Family Getaways 2008 - (Page 40) Family skiing at Buena Vista Watersports, www.bvwatersports.com. A stop by the Water Ski Hall of Fame and Museum off Interstate 4 (exit 44) in Haines City near Orlando is a must for water-skiing enthusiasts. It’s also an eye-opening stroll through history for those who prefer to just watch or give it a dry try on an interactive machine. Beginning in April, visitors can see skiers cut through the lake at the attraction’s training center. It’s also a good place to find out about ski clubs around Florida (and the entire U.S.) that are open to beginning and advanced skiers. Wakeboarder, photo courtesy of Tampa Bay & Company. Still, there’s no substituting technology for one-on-one instruction from a pro, which Florida has an abundance of. At the Dean Lavelle Wakeboard School in Pompano Beach, the four-time world pro wakeboarder rides a board alongside students to give instructions. At some schools, you don’t even need a boat anymore. The Orlando Watersports Complex has a variety of courses where skiers are pulled by a motorized cable which can be run at 18 mph for beginners and up to 36 mph for advanced skiers. For wakeboarders, the facility boasts “the first real slider park” with an shorterthan-normal line that enables boarders to jump 35 feet into the air above the lake. For those who don’t want to venture outside major modern theme parks, Universal Orlando offers a summer ski show at Islands of Adventure, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort Marina offers ski boat and equipment rentals as well as lessons. But nothing beats the show and history of the original “water-ski capital of the world” – Cypress Gardens, where it all began and continues to bloom. “It’s a legend in the sport,” says Pray, who has grown to appreciate more and more the Popes’ contribution to his favored sport. “They made water-skiing popular to the masses.” Today, thousands come from around the world to ski on the placid lakes of Florida. That’s a show those servicemen on a sunny afternoon 65 years ago could have never anticipated. COMING FROM AROUND THE WORLD Many families from around the globe plan their vacation around a water-skiing camp or tack a day or two onto their Orlando holiday to spend time water-skiing since many ski schools are within easy reach. At most schools you can take lessons by the hour, halfday, day or week. Some camps also offer comfortable lodging and equipment shops where you can pick up ski gear. WHEN YOU GO Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, 863-324-2111, www.cypressgardens.com Water Ski Hall of Fame and Museum, 863-324-2472, www.waterskihalloffame.com Universal Studios Orlando, 407-363-8000, www.universalorlando.com Sammy Duvall’s Watersports Centre at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Marina, 407-939-0754, www.sammyduvall.com 40 VISITFLORIDA.com/family http://www.bvwatersports.com http://www.cypressgardens.com http://www.waterskihalloffame.com http://www.universalorlando.com http://www.sammyduvall.com http://VISITFLORIDA.com/family
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