“America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, Talladega Nights (2006)
Throughout our history, we have been searching for the newest, fastest, and most exciting ways to spend our time and well earned money. In the theme park mecca that is Central Florida, it seems as though there is always a race to build something never seen before, that must be experienced right now! Companies such as Disney, Universal, and Merlin spend countless millions to try and separate you from the contents of your wallet, and generally do a bang up job.
However, sometimes you want to escape from the theme park madness and slow down a bit, even if where you slow down is just as artificial as the tree of life!
Fun Spot Kissimmee, located at the edge of the Old Town Shopping and Entertainment district, provides just enough speed to keep your heart racing, without the “huge” costs associated with the big theme parks in the area. In fact, admission is free, and you pay for what you want to do! This is not a new idea, but it is one that most of the major players in the industry have moved away from.
On a recent Friday night, we journeyed from our resort, the Celebration Suites at Old Town, and walked literally a few hundred feet into the park. There, we were able to experience some of their marquee attractions, and watch safely on the sidelines at other attractions. Fun Spot boasts 28 attractions in their 9 acres, including the world’s tallest Skycoaster, which welcomed it’s first daredevils in 2004.
Their four go-kart tracks provide high speed thrills that get your heart pumping, and put your competitive spirit into high gear. The slick track, which is basically a small version of the Daytona International Speedway, allows little kids and others who are content with circle track racing to get their taste of speed. The road course ups the horsepower, and car control, and can be quite the handful! Their two elevated tracks, Chaos and Vortex, offer up multi level, high speed corkscrews, combined with hills that will either scare you to death or bring you to a state of automotive nirvana; depending on your point of view!
The park offers a variety of pricing options, depending on your budget and level of insanity! You can choose to pay for each ride individually, starting at $3 and up. The best, and most economical way is to get a day pass, costing between $40 and $60 per person, virtually all inclusive. (SkyCoaster & Arcade not included) If you’re a local, and a true daredevil, you should check out the annual pass, which runs about $100 per person.
Fun Spot simply cannot be compared to the highly themed attractions in the market. It is more like a traveling carnival that has permanently set down roots. It is fun and cheesy at the same time, and harkens back to days of old, when roadside attractions dominated the landscape. Even their location, adjacent to Old Town, fits that theme. The numerous restaurants, small shops, and even the weekly car shows recreate a small town feel in the middle of the sprawling attraction corridor.
With the Walt Disney World Speedway no longer in existence, and the Lights Motor Action Stunt Show closing it’s doors within weeks, Fun Spot and their neighbor, Old Town, are perhaps the best place for motorheads to get their gear on, and enjoy the taste, feel, and smell of raw horsepower.
So, if you are looking for a fun way to spend a few hours, or even the whole day, and don’t feel like forking your money over to the mouse or the boy who lived, drop a few bucks on Fun Spot. You’ll be glad you did!
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