GO AHEAD: TAKE A FLYING LEAP

What’s a nice safety-obsessive girl who doesn’t like heights and is a natural klutz doing in a place like Planet Obstacle, Lake Mary, Florida’s ode to extreme indoor sports?
Mostly just trying not to let my jaw keep dropping open as I gape at hundreds of kids flying through the air like ninja warriors, or playing dodgeball in a brightly-lit padded court, or bouncing about in a foam ball-filled pit. Above me, a ropes course had human monkeys disguised as teens traversing the air on diverse obstacle, while closer to ground level, helmeted kids from three-to-seven tackled their own beginning ropes course.

Nearer to the café, which offers a quite reasonably-priced menu of drinks, snacks, sandwiches, salads and party platters, parents were sprawled out on comfy chairs or eyed their laptops while plugged into a bank of outlets. The lineup at the cashier to pay for usage of specific activities or to buy an unlimited ticket entitling the bearer to a full day and full range of activities begins first at the liability waiver desk. No signed waiver… no entrance.
While the very thought of climbing silk ropes, leaping through space to grab first one horizontal ladder rung after another, or hoist myself up the rock wall made my heart sputter like a blinking yellow light, I only had to spot the watchful staff monitoring every activity to know there is little chance of anyone getting hurt at Planet Obstacle.
Founded by two Cirque du Soleil veterans, Andrei Rublev and Yuri Majorov, Planet Obstacle’s first and foremost philosophy is to “provide unique, challenging and safe courses for both adults and kids to enjoy healthy exercise, learn about fitness and to connect with others.”
The two men literally designed and built the place by hand, the first of which they hope will become a successful franchise. It opened July, 2017.
Roublev joined Cirque du Soleil in 1996. He later founded New Image Line Entertainment as well as the Orlando Circus School and Orlando Flying Trapeze on International Drive in Orlando.
Yuri Maiorov was a solo artist in shows in Las Vegas, Europe, Canada, Asia, and the Gershwin theater in New York before joining Cirque du Soleil in 1995. His skills were featured in Cirque shows Alegria, La Nouba, Mystere, and Quidam.
Though the afternoon I was at Planet Obstacle was crowded with youth, the two athletes have designed events to appeal to fitness aficionados and corporate groups seeking unique teambuilding memories. Roublev said he and Majorov will begin holding adult group classes in the Spring. Each class can accommodate up to 40, with the possibility of holding up to four groups during a booking.
Planet Obstacle has five breakout rooms, each decorated individually, with plans to build three more by the summer of 2018. A full buyout is possible for up to 540. Outside catering is an option.
1150 Emma Oaks Trail, sute #100, Lake Mary 32746
http://planetobstacle.com; (407) 233-3750
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries. She is an active member of ILEA and MPI and is now serving on the 2017 – 2018 MPI Global Advisory Board for The Meeting Professional Magazine for the third consecutive year. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Karen writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, she has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady.