Right after our amazing experience at the 2014 IAAPA Attractions Expo, Lex and I were lucky enough to visit one of the premier family parks in the entire country: Fun Spot Orlando.
The entrance has a very clean, family vibe to it. Parking is FREE, which is great considering that Disney and Universal both charge in the $15-20 range for parking.
Did I mention that Fun Spot also offers FREE Wifi and FREE Admission? What that means is that if you want to just come in for an hour and enjoy a few rounds of go-karts, you can pay individually for that. It also means that if parents just want to supervise their kids, there is no additional charge. How great is that?
As you enter the park, one of the first things you will notice is the vibrant yellow track twisting and turning its way around the midway, which happens to belong to Freedom Flyer.
Freedom Flyer is Fun Spot’s Suspended Family Coaster, which has been open since May of 2013.
Freedom Flyer takes you to heights of 64 feet before it twists and turns you over the midway.
A train full of happy riders who are about to start their flight.
Freedom Flyer brings you up to moderate speeds of 34mph, a speed that everyone in the family can tolerate.
What a tangled mess of yellow track and blue supports.
As I’ve already mentioned, Freedom Flyer interacts with the midway phenomenally. It really adds to the overall environment when you can hear the screams of riders throughout the park (hopefully out of joy).
Lex and I’s visit to the park happened to be a dreary, rainy day, but it definitely didn’t stop us from having an absolute blast!
Freedom Flyer finishes its flight with a low to the ground helix.
Here they go through the last part of their journey.
Look at all those happy faces! The one on the right looks questionable but the one of the left looks like she enjoyed her 1300-foot flight on Freedom Flyer!
From an enthusiast perspective, the trains on Freedom Flyer are also awesome. They are extremely comfortable and the lap-bar restraints really add to the overall experience of the ride.
The newest addition to Fun Spot Orlando is one of the greatest flat rides on the market right now, a Zamperla Air Race model named Air Raid.
Everything about this type of ride is great, which we have previously mentioned in our trip report to Luna Park.
Air Raid is definitely not for the faint of heart, though! This is a thrilling ride made for the “big boys,” but it is a ride we suggest you take a whirl on if you are feeling brave.
The park has a lot of great attractions to offer, but the real star of the show here is Orlando’s ONLY wooden coaster: White Lightning.
White Lightning stands at a moderate height of 70 feet, but it makes the most of the 45mph speed that it reaches.
Anyone know who was responsible for the design of White Lightning? (Hint: It’s one of these signs.)
The white, hybrid structure of White Lightning gives it a very clean look from all angles.
Here is one of White Lightning’s six-car Millennium Flyers, expertly crafted by GCII.
Here is a look at the twisting first drop of Orlando’s only wooden coaster.
You immediately are tossed into a high-speed banked turn following the first drop.
Then White Lightning hits you with a few pops of airtime as you approach the turnaround.
What a clean looking design. The hybrid structure looks phenomenal.
White Lightning’s turnaround has a perfect amount of twistiness to it.
One of the main things that makes White Lightning such an awesome ride is that it doesn’t let up at any moment throughout its 2000-foot course.
The airhill following the turnaround offers a great pop of airtime, too. Is there anything not to like about White Lightning? I got the chance to speak with one of the main designers of White Lightning at IAAPA, and he told me that White Lightning is running exactly how they designed it to ride. This is a true testament to how wonderfully the park maintains their rides and is something I felt deserved credit. Well done Fun Spot.
A train full of happy riders. White Lightning really is an awesome coaster. In fact, I think I would say it is up there with Manta as my favorite roller coaster in the Orlando area.
Before we head to the other side of the park, here is a look at the incredible trio that makes up the front of the park.
Another thing worth noting is that Fun Spot Orlando is home to one of the tallest Skycoaster models in the world. This one stands at a ridiculous 250 feet. Want to know where the tallest Skycoaster is? Fun Spot Kissimmee.
The midway of Fun Spot Orlando boasts a lot of the classic rides, too.
Here you can see a Paratrooper and a Scrambler with the massive columns of Skycoaster in the background.
Rip Curl is a Music Express-type flat ride that is always fun for the whole family.
Just in case you were craving something fried, Fun Spot has got you covered. You can get fried Oreos, Reeses, Snickers, and pretty much anything else you can think of!
The park also has a great looking Tilt-A-Whirl, which are usually popular among families.
At this point, Lex and I needed a little boost of energy, so we stopped in at SkyDiner.
SkyDiner has got you covered for all of your basic food needs and more.
Here is a list of all of the smoothies and coffee items that SkyDiner offers.
SkyDiner also offers some fairly-priced alcoholic beverages, which is something that most theme parks don’t offer. $3 for a draft beer? That would probably put you back $9 at Universal or Disney.
If you are anything like Lex and I, though, you go for whatever has the most chocolate. At SkyDiner, it has got to be the Oreo Shake (an item approved by the Icee polar bear).
Lex tortures me and requires that she gets a picture or two before I can envelop this shake.
Needless to say, the Oreo Shake was delicious. It was totally worth the brain freeze.
In case you are for some reason still not sold that this park is a great place to bring the family, they have an entire area for kids called “Kid Spot”.
Kid Spot features a Fun Slide, an obstacle course, a mini-drop tower, and tons more.
Here is a swing ride for the children.
Kid Spot even has a roller coaster for the young ones. Admittedly, Lex and I rode this the last time we visited the park to get the credit. No shame.
Sea Serpent in all of its glory.
Sea Serpent also has a rhino who is already dressed for the holidays. Needless to say, Lex and I loved it!
As you approach the back of the park, you start seeing signs for Route 66, which is the name of the area where all of the go-karts are located.
I think we are headed in the right direction.
The Commander is the first track you are greeted by.
I am not a go-kart aficionado, but the tracks offered here at Fun Spot are some of the best I have been on outside of Wisconsin Dells.
Fun Spot features four main tracks: The Commander, Conquest, Quad Helix, and Thrasher.
Quad Helix was our favorite and I can without a doubt say that I won all of our races.
The Conquest can be recognized by the blue siding along the track.
Thrasher was not open when we were there but it looked like a lot of tight, ground-level turns.
Skycoaster just dominates your view from almost anywhere in the park.
Fun Spot also has a ferris wheel with a nice light package. Unfortunately we did not get to ride it.
Fun Spot America showing off its American pride through car parts and gasoline.
Fun Spot also has an arcade in case you have weather like we did and just want to stay indoors.
The arcade has a giant-claw game that has some of the most insane prizes I have ever seen, including $250 cash.
That’s right. This is a water jug filled with $250 cash.
Here is a look at some of the games the arcade offers.
This sign is posted in the arcade and I think it speaks volumes to how amazing of a park Fun Spot is. They rely on good ol’ word of mouth as their way of advertising and if for some reason you had an issue at the park, they genuinely want to make it right. A lot of parks would say this, but not all would follow through if an issue came to fruition. Fun Spot would absolutely follow through and would try to right any wrong you feel happened during your visit.
Lex and I need to go on this Skycoaster eventually. We have been on one together (Dare Devil Dive at Six Flags Great Adventure) and Lex let out the most ear shattering scream I have ever heard, so I can only imagine what would happen if we went on this.
Just in case you didn’t get your fix of White Lightning, here are some more shots of it in action.
The pacing on White Lightning really adds to the feeling of non-stop action throughout its layout.
I love how quick this ride is through all of its elements.
Lexie was in the back row of this train while I took pictures.
She gives White Lightning a double thumbs up. It is a can’t-miss attraction if you are in the Orlando area.
What a beautiful midway. Everything is so clean and looks new. I love how you can see a duo of Skycoaster riders in the top right corner of this picture.
Here is another shot of the beautiful midway for good measure.
Before we departed, we made a quick detour to SnoSpot America.
SnoSpot is one of the only Winter Events in Central Florida that features real snow! The snow is created without using any chemicals and it is completely recyclable.
Here is a bucket of snow that you receive to throw snowballs at the targets.
Obviously my snowball went right through that snowman’s mouth with my pinpoint accuracy (so yeah I probably missed the board completely.)
SnoSpot also features a decent-size hill for snow tubing.
I’m sure this would be something that the whole family can enjoy, especially in Florida where snow is pretty hard to come by.
‘Tis the season. Christmas really is a great time of the year.
In case you just want to play in the snow, they have an area for that. Do you want to build a snowman? Sorry, I had to work in at least one Frozen reference.
Here is an overview of the play area with the snow tubing hill in the background.
SnoSpot is a great idea for the Orlando area. I would definitely make this a family outing. For more information regarding SnoSpot, check out its website at www.SnoSpot.com
We will end this trip report on a picture of Fun Spot’s enterprise in action with the light package in full effect.
I can not emphasize how awesome of a park this is. It is clean, it is friendly, and it has enough rides to keep all ages entertained. Lex and I asked two different employees throughout the day if they liked their job and the answer was a resounding yes because of how well upper management treats them. This is a rarity in the amusement industry and it should not be overlooked when it occurs. I applaud Fun Spot for doing all of the small things right, which adds up to one great product.
White Lightning is definitely worth the stop on its own due to its airtime and pacing. Lex and I preferred riding it in the front, so if you have to make the decision between front or back that is our suggestion. Freedom Flyer is also just a great family ride and Air Raid is a perfect addition for the thrill seekers.
Not only will Lex and I make it a point to stop in at Fun Spot whenever we are in Orlando, but we may even prefer it to some of the “big dogs” in the area. The reason being is that you can actually relax at Fun Spot. There is no pressure to maximize your rides ridden because you can just pay per attraction. This, coupled with the friendly environment that all of the employees exude, makes Fun Spot America a premier destination for family fun in Central Florida.
For more information on Fun Spot America Orlando, visit their website here.
I am a huge travel and roller coaster enthusiast. I have ridden 459 unique coasters across North America and do not plan on stopping anytime soon. I recently graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and have started working with Falcon's Creative Group in Orlando, Florida.