You won’t go home as the world’s tallest human or the fastest cat alive, but you probably will glean some extreme knowledge from “The Science of Guinness World Records,” a traveling exhibit currently installed at Orlando Science Center.
The space is crammed with hands-on challenges for kids and adults, the competition continues from station to station on various topics and record holders are profiled through text panels and videos.
“Our record holders are simply the most incredible people you’re ever going to meet,” John Corcoran, director of traveling shows and Guinness World Records attraction development, said in a news release.
“They defy belief, and they often seem to defy physics and the nature of spacetime itself,” he said. “But of course, what they’re really defying is our limited sense of what a person can do with enough time, enough practice and enough dedication.”
There are building tasks, memory challenges, speed obstacles and endurance quests such as keeping your balance. There’s also a big-screen version of a Pac-Man video game.
“It engages you on multiple levels,” said Jeff Stanford, vice president of marketing for the science center.
Some station topics are unexpected or non-traditional, such as extreme drumming, the stacking of plastic cups, and a phenomenon dubbed “strawpocalypse” (think sipping, not hay). There are displays dedicated to the sciences behind peripheral vision, of gigantic images, focus and reflexes.
There are also representations of the largest spider and largest rodent in the world.
The exhibit was co-produced by Science North, a Canadian science center, and Ripley Entertainment, which is headquartered in Orlando.
The Guinness brand recognition and the competition element should help draw repeat visitors this summer, Stanford said.
“Especially when Dad can school people on Pac-Man,” he said.
Summer outlook
If jam-packed summers seem shorter, then the 2024 season is going to fly by us. Over the next couple of months, Central Florida attractions are rolling out new attractions, special events, recurring festivals and, of course, fireworks.
Some of the summer’s in-park musical acts have not yet been identified, but here’s an overall reminder list to clip and save or copy and paste, depending on your generation.
• Now through Aug. 11: Summer Brick Party activities at Legoland Florida.
• June 28: Official opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride, Magic Kingdom.
• June 28: Sunset at the Zoo with Pride activities, Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Sanford.
• June 28: AquaGlow, an after-hours, family-friendly event at Aquatica water park on select nights begins, runs through Aug. 10.
• June 29: “Live at the Lawn” live-music series runs Saturdays and Sundays at Icon Park through Aug. 4.
• June 30: Viva La Musica ends with two Jon Secada concerts at SeaWorld Orlando.
• July 1: Flavors of Florida festival at Disney Springs begins. (It ends Aug. 11).
• July 3: Debut of Mega Movie Parade at Universal Studios.
• July 4: Evening fireworks at Fun Spot locations in Orlando and Kissimmee, the latter in conjunction with Old Town.
• July 4: Fireworks set to patriotic music at SeaWorld.
• July 4: Live DJ, character meet and greets, plus “roaming patriotic stilt walkers” and 10 p.m. fireworks at Universal Studios.
• July 4: Red, White & Boom event at Legoland Florida.
• July 6: Bands, Brew & BBQ runs weekends through Aug. 25 at SeaWorld Orlando.
• July 6: Adults-only foam party at Island H2O Water Park in Kissimmee.
• July 7: Official opening of Penguin Trek roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando.
• July 12: Lunch & Learn: Tales From the Collection at Orange County Regional History Center.
• July 19-21: I-Drive Throwdown, a showcase of off-road trucks and other vehicles, at Dezerland Orlando.
• July 20-21: Astro Fest at Orlando Science Center.
• Aug. 2: Lunch & Learn: Gatorland — A Bite-Sized History of an Orlando Icon at Orange County Regional History Center.
• Aug. 4: Final night of “Ignite” fireworks at SeaWorld.
• Aug. 9: First evening of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom.
• Aug. 25: Final night of “Hogwarts Always,” the new castle-projection show at Islands of Adventure.
• Aug. 29: Epcot International Food & Wine Festival begins.
• Aug. 30: Halloween Horror Nights begins at Universal Studios. (New Premium Scream Night set for Aug. 29.)
• Aug. 31: SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular begins.
• Sept. 2: Final performance of “Disney Dreams That Soar” at Disney Springs.
• Sept. 6: SeaWorld’s Howl-O-Scream event begins.
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