http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/02/0 ... heme-park/Inside Orlando’s first machine gun theme park
Orlando, Florida is known for its world-class theme parks, but if hanging with Mickey Mouse isn’t really you’re speed, there's a new theme park that may give you more bang for your buck.
At Machine Gun America, kids as young as 13 can shoot military-grade firearms at custom targets or in simulated experiences, no prior experience required. And it's only six miles from Disney World.
The park just opened in December --and it's already proving to be a hit with couples, singles, and yes, families.
Wes Doss, director of safety and training at Machine Gun America, says there’s also a big international draw.
“We have folks from the U.K. and folks from New Zealand—and they’re thrilled because this is an activity this is often illegal or banned in their home country,” Doss told FoxNews.com.
Visitors get to choose from a range of weapons, including MP5s, M4s, and Glock 17s, and can pick the experience they want. There's a zombie, Special Operations and even a "007" simulation. Unlike a traditional gun range --no outside weapons are allowed.
You must be at least 13 years of age to enter Machine Gun America. Kids younger than 18 must be accompanies by an adult. All tots and tykes under 12 years of age are not allowed to enter the areas where guns are fired but the park maintains a play zone where children can play video games.
After picking their weapon of choice, guests are joined by an National Rifle Association-certified range safety officer-- many of whom are military veterans --and are allowed to empty their clips at their target.
“A traditional bulls-eye is our most popular target followed by Osama bin Laden,” Dan Shalloway, one of the park’s owner told FoxNews.com. “We also have a bulls eye on a T-shirt that guests can shoot at and then take their shirt home to wear, which is a really fun option.”
In addition to families, Machine Gun America sees more women than other gun parks. Shalloway estimates that about 40 percent of his clientele is female, compared to about 10 at similar attractions in Las Vegas.
“The Diva Package is great for women who have little experience holding a gun,” Shalloway said. “It includes guns with very little recoil like Heckler and Koch MP5. My wife really loves it.”
And if you’re looking to get the party started before heading the park—think twice. Machine Gun America safety officers are trained to recognize intoxicated individuals and have the right to turn away patrons who looks like they have a hard time handling a weapon.
“We’ve been open only six weeks and have been very fortunate that we have yet to turn anybody away,” Shalloway said.
Shooting simulation experiences start are $30 but tickets to shoot real weapons start at $99 and up depending the type of gun you choose to shoot.
You can check out the different "experiences" on their website, here:
http://www.machinegunamerica.com/experiences/
