiful ocean views, Vero Beach is a perfect place to spend some peaceful time. Plenty of activities keep you busy once you’ve had your fill of resting. Vero Beach is also known for its great Golf courses and fishing locations.
In conclusion
We at The Escape Hatch Orlando hope you enjoyed our top picks for beaches near Orlando. There are many more beaches in Florida, so be sure to also research and find the perfect Beach for you and your family.
Recent Comments