This was my 3rd time visiting the Titanic Dinner Gala over the past several years. In fact - my partner and I talk about our previous experiences so frequently as one of the best immersive dinner theaters in Orlando, that we'd constantly get questions from our friends of 'when are we going?' 'Have we decided to schedule the date yet?' ' Let us know when you go next!' so we finally after a 2 year hiatus, created an event, sent out the invitation online and had 19 PEOPLE respond confirming they would be attending. All of us are local to Orlando and most of us work in the themed entertainment industry. Our group was comprised of Imaginative Engineers, Universal Creative / Art & Design Team Members, Walt Disney World Cast Members, various other industry leaders in Entertainment- and a whole bunch of DND/TTRPG enthusiasts (that one overlaps the others). Needless to say- at times we can be the harshest and also strangely the most informed of critics.
As a group of people who live and breathe 'experiences' I can say with certainty that the Titanic Dinner Gala is one of best experiences in Orlando. From the arrival procedure going off without a hitch (and that's not easy with 19 of us), to the photos, opening sequence etc- the caliber and quality of the experience isn't replicated anywhere else. Having done this experience before, it was great to see the changes that have been made over the years- upgrades to their technology and varying show support systems. From the moment you 'check your drink' you're living as the passengers did. The cast is highly informed and completely dedicated to storytelling. Their dialects and voice work are incredible and they treat the later events of the night with a gentle sincerity that highly contrasts the early revelry of the dinner gala. I don't wish to spoil the ending (though I do recommend a talk with your family/group before the event so they can understand the serious tone shift) the finale of the evening is respected. We even have a descendant of a Titanic passenger in our group (who unfortunately did not survive the incident (the real one, not the dinner)) who appreciated the somber energy. I 'forced' my group beforehand to agree to be respectful when the time came and I hope for the cast and team that we weren't taking away from their or other guests' experiences. Our group came fully in Edwardian Costumes to really immerse ourselves in the event (some more dedicated that others). We found a number of costume pieces available online or local vintage thrifting, so it wasn't too much out of the way. I highly recommend to dress at the very least as if you're attending a nice dinner, but the cast will be more interactive with you personally if you match their costumed energy. You'll receive a passenger card with details of a real passenger who sailed- I recommend waiting until after the big event to do a further internet search so you don't spoil your personal ending. The sets are well constructed, beautifully & accurately detailed. The menu is also authentic to what was served the final night on the titanic (excluding the soup, which was thankfully not seafood based during our voyage). We had a number of food allergies/preferences in the group which they were able to accommodate easily (Peanut Allergies/Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Yeast/Tropical Fruits/Sober) without limiting the experience for those that needed the accommodations.
If you are attending this event (or looking to decide if it is worth your time in the Tourism Capital of the World) I cannot recommend it more highly. For those that are slight Titanic enthusiasts, it is a great evening of good food and brilliant acting. For those who appreciate the Titanic fully, it is simply- a must.
(Also very cheeky of the team to assign me the passenger Noël Leslie, Countess of Rothes - someone who matches my energy so well it is actually a little scary).
I hope the cast and team enjoyed us as much as we did them- we might even make this a...
Read moreToday, I visited the Titanic Exhibition in Orlando, FL. It's one of many exhibitions nationwide where you, on a guided tour, which I highly recommend, can step back in time to April 10-14, 1912. At the start of the tour, each of us was given a White Star Line Boarding Pass of a person who sailed on the RMS Titanic. I was 2nd class passenger, Miss Annie C. Frank, a missionary school teacher from Pennsylvania, traveling from India, where she opened up a one room schoolhouse and taught the village children for a year. After she received a telegraph that her mother was very sick at home, she booked passageway on the first ship heading back to the States. On the tour, you can step back in time to April 10-14, 1912 and see more than 300 artifacts, costumed actors, and full-scale room recreations. We met on passenger dressed in English clothing, who said she belonged to the Women's Suffrage Movement for Women's Rights. Before the Titanic even set sail, women were fighting for rights to vote, rights to own property, rights to a voice. She might have been Elsie Edith Bowerman, a British lawyer, suffragette, political activist, and RMS Titanic survivor.
You can stroll through galleries featuring the Grand Staircase, First Class Parlor Suite, Verandah Café. Walk out onto the Promenade Deck and feel the chill of the cold Atlantic air. Touch an iceberg that is the same temperature as the water on that fateful night. See the second largest piece of Titanic ever recovered, the “Little Big Piece,” a 2-ton section of the original ship’s hull! And, touch a piece of the Titanic. At the end of the tour, we entered the Memorial Room with large plaques with the names of all the 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class passengers, mostly men and the many Titanic personnel, 536 members, who died on that night. It is there where I check the long list of 2rd class passengers and found that I, Miss Annie C. Frank, who also died on the Titanic! To be a passenger onboard the Titanic, with all the excitement of a new adventure and with all of its rich splendor, only to find out that you didn't survive, really grabbed your attention on a deeper, personal level! The tour guide was very good! She shared a lot of great information. Overall, the exhibit was OK. I expected more!!! There are many other exhibition locations so the artifacts are spread out. I under stand the Exhibition in Las Vegas has a wonderful model of the Titanic in the dark with blue light. I wish Orlando had it too. I wish there was also a documentary movie of the wreckage you could also watch at the end...
Read moreI just went to the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition with my family (2 adults, 2 kids ages 6 & 4). My family and I went on a Monday in the morning, which happened to be Labor Day, so it was a holiday. The location is in a rather large building along I-Drive (International Dr), right across the street from Ripley’s Believe It or Not. It was very easy to find and there was ample parking in front of the building. I was able to purchase our tickets online right before we arrived and we walked straight in, no line or wait at all.
We opted for a guided tour experience, specifically “The Ship of Dreams Tour.” I highly recommend a guided tour. The cost difference is negligible in terms of the added value that you receive with the tour. At the check-in desk, we received wristbands and our boarding passes, which named an actual person that was on the Titanic and provided a brief bio about them, and our children also received a scavenger hunt with some puzzles to complete. Our tour guide, Avery, was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and so welcoming, understanding and accommodating, specifically with my family and our small children. She made the tour interesting and engaging for everyone in our entire group, which probably consisted of about 15 to 20 people. She answered questions and gave us thoughtful tidbits based on what individual people were interested in.
I am a huge Titanic nerd and have seen multiple exhibitions, but this one was incredible. It is way more than just a kind of bland museum-esque setting. It is a full immersive experience, including large recreation set areas that you walk past or walk through. There are some staff dressed as characters from the period that you can interact with and talk to. They also offer a themed teatime and dinner gala experience, which I definitely plan to do in the future.
I would highly recommend this attraction. My husband was even impressed with everything, and he’s definitely not a Titanic fan like me. My kiddos were interested and had fun. My youngest did get restless at times, but we would just hang back from the tour group for a minute and then catch up. No big deal at all. The gift shop was nice and we bought a few souvenirs. We also were allowed to go back through the exhibit after the tour, which we did after shopping in the store. We buzzed through a second time to stop and take a bunch of pictures. Overall, the experience was educational, beautiful, and fun. We had an...
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