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Orlando City Guide
Orlando is famous for being the theme park capital of America, a title that is well-deserved. Orlando and the surrounding areas have major international parks, smaller attractions, and an incredible family-entertainment orientation. Orlando is the place every kid dreams of visiting, and it has something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
Among Orlando's premier theme park offerings are Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World. Each of those attractions can be further broken down into numerous smaller parks and locations. Disney World alone breaks down into the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, MGM Studios, Camp Disney, Pleasure Island, and several more themed areas including a new live animal safari zone. The other parks offer everything from water rides and science exhibits to movie making magic. Rides, rides, and more rides abound in Orlando, and they are constantly being updated and improved.
But Orlando also features other types of enjoyment. Orlando offers every conceivable type of food and lodging. From the most swanky hotels that cater to international business types, to moderate priced family centered hotels, to motels, to camping, to lodges, there are accommodations for everyone! World class golf courses, tennis clinics, spas, resorts, and more await visitors who aren't terribly interested in theme parks.
Orlando also features dozens of smaller attractions, and an enviable nightlife. Each of the theme parks and attractions will tempt you to enjoy their night time entertainment, but the local restaurants and clubs offer just as much fun without the theme park cost. Orlando is home to hundreds of restaurants of every type, not counting those inside the theme parks. Orlando's visitors are international, so it caters to all tastes.
Orlando has been hosting millions of visitors a year for decades, so it has lots of experience in how to treat guests and make them feel welcome. Hospitality is not just the industry behind the entire Orlando way of life, it is the Orlando way of life! From the biggest theme parks in the world and some of the best hotels, to the smaller attractions and some of the best values, Orlando is a city for everyone, especially families!
Old Fashioned Airboat Rides
24004 Sisler Avenue
Christmas, FL 32709
407-568-4307
24-Hour 407-849-4016
airboatrides.com
Have you ever wanted to view wildlife like eagles and alligators while being in the water? This is your chance to get away from all the crowds and be in a different habitat of the wild. You will take a guided 90 minute swamp tour in the Central Floridian Everglades on the St. Johns River and encounter all kinds of wildlife including turtles, beavers, birds, alligators and eagles. The experience will both engage your senses and stimulate your awareness of your environment all while being on an ‘old fashioned airboat!
SeaWorld Orlando
7007 SeaWorld Drive
Orlando, FL 32821
800-327-2424
This is the “it” water park in the world. It boasts a 200 –acre marine adventure park which features jaw dropping rides, intriguing shows, and personal up close animal encounters that are stupendous! If thrill is your goal, challenge Kraken the only floorless roller coaster in Orlando, which will take you to speeds of 65mph and up some 15 stories! So whether you want to swim with dolphins, talk to Shamu, or dine with other exotic marine animals, SeaWorld has it all to quench your vacation thirst.
Discovery Cove
6000 Discovery Cove Way
Orlando, FL 32821
407-370-1428
Are you ready to swim with one of the smartest animals in the SeaWorld? Have an unbelievable time engaging the playfulness of the dolphins in an adventure water affair that you will never forget. Do this and then snorkel with thousands of colorful fish and rays while investigating the glorious grandeur of the coral reefs and caves. Then you can interact with the hundreds of exquisite birds, even touch and feed them. In this tropical oasis you go at your pace so you can both relax and explore until your heart is content.
EPCOT
1200 Epcot Resort Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-4321
EPCOT is the technology hub destination in Orlando. You will be dazzled by the array of special effects used in interactive shows, rides, and other attractions for the mind! You can drive on a test track going 60mph around hairpin curves, compete in an astronaut training course from take off, or watch the sky erupt into a colorful canvas of over 1,100 pyrotechnic explosions in the sky. The eye popping Earth Globe moves over the lagoon and conveys brilliant wonders from the curved LED screens. All of this, while11 countries are represented and featured.
Islands of Adventure
Universal Orlando Resort
6000 Universal Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32819
407-363-8000
This is the adventure of a lifetime! Journey through 5 themed islands containing the most innovative rides anywhere imaginable! The Islands of Adventure uses cutting edge 3-D attractions to make the unreal seem real! Whether it is the Dueling Dragon, the world’s first inverted coaster ride, the amazing 3-D Spiderman thrill ride, the unforgettable Jurassic Park river raft ride themed around the ferocious T-rex or riding on your couch with the Cat in the Hat, you are guaranteed to love this once in a lifetime experience!
Kennedy Space Center
State Road 405
Kennedy Space Center, FL 32889
321-449-4444
kenndyspacecenter.com
Visitors can "Launch a Vision" at NASA's KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. This is the only place that you can tour where the space shuttle launches, talk to a real astronaut, and see huge rockets. The newest attraction is the new Shuttle Launch Experience. Here, you will strap in vertically and feel the sensations, hear the noises, and see what it is like to be launched into space. You could even view a real life shuttle launching into space! Then you can see the interesting Astronaut Hall of Fame and explore space while sitting in the IMAX theatre with five-story high screens as you glide into space with no gravity.
MGM Studios
PO Box 10200
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-4321
This full-fledged film studio/theme park culminates the mix of popular entertainment of today with the favorite classics of the past. MGM pays tribute to the world of show business with a real Extreme Stunt Show where you can see an intense, energy filled stunt show with cars, jet skis, and motorcycles. These vehicles do a series of stunts using Hollywood style pyrotechnics to give you an in-depth look into the world of stunts that are staged for the movies.
You can choose from a rockin’ Aerosmith twisting coaster, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror which takes a heart pumping 13 story elevator dive or enjoy one of the many stage show spectaculars that will captivate any audience through the use of special lighting, musical effects and of course Disney characters. For the kids, there is a live musical of Playhouse Disney and Beauty and the Beast as well, among many others.
Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-4321
waltdisneyworld.com
How do you cure a need for adventure? Visiting the Animal Kingdom! This is colossal endeavor that allows you to be engulfed by nature. Be surrounded by wildlife on an African safari or get a taste of Mt. Everest as you journey up the Himalayas. Get wet on a 12 passenger raft as you travel through the captivating rain forest with water geysers, all while going down a fast moving water fall! Then, join the Circle of Life as you take in the magic of the Festival of the Lion King with all of its luster and radiance of song, dance and high energy, parade-like beauty. Animal Kingdom allows you to enjoy thrilling attractions, on stage shows and appreciate the fascinating animals that roam earth, all in one place.
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Downtown Disney
Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-885-5496
Indulge yourself in this gratifying little city packed full of specialized shops, eateries and shows. Once you shop, view some shows like the Festival of the Masters, one of the most acclaimed shows in the country, and eat until your heart’s content, dance the night away on Pleasure Island This is truly an island of non stop unwinding. With one ticket getting you unlimited access to all the clubs, you can enjoy clubs themed with 70’s and 80’s music, a comedy club, and the Mannequins Dance Palace. The floor actually rotates as the techno tracks play! There are many other themed clubs that will allow you to get your “boogy” on for as long as you desire. Within Downtown Disney is DisneyQuest, an indoor, interactive theme park full of virtual rides, simulators and even a recording studio where you can record your own CD!
Sterling Casino Lines
Terminal 2-B
180 Christopher Columbus Drive
Port Canaveral, FL 32920
800-765-5711
In addition to gambling, this vessel boasts five decks of live entertainment, hand painted, 18’ ceilings, complimentary buffets, shows, shopping and dancing, so no one should have trouble finding something to do. The cruise has over 1,000 slot machines and 50 table games like Black Jack, Roulette, Craps, and Caribbean Stud Poker. Five and six hour cruise available weekdays and weekend evenings.
Blizzard Beach
1500 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-560-3400
www.disney.com
Guests to Disney’s largest water park find themselves in the midst of a fabricated melting snowstorm. The 66-acre park features several adventurous water slides and tube rides as well as relaxing wave pools. Hold your breath and fold your arms as you free slide down 120 feet at 55-mph and take the Summit Plummet down to the bottom where heated waters will meet you.
Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Walt Disney World Resort
1500 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-2222
This island jungle themed park features over the top tube and slide rides that will capture the kid in you. It also features the world's largest inland surfing lagoon at the 2.75-million-gallon wave pool! You can lounge on the white sand beaches, chill in the gentle waters or catch the waves while body surfing, either way you can see all the wipeouts! The Shark Reef is a unique and exhilarating water park feature that allows snorkelers to view marine life including stingrays and a tiger shark in there own habitat.
Wet ‘n Wild
6200 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
800-992-9453 or 407-351-1800
Alluring thrills at one of the premier water parks in the country. Have a mesmerizing adventure aboard the Brain Wash, showcasing the latest in ride technology, lets your tube move up walls 6 stories up and then drop into a domed shaped funnel all while swaying back and forth to sounds, video and perfectly timed lighting. Also, check out The Bomb Bay where you enter a bomb-like capsule and then feel the floor drop from beneath you as you plunge down a 76-foot high, nearly vertical slide. This ride will take your breath away! You can also burn rubber going down speed slides of different lengths or knee board and ski in the Wake Zone.
Harry P. Leu Gardens
1920 North Forest Avenue
Orlando, FL 32803
407-246-2620
Don’t you just love the smell of fresh flowers? Stop and smell the flowers as you stroll along the beautiful miles of paved color and scenic walkways that meander throughout this 50-acre site. You will be enlightened to see the vegetable and herb garden, butterfly garden, and the palm, bamboo, and cycad gardens. View America's largest Camellia collection (outside of California) and the largest formal rose garden in Florida. Once you are here you won’t believe the amount and variety of color and smells that separate this destination from anything else in Orlando. Careful steps were taken to restore the Leu House Museum, a late nineteenth-century farmhouse, which now exhibits living conditions and décor indicative of the time it was originally built.
Richard Petty Driving Experience
3450 North World Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
1-800-BEPETTY
www.1800bepetty.com
If you have always wanted to go 165mph, and experience real life aspects your racing fantasies as they come true, on the track! Several program choices are available that are based on experience which combines personalized training and actual drive time behind the wheel of a regulation stock car. You will get on your suit and head to pit row. Once in your car, you see the role bar, the gear shifter and the steering wheel going into position. You can feel the adrenaline rushing through your body as you draft, pass and side-by-side race! Once you complete the last lap, you will go to Victory Lane for a celebration you will never forget!
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium
8201 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
800-998-4418
407-351-5803
If the odd and bizarre is your thing, then you will not want to miss this outlandish site! As you go on this self guided tour you have to distinguish between believable or not. Take for instance the Rolls Royce made out of matchsticks, over a million of them! The unusual also includes shrunken heads from the ancient Jivaro Indians of Equador. Take a look at the portrait of Van Gogh not done in oils or acrylic, but of Van Gogh postcards, over 3000 of them! Admission is $16.95 plus tax for adults over 12 years of age and $11.95 for kids ages 4 to 12 years of age. The unbelievable and peculiar are all in one place which Robert Ripley himself personally picked to show the world in ten different countries. See for yourself if you can believe it or not!
SkyVenture
6805 Visitors Circle
Orlando, FL 32819
407-903-1150
Want to experience the thrill of skydiving without having to jump out of a plane? This is a state-of –the-art experience which will immerse you into the world of high flying adventure. This Vertical Wind Tunnel creates the exact sensation of free falling during skydiving. You will experience an exhilarating flight experience at 120 mph, but with no parachute, no jumping and no experience necessary! The best part is that virtually anyone can fly!
Titanic – The Experience
8445 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
407-248-1166 ext 3110
Whether you were a fan of the movie or a history buff, you’ll enjoy the world’s first permanent exhibition! Not only are there more than 200 artifacts, but this is truly a Titanic experience. There are room re-creations, the beautiful and intricate grand staircase and movie memorabilia, such as one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s costumes. Learn the fascinating story of the Titanic from storytellers in period costume that take you back to the world of the unsinkable ship.
WonderWorks
9067 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
407-351-8800
You’ll have trouble figuring out which way is up after going through this upside down attraction! You get to let your imagination run crazy as WonderWorks features more than 100 hands-on exhibits. As Orlando’s only upside down attraction you must experience a simulated 5.3 earthquake that will shake you speechless. You can also try laying down on a bed on nails! Get the point? 3,500 nails will come up under you as you lay down for an outrageous by picture taking experience. You can even design your own virtual roller coaster and then take it for a spin.
Rosen Shingle Creek Golf Club
9939 Universal Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32819
407-996-9933
This course it the newest constructed golf course in Orlando with a state of the art golf facility and pristine greens. This challenging 18 hole course is a definite must if golf is your game and challenge is your name. Shingle Creek Golf and Country Club also has one of the best golf shops in the country according to Golf Shop magazine.
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge
9000 Bay Hill Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32819
888-729-7757
Everything tied to Arnold Palmer is all about class! Nothing is spared when it comes to the best of the best and the Bay Hill Club and Lodge is no different. Home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, this pro golfer’s destination is both prestigious and inviting. The greens are lush with color and the holes are the holes that Arnold Palmer plays on himself. With the utmost charm you will be treated like you are a private member, with amenities like a luxurious spa, salon, fitness center, pool and even tennis courts. The lodge has 70 rooms and they are spacious and allow you to feel like you are in a place of class and relaxation.
Beaches:
Daytona Beach
Touted as “the world’s most famous beach,” Daytona Beach is synonymous with spring break and the Daytona 500. However, like most who come to this beach, you will enjoy 23 miles of gorgeous white sandy beach and all the sun you could ever want.
New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach is a pristine beach area located south of Daytona Beach that offers a more peaceful beach experience. As a laid back coastal community, historic attractions in the area include the Turnbill Ruins and Old Fort and the New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins State Historic Site.
Ormond Beach
This beach is known as one of only few remaining drive-on beaches in the world. Coming to this beach makes you realize why Florida has some of the nicest beaches in the world and Ormond Beach is certainly one of them. No matter if you are looking to sunbath, read a book, build sand castles, or allow the gentle breeze relax you near the water, this beach will not disappoint.
SeaWorld Orlando
7007 SeaWorld Drive
Orlando, FL 32821
800-327-2424
This is the “it” water park in the world. It boasts a 200 –acre marine adventure park which features jaw dropping rides, intriguing shows, and personal up close animal encounters that are stupendous! If thrill is your goal, challenge Kraken the only floorless roller coaster in Orlando, which will take you to speeds of 65mph and up some 15 stories! So whether you want to swim with dolphins, talk to Shamu, or dine with other exotic marine animals, SeaWorld has it all to quench your vacation thirst.
Discovery Cove
6000 Discovery Cove Way
Orlando, FL 32821
407-370-1428
Are you ready to swim with one of the smartest animals in the SeaWorld? Have an unbelievable time engaging the playfulness of the dolphins in an adventure water affair that you will never forget. Do this and then snorkel with thousands of colorful fish and rays while investigating the glorious grandeur of the coral reefs and caves. Then you can interact with the hundreds of exquisite birds, even touch and feed them. In this tropical oasis you go at your pace so you can both relax and explore until your heart is content.
EPCOT
1200 Epcot Resort Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-4321
EPCOT is the technology hub destination in Orlando. You will be dazzled by the array of special effects used in interactive shows, rides, and other attractions for the mind! You can drive on a test track going 60mph around hairpin curves, compete in an astronaut training course from take off, or watch the sky erupt into a colorful canvas of over 1,100 pyrotechnic explosions in the sky. The eye popping Earth Globe moves over the lagoon and conveys brilliant wonders from the curved LED screens. All of this, while11 countries are represented and featured.
Islands of Adventure
Universal Orlando Resort
6000 Universal Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32819
407-363-8000
This is the adventure of a lifetime! Journey through 5 themed islands containing the most innovative rides anywhere imaginable! The Islands of Adventure uses cutting edge 3-D attractions to make the unreal seem real! Whether it is the Dueling Dragon, the world’s first inverted coaster ride, the amazing 3-D Spiderman thrill ride, the unforgettable Jurassic Park river raft ride themed around the ferocious T-rex or riding on your couch with the Cat in the Hat, you are guaranteed to love this once in a lifetime experience!
Magic Kingdom Park
311 World Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-4321
waltdisneyworld.com
It all began with the Magic Kingdom in 1971. The original heart of Disneyland, Magic Kingdom has undergone changes over the years, and it remains a premier Disney attraction. From Cinderella Castle to Space Mountain, this park can still compete with its newer and flashier counterparts.
Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-4321
waltdisneyworld.com
How do you cure a need for adventure? Visiting the Animal Kingdom! This is colossal endeavor that allows you to be engulfed by nature. Be surrounded by wildlife on an African safari or get a taste of Mt. Everest as you journey up the Himalayas. Get wet on a 12 passenger raft as you travel through the captivating rain forest with water geysers, all while going down a fast moving water fall! Then, join the Circle of Life as you take in the magic of the Festival of the Lion King with all of its luster and radiance of song, dance and high energy, parade-like beauty. Animal Kingdom allows you to enjoy thrilling attractions, on stage shows and appreciate the fascinating animal
Blizzard Beach
1500 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-560-3400
www.disney.com
Guests to Disney’s largest water park find themselves in the midst of a fabricated melting snowstorm. The 66-acre park features several adventurous water slides and tube rides as well as relaxing wave pools. Thrill to a 60-mph ride down Summit Plummet and then catch your breath and relax at Melt Away Bay.
Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
Walt Disney World Resort
1500 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-2222
This island jungle themed park features over the top tube and slide rides that will capture the kid in you. It also features the world's largest inland surfing lagoon at the 2.75-million-gallon wave pool! You can lounge on the white sand beaches, chill in the gentle waters or catch the waves while body surfing, either way you can see all the wipeouts! The Shark Reef is a unique and exhilarating water park feature that allows snorkelers to view marine life including stingrays and a tiger shark in there own habitat.
Wet ‘n Wild
6200 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
800-992-9453 or 407-351-1800
Alluring thrills at one of the premier water parks in the country. Have a mesmerizing adventure aboard the Brain Wash, showcasing the latest in ride technology, lets your tube move up walls 6 stories up and then drop into a domed shaped funnel all while swaying back and forth to sounds, video and perfectly timed lighting. Also, check out The Bomb Bay where you enter a bomb-like capsule and then feel the floor drop from beneath you as you plunge down a 76-foot high, nearly vertical slide. This ride will take your breath away! You can also burn rubber going down speed slides of different lengths or knee board and ski in the Wake Zone.
Gatorland
14501 South Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, FL 32837
407-855-5496
Thousands of alligators share this 50-acre park with crocodiles, snakes, birds, turtles, iguanas and other native Floridian animals. Gator shows are the main attraction, but the snake exhibit is also popular, as is the marsh area that is home to hundreds of nesting birds. Attractions just for kids include a petting zoo with emus, llamas and goats; an aviary where kids can feed exotic birds; photo opportunities with park reptiles and even a water play area with a wading pool and water jets.
Fun Spot Action Park
5551 Del Verde Way
Orlando, FL 32819
407-363-3867
www.fun-spot.com
In addition to a 102-foot-high Ferris wheel, this 4.7 acre amusement park features a two-story video arcade; four Go Kart tracks, including a three-level track; kids rides, thrill rides and more.
WonderWorks
9067 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
407-351-8800
You’ll have trouble figuring out which way is up after going through this upside down attraction! You get to let your imagination run crazy as WonderWorks features more than 100 hands-on exhibits. As Orlando’s only upside down attraction you must experience a simulated 5.3 earthquake that will shake you speechless. You can also try laying down on a bed on nails! Get the point? 3,500 nails will come up under you as you lay down for an outrageous by picture taking experience. You can even design your own virtual roller coaster and then take it for a spin.
Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
4510 West Irlo Bronson Highway
Kissimmee, FL 34746
407-396-1518
Enjoy a traditional medieval feast (without silverware) served by serfs and wenches. When the show begins, you’ll cheer on brave nights and marvel at the pageantry and exquisite drills performed by beautiful Andalusian Stallions.
MGM Studios
PO Box 10200
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-4321
This full-fledged film studio/theme park culminates the mix of popular entertainment of today with the favorite classics of the past. MGM pays tribute to the world of show business with a real Extreme Stunt Show where you can see an intense, energy filled stunt show with cars, jet skis, and motorcycles. These vehicles do a series of stunts using Hollywood style pyrotechnics to give you an in-depth look into the world of stunts that are staged for the movies.
You can choose from a rockin’ Aerosmith twisting coaster, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror which takes a heart pumping 13 story elevator dive or enjoy one of the many stage show spectaculars that will captivate any audience through the use of special lighting, musical effects and of course Disney characters. For the kids, there is a live musical of Playhouse Disney and Beauty and the Beast as well, among many others.
DisneyQuest
1486 East Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-828-4600
Fun for the whole family awaits here as you enjoy 5 floors of interactive attractions, rides, games, and more! You control your own adventure here!
Green Meadows Petting Farm
1368 South Poinciana Boulevard
Orlando, FL 34746
407-846-0770
Enjoy this hands-on guided tour of all farm animals including milking a cow and a hay ride.
Orlando Science Center
777 East Princeton Street
Orlando, FL 32803
407-514-2000
Hands-on exhibits make learning more fun! Enjoy a giant screen film, planetarium show, and sky-watching in the observatory.
Universal Studios
1000 Universal Studios Plaza
Orlando, FL 32819
407-839-3900
You’ll be right in the middle of the action of some of your most favorite movies and television shows.
Dixie Stampede Dinner and Show
8251 Vineland Avenue
Orlando, FL 32821
407-238-4455
Known as “the most exciting place to eat in Orlando,” you’ll enjoy animals, comedy, singing, dancing, and a feast fit for a king!
January
Capital One Bowl
407-513-1607
College football takes center stage in Orlando as the SEC champion takes on the Big Ten Champion in the Capitol One Bowl on New Year’s Day, January 1st at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. A couple days before, the Florida Citrus Day Parade happens and there is all kinds of fun associated with the excitement of floats, kicking off the big game to come.
Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities
407-647-3307
This African American festival celebrates the visual arts, poetry, dance, and gospel as well as R&B music.
Walt Disney World Marathon
407-938-3398
A 26.2 mile race adventure takes place in all 4 Walt Disney World Theme Parks. There is also a 5 k race, a half marathon, and a two health expo.
February
Bud & BBQ Fest
407-363-2259
Two weekends of food and fun featuring beer and barbecue are featured at this enchanting destination. The event covers the park and includes barbeque, live country music concerts by top recording artists and Anheuser-Busch products.
Silver Spurs Rodeo
407-67-RODEO
Come and watch pro rodeo riders who are on the pro circuit compete and get judged on how long they can stay on their seat and not get bucked. This is one of the largest rodeo events that you will not want to miss.
March
Arnold Palmer Invitational
866-764-4843
This historic event is has been held here since 1979 and is held in March every year. Typically starting on March 12th and ending after a week or so depending on golf play. If you want to see some of the most talented golfers like Tiger Woods, this is a must stop for any golf fanatic.
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
407-672-6390
There is one festival once a year that will represent art forms like pottery, painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, and jewelry. The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival draws some 350,000 people and has live music to really make the experience very enjoyable. Kids have a workshop that is hands-on with all sorts of activities they will enjoy as the creative side in your little one(s) comes out!
April
JazzFest Kissimmee
407-846-6257
Bring your lawn chairs and soak up the sun at this free event. From 11 am to 7 pm, enjoy the music of high school jazz bands as well as top local and national performers.
May
Florida Music Festival
ArtistRelations@FloridaMusicFestival.com
This is an enormous rock festival features 250 bands on 15 stages! There is not only music there to dive into but also music videos and documentaries form the Indy Film Jam. There is a huge selection of vintage concert posters that are displayed by the Rock Art Walk, and some of the guests in the past feature Third Eye Blind, Flogging Molly, Seven Mary Three, Big 10-4 and Mofro.
Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival
407-824-4321
Enjoy food, fun, flowers, a water garden show, a Home Depot backyard garden party, greenhouse tour and more botanical wonders a the festival. Each weekend has different theme like “I Dig Bugs” and “Characters In Bloom”
May and June
June
Annual Celebrity Mascot Games
407-648-4900
Over 30 mascots compete in the craziest and wackiest games you have ever seen! Who will be king this year at this one of a kind event and the only one in the world.
July
Universal Studios July 4th Celebration at Citywalk
407-363-8000
Talking about huge displays of fireworks! Fireworks light up the sky over Universal Studios, Citywalk, and Islands of Adventure, all while there is live entertainment! Come and be in this atmosphere that will bring out all the “awes” and leave you speechless as well as glad that you are here and no place else!
September
Mexican Fiesta
407-895-5061
Celebrate the Mexican independence with traditional food, music and more.
Annual Night of Joy
407-824-4321
Make your way to Disney-MGM Studios for a night filled with spiritual inspiration with performances by top names in Christian music.
Miracle Mile
321-841-5836
This is one of only three 15k races in the entire state of Florida! Competitors come from all over the nation to race. The race starts at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women.
Orlando Home Show
800-645-7798
This is one of the nation’s largest consumer showcases in the country. If you need to do a personal remodel and add some home décor, this is the one of the only places where you will find great ideas. See demos of jobs, use state-of-the-art tools and get great fixes to increase the value of your home.
October
BHN Festival Calle Orange
407-381-5310
10 Orlando streets close and feature 40 artists on 4 stages that fill the air with brilliant sounds of the tropics. Come to this 8th annual event featuring artists like La Sonora Poncena, Grupo Mania, Mims,Cham and Atiba, Limite 21, and Domingo Quinones and Edwin Rivera just to name a few.
Downtown Disney’s Halloween Bash
407-W-DISNEY
There is no better place to find Halloween fun than Pleasure Island which features a costume contest prizes and other treats.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
407-W-DISNEY
Located in Disney's Magic Kingdom Park children and adult will find some wholesome Halloween fun with trick-or-treating and a children's costume parade.
October/November
Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
407-824-4321
Taste test food and wine from around the world including South Africa, Italy, Russia, and Ireland. Also offering celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, dinner concerts, entertainment, and casual food marketplaces.
September 29th through November 12th
November
Festival of Trees
407-672-3838
Make your way to the Orlando Museum of Art where you can feast your eyes on elaborately decorated trees, wonderful carolers and seminars.
Annual Poinsettia Festival & Garden of Lights
800-282-2123
More than 40,000 Poinsettia blooms adorn Cypress gardens as well as giant lighted topiaries, animated scenes, illumiated gardens and more.
Cypress Gardens Chrysanthemum Festival
800-282-2123
See the natural wonders of Autumn with more than 2 1/2 million blooms in scarlets, peaches, lavenders, pinks and ivories.
Fiesta in the Park
407-246-2827
At Lake Eola Park patrons will find family events, more than 600 booths and arts and crafts.
December
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade and Party
407-824-4321
Enjoy fireworks, a parade, and so much more under the stars!
New Year’s Eve
407-824-4321
Come bring in the New Year with a bang on an island where the weather is great and the environment is electric and experience many clubs where one price gets you access to every club on Pleasure Island.
Other Events:
Universal Studios Mardis Gras!
February-May
407-363-8000
Among the thousands of things to do includes a spectacular parade of elegant and dazzling floats from New Orleans with bead throwing fun, street performers, dancing, and a festive atmosphere that is second only to New Orleans itself!
Population:
More than 1.4 million people reside in the Greater Orlando area, consisting of Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake Counties
Time Zone:
Eastern Standard Time
Climate:
Orlando’s year round pleasant climate is part of its allure to visitors. Between October and May, daytime highs average in the low 70s to mid 80s and evening lows average in the low 50s to mid 60s. Between June and September, daytime highs soar into the upper 80s to mid 90s, and evening lows cool to the upper 60s to mid 70s.
Airport:
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
One Airport Boulevard
Orlando, Florida 32827
(407) 825-2001
Rail:
Amtrak
800-USA-RAIL
Bus:
Greyhound
800-231-2222
Getting Around Orlando:
Lynx
Bus
407-841-2279.
I-Ride
Trolley
407-248-9590
Taxis:
Ace Metro Cab
407-855-1111
Yellow Cab Orlando
407-699-9999
Visitor Information:
Official Visitor Center
8723 International Drive, Suite 101
Orlando, FL 32819
(On the southeast corner of International Drive and Austrian Row)
1-800-551-0181
Dining:
Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville
6000 Universal Boulevard #704
Orlando, FL 32819
407-224-2155
You don’t have to be a parrot head to appreciate the fun atmosphere, cold drinks and delicious food here. Hang out with a cocktail (perhaps a margarita that flows from a volcano) and watch Buffet videos on a sail-shaped big screen. Menu options range from conch fritters to sirloin steak to PB&J, for the kids. And of course, Key lime pie is the dessert of choice.
House of Blues
Downtown Disney
1490 East Lake Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-934-2222
Whether you’re a diehard blues fan or just a casual listener, the atmosphere of this restaurant and its fun gift shop are worth experiencing. The menu features a wide variety of American and Cajun cuisine that will make your taste buds want to come back for more.
Flying Fish Café
2101 Epcot Resorts Boulevard
Bay Lake, FL 32830
407-WDW-DINE
This restaurant is unbelievable! If you want ocean-fresh fish, this is the place to come. The house specialty is the potato wrapped red snapper, which is by far the most notable. With a very lively atmosphere, your dining experience is filled with all sorts of seafood appetizers like crab cakes and the flavor rich, oak grilled scallops! The lava cake is to die for! This cake has chocolate emerging out of it tempting every taste bud you have to eat it. You will not want to miss the roller coaster memorabilia that encompasses the entire environment which accommodates a tasty dining experience. Make reservations up to 180 days prior to visit!
Victoria & Albert’s
4401 Grand Floridian
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-WDW-DINE
How many times have you cooked a seven course meal? For most not many, but at Victoria & Albert’s they do all the work while you are waited on hand and foot by your won butler and maid! This is service at its best with the meal lasting several hours, and each course is a little piece of heaven based on that day’s fresh market ingredients. This elite experience is recognized by the nations top food critics. This Victorian haven of exquisiteness will romance your memory forever as it provides exuberant décor, great wines and exceptional pampering, all in one place. Make reservations up to 180 days prior to visit!
Jiko The Cooking Place
2201 Orleans Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-WDW-DINE
The restaurant with an African décor including sculpted birds overhead is an excellent example of a tribute to the African heritage and the cuisine is also exclusive and influenced by the Mediterranean Coast, India and Europe. The detail given to the environment with tiled columns and the distinct lighting presents a relaxing and enjoyable time that most will surely say it was money well spent. Make reservations up to 180 days prior to visit!
Del Frisco’s Prime Steak & Lobster
729 Lee Road
Orlando, FL 32810
407-645-4443
This is a fresh porterhouse, rib eye, and sirloin heaven! Certainly not frozen in any way, the thick cut, generously proportioned meat is cooked to your perfection. Combine Cold Water Australian Tail Lobster and your choice of over 5500 bottles of selected wines and you have yourself one of the best dining experiences ever. Everything from the professional servers to the tasty food, this family owned business has a reputation for quality the way you like it.
