Don’t Sleep on [FunSpot Orlando]!

Yesterday, I took my first visit to Universal Studios Orlando and got my first rides on Velocicoaster, which immediately shot to #3 on my list of top coasters. But everyone knows Velocicoaster. What I’m sure fewer people know of is FunSpot Orlando being right across the highway. What was supposed to be a throwaway visit ended up being an hour and a half of really enjoyable ride time in this charming little park! The employees, while stretched thin (all rides are “open”, but may not be staffed, so if there’s a ride you want to go on, pretty much just wait in the queue until an operator shows up!), were all friendly and nice, and there was a surprising variety of roller coasters and flat rides for the size of this park.

But the absolute GEM of this park is White Lightning, a fairly ordinary L-shaped GCI offering that from the outside looks like another run-of-the-mill woodie credit, but once you go over the lift hill crest, you find yourself on one of imo the most underrated woodies in the country. First off, the first drop is twisted to the left, which provides incredible laterals on the right side of the train, then the rest of the course is jam-packed with very well-executed air time, including a unique double-up into a double-down. The only slight against this coaster is a HUGE pothole in the turnaround, but that’s only one second out of a run that’s honestly almost flawless. GCI and FSO hit this one out of the park! If you’re in Orlando for any of the bigger parks, please consider adding Fun Spot Orlando to your visit!