Fantasy of Flight

I’m a huge fan of aviation and engineering. I got my private pilot licensee when I was 20 years old. This place was awesome even though it was only 25% open to the public. The few things that were on display were worth the entrance fee for me. I can’t wait till when they finish the massive expansion they discussed. I’ll be the first one in line the day it opens to see it. Warning if your not interested in aviation don’t go, you will be bored out of your mind. For me it was awesome.

It’s on its was out now, scheduled to close in April 2014. I get it. It’s not an attraction that you can really get the whole family excited about, and it’s in the middle of nowhere. Not to mention, the $ 30 entrance fee is just plain nuts. When have you ever paid $ 30 to get into a museum?
I get the feeling that, probably due to the upcoming closing, they’re just running out the clock. Other reviews mentioned people in period outfits — well, I still saw Rosie the Riveter there, but everyone else was wearing FoF polo shirts (which was a little weird because at least one of them still spoke in 1940’s slang as if he was in character). There was no tour of the hangars that hold the not-​yet-​restored acquisitions. They just kind of drop you off there and let you wander around on your own. While it was cool to see the flight demonstration of the P-​51C Mustang, it was just a couple of passes over the runway and landing. Only a couple of minutes long, and nothing exciting. When asked before the flight what kind of aerobatics he would be doing, the owner replied with (paraphrasing), «In order to do any aerobatics I first have to call the FAA to let them know, so I don’t even bother anymore.»
Enthusiasts will appreciate the numerous restorations and maybe the flight demonstration, short though it is. Everyone else will probably do a lap around the two hangars and then grab a bench and wait for their enthusiast loved ones to get tired.
According to the owner, they’re planning on improving the experience and reopening in a few years with something that will resonate better with the entire family.

We had a half off deal for the ropes course and zip line plus museum admission. I interested in all of it but didn’t have high expectations. I could have!
Walking in the front door we were greeted by one of the tour guide/​characters who instantly impacted the value of our experience with his warm and unexpected greeting.
The ropes course is a big, pumped up jungle gym. It’s scary and challenging but pretty fun. Zip lines require a special harness so you have to switch out. You can do the course as long and as many times as you’d like. Fun!
The main exhibit rooms of the museum are great! Really neat with historic films worked in and you get to walk through an old bomber!
In the hangar there are lots and lots of historic and unique planes and the air demo is cool. We didn’t stay long enough to do everything, like the tram tour or any of the guided tours, but I’d go back!
Bonus: the café has great pickles :-)

While I was in Orlando one of the participants at the Convention delegates invited me to join him by driving to Kermit Weeks Fantasy of Flight Museum. It is not very far from Orlando west bound in Polk City, FL. We got there right at 10:00 A.M. When it opened.
You could arrange for biplane rides in two different aircraft and they have a zip line 40 foot towers next to the parking lot called Wing Walk Air that sports 33 challenges and 600 feet of zip line to the edge of the runway. This is not included in the admission to the Fantasy of Flight, but appears to be a separate attraction that you purchase in the gift shop. As it was starting to get really warm and their appeared to be no one participating in this activity we moved on.
We bought our tickets in the main lobby and went right into the Immersion Environments which takes you on a self guided multi-​sensory experience which starts with early flight through WWII by boarding a B-​17 Flying Fortress.
We went out and toured the Aircraft displays as there are two very large hangars (North and South) crammed full of airplanes and there is another hangar across from the main facility which does restoration which is a separate tram tour of what is called a Restricted Area.
The tour guides are dressed up in period dress of a 1930’s racer pilot and a lady dressed up as Rosie the Riveter from WWII. They may be entertaining for those who do not know aviation history, but to me I found them quite annoying and at times brusk in their interactions with the guests. I guess they have to compete with the Disney Cast Members to keep it entertaining. Rosy the Riveter conducted our tram tours of the facility to the Backlot which is full of stored aircraft engines and pieces of acquired aircraft, around the end of the runway to Maintenance Hangar crammed with more aircraft. There are only three scheduled tram tours each day and we took the first one and then took the Golden Hill trolley right after that.
There is a separate tour on a trolley called the Orlampa Express that leaves from in front of the museum front entrance in the parking lot that takes you out and down the road and across the street to Golden Hill which are a bunch of hangars of aircraft that were wrecked when he had his museumm in Miami. There is a B-​29, and a bunch of rusty wrecked aircraft in storage there. Note the last trolley to Golden Hill leaves at 12:45 P.M. And is not part of the Tram Tour.
Each day they feature a flying demonstration of one of the flyable aircraft. We saw Kermit Weeks buzz the field in his P-​51 Mustang. Unfortunately some of the aircraft are no longer airworthy and show their age such as the B-​26 and Shorts flying boat. There was a PBY Catalina sitting out on the ramp.
There are many unique displays such as a Carrier Deck with a F4U Corsair, Briefing Room Theater, Fun with Fight, an Officers Club where they hold private parties, wood shop, machine and engine shop. The have a small area dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen from WWII.
They have a small snack bar area with vending machines and a full service restaurant in the main entrance which is only open from 11:00 A.M. To 3:00 P.M. Since there does not appear to be any other places to eat nearby we had a pleasant late lunch of a hamburger and lemonade with free refills. I would rate the food and service at one and a half stars.
You can see Kermit Weeks (the older guy with the long pony tail) hanging out among the aircraft in the main hangers there an there are a small army of older gals in cocktail dresses darting about if you look real closely that appear to help run the place.
It took us a minimum of five hours to see all of Kermit Weeks flying and non flying collection including the tram tours and trolley to Golden Hill.

If you like anything to do with planes, this is a must-​see. There are plenty of activities to keep you occupied throughout the day.

This is one of Orlando’s little hidden gems. If you have a child, spouse or friend who loves flying or vintage planes, Fantasy of Flight is a MUST! I brought my parents to one of their Legends & Legacies events and they loved it. They’re not plane enthusiasts per se, but loved the symposium and then loved the attraction. My mother said she was incredibly impressed at how spotless the attraction was. You can see some of the employees who are dusting and cleaning the planes and the care with which they do it.
The architecture of the building is not to be missed either. The Art Deco Compass Rose Diner is a true gem.

We have driven by this place so many times over the years, and never really knew what it was all about. My father is big into aviation and engineering, so we decided to take a trip down here (especially considering they were doing a buy one get one free admission during the time). It far and away exceeded my expectations. The exhibit itself was laid out quite well, with a full size bomber plane that you could go inside of, and great film of old aviation footage.
The tram tour was really amazing, with the man that led it being quite knowledgeable of all forms of wartime aircraft, engines, and parts. We got to see some of the planes there were currently restoring, and a garage full of engines and propellers from years past.
The hangar area is where most of the planes reside, and they have a huge collection in there. What blew me away is that every plane in their is air worthy, and could be flown at a moments notice. That is they way they do restoration there, in which they will not bother bringing in a new plane if it is not able to be fixed up and flown again. The owner then comes by as he lives just off site, and most days does a flying demonstration of one of the planes. Our lucky day, he flew one of the planes that belonged to one of the «Red Tails.» It was quite the sight and sound.
We also decided to take advantage of their little bi-​plane flights, which sat both of us in front of the pilot, and took off over I-​4, flying over a lake out there, and doing a couple of aerial maneuvers that were really cool. It is quite an experience flying in a totally open cockpit.
Overall, this is quite the hidden gem in the Orlando/​Tamp area, and I would strongly encourage anyone who has not been that loves aviation, to head on down.

Fantasy of Flight is by a wide margin the most enjoyable themed experience that I have had since I moved to Florida 12 years ago. As others have noted, FOF is built around a collection of vintage aircraft that date from the early days of flight to mid-​century, for the most part. Many in the collection represent one of only a handful of remaining examples of certain models.
I visited FOF with three teen-​aged boys, none of whom were aircraft enthusiasts when they walked into the main entrance, a deco-​inspired (and beautiful) area for greeting visitors that includes a gift shop and a 1940’s themed diner (where we enjoyed a very tasty meal). Very quickly they were enthralled.
FOF has several large hangars, each of which features a collection of vehicles (mostly planes with a few vintage automobiles, helicopters and auto-​gyros thrown in for good measure). Two of the hangars are filled with fully restored planes, both military and civilian craft.
The highlight for me was the P-​51D Mustang, which we had the good fortune to see both close up in the hangar, and in the air since it was the featured aerial exhibit of the day. When I saw the Mustang on the Tarmac, my heart skipped a beat and I can compare the emotion only to what I felt the first time I saw my now-​wife. I doubt that man has ever made a more beautiful machine than the Mustang and to see one actually take flight is simply breathtaking. Truly an experience to be cherished.
Other hangars include pre-​restoration aircraft and in-​restoration air craft. Guides do a great job of explaining everything and it is tough not to be amazed by what FOF is doing to preserve the history of air travel.
Visitors also have the option of getting some exercise on a ropes course or taking a zipline ride. More adventurous souls can ride in an open biplane or even take the controls.
FOF is simply a must-​visit attraction in Central Florida.

Amazing experience for anyone, not just military or airplane buffs. The collection is very well kept and extremely clean. The staff are friendly with lots of humor and information mixed together. The planes themselves are gorgeous, and unlike many other «museums», you can touch them.
Even if you don’t want to see the planes, the restaurant inside the hall, which is open to the public, is great for lunch. Generous portions, cooked fresh, very tasty, and reasonably priced. If you need a day away from the usual parks in the area, this is an excellent alternative.

It was more than I expected. We visited on Christmas Eve Day so it wasn’t very crowded. Informative tours are scheduled throughout the day. Owner gives you a show by taking-​off and landing one of his many beautifully restored aircraft. There’s a couple of unique facilities available for holding events. They are constantly adding more to their collection so we’ll be back in the future. Florida residents receive discount admission.