Finding a wormhole in the basement would be more exciting if it didn’t always lead to John Calvin’s dinner parties and doomed 1912 luxury liners. Time travel without fear of shipwreck with today’s deal: for $12, you get a ticket to Titanic—The Experience (up to a $23 value), an exhibit adjacent to Universal Orlando.

The experience begins with a ticket that’s a printed replica of a 1912 boarding pass, complete with the name of an actual Titanic passenger whose identity you’ll assume for the remainder of your voyage aboard the one-voyage wonder. A fully costumed actor, portraying one of the ship’s famed passengers, leads history hounds and treasure seekers through the 20,000-square-foot exhibit. While learning about the ship’s construction and hearing the hidden stories of those who rode on her, you’ll walk through full-scale re-creations of famous spots such as the grand staircase, an opulent first-class passenger suite, the steamy boiler rooms, and a temperature-controlled promenade deck complete with oceanic stars and an April-on-the-Atlantic arctic breeze. You’ll also venture into the Underwater Room, which houses an eight-foot replica of the ship as she rests in her present-day home at the bottom of the ocean. Marvel at more than 200 artifacts, including movie memorabilia from the ship’s various film incarnations. At the conclusion of the tour, the background of the passenger named on your ticket will be revealed, and you’ll discover their fate on the night the ship sank.

A visit to the exhibit, which is owned by an oceanic adventurer who has twice led expeditions to the doomed vessel, promises a riveting and educational experience for families, film buffs, or bonding book clubs. Tours start daily at 10 a.m.

Reviews

Associated Content reviewed Titanic – The Experience in 2009. TripAdvisors give the attraction a four-owl eye average rating and more than 1,110 Facebookers are fans.

• The tour guides are great actors who portray real people who sailed on the Titanic, and they deliver all the facts you could ever want to know while also providing entertaining gossip about the passengers on board. – Sammish81, TripAdvisor
• I could not believe my eyes when I saw it. When inside I really felt like I had traveled back in time and was aboard the Titanic. It was absolutely amazing. You too can enjoy the wonders of what was thought to have been an unsinkable ship by visiting Titanic - The Experience. – Molly Brown, Associated Content