More than seventy percent of all Americans consider themselves believers of the Christian faith. This makes faith-based tours a common reason to travel. Youth groups, private schools, and home-school co-ops are often looking for exciting places to travel that celebrate their history and beliefs. There are several destinations around the country that help faith-based groups experience the history of the Old and New Testament. They can really bring to life things the group members have thus far only read or heard in simple lessons. Group leaders will love seeing the stories come alive for their students. It can really help connect a person to their faith.

One of the largest of these is the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida. It combines the sunny warmth of the palm tree state with intense, hands-on exhibits from the bible and its amazing stories. Here are some of the things you’ll see there:

The Scriptorium is a complete bible experience, that is, an extensive look at the text itself. A walking tour through this beautiful museum showcases actual ancient texts of the scripture itself and parallel documents. Visitors will learn about the history of the documents and discover the culture and time periods in which they were first penned and translated. The museum parallels the written history to the history of civilization, further affirming its validity. You’ll also discover the amazing impact the bible has had on the world, its longevity and far-reaching effect.

The Wilderness Tabernacle – Students of the bible know that the Israelites were given detailed instructions for the building of their portable tabernacle and the ceremonies to be performed there after their escape from Egypt and before they settled in their Promised Land. At the Holy Land Experience, visitors can enter the tabernacle and see reenactments of all these amazing details, from the portability to the extravagant appearance and rituals.

The Jerusalem Street Market introduces guests to the noise and energy of Jerusalem two thousand years ago around the time Jesus would have walked its streets.

There you’ll find The Great Temple, the beautiful reproduction of Solomon’s temple and the Jewish centerpiece Jesus visited several times.

Calvary’s Garden Tomb replicates the Via Dolorosa, the street through Jerusalem on which Jesus carried his cross before his own crucifixion. Three crosses stand above the Garden Tomb, and the reenactment known as the Passion of Christ takes place here.

Besides these exhibits, the Holy Land Experience also brings you a scale model of the city of Jerusalem, a movie theater playing classic Christian films, and an auditorium with live performances throughout the year. The Crystal Living Waters is a popular feature after dark with an amazing light, water, and music display that thrills guests every night near closing.

There are all kinds of exciting destinations for group travel centered on your faith. And just imagine how the experience could benefit your group and complement the very convictions that brought you together in the first place.

Photo by DeaPeaJay on Flickr.

One of the most exciting Disney opportunities for Orlando educational tours isn’t exactly a place. It’s a program and one every teacher should consider when planning student travel. 

The Disney Y.E.S. program stands for Youth Education Series. And few educational programs are quite so exciting as this. Walt Disney was passionate about creativity, invention, and technological innovation. He loved to inspire through entertainment. But he also loved to educate through inspiration – to open the eyes of his viewers and visitors to a world of possibility. The Disney parks and studios celebrate this spirit every day as they bring science and imagination together in every film, attraction, and entertainment experience.

The Disney Y.E.S. program takes this vision another step, having created an educational series focused on popular subjects and infused with Disney magic. The program connects student groups to a specially trained Disney facilitator for a behind-the-scenes Disney experience that highlights exactly how learning and education have been put to use to create Walt Disney’s dream.

These amazing educational experiences can be focused on one of four areas of interest: Humanities, Life Management, Natural Sciences, and Physical Sciences. This has to be the most exciting way to study any one of these subjects. This is one learning experience to which every one of your students will gladly say yes. 

Photo Credit: CCRcreations on Flickr

If the Magic Kingdom is Disney’s take on animation, Epcot Center is Disney innovation, and Hollywood Studios is Disney’s showcase of movie magic – what’s next? Disney’s take on lions, tigers, bears, and all kinds of mythical creatures too in its one-of-kind zoo-slash-theme-park extravaganza: Animal Kingdom.

The tree of life is the centerpiece for this amazing park – you may have seen it in photos and commercials. It is 14 stories tall and has trails leading through and around it to help you view and find the 325 animals carved into it. Another popular sculpture is Dino-Sue, which is a replica of the largest T-rex skeleton ever discovered. But don’t think Disney’s Animal Kingdom is all illusion. Many of the animals here are as real as they can be.

You’ll see them as you journey through Africa in an open-sided safari vehicle. This Kilimanjaro Safari promises giraffes, rhinos, zebras, lions and more – roaming their natural terrain. The Maharajah Jungle Trek is a gorgeous adventure through Asia with the beautiful tigers, crumbling ruins, and vegetation to make the surroundings authentically Asian.

Dinoland offers both a discovery center and a dark thrill ride to suit all personalities and create an entire world out of these favorite prehistoric creatures. And for mythical thrills, you’ll love Expedition Everest with dips, drops, sudden turns and an encounter with the legendary yeti.

Animal Kingdom Park is far more than a theme park and far more than a zoo. It’s a unique entertainment experience perfect for Orlando student tours and guaranteed to thrill.

Photo Credit: Rob J Brooks on Flickr

Epcot is one of the most fascinating of the Disney parks. Do you know what the letters stand for? Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. In Epcot, you really get a feel for the vision of Walt Disney himself – his desire to educate people on innovation, technology, invention, and what we can become when we put our creativity to work.

Today the park has veered slightly from its original intent. It’s not exactly an experimental community as much as a showcase – a showcase for innovation AND a showcase for cultural diversity. You can experience the former in the section of the park called Future Worlds. The giant sphere that symbolizes the park as a whole is actually Spaceship Earth where guests journey through the history of human communication from prehistoric times to the future. Another innovative ride here is Soarin’, on which you take a (simulated) flight over the Redwoods and other beautiful scenery in California. If you prefer your mode of transportation to stay on solid ground, you might like Test Track. This longest, fastest ride in the park shows off the world of automobiles from their humble beginnings through decades of fascinating improvement.

Inspiration abounds in the Future Worlds section of Epcot, but some of the most beloved aspects of the park are found on the other side in the exotic and intriguing World Showcase. You’ll soon find yourself in Mexico, France, Italy, China, the United Kingdom and beyond when the architecture, costumes, food, and shopping all take on the authenticity of various countries around the globe. The World Showcase is one of the more popular reasons to include Epcot Center in your Orlando student tours, because it literally opens your eyes to a world of possibility – something Epcot has been accomplishing since its beginning.

Photo Credit: Growl Roar on Flickr

What do you do when you need an emotional boost? Turn to a good book or a long drive? Or perhaps your favorite music?

This week I’m highlighting the entertainment powerhouse, Disney, and five of the major reasons you should include it in Orlando student tours. What’s that have to do with an emotional boost? Only this: The Disney franchise is so good at fun, entertainment, and sheer excellence, that each of its parks and opportunities are like the emotional boost of a lifetime – at least for the entire year. And this week I’m going to remind you why.

This photo by d4rr3ll on Flickr shows you one of my favorite, emotional-boosting, aspects of Disney’s amazing and extremely popular Magic Kingdom, the nightly fireworks display. Just try to stay in a grumpy mood during this fantastic sound, music, and fireworks display that is all the more awe-inspiring when you consider the fact that it happens every single night whether you’re there or not. The timing is seriously breathtaking as the fireworks shoot above the castle perfectly synchronized with a soundtrack of Disney songs, music, and movie quotes. 

Of course, that happens at the end of the night just before the park closes. You’re going to enjoy several rides on Space Mountain before that excitement. You will have fully explored the classic rides in Fantasy Land – like Peter Pan and It’s a Small World. You will have seen the exciting addition of Captain Jack Sparrow himself to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride your parents knew without him. You and Brer Rabbit probably got acquainted in line for the favorite, Splash Mountain. You will have laughed through the Jungle Cruise, competed with your friends in Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and probably outspent your allowance on Main Street. 

By the time you witness the amazing fireworks display you should be collapsed on the sidewalk just beyond the castle (try a little to the right side where most of the display takes place). You’ll barely be awake, but the show will stir your heart nonetheless. Exhaustion was inevitable. Emotional boost? Accomplished.

This park is part of Universal’s strong position as an Orlando powerhouse.  You can’t just think of Disney when you’re planning Orlando student tours anymore.  Islands of Adventure is exactly that – five exciting sections divided by water and themed around all your favorite comic book heroes, movie legends, and animated characters.  It’s number 12 on the list of America’s top 25 tourist attractions, certainly due in part to its innovation. 

The Universal theme is “Where Blockbusters Come to Life,” and their high-thrill rides are no exception to it.  Combining entertainment with action-packed thrills is their specialty and exactly what keeps guests returning in the kind of droves that led to that mid-list ranking with Forbes.

The Incredible Hulk probably headlines the most popular coaster in the park.  Guests also love the 3D Amazing Adventures of Spiderman on Marvel Superhero Island and the interactive games and discovery centers on Jurassic Park right before they plummet through a raging river and end up face to face with the powerful prehistoric creatures.

The Lost Continent marries ancient history with modern thrills as well.  The Dueling Dragons is a side-by-side coaster not far from the undersea walk through Poseidon’s Fury.  Thus far, the high-thrill, action-packed stuff.  Islands of Adventure has tamer attractions throughout the park, on Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon, as well as entertainment and interactive shows.  

Universal was an entertainment powerhouse long before they built these fantastic islands, and the thrill rides just add to the charm.  Guaranteed you’ll love it just as much as every other visitor who put it on the list.

(Photo by Rob J Brooks on Flickr).

A funny thing happened the last time I went to Orlando.  Not really funny-ha-ha, just funny/interesting.  First of all, the resort we stayed at, as is usually true, contained everything we needed for a perfectly lovely and relaxing vacation.  You don’t really even need attractions when the resort is good enough.  But of course we want attractions anyway, and for my kids and I – it was all about Disney.  I have a little obsession with this magical place where all your dreams come true, and I couldn’t wait to experience it again – this time with my children.

Then, the day before Disney, we stopped off at Sea World – another Orlando cliche really – of which all I really knew was that Shamu lived there (and jumped and dove and splashed and generally put on a show).  Well, I was converted.  I had totally underestimated Sea World.  In a city crowded with tourists and lines and sunshine and humidity and high-thrill focused theme parks, Sea World was like a peaceful, smiling oasis.  

I’m not an animal person in general, but just try not to be impressed by these leaping, spinning animals and the exuberant trainers who adore them.  Is that a personality I just witnessed?  I think it is.  Sea World is brightly colored, immaculately landscaped, and refreshingly shaded.  Besides the classics like Shamu, many other animals are showcased here.  You can even touch some of them – probably not what you’ll be thinking in the shark tunnel, of course, which you will love.

And Sea World isn’t just about the animals.  They have rides too, including the Journey to Atlantis (pictured here by lemoncat1 on Flickr) and the Kracken – Orlando’s longest, tallest, fastest.  You sit on a pedestal for this exciting ride, and thrill seekers will love it.

Sea World deserves a spot on your radar, certainly a place on your attraction list for Orlando student tours.  It’s gorgeous, thrilling, and one refreshing experience after another.

Still talking about the Forbes Traveler list here – and the 25 most visited attractions in the U.S.  There were just way too many attractions on it perfect for students.  Perhaps, based on the attractions featured, students are some of country’s most frequent travelers.  

This week is all theme parks.  I suppose it’s no surprise that so many exciting attractions made the list.  We don’t get a lot of coaster-riding on the day jobs, and a full day of pleasure and high-thrills usually makes the list when choosing destinations for that next great escape.  Certainly, these choices are perfect for families and students.  Today’s feature is the powerhouse of entertainment:  Disney.  And its parks that made the list can be included in Orlando or Los Angeles student tours.

The Magic Kingdom in Orlando was highest on the list at number Five.  But Disneyland in California was just one spot behind.  Disney has been pleasing visitors since it all began with Cinderella’s castle in California.  Now both parks are a favorite for family vacations, student tours, destination weddings and honeymoons, and every kind of proper escape.  Its classic rides have become American icons.  Its animated characters are beloved around the world, and they come to life in these theme parks both in the rides and attractions as well as the parades and throughout the parks, signing autographs and spreading Disney joy.

The Disney parks are beloved because they have something for everyone – live entertainment, rides for children and adults, snacks, shopping, fascinating exhibits, nostalgic thrills.  They grow all the time with new thrills, and they are surrounded by resorts of the same name so that vacation packages can begin and end with nothing but Disney magic.  

For student tours, the Disney parks offer all the same plus educational opportunities just for students like their Y.E.S. program and thrills just for them as well like their yearly Grad Night extravaganza. 

Come on, you know you wanna.  Don’t let the Small World jokes and Mickey ears burnout stop you from experiencing all that Disney has for people of every age group.  They know they can thrill you, and so do we.  And apparently, most of the country’s population agrees.

(This is a photo of Disney’s nightly fireworks display – a thrilling attraction in and of itself, set to music with amazing precision and timing.  It was taken by d4rr3ll on Flickr.)