Orlando, Florida
The
city of
Orlando is the
county seat of
Orange County, Florida. As of the
2000 census, the city population was 185,951 (metropolitan area 1,644,561). A 2005
U.S. Census Estimates population count gave the city population was 213,233 (metropolitan area over 1.8 million). It is the sixth-largest city in Florida, and its largest inland city. It is also at the head of the state's third-largest metropolitan area, behind
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach and
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. Additionally, Orlando is home to the second largest
university in Florida, the
University of Central Florida.
The city is well known for the
tourist attractions in the area, particularly the nearby
Walt Disney World Resort, which is in the
Reedy Creek Improvement District . Other area attractions include
SeaWorld and
Universal Orlando Resort. Despite being far from the main tourist attractions,
downtown Orlando has recently seen much
redevelopment, with many more projects currently under construction or planned. One of the oldest attractions in this area is
Gatorland. Orlando sees an estimated 52 million tourists a year. Orlando is the 2nd largest city in the country for number of hotel rooms. It is a leader in medical care and research, especially at Orlando Regional Medical Center, the only statutory teaching hospital in Central Florida.
The city's
nickname is "The City Beautiful", though plans are underway to change this title through a local contest. Its symbol is the fountain of Lake Eola. The current mayor is
Buddy Dyer.
Some historians date Orlando's name to around 1836 when a soldier named
Orlando Reeves allegedly died in the area, during the war against the
Seminole Indian tribe. It seems, however, that Orlando Reeves (sometimes Rees) operated a sugar mill and plantation about 30 miles (50 km) to the north at Spring Garden in Volusia County, and pioneer settlers simply found his name carved into a tree and assumed it was a marker for a grave site. They thus referred to the area as "Orlando's grave" and later simply "Orlando."
During the
Second Seminole War, the U.S. Army established an outpost at Fort Gatlin, a few miles south of the modern downtown, in 1838. But it was quickly abandoned when the war came to an end.
Prior to being known as its current name, Orlando was known as
Jernigan, after the first permanent settler, cattleman Aaron Jernigan, who acquired land along Lake Holden by the terms of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. But most pioneers did not arrive until after the
Third Seminole War in the 1850s. Most of the early residents made their living by cattle ranching.
Orlando remained a rural backwater during the
American Civil War, and suffered greatly during the
Federal Blockade. The
Reconstruction Era brought a population explosion, which led to the city's incorporation in 1875.
The period from 1875 to 1895 is remembered as Orlando's "Gilded Era," when it became the hub of Florida's citrus industry. But a great freeze in 1894-1895 forced many owners to give up their independent groves, thus consolidating holdings in the hands of a few "citrus barons" which shifted operations south, primarily around
Lake Wales in
Polk County.
There are a couple of notable homesteaders in the area. First is the Curry family. On their property in east Orlando there was the
Econlockahatchee River and everytime it had to be crossed the settlers would "ford the river". This leads its name to one of Orlando's roads, Curry-Ford Rd. Also, just south of the airport in the Boggy Creek area was 150 acres of property homesteaded in the late 1800's by the Ward family. This property is still owned by the Ward family and can be seen from flights out of
MCO southbound immediately on the south side of SR-417.
Orlando, as Florida's largest inland city, became a popular resort during the years between the
Spanish-American War and
World War I.
During
World War II, a number of Army personnel were stationed at the Pine Castle AAF. Some of these servicemen stayed in Orlando to settle and raise families. In 1956 the aerospace/defense company
Martin Marietta (now
Lockheed Martin) established a plant in Orlando. In 1958, Pine Castle AAF was renamed
McCoy Air Force Base after Colonel Michael N.W. McCoy.
Orlando is close enough to
Patrick Air Force Base,
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and
Kennedy Space Center for residents to commute to work from the city's suburbs. It also allows easy access to
Port Canaveral, an important
cruise ship terminal. Because of its proximity to the "
Space Coast" near the
Kennedy Space Center, many high-tech companies have shifted to the Orlando area.
Perhaps the most critical event for Orlando's economy occurred in 1965 when
Walt Disney announced plans to build
Walt Disney World. Although Disney had considered the cities of Miami and Tampa for his park, one of the major reasons behind his decision not to locate in those cities was the threat of hurricanes. The famous vacation resort opened in October 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic growth for the Orlando metropolitan area, which now encompasses
Orange,
Seminole,
Osceola, and
Lake counties. As a result,
tourism became the centerpiece of the area's economy and Orlando is consistently ranked as one of the top vacation destinations in the world.
Another major factor in Orlando's growth occurred in 1970, when the new
Orlando International Airport was built from a portion of the
McCoy Air Force Base. Four airlines began providing scheduled flights in 1970. The military base officially closed in 1974, and most of it is now part of the airport. The airport still retains the former Air Force Base airport code (
MCO). It is considered a world-class facility, and it is one of the most heavily travelled airports in the world.
In addition to
McCoy Air Force Base, Orlando also had a naval presence with the establishment of the
Orlando Naval Training Center in 1968. Providing training to recruits as well as being a base for selected post basic training programs, the base had a prominent presence in the area. In 1993, the
Base Realignment and Closure Commission ordered that the base be closed. The base continued in a diminished capacity until the base closed for good with the last graduates of the base's
Naval Nuclear Power School leaving in December of 1998. The former base has been developed into tracts for upscale housing called
Baldwin Park.
In the
hurricane season of 2004,
Hurricanes Charley,
Frances, and
Jeanne battered the Orlando area, causing widespread damage and
flooding and impeding tourism to the area.
 |
Orlando Skyline at sunset, from SR-408 |
Orlando is located at (28.533513, -81.375789).
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 261.5
km² (100.9
mi²). 242.2 km² (93.5 mi²) of it is land and 19.3 km² (7.5 mi²) of it (7.39%) is water.
Orlando is rivaled only by the
Twin Cities in the number of natural lakes to be found in its metropolitan area. The Orlando area is home to more than 100 lakes, the largest of which are Lake Apopka, Eustis, Griffin, Harney, Harris, Jesup, Monroe, Sand Lake, Conway, and Tohopekaliga. The region Orlando occupies is generally low-lying, the only exception being minor sand hills formed by wave action in earlier geological eras when sea level was higher. These sand hills are found primarily in the western sections of the metropolitan area, especially in Lake County. The area is also very prone to sink-holes due to the large number of underground limestone caverns that are located in the area. Many of the lakes started as sink holes in recent geologic history.
Neighborhoods
The city of Orlando has 115 neighborhoods in the city limits, some of which are:
*Airport North
*Avalon Park
*Baldwin Park
*Callahan
*Central Business District
*College Park
*Colonialtown North
*Colonialtown South
*Crescent Park
*Delaney Park
*Downtown |
*EastWood
*Lake Davis / Greenwood
*Lake Eola Heights
*Lake Formosa
*Metro North
*Metrowest
*Millenia
*North Orange
*Park Central
*Park Lake Highland
*Parramore
*Rosemont |
*Richmond Heights
*Rio Pinar
*Roosevelt Park
*Southwest
*Stoneybrook
*Thornton Park
*University Heights
*Waterford Lakes
*West Colonial
*Winter Park
*Winter Springs
*Maitland
*College Park
*Pine Hills
*Fern Park |
Metropolitan area
In the
Orlando area, like most metropolitan areas in Florida, the majority of the population lives outside the city proper. Orlando is the center of a four-county metropolitan area that includes
Orange,
Osceola,
Seminole and
Lake counties.
Oviedo, in Seminole County, has been listed as one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
Clermont (Lake) and
Poinciana (Osceola) have also seen explosive growth. Although technically outside of the Orlando metro area,
Deltona grew so fast that it overtook
Daytona Beach as the largest city in
Volusia County as of the
1990 census.
Orlando has a warm and humid
subtropical climate, and there are two major seasons each year. One of those seasons is hot and rainy, lasting from April until October (roughly coinciding with the
Atlantic hurricane season). The other is a cooler season (November through March) that brings more moderate temperatures and less frequent rainfall. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its low elevation and its position relatively close to the
Tropic of Cancer, and much of its weather is affected by the movement of the
Gulf Stream.
During the height of Orlando's very humid summer season, temperatures rarely fall below 70ºF (21ºC), and daytime highs average in the 90s (32-37°C). Although the city rarely records temperatures over 100°F (38°C), extreme humidity often pushes the
heat index to over 110°F (43°C). The city's highest recorded temperature is 102ºF (39ºC), set in 1998. During these months, strong afternoon thunderstorms occur almost daily. These storms are caused by air masses from the
Gulf of Mexico and the
Atlantic Ocean colliding over Central Florida, and they often bring high
wind, damaging
hail, heavy
rainfall (sometimes several inches per hour), and violent
lightning. Orlando is sometimes referred to as the lightning capital of the world, but it is actually second to parts of
Central Africa in its frequency of strikes. It does have more lightning than any other city in the
United States.
During the winter season, humidity is lower and temperatures are more moderate. Average lows in January are around 50ºF (10ºC), and the highs average near 70°F (21°C). Temperatures rarely reach below 32ºF (0ºC), although the coldest temperature ever recorded was 16°F (-9°C) in 1985. Because the winter season is dry and most freezing temperatures occur after cold fronts (and their accompanying precipitation) have passed, Orlando experiences no real snowfall. Although no measurable amount of snow has ever fallen, trace amounts were officially observed on
December 23,
1989, and trace flurries of
ocean effect snow were also reported in nearby coastal Brevard County on
January 24,
2003. [
1] When flurries do occur, most are isolated incidents that are never officially recorded.
The average annual rainfall in Orlando is 50.1 in. (128
cm), most of it occurring in the period from June to September. The months of December through May are Orlando's driest season. During this period (especially in its later months), there is often a wildfire hazard. During some years, fires have been severe. In 1998, an
El Niño condition caused an usually wet January and February, followed by drought throughout the spring and early summer, causing a record wildfire season that created Greater Orlando's first instances of unhealthy air quality alerts.
Orlando has a considerable
hurricane risk, although it is not as high as it is in
South Florida's urban corridor or other coastal regions. Since the city is located 40 miles inland from the Atlantic and 60 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes usually weaken before arriving. Storm surges are not a concern since the region is 100 ft (30 m) above sea level. Despite its relatively safe location, the city does see strong hurricanes. During the notorious
2004 hurricane season, Orlando was hit by three hurricanes that caused significant damage, with
Hurricane Charley the worst of these. The city also experienced widespread damage during
Hurricane Donna in 1960.
NOTE: The record high of 102°F was recorded at Orlando International Airport, and is available from AccuWeather.com. (historical data from July is only visible in July and August unless you buy into their premium services) WeatherBase only uses historical data recorded at Orlando Executive Airport. Both airports have official National Weather Service recording stations.To no surprise, a large part of the Orlando area economy is involved in the tourist industry. Tourism surrounding Orlando is worth billions of dollars to the area's economy. Over 48 million visitors came to the Orlando region in 2004. The convention industry is also critical to the region's economy, due partly to the multitude of attractions available for all age ranges in the area. The Orange County Convention Center, expanded in 2004 to over two million square feet (200,000 m²) of exhibition space, is now the second-largest convention complex in terms of space in the United States, trailing only
McCormick Place in
Chicago. However, when the total annual number of convention attendees is considered, Orlando is now second to
Las Vegas, having passed Chicago in 2005.
The area's economy includes other industries besides tourism, such as manufacturing.
Lockheed-Martin has a large manufacturing facility for missile systems, aeronautical crafts and related high tech research due to Orlando's proximity to the
NASA Kennedy Space Center. Since the 1970s and 1980s the area is also home to many computer software and hardware firms, such as
IBM. Other notable engineering firms have offices or labs in the Central Florida area:
KDF,
General Dynamics,
Harris,
Westinghouse,
Siemens,
Veritas/
Seagate, multiple
USAF facilities, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (
NAWCTSD),
Comair Aviation Academy,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,
GE, Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation (
AFAMS), Army Simulation Training and Instrumentation Command (
STRICOM),
AT&T,
Boeing, CAE Systems Flight & Simulation Training,
HP, Institute for Simulation and Training,
Northrop Grumman,
Raytheon Systems. The Naval Training Center until a few years ago was one of the two places where nuclear engineers were trained for the
US Navy. Now the land has been converted into the
Baldwin Park development.
Another developing sector is the film, television, and electronic gaming industries, aided by the presence of
Universal Studios,
Disney-MGM Studios,
Full Sail School, and other entertainment companies and schools. Numerous office complexes for large corporations have popped up along the
Interstate 4 corridor north of Orlando, especially in
Maitland,
Lake Mary and
Heathrow. The U.S.
modeling, simulation, and training (MS&T) industry is centered around the Orlando region as well, with a particularly strong presence in the
Central Florida Research Park adjacent to
UCF.
Nearby
Maitland is the home of Tiburon, a division of the video game company
Electronic Arts. Originally Tiburon Entertainment, it was acquired by EA in 1998 after years of partnership, particularly in the famous
Madden NFL series and
NCAA Football series of video games. Due to this, there were rumors in 2005 that EA may move its corporate HQ to Orlando.
The diversifying economy has led to a very low unemployment rate in Greater Orlando of 2.8% as of
May 2006.
["Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment: May 2006." United States Department of Labor. June 28, 2006. Retrieved on July 9, 2006.] The result is explosive growth that has led to
urban sprawl in the surrounding area and skyrocketing housing prices. Housing prices in Greater Orlando went up 34% in one year, from an average of $182,000 in
August 2004 to $245,000 in
August 2005. House prices continue to rise, reaching a record $252,000 in
May 2006.
["Metropolitan Orlando Housing Trends Summary." Orlando Regional Realtor Association. 2006. Retrieved on June 6, 2006.] Many apartments have been turned into condos within the since 2003.
Due to this many young adults and those in the lower class are having a difficult time finding housing within
Orange County. A spring '06
Orlando Sentinel article stated that in order to afford rent for a single bedroom apartment in
Orange County one would be forced to earn at least a $20/hour wage.
Companies and organizations that have their corporate headquarters or a major presence in the area:
|
A LYNX bus stop on North Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. |
Air
Orlando is served primarily by
Orlando International Airport, though nearby
Orlando Sanford International Airport also serves the area.
Orlando Executive Airport is used for charter flights and
General Aviation.
Roads
Its major freeway is
Interstate 4, which crosses
Florida's Turnpike southwest of
Downtown Orlando. It is also served by the
toll roads of the
Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, particularly the East-West Expressway (
SR 408), which crosses I-4 downtown.
The East West Expressway (SR 408) is undergoing major construction with the addition of lanes, concrete barrier walls, sound walls, and a better scenic view. This project began in 2005 and is not yet complete.
Because of the massive
urban sprawl in the area and outdated and unplanned transit infastructure, traffic congestion is a growing concern. Fundamentally, the lack of east-west mobility in the area creates severe traffic issues every weekday.
Rail
The Orlando area is served by one through railroad,
CSX Transportation's A line (formerly the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's main line), and some spurs, mostly operated by the
Florida Central Railroad.
Amtrak passenger service runs along the CSX A line. See also
a map of these railroads. In 2005 Federal and state funding was granted for the establishment of the
Central Florida Commuter Rail service to operate on the CSX A line tracks between Deltona and Poinciana, passing through the downtown area and surrounding urban neighborhoods along the way. The service is expected to substantially reduce traffic congestion along the I-4 corridor, especially between downtown Orlando and the suburban communities in Seminole and Volusia Counties. The Federal and state funds would cover approximately 80% of the estimated $400 million cost for track modifications and construction of stations along the route. Pending approval by the county governments (Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola) involved and the set aside of matching funds, the line is projected to begin operations in 2009.
The following major railroad stations have existed in Orlando:
*
Amtrak Orlando station (originally built by ACL to replace Church Street Station, the only one still in use)
*
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Orlando station (now Church Street Station, a tourist attraction)
*
Seaboard Air Line Railroad Orlando station (Central Avenue Station)
Buses
Orlando is served by
LYNX, which runs bus service in the tri-county area (
Osceola-
Orange-
Seminole).
Light rail
Several attempts have been made to bring a
light rail system to Orlando, but each one has met with failure due to a perceived lack of public interest and various conflicts over a potential route. Walt Disney World officials have been particularly adamant that a light rail line run from Orlando International Airport to the resort, drawing opposition from other vacation destinations who fear loss of business. Local residents also oppose the idea of funding what is essentially a private beeline to Disney that will do little to alleviate the growing traffic problems in the area. This is in addition to
the statewide debate over high speed rail, the various plans of which all center around Orlando.
Public education is handled by
Orange County Public Schools. Some of the larger private schools include
Trinity Preparatory School,
Lake Highland Preparatory School,
Bishop Moore High School,
New School of Orlando,
Orlando Christian Academy, and
Forest Lake Academy.
Area institutions of higher education
*
Troy University, in Winter Park providing convenient education to adult learners
*
Asbury Theological Seminary, Orlando (Dunnam) Campus
*
Barry University's law school
*
Brevard Community College (in nearby
Brevard County)
*
DeVry University, Orlando campus
*
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University*
Florida A&M University's
law school*
Florida Institute of Technology, Orlando campus
* Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences
*
Florida Metropolitan University, Orlando campus
*
Full Sail Real World Education (in
Winter Park)
*
Hindu University of America*
International Academy of Design and Technology*
Nova Southeastern University, Orlando campus
* Keiser College, Orlando Campus
* Orlando Culinary Academy, (a
Le Cordon Bleu school)
* Polytechnic University, Orlando Campus
*
Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando campus
*
Rollins College (in
Winter Park)
*
Seminole Community College (in
Sanford)
*
Stetson University (in
Deland)
*
University of Central Florida*
University of Phoenix, Orlando campus
*
Valencia Community CollegeAs of the
census of 2000, there were 185,951 people, 80,883 households, and 42,382 families residing in the city. The
population density was 767.9/km² (1,988.9/mi²). There were 88,486 housing units at an average density of 365.4/km² (946.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.10%
White, 26.70%
African American, 2.90%
Asian, 0.34%
Native American, 0.08%
Pacific Islander, 5.41% from
other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. 17.79% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race. [Total is greater than 100% because Hispanics may be of any race.] The city has large
Puerto Rican,
Colombian,
Venezuelan,
Haitian,
Vietnamese communities (among others), and a growing number of
Russian and
British (mostly
English) residents.
There were 80,883 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.4% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The
median income for a household in the city was $35,732, and the median income for a family was $40,648. Males had a median income of $30,866 versus $25,267 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $21,216. About 13.3% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.
Like fellow Florida cities
Miami and
Tampa, Orlando has a large and increasing number of
Hispanic residents living in the city. Orlando is home to one of the nation's largest and rapidly-growing
Puerto Rican communities (particulary its metropolitan area). This is reflected by the abundance of Hispanic-themed restaurants and radio stations. Spanish-language music, such as
reggaeton, is common on Orlando radio stations. The
Orlando Magic basketball team is the only team in the
NBA to have a Latin Night, which is geared towards the Hispanic population in the area. Throughout the city, many Puerto Rican flags can be found on or near buildings, including car dealerships. The city's local newspaper,
The Orlando Sentinel, publishes a weekly all-Spanish newspaper called
El Sentinel.
Not all Hispanics in Central Florida are Puerto Rican, however. A large portion of these Latinos are also of
Cuban descent, largely refugees or their children from the
Cuban Revolution.
Orlando has an equally large
African-American population. The city is located within six miles of
Eatonville, Florida, the first all-black town to be incorporated in the
United States.
Orlando is also becoming popular with
Russian immigrants seeking careers or relocating their families to warmer climates. The growth rate of Russians in Central Florida is second only to the rising Hispanic population. The Russian community, made up of several countries of the former Soviet Union, has the Russian language as their common bond.
Community and cultural groups are growing in popularity as is the number of Russian-American marriages.
Orlando has been the home of several notable acts since the mid 1990s, including
Britney Spears,
NSYNC and the
Backstreet Boys, as well as
Creed,
Trivium,
From First to Last,
matchbox twenty,
Seven Mary Three,
DJ Icey,
DJ Baby Anne and
DJ Jimmy Joslin.
Sister Hazel and
Less Than Jake are from near by
Gainesville, as is superstar
Tom Petty.
The
hip hop music scene,
metal scene,
rock music scene, Latino scene, are all active within the city and is largely home to the
Florida Breakbeat movement.
Comedian
Wayne Brady is also from Orlando, as is actor
Wesley Snipes.
Orlando has also been called
Hollywood East because of its large film-oriented population, mostly as a result of
Disney-
MGM,
Universal Studios,
Full Sail, and the
UCF Film Program.
For tourist information, see Wikitravel:Orlando.The Orlando area is home to a wide variety of tourist attractions, including the
Walt Disney World resort,
Universal Orlando Resort, and
SeaWorld Orlando. The Walt Disney World resort is the area's largest attraction with its many facets such as the
Magic Kingdom,
Epcot,
Disney Studios,
Disney's Animal Kingdom,
Typhoon Lagoon,
Blizzard Beach, and
Downtown Disney. SeaWorld Orlando is a large adventure park that features numerous zoological displays and marine animals alongside an amusement park with roller coasters and water park. Universal Orlando, like Walt Disney World, is a multi-faceted resort comprised of Universal Studios,
CityWalk, and the
Islands of Adventure theme park.
Other attractions in the Orlando area include:
*
Arboretum of the University of Central Florida*
Blue Spring State Park, which is the winter home of large numbers of Florida
manatees that come upstream from the
St. Johns River to bask in the warm 72 °F (22 °C) waters of the springs.
Canoeing,
swimming and
fishing are popular activities at Blue Springs.
*
Central Florida Zoological Park, located in Sanford on Lake Monroe. This 100 acre (400,000 m²) zoo is home to a butterfly garden, herpetarium, and numerous tropical animals. The zoo originally started as a collection in the Sanford Fire Department, but grew into a regional zoo in 1975. It is currently in the planning stages of expansion and renaming the facility to "Zoo Orlando at Sanford".
*
Church Street Station, a multi-level shopping mall and entertainment center that once featured an abundance of specialty shops, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Purchased in the late 1990s by TransContinental Talent owner
Lou Pearlman, it is now virtually defunct, as the area suffered in post-
9/11 tourist-industry slump. The area is being redeveloped with residential condominiums.
*
Cirque du Soleil:
La Nouba, in Downtown Disney West Side, features its renowned blend of acrobatics and special effects with more than 70 artists from around the globe performing in a custom-designed, 1,671-seat theater.
*
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, situated on the campus of
Rollins College, features significant loans, recent acquisitions, and items from the Cornell's renowned permanent collection. Admission is free.
*
Cypress Gardens Adventure Park*
Discovery Cove, a resort that is part of the SeaWorld Adventure Park complex. Some attraction features are tropical fish in a coral reef, snorkeling with stingrays, and interacting with birds in an aviary, as well as swimming and playing with dolphins during a half-hour session.
*
Gatorland houses thousands of
alligators and
crocodiles. A few of Gatorland's residents have made wrangling appearances in movies, television shows and commercial spots. The 54 year old park combines a petting zoo, bird sanctuary, mini-water park, eco-tour and outdoor entertainment, including daily alligator wrestling.
*
Hard Rock Café is the Orlando location of the famed restaurant chain with the typical HRC music memorabilia. There is also
Hard Rock Live, a 3,000-capacity live music venue, and the
Hard Rock Hotel, a resort hotel with a California-style restaurant called "The Kitchen". It is one of eight worldwide, and one of three in Florida. (
Miami and
Tampa are the other two.)
*
International Trolley and Train Museum features 14 model railroad trains with sound and lighting traveling through an indoor garden with 12 foot (4 m) high mountains, waterfalls, and more than 30 trestles and tunnels. Also on display are toy trains from the 1920s to the present. Visitors can catch a ride in a California Victorian-style half open/half closed trolley or the 5/8 replica of an 1880 locomotive (a Mason Bogey) with its passenger cars.
*
Kennedy Space Center is 45 minutes from Orlando and south of Daytona Beach. Visitors can tour launch areas, see giant rockets, "train" in spaceflight simulators, and much more. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open every day except Christmas Day and certain launch days. Apart from the Astronaut Hall of Fame, Space Center bus tours run every 15 minutes with stops at an observation gantry and the Apollo / Saturn V Center. Other guided tours include NASA Up Close, Cape Canaveral: Then and Now, and Lunch With An Astronaut. Combo tickets offer maximum access admission, plus one guided tour.
*
The Kerouac House, in the College Park neighborhood or Orlando, is where writer
Jack Kerouac lived during the time his novel
On the Road was published and released, making him a national sensation and
Beat Generation icon. He lived in the house with his mother Gabrielle from July 1957 to the spring of 1958, and wrote his three-act play,
The Beat Generation, a 51-chorus poem called
Orlanda Blues, and the novel
The Dharma Bums during his time there. In 1997, the Kerouac Project of Orlando formed, and restored the Kerouac house. It is now a haven for aspiring writers who can live in the house as they create their own work.
*
Harry P. Leu Gardens, which is an inner city oasis covering 50 acres (20,000 m²) and features colorful
annuals,
palms, an
orchid house, a
floral clock and a
butterfly garden.
*
The World's Largest McDonald's PlayPlace, located on the corner of Sand Lake Road and International Drive, looks like a fry box from the exterior. The interior features an arcade with 60+ games with prize redemption, a 1950s room, a waterfall and a gift shop. The Bistro Gourmet at McDonald's features chef-prepared food, such as panini and deli sandwiches, pasta, soup, desserts, and hand-dipped ice cream, plus the standard McDonald's menu.
*
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, in
Kissimmee. Six brave knights on horseback compete in tournament games,
jousting, and sword fighting while guests dine on a medieval-style banquet.
*
The Morse Museum of American Art, located at
Rollins College, houses a permanent
Tiffany & Co. exhibit featuring the world's "most comprehensive" collection of the works of
Louis Comfort Tiffany. It includes Tiffany art glass, jewelry, pottery, and the chapel interior designed for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. There is also an exhibit on the Tiffany home, and American paintings from the 19th century. The museum was founded in 1942.
*
Old Town, in Kissimmee, features eight restaurants, fifteen amusement park rides and 75 shops along its brick-lined streets. Classic car shows every Friday and Saturday feature hundreds of vintage automobiles. Admission and parking are free.
*
The Orange County Regional History Center Features exhibits and artifacts from the earliest days of the region to the modern day. Includes information on everything from the time of the
Seminole Indians to the founding of the city to the
Civil Rights era to the
Disney period to today.
*
The Orlando Museum of Art, which has ongoing exhibitions of American portraits and landscapes, American
impressionist works, and art of the ancient Americas.
*
The Orlando Science Center, is a 207,000 square foot (19,000 m²) hands-on learning center with hundreds of interactive exhibits for visitors of all ages. Images surround visitors on the giant screen of the Dr. Phillips CineDome. Other attractions include the Body Zone, teaching health and fitness, as well as an observatory. The center has the largest
refracting telescope in Florida.
*The
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium is located in a building artfully constructed to appear as if it were collapsing to one side, which may be a sly reference to central Florida's infamous
sinkholes. Visitors can explore bizarre artifacts, strange collections, weird art/hobbies and interactive exhibits in sixteen odd galleries. It is one of 27
Ripley museums in ten countries.
*
Wekiwa Springs State Park, which comprises around 700 acres (2.8 km²) of wild Florida. The springs pump out 42 million gallons of crystal clear water a day. Popular activities at the park include canoeing, swimming, picnicking and fishing.
*World of Orchids, featuring thousands of blooms in an enclosed tropical rainforest. World of Orchids is a working greenhouse shipping orchids and other plants nationwide. A greenhouse covers nearly an acre (4,000 m²), and in this controlled climate of warm, humid air some 1,000 orchids are displayed in a natural jungle setting, with streams, waterfalls, and squawking parrots. World of Orchids also has a 1,000 foot (300 m) long boardwalk meandering off into nearby wetlands. Admission is free.
Orlando is home to the
Orlando Magic, an
NBA pro
basketball franchise that plays at the
TD Waterhouse Centre in downtown Orlando. The team made it to the
NBA Finals in 1995. The
TD Waterhouse Centre, originally known as the O-Rena, has become a topic of local political debate. Opened in 1989, the
TD Waterhouse Centre is one of the oldest arenas in the
NBA, and many politicians, including Orlando Mayor
Buddy Dyer, want to either renovate the arena or construct a completely new sports facility. The ultimate decision on the fate of the
TD Waterhouse Centre is yet to be determined.
The
Orlando Predators of the
Arena Football League also play at the
TD Waterhouse Centre. Since joining the league in 1991, they have become one of the legendary franchises in the young league, having an infamous rivalry with the
Tampa Bay Storm, two
ArenaBowl titles (1998 and 2000), and several historic moments including the league's only shutout to date and a procession called the
Miracle Minute where they scored two touchdowns with two-point conversions and forced a safety to come from behind in the final minute of a game to win.
Orlando was a stronghold of minor-league
ice hockey throughout the 1990s, being home of the
Orlando Solar Bears of the now-defunct
International Hockey League. Historically successful, they won the Turner Cup championship in 2001 to end the IHL's final season. In 2002, the
Atlantic Coast Hockey League formed with Orlando forming one of the charter franchises, the
Orlando Seals, which won their Commissioner's Cup in 2003. They moved to the
World Hockey Association 2 in 2003, then the
Southern Professional Hockey League in 2004. The City of Orlando revoked their lease for the
TD Waterhouse Centre, forcing them to sit out the 2004-05 season. They moved to Kissimmee and became the Florida Seals in November 2004.
The
Citrus Bowl is the home of the
Capital One Bowl (formerly the Florida Citrus Bowl) and the
Champs Sports Bowl (formerly the Tangerine Bowl). It also hosts regular-season
football games for the University of Central Florida (NCAA Division I-A) and Jones High School, as well as the annual
Florida Classic played between the NCAA Division I-AA Football teams from
Florida A&M University and
Bethune-Cookman College. It hosted
soccer games for the
FIFA World Cup '94 and the
1996 Summer Olympics when each were hosted by the
United States.
The
Orlando Renegades were a
USFL team playing at the Citrus Bowl in 1985. They folded with the league in 1986. The
Orlando Thunder were a charter team in the
World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. They lost the
World Bowl to the
Sacramento Surge in 1992. Like all other American teams, it was dropped in the World League reorganization of 1995. The
Orlando Rage were a member of the
XFL that played at the Citrus Bowl, and only played in 2001. That team has since been revived in the minor-league
Southern States Football League (SSFL).
The Citrus Bowl was also the home of the fictional
NFL team, the
Orlando Breakers, which was featured in the last two seasons of the television sitcom
Coach. The team was a
plot device to reflect the
1995 addition of the
Jacksonville Jaguars to the real-life NFL.
Orlando will gain an expansion franchise in the
Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2007 - 2008 season. Orlando also will receive an expansion franchise in the
American Basketball Association for the 2007 season. The team has been named the
Orange Men. The
Orlando Lions were a member of the third incarnation of the
American Soccer League in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The
Orlando Sundogs were a minor-league soccer team in the
A-League that played in the Citrus Bowl. They were disbanded in 1997 after only playing one year. Presently, two lower-division
association football(
soccer) teams call Orlando home: the Premier Development League's (PDL) Central Florida Kraze, and Ajax Orlando. The Kraze won the PDL Championship in 2004, while Ajax (pronounced EYE-acks) is the only Amercian subsidiary of global soccer power
Ajax Amsterdam of the Dutch
Eredivisie (professional soccer league).
Tinker Field, named for
baseball hall-of-famer
Joe Tinker, is a historic baseball stadium next to the Citrus Bowl, currently out of use. It was formerly the
spring training home of the
Minnesota Twins (and the Washington Nationals/Senators before them) and AA
Southern League affiliates of the Twins,
Chicago Cubs and
Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Cracker Jack Stadium, situated in the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex, is the baseball stadium that is currently used in Orlando. The spring training home of the
Atlanta Braves, it played host to the games of the Pool D teams in the 2006
World Baseball Classic.
Serious talk has been made on bringing
Major League Baseball to Orlando. Current mayor Buddy Dyer said he would like to see it in the future. Orlando was a finalist city in the expansion for the 1993 season. Ironically, they were mentioned as a possible destination for one of the 1993 expansion teams, the
Florida Marlins, during that team's investigation of new locations should Miami fail to build them a new baseball stadium.
Radio
AM
*
WFLF 540 AM,
CBS Radio Talk radio*
WDBO 580 AM,
ABC Radio Talk radio*
WQTM 740 AM,
Fox Sports Radio Sports radio*
WEUS 810 AM,
oldies*
WTLN 950 AM,
Christian Radio*
WDYZ 990 AM,
top 40 Radio Disney†
*
WHOO 1080 AM,
ESPN Radio Sports radio*
WAMT 1190 AM,
Fox News Radio Talk radio*
WRLZ 1270 AM, Spanish music
*
WWFL 1340 AM,
Adult contemporary music FM
*
WPOZ, 88.3 FM, Union Park,
Contemporary Christian*
WMYZ, 88.7 FM, Clermont,
Contemporary Christian*
WKTO, 88.9 FM, Edgewater,
Religious*
WLAZ, 89.1 FM, Kissimmee,
Spanish*
WUCF, 89.9 FM, Orlando,
Jazz†
*
WLVE, 90.3 FM, Haines City,
Religious*
WMFE, 90.7 FM, Orlando,
Classical*
WKES, 91.1 FM, Lakeland,
Religious*
WPRK, 91.5 FM, Winter Park,
Variety*
WWKA, 92.3 FM, Orlando,
Country*
WOGK, 93.7 FM, Ocala,
Country*
WCFB, 94.5 FM, Daytona Beach,
Urban Adult Contemporary†
*
WBVD, 95.1 FM, Melbourne,
Rap/Hip-Hop*
WPYO, 95.3 FM, Maitland,
Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio†
*
WHOG, 95.7 FM, Ormond-by-the-Sea,
Classic Rock*
WHTQ, 96.5 FM, Orlando,
Classic Rock†
*
W247AK, 97.3 FM, Deland,
Religious*
WPCV, 97.5 FM, Winter Haven,
Country*
WNUE, 98.1 FM, Titusville,
Spanish*
WMMO, 98.9 FM, Orlando,
Adult Hits†
*
WRUM, 100.3 FM, Maitland,
Caribbean†
*
WJRR, 101.1 FM, Maitland,
Alternative†
*
WJHM, 101.9 FM, Daytona Beach,
Mainstream Urban†
*
WLOQ, 103.1 FM, Winter Park,
Smooth Jazz*
WTKS, 104.1 FM, Maitland,
Talk†
*
WOMX, 105.1 FM, Orlando,
Hot Adult Contemporary†
*
WOCL, 105.9 FM, Deland,
Alternative†
*
WXXL, 106.7 FM, Tavares,
CHR†
*
WMGF, 107.7 FM, Mount Dora,
Adult Contemporary†
† = Available in
HD Radio; all stations add a -1 (example 107.7-1) unless otherwise noted.
Television
*
WESH,
analog channel 2,
digital channel 11,
NBC*
WKMG-TV,
analog channel 6,
digital channel 58,
CBS*
WFTV,
analog channel 9,
digital channel 39,
ABC*
WTMO-LP,
analog channel 15,
Telemundo*
WCEU,
analog channel 15,
digital channel 33,
PBS*
WKCF,
analog channel 18,
digital channel 17,
The WB, to be
The CW in September
2006*
WCJB-TV,
analog channel 20,
digital channel 16,
ABC*
WMFE-TV,
analog channel 24,
digital channel 23,
PBS*
WVEN-TV,
analog channel 26,
digital channel 49,
Univision*
WRDQ,
analog channel 27,
digital channel 14,
Independent*
WOFL,
analog channel 35,
digital channel 22,
Fox*
WOTF-TV,
analog channel 43,
digital channel 20,
Telefutura*
WLCB-TV,
analog channel 45,
digital channel 46,
Independent*
WOGX,
analog channel 51,
digital channel 31,
Fox*
WTGL-TV,
analog channel 52,
digital channel 53,
Independent*
WOPX,
analog channel 56,
digital channel 48,
i*
WRBW,
analog channel 65,
digital channel 41,
UPN, to be
My Network TV in September
2006*
WBCC,
analog channel 68,
digital channel 30,
PBS*
WACX,
digital channel 40,
TBN*
Central Florida News 13 channel 13, Central Florida News 13
Orlando has nine
sister cities:
[Sister cities from Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI). Retrieved on June 6, 2006.]*
Curitiba,
Paraná,
Brazil*
Guilin,
People's Republic of China*
Monterrey,
Mexico*
Orenburg,
Russia*
Reykjanesbær,
Iceland*
Seine-et-Marne Département,
France*
Tainan,
Taiwan*
Urayasu,
Japan*
Valladolid,
SpainSeine-et-Marne is particularly notable to Orlando, as it is the home of
Disneyland Resort Paris. As such, the Départment gave Orlando a 1:13 scale model of the
Eiffel Tower that now sits in the France area of the World Showcase at
Epcot. It is made of
copper just like the original, but additionally painted in copper paint. Since the France area is supposed to represent Paris at the end of the
19th century, the paint keeps the tower at Epcot from oxidizing into the typical green color of the original Eiffel Tower and the
Statue of Liberty, also copper. It should also be noted that Urayasu, Japan is the home of the Disneyland Parks in the Tokyo area of Japan.
NOTE: THE [EIFFEL TOWER] IS MADE OF IRON (possibly steel). The tower in Orlando could very well be copper, but the one in Paris, France is made of iron if not steel.
*
List of famous people from Orlando, Florida*
Mayors of OrlandoCentral Florida News 13
*
Orlando, Florida Everything You need to know, Guide! Including, seat maps for all flights so you can get to and from Orlando in comfort*
Orlando City Guide*
Orlando Vacation Guide
