Introducing Orlando:
Orlando today is a lot more than just a gateway to theme parks, but it was certainly placed firmly on the map by Walt and Roy Disney’s decision to purchase several acres of swampland on an intersection of interstate close to McCoy Air Force Base (today Orlando International Airport). The Disney’s chose this location over Miami or Tampa due to the large tracts of land available, and their desire to control all of the area surrounding their theme parks in order to avoid the glut that surrounded their Anaheim park, besides, Orlando’s inland location offered additional protection against coastal Florida’s frequent hurricanes. Disney’s original dream was to build a model community surrounding his theme park, reminiscent of an idealized Saturday Evening Post suburbia. Walt Disney died in 1966 before he could see his project completed, but his dream lives on today in the resort that bears his name, and contains four distinctive theme parks, two themed water parks, twenty-three themed hotels, including the iconic Grand Floridian Victorian hotel and the futuristic, monorail served ‘Contemporary Resort’.
The sprawling Disney resorts include a plethora of shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation facilities, all linked by monorail and a fleet of Disney Buses. Walt Disney’s dream of an ideal suburban community became reality in 1996 when the Disney corporation unveiled the master-planned community of Celebration, Florida, with a main commercial street based on ‘Main Street USA ‘ the shopping street outside of Cinderella’s castle in the Disney resorts and with homes built in an early 20th century style. The community is connected to the Disney Theme Park with an exclusive boulevard that enables its residents to drive to the Magic Kingdom without having to cut trough busy thoroughfares.
Getting Around:
Orlando is served by Orlando International Airport and Orlando-Sanford International airport, located in Sanford, a city just north of Orlando. Most people choose to rent a car, and this is useful when exploring several attractions and theme parks, but not necessary if you plan to stay within the Disney resorts as they provide free transportation connecting all their hotels with their different theme parks and even provide an airport shuttle. Downtown Orlando has an efficient metropolitan bus system called Lynx and most hotels in the Orlando area offer shuttles to all the theme parks, including Sea World, Universal Studios and the Disney resorts.
Things To Do:
Orlando is the theme park capital of the world: Sea World, Universal Studios and the Disney Resorts are just the most famous ones, but don’t miss out on the more quaint ones like Gatorland and Holy Land among others. Save one night to stroll along Orlando’s busy Orange Avenue, closed to traffic in the evening, it offers many bars, clubs and restaurants within a small radius. Extend your explorations to Daytona Beach, or the famous Space Coast, home of Cocoa beach and the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, you might catch the launching of a rocket or even the Space Shuttle.
Orlando Climate:
Orlando experiences a warm and humid sub-tropical climate. It has two distinct climate, warm summers and cool winters. It usually rains in summer and storms are quite common in late afternoon. These storms can sometimes be fierce and can bring a lot of wind, thunder, hail and lightning. Orlando is known for its heavy lightning strikes than any other place in the United States. Orlando experiences heavy or violent rainfall in the months from June to September. However, the rains don’t cool the temperature and often the humidity levels are higher immediately after the thunderstorms. Hurricane is also occurs in summer and runs from June through November and can be quite damaging. Winters are usually dry and sunny and this is the perfect time to visit Orlando. There is very little rainfall during this season and the weather is pleasant.
Hotel Accommodation:
Accommodation of all price range can be found in Orlando – from luxury stay to budget stay. Walt Disney World, Kissimmee and International Drive are few of the important hotel districts in Orlando. Most of these hotels also have a tie-up with the car rental services that take you around to the most exclusive destinations of the city.
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