Be part of the adventure with Spiderman at Universal's Islands of Adventure

FANCY tackling the baddies with Spiderman, zapping aliens with the Men In Black, going on a high-speed rollercoaster to meet a Yeti or whizzing back 65 million years to save the last dinosaur on earth?

You can do all this and a whole lot more in Orlando, Florida - surely the theme park capital of the world.

I visited Universal and Disneyworld during a 10-day break in the US city, and loved every second of it.

The fun never stops from first minute to last, and you hope your flight's delayed, so you can spend a few dollars more soaking up the entertainment and sunshine.

I stayed at the Portofino Bay Hotel with my teenage son while visiting Universal.

This excellent hotel is part of the Universal complex and means not only do you get first-class accommodation, a water taxi to the attractions but also, importantly, an express ticket which means no queuing on the big rides.

Universal has three main entertainment areas. There's CityWalk, which contains a wide variety of restaurants and shops plus nightclubs and a cinema.

Then there's Universal Studios, split into zones, with enough rides and attractions to keep the most ardent theme park fan happy.

Disney's Expedition Everest

And there's also Islands of Adventure to keep you entertained with some of the best thrill rides on offer. Spiderman at Islands has to be one of the most amazing simulator rides going. With 3D goggles on you are transported right to the heart of the action as you are zipped sideways, up and down at breakneck speed. All the time you are helping Spiderman fight the comic book hero's villains with varying results. It's a feast for the senses with outstanding visuals and a pounding soundtrack. You'll want to go on this ride again and again.

For rollercoaster fans, the Incredible Hulk Coaster is a must. Boy, does this move and there's enough loops and turns to make you wish you hadn't tucked into that big American breakfast quite so heartily.

If you want to get wet and have a great laugh while doing so, then Islands is a dream come true. If I had been hosed down for 24 hours I don't think I could have got as soaked as I did during a mad rampage through Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls - containing one of the steepest water drops created, Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges and Jurassic Park River Adventure - OK, this one's height restricted and a bit scary.

But if you do have little ones, take them to Seuss Landing. Dr Seuss' stories come alive in this superb, colourful zone.

At Universal Studios, Revenge of the Mummy will have thrill seekers drooling. The adrenaline-pumping ride plunges you into total darkness to face fireballs, scarab beetles and warrior mummies. There are enough twists on this ride to keep you guessing until the very end.

Men In Black Alien Attack is simply great fun. Be prepared to be spun round as you try and shoot the weirdest set of cosmic creations imaginable.

Terminator 2 3-D mixes live action, special effects and 3-D film with devastating results. It's riveting. I saw it three times from different parts of the auditorium and on each occasion, saw something new.

Try Twister, Earthquake and Jaws and Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast is... a blast! Here the young ones get the excellent Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone plus the hilarious Shrek 4-D to enjoy.

Also, new for this year is The Simpsons ride, which has opened to rave reviews.

A short drive away is awesome Disneyworld. We stayed at the magnificent Wilderness Lodge, which has plenty of entertainment and attractions of its own.

Indeed, there is so much to see and do at Disneyworld you could easily spend a month here and not cover it all.

There are four major theme parks - Magic Kingdom (we could get to this by boat), Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

Plus there's Downtown Disney with restaurants, shops, nightclubs and the superb, indoor interactive attraction Disney Quest. Throw in water parks Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon and Disney's Wide World of Sports complex, plus loads of other outdoor activities and you realise this is a place where do nothing' is not an option.

Captain Jack Sparrow has now joined the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Magic Kingdom. Other highlights include top indoor roller coaster Space Mountain - it's dark, fast and scary, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Animal Kingdom contains the excellent Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain.

It looks frightening when you see it. It sounds frightening when you hear the screams and not surprisingly, it is frightening when you're on the ride.

I am not sure at what point my heart stopped. It could have been seeing the Abominable Snowman, hurtling backwards at breakneck speed or rushing downwards apparently out of control around a corner, or perhaps all three. However, amazing and great fun it is.

Other must attractions are the top simulator ride Dinosaur, the super soaking Kali River Rapids and the exciting Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Feel the ride with the Rock'n'Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios or feel the force in the same zone with the Star Wars flight simulator Star Tours. For fear factor 10 try dropping 13 storeys at random at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

And for Indiana Jones' fans, there's a jaw-dropping stunt show which will have you on the edge of your seat.

Newest attraction here is Toy Story Mania, which is opening this summer.

It is a fun 4-D ride with surprises in store when you zap a target.

At Epcot, there's the exhilarating Mission:SPACE. There are now two rides for would-be astronauts - one less intense, the other with spinning.

Try Soarin', a hang-glider simulator which is mind blowing and the longest and fastest attraction in Disney history - Test Track. Epcot also contains World Showcase - attractions and entertainments from across the globe.

Disneyworld operates a Fastpass scheme to eliminate long queues. So if you can't get on your favourite attraction, take a ticket and come back at the allotted time for your ride. In the meantime, you are free to enjoy other entertainments.

Disneyworld is also quite rightly renowned for its spectacular shows and parades. They are incredibly popular, so make you sure you plan these into your day well in advance of the performances.

There's also plenty to do for the little ones here, so people of all ages are well catered for.

A great time is guaranteed and by the time your plane lands back in England, I am certain you'll already be planning your next stay at these theme parks.

Factfile

Andy Nicholls stayed at the Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal. Prices start from £138 a room for two per night.

Admission prices for Universal for a two-day/two park ticket (third day free) start from £55 (ages three to nine), £60 (ages 10-plus).

u Visit universalorlando.co.uk for more information.

He also stayed at the Wilderness Lodge, Disneyworld. Prices from £56 a night.

Disney's ultimate tickets for UK guests for 14 days (entrance to all theme parks) is £155 for children, £175 for adults.

Visit disneyworld.co.uk or ring 0870 2424900 for more information.

10:50am Saturday 31st May 2008

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