The Titanic experience is located at The Mercado, International Drive and is open from 10.00 am daily.
On arriving tickets are obtained from the booking office (across from the Titanic)
and are issued individually with the name of an original passenger or crew member from that ill-fated voyage.
At the start of the tour passengers are greeted by either Captain Smith, Molly Brown or John Jacob Astor (all in 1912 costume) who will conduct the tour of the ship.
On entering the experience passengers are acquainted with the history of the ship, its owners and its construction at Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. There is the opportunity to view items such as a ships propeller or screw, life size and other artefacts.
The tour commences onboard by walking up the gangplank and into the ship. The steerage accommodation contrasts sharply with the First Class accommodation. Staterooms are visited as well as the Grand Staircase. All this is quite sumptuous, as you would expect from a luxury liner - in fact ‘the best’ that 1912 sea transport has to offer. Throughout the tour the character guide adopts the role completely – body language, manner of speech etc. They are a mine of information and give a very real feeling to the experience as they describe life onboard and the events of that fateful night in 1912. The events following the collision with the iceberg and the reaction of those onboard are vividly described. For a moment you can step outside onto the deck and standing by the handrail you can experience the cold and desolation of that night.
The iceberg itself, where it has penetrated the ships hull can be touched and the intense cold experienced. On screen you can explore the Titanic as she rests at the bottom of the Atlantic. Finally you can spend a poignant moment before two large plaques on the wall, which list all the crew members and passengers and where you can look once again at the name on your ticket and see whether you survived or perished on that cold Atlantic night in 1912.
Throughout the tour the guide is only too willing to answer questions and in fact welcomes any opportunity to do so. Whilst there you also have the opportunity to see over 200 artefacts and historical treasures, pottery, personal effects etc.
Finally as you leave the experience you pass through a gift and souvenir shop, which contains a wide variety of items including clothing relevant to the Titanic’s passengers and crew. The gift shop itself has a nice touch in that the sales clerk is also dressed 1912 style. They do however accept modern currency and Travellers cheques.
All in all this is a great experience not to be missed as it is something a little different from the normal tour of theme parks and their rides and most enjoyable for all family members whether young or old.