But this evening I’m bracing myself for a 3-2-1 countdown before pulling a tog that will hurtle me into the night sky in Kissimmee, Orlando, on the world’s tallest Skycoaster.
After being hauled up backwards between a structure that resembles the Wembley Stadium arch, I have a moment of silent reflection about my decision.
At the count of three I take a deep breath, yank the rip cord and duly hurtle 250ft, head-first, towards the ground at 70mph.
At what feels like the last possible moment the swing effect kicks in, sending me flying back up into the starlit Florida sky.
After six or seven more gentle swings on the Skycoaster – the centre-piece attraction at the Fun Spot theme park in Kissimmee (£35) – I’m relieved to put my feet back on the ground. But what a ride!
The day had also started at a great height, albeit in more relaxed fashion – with a hot-air balloon ride (from £99 adult/£63 child).
As the sun rose across a calm and crisp winter morning, pilot Mike guided us over 12.5 miles of Sunshine State countryside.
The near-silent cruise through the sky was interrupted only by the occasional blasts of hot air being pumped into the giant balloon.
I was in Orlando to check out what else the area has to offer alongside its world-famous theme parks, such as Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld.
From our base at Ramada Plaza on International Drive, our first port of call was Gatorland (from £22/£15) – one of the oldest attractions in Florida, open since 1949.
RIDE ON: An adventure tour in the sunset by airboat (Pic: DAILY MIRROR)
It’s the leading alligator and crocodile site in the state, with almost 2,300 creatures on its 110 acres.
A series of five connected zip lines whizz thrill-seekers around the park, including one that takes you over a lake packed full of gators – fortunately just out of biting range.
There is a celebrity living at Gatorland, too – Chester. He’s almost 14ft long, weighs more than 70st and had a reputation for eating dogs before being given refuge by the attraction’s owners.
He’s also a Hollywood movie star. His snapping jaws and predatory hissing sound were used in The Hobbit franchise.
Alligators don’t just reside at Gatorland though, there are an estimated two million living all over Florida.
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: An alligator at the world famous Gator Land (Pic: DAILY MIRROR)
On an airboat adventure tour (from £22/£18) over Lake Tohopekaliga, we spotted one lurking just below the surface waiting to pounce.
We then returned to land for a fascinating evening with Little Big Mountain, a Native American who lives on the Boggy Creek site.
He has a chickee hut made from materials he’s collected and only eats food he’s captured.
Little Big Mountain’s home is a living museum where he shows off his tools, buildings and homemade clothing, as well as demonstrating cultural rituals and songs.
The following day we swapped airboats for Mucky Ducks – eight-wheeled amphibious tank-like machines.
HAVIN’ A BLAST: Swing on the Skycoaster at Fun Spot America (Pic: DAILY MIRROR)
On the 220-acre site of Revolution Off-Road (from £67), a 35-minute drive from our Orlando base, we powered around miles of dirt tracks, before shifting into flotation mode and taking the “Duck” for a swim on the lake.
A more conventional tour of the site on a quad bike followed, along with lessons in archery and shooting.
Temperatures usually top 33C in the height of summer, meaning indoor activities are not just a rainy day activity here.
I-Drive Nascar (from £14/£13) is one such attraction for those who don’t fancy the sauna-like conditions. Inside there’s a quarter-of-a-mile go-karting track with state-of-the-art electric cars, bowling and arcade games.
FISHY: Orlando also boasts beautiful attractions like Sea Life (Pic: TWITTER)
There is also Sea Life Orlando, Madame Tussauds and WonderWorks, featuring a host of fun exhibits including an earthquake simulator, a taste of what it’s like to be an astronaut in a spinning and rotating gyroscope – and the mind-boggling opportunity to rest on a bed of nails.
Sports fans may also like to get tickets to see NBA side Orlando Magic (from £14) when they are in town.
We rounded off our trip with a sunset ride on The Wheel (from £19/£15), a 400ft observation wheel in the heart of ICON Park.
It offers breathtaking views of downtown Orlando’s skyline as well as lush landscape and lakes all the way out to Florida’s east coast.
