It’s time for a New Year and a whole new 12 months of Real Florida Adventures. And, in keeping with Orlando’s reputation for always offering something new, there is a LOT in store for visitors to our wonderful destination in 2022.
Despite the best efforts of the pandemic, Orlando has actually seen a huge bounce-back in visitation through the second half of 2021, and we are encouraged that things will continue to move in the right direction, even with the advent of Omicron – and any other Greek letters they want to throw at us!
So, looking ahead as the calendar rolls around to January once more, we can definitely see an exciting landscape in prospect, with a dazzling array of forthcoming new attractions for our theme parks and other unique experiences.
New Attractions at Disney World
Just to start with, Walt Disney World will be eagerly awaiting the advent of their Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride at the Epcot park, a novel type of roller-coaster that will shoot guests into the Marvel universe like never before. We don’t have an opening date as yet, but Disney insiders insist it is now in test mode, so this summer should be a realistic timeframe for its debut.
It is also just one part of the major transformation of Epcot that has been underway for some time now and should be complete by the end of the year. The former Future World area will become three separate sections, for World Discovery (including the Guardians ride and the recently-opened Space 220 restaurant), World Nature, and World Celebration.
The latter will become the essential hub of the park, highlighting the year-round series of festivals that the park is known for, while World Nature will feature the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana walk-through attraction that will add more character to the park, as well as existing attractions such as The Land Pavilion and The Seas with Nemo and Friends.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will unveil its latest stage show, Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…And Beyond, with a reimagining of this hugely popular production to fit in with the timeline of the Finding Dory movie.
Exciting Updates at SeaWorld +Aquatica
SeaWorld won’t be left out of the new roller-coaster picture, either, as it continues to develop the ride aspect of the park. This February will therefore see the debut of Ice Breaker, another iconic scream machine that promises to provide another first-of-its-kind experience, with multiple forwards AND backward launch sequences.
SeaWorld’s neighboring water park, Aquatica, will add to the excitement quotient with the arrival in spring 2022 of Reef Plunge, a complete redevelopment of their Dolphin Plunge slide to add more cut-outs, marine life, and intrigue to this fast-paced flume.
Even More Orlando Fun!
Thrill-seekers will also be able to test their nerve at the latest attractions to open at ICON Park in the heart of the Orlando Entertainment District (otherwise known as International Drive). December 28 saw the official launch of two genuinely iconic rides, the Orlando Slingshot and the Orlando FreeFall, a pair of high-rise adrenaline-powered towers that alternately blast people into orbit or drop them from a great height!
If that’s not your kind of thing, how about some cultural experiences courtesy of the January opening of Steinmetz Hall, the new concert arena at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando? It will attract world-class performers from all over the world, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from London, who will be among the opening acts this month.
But, as wonderful as all these innovative and exciting developments are, we always like to remind you that, having come all the way to Florida, you should make time to actually SEE Florida, ideally on one of our carefully curated excursions, which provide the perfect platform to enjoy the natural wonders of the state.
From coast to coast and old to new, there is an astounding variety of opportunities to explore beyond the main tourist areas and enjoy the other things this region is known for, including fabulous beaches, state parks, wildlife, and wide, open spaces.
You don’t have to go far to experience the true splendor of the Sunshine State, and we have created tours like the Manatee Snorkeling at Crystal River and Real Wild Florida Adventure to take visitors right into the heart of this natural wonderland.
Don’t Miss the Kennedy Space Center
And then there’s the Kennedy Space Center. One of THE most iconic locations and experiences anywhere in the world will be positively bustling with life and purpose in 2022, with more activity and rocket launches than ever before.
It will also add another experience to its ever-evolving Visitor Complex with the opening in March of Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex, a showcase of immersive spacecraft displays that underlines the KSC’s vibrant future, both through NASA and the increasing number of private companies partnering with America’s space agency.
It also serves to emphasize just why we think this growing center for space exploration continues to be one of our most popular excursions, and why we have no fewer than five ways to experience it, including our unique Space Center and Airboat Ride combo that offers both the full insight into the KSC and the chance to experience some of that natural side of our region.
If you’ve never sampled an airboat ride, it is a magnificent way to explore the Great Outdoors, with a craft that swiftly skims the surface of the waterways which make up much of Central Florida, affording a close-up of the wildlife along the way. It is both a thrill and a nature exploration at the same time, and something that appeals to young and old alike.
We’d go as far as to say that you haven’t really been to Florida until you’ve experienced that distinctive open-air roar that an airboat provides!
So, as we welcome a whole New Year, don’t forget that we have a whole array of possibilities to make your Orlando trip a true vacation sensation.
Be sure to ask about our Price Match Guarantee. We do our best to always offer the lowest price, but, if you find a lower qualified price for an identical tour on another site, we will be more than happy to match it.
And remember, Real Florida Adventures is here for YOU, our loyal customers, and we’re always ready to go that extra mile to ensure we’re providing the personal, professional service that is the bedrock of every great vacation. Check out our range of Private Tours for a more individual touch, or call us on 407-573-2535 to discuss how we can create the ideal tour for YOU.
