At Skyventure, you’ll see and feel what it is like to fly in a wind tunnel that creates 120 MPH winds as it simulates skydiving. Surprisingly, Skyventure is not just for the young at heart – it is a hit with people of all ages - pre-teens, teens and adults. In fact, children as young as three years old can experience the simulator. The only health warning given by the operator is for people with shoulder problems and for extremely heavy individuals – some weight restrictions do apply.
Before anyone “flies” there is a 15 minute training class that includes a five-minute explanatory video. In the class and the video, the basic body form for optimum flying is stressed and demonstrated. The hand signals that will be flashed to you by your trainer, who is with you in the simulator at all times, are also covered.
From there, it is off to be suited up. Each participant dons a skydiving jumpsuit, as well as goggles, helmet, knee and shoulder pads – all you are missing is a parachute. Next, it is off to the simulator which sits inside a five-story space ship looking building, which is just visible off of International Drive. The building is not air conditioned or heated, so dress accordingly.
The simulator itself is multi-walled and all glass so it gives each participant a perfect vantage point to watch others experience their flight before they take their turn. Everyone receives two, one-minute flights in the simulator. A trainer guides the participant ensuring that everything goes smoothly and makes sure that the participant gets the most out of the flight.
How much air you catch depends on your form and how long you can hold it. While watching others in our group, levels of proficiency varied greatly after the 15 minute training class. (With my nine year old daughter, I had flashbacks from the original Willie Wanka and the Chocolate Factory movie when in one scene Charlie nearly floats away in the Fizzy Lifting Room. She actually began to catch the air just right and began to sail upward; causing the instructor the grab her leg and pull her bag down.)
The 10 person group that visited the simulator on the day I did seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. Each person exited the simulator with a smile beaming from ear to ear. It was exhilarating, but not reckless. From young to old, men and women, all appeared to have a great time – and were left wanting more. My nine-year old daughter said it all, “When we go back to Orlando, we’ve got to go back to Skyventure Orlando.”
For more information call 407.903.1150.
6805 Visitor’s Circle, Orlando, FL 32819
Exit 75A off I-4 (across from Wet n’ Wild off of International Drive.)
