Last week, my mom and I took a break from the snow, ice, and frigid temperatures and jumped on a plane going south to Florida. As we flew into Orlando airport, the anticipation of 80-degree weather was more than we could stand. Actually, I believe at 9:30AM, it was about 75… but close enough.
We had a few days of fun and sun ahead of us, but the one thing that was most important to me was getting my mom to The Holy Land Experience. I can remember being a pre-teen and my mom saying “I want to go there” when a commercial for the Holy Land replica would flash across the screen. I added it to the list of things I needed to do and did everything I could to get her there.
Fast foward 18 years later and my mom found herself standing in line for her ticket to the Holy Land Experience. My grandmother and I kept it a secret for months and didn’t tell her until the last possible second.
When we arrived, they directed us to the ticket office where we were able to purchase tickets right away. We visited on a Thursday and we arrived a little after 12PM so there were no lines, which was really nice. Tickets cost $50/adult.
Unfortunately, we found ourselves in a quick Florida downpour, but luckily for us there was enough coverage that we were protected from the majority of it. We had arrived just in time for their first big performance at the Church of All Nations. The show was absolutely amazing and it lasted 70 minutes, just enough time for the rain to stop and the sun to begin shining.
From David and Goliath to Esther and the King, the Holy Land Experience didn’t disappoint in the biblical message they were delivering. My all time (and judging by my moms tears, hers too) was the moving representation of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. It was so intense and moving, and the message was received. The woman in the row behind us was clapping and was feeling the blessing; we loved it.
We walked right out of the Church of all Nations and into the House of Judea where they had another stage for other performances, a gift shop, and what my mom was dying to see– a scale model replica of Jerusalem. It was so awesome!
Our stomaches quickly began to let us know that it was time for lunch so we made a pitstop at Esther’s Banquet Hall. We each got a child’s pizza meal, which included a personal pizza, a bag of chips, and a small drink for $8. I recommend doing this just because it was an inexpensive option and enough food to satisfy, but also provided plenty of options from which to choose.
After our light lunch, we went the Scriptorium where they had antiquities of Bibles and scrolls. We easily spent an hour there; I think we all 3 agreed that was one of our all-time favorite parts! We loved being able to see first-hand how the Bible has changed over time from being written on pieces of bark, to scrolls, to hardbound books from an old fashioned printing press. It was even more impressive how many times the Word of God was attacked and still prospered.
As we walked the grounds we discovered so many awesome things, like Golgotha (where Jesus was crucified), bricks that came from Israel that Jesus himself lived near and touched, and a scale model of Bethlehem.
One thing that we did that was so very special was take our prayers to the cross. They had a cross with push pins, paper, and pens and we pinned our prayers to the cross. The cross wasn’t the only thing that had us emotional; before we left we visited the “garden of Gethsemane” where Jesus prayed before His crucifixion. The very idea of what went on in the real Gethsemane moved us to tears. Even though it was just a replica and a stone that represented where Jesus knelt, it was the power behind the message that was so moving.
There is so much to see there that it is definitely recommended to do two days to be sure to catch all of the shows and see everything the Holy Land Experience has to offer. Is the Holy Land Experience on your list of things to do the next time you’re in Orlando?
Xo,
Er
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