CSI: The Experience - Have Fun Solving Crimes During Your Orlando Vacation

CSI: The Experience - on International Drive in Orlando

There are few television shows as popular as CSI: Crime Series Investigation. It has been recognized internationally by the Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo as the most popular worldwide drama series and has an estimated 73.8 million viewers.

Originally set in Las Vegas, the show has spawned two spinoffs, CSI NY and CSI Miami as well as the upcoming CSI Cyber, which will star Patricia Arquette and Luke Perry. When you add in the viewers from all of the various Law and Order crime drama series, it is clear that people really love trying to solve crimes.

Why watch television to get your detective fix? You can become a CSI agent and solve crimes all on your own at CSI: The Experience - a new attraction on International Drive in Orlando. Set in the location of the original CSI series, Las Vegas, you'll get to go through everything the detectives on the show do to solve a crime.

When you enter CSI: The Experience, you'll be offered CSI vests and lab coats so that you can look the part and you'll watch a short film where you are given instructions by Gil Grissom, your supervisor. Next, you can choose one of three crime scenes to investigate. If you want to do the other two, they charge you half price and you can do those other crime scenes the same day or come back on another day to try and solve them.

At the crime scene, you are instructed to take notes on everything you see and not to make any assumptions until all of the evidence is collected. Next, you'll head to the lab and use forensic technology to analyze the evidence before making your way to the autopsy room to get the last set of clues.

Finally, it's time to report to Grissom. You'll assemble and submit your evidence along with your determination of who the killer was. If you get it right, there's a CSI certificate waiting for you!

While this is a fun frolic for the family, it only takes an hour or two. You are permitted to take as long as you like and kids definitely like to play with the lab equipment longer than adults do. The cases are not difficult to solve and while older visitors would probably appreciate a bit more of a challenge, children love to get it right and earn their detective wings.

It should be noted that cameras are prohibited within the attraction and that you must turn your cell phone off while inside. Professionally taken photographs are offered to you at the end of the experience showing you in various stages of your crime investigation.

CSI: The Experience is located at 7220 International Drive and is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. Cost of admission is $19.99 for adults and $12.99 for children (ages 5-12).


Florida Travel Sleuth Quote of the Day: "Every man at the bottom of his heart believes that he is a born detective." -John Buchan