Go stateside for a spot of scare dealing

By David Dunn

FIRST there was the chilling buzz, followed by the splutter of something mechanical.

Then the lumbering bulk of a man with a ripped, bloodied shirt. And then came what our senses feared the most, a snarling chainsaw dragged menacingly along the concrete.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Even when you know what is around the corner human instinct tells you to yell. And leg it – in this case straight into the path of a bloke with a sword.

To think people pay good money for this stuff. No really, they do – thousands of them.

And they spend a fortune transforming Busch Gardens Tampa Bay from home of thrill rides and safari adventure to Hollywood-quality horror show for 16 nights in October.

No wonder that Howl O Scream is rated by many Halloween fans as the key scare attraction this side of the most vivid nightmare.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And in America they know how to do Halloween. At Busch Gardens they even rate the six haunted houses – such as The Hunted cabin, the Club Muse, Deathly Departed and 3D-themed 3rd Dementia – according to scare level.

After enduring flashing lights, screams, screeches, tricks with mirrors and very real reaching hands, you think you’ve become immune. But then there’s the people lurking in the trees.

After all that you may be reluctant to visit during the day but the adventure park offers two very different thrills.

On one side is an array of spine-frying rides, including the truly impressive SheiKra, the country’s only ‘dive coaster’ – 200 feet up, 90 degrees straight down, simultaneous loop and roll – the Tanganyika Tidal Wave, the Kumba and the Montu, with a G-force of 3.85.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Across the park is the Saving a Species tour. Whatever your view on animals in captivity this 45-minute tour, in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund, appears to be valuable and well-sourced.

It gives an insider’s view of conservation projects that protect rhinos and their habitat. As well as meeting genuinely enthusiastic zookeepers and getting close to black rhinos, you go ‘on safari’ to observe white rhinos and feed giraffes and antelope.

Not quite as heart-stopping is SeaWorld Orlando which invites families to ‘trick or treat’ their way around mermaids and friendly sea witches. It’s a nice-natured affair happening at weekends throughout October with immaculate costumes and gentle ribbing under the banner SeaWorld Spooktacular.

By day this veteran of Florida’s holiday capital is more awe-inspiring, however. Or, rather, it’s biggest and most famous resident is.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Even in spite of all the posters and killer whale-themed souvenirs the sight of Shamu surging through her pool and leaping to snatch fish is true spectacle.

This magnificent creature’s trainers speak with tangible respect of the mammal that keeps them employed in one of Florida’s most envied jobs.

She performs in Believe, an ambitious production that features SeaWorld’s entire family of majestic killer whales performing to a musical score performed by Prague National Symphony Orchestra.

Pacific Point Preserve, home to California sea lions and harbour seals, is worth a visit as is the dolphin nursery, where the kids will love the newborn calves swimming with dolphin mums.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Amid the 200 acres you can also ride the infamous Kraken, Orlando’s tallest and only floorless roller coaster, or Journey To Atlantis, a ‘water-coaster’ with two of the steepest, wettest and fastest drops to be found at any theme park.

There are other draws involving oceanic residents, such as the pirate ship with an enormous comedic walrus and playful otters.

Clyde and Seamore’s Ghostly Pirate Cruise is daft, about as scary as a granny but good-humoured.

If you think the discipline of the creatures there is stunning, the over the top but stunningly choreographed Blue Horizons is something else.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This theatrical spectacular showcases graceful dolphins and whales, a rainbow of exotic birds and a cast of world-class divers and aerialists draped in elaborate costumes.

It is as cheesy as a fondue but the combination of beasts and high-flying humans is nothing short of gob-smacking.

It wears you out just watching it. Just as well we found great food at Sharks Underwater Grill, an upscale restaurant that puts you close to underwater tanks while you indulge in a “Floribbean-style” menu with an emphasis on seafood.

Thankfully after all that our hotel was just a walk across an unfeasibly large car park.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If you’ve still not got your fill of sea life then Discovery Cove is a manmade ‘coastal resort’ that offers the chance to swim with dolphins as well as feed dozens of southern and cow-nose rays.

A coral reef even features shipwreck remains and enchanting grottos to entertain you and the exotic fish, sharks and barracuda – the latter thankfully contained behind protective glass.

But it is the Dolphin Swim which makes this facility stand out. Again, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of such practice, but there’s a sense employees truly care about these amazing creatures in a park that is certainly not lacking resources.

And the chance to talk, touch and swim with gentle and exquisite bottlenose dolphins is to be recommended.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If your budget stretches to it, the Trainer For A Day package includes enhanced dolphin interaction, feedings at the coral reef and the exotic birds in the free-flight aviary, behind-the-scenes small-mammal playtime and training session and a behavioural training class.