Orlando Travel Guide
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In the beginning, Orlando was a collection of cow patties and orange groves, water-skiing shows and gators. Then came the Mouse. Or, more specifically, a mouse named Mickey and his creator, a man of fantastic imagination and vision (and not a little horse sense) named Walt Disney. And life in Orlando A.D. (After Disney) hasn't been the same since. Since the opening of Walt Disney World back in 1971, Orlando has grown to become one of the world's top vacation destinations. Over 43 million people make their way to this city each year to sample its unending array of exciting, unique, and diverse activities. And for many, one trip is never enough; they (like me), return year after year, with each new visit providing a host of happy memories and amazing experiences.
When Disney World first opened its gates to the public, I doubt if anyone but Walt Disney, the original Imagineer, could have predicted what lay ahead. Disney, searching for an East Coast location for his second theme park, decided Orlando was just the place he was looking for. In 1964, in a covert operation that would have made James Bond proud, Walt Disney began quietly purchasing large quantities of land in and around the Orlando area, and within months he had acquired property nearly twice the size of Manhattan. In 1965, Walt announced to the public his plans to bring to Orlando the world's most spectacular theme park. Fashioned after Disneyland in California, construction soon began on Disney's Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, Walt Disney was never able to see his dream come to life, as he passed away in 1966, just five years shy of the opening of what, to this day, still is the world's most spectacular theme park -- Walt Disney World.
Disney's legacy has been commercialized over the years, but it's still practically a national shrine to which visitors flock by the millions. And the opening of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom started a tourist boom in Central Florida the likes of which has never been seen elsewhere. Nowadays, The Kingdom That Walt Built tempts visitors with four theme parks, a dozen smaller attractions, two nightclub districts, tens of thousands of hotel rooms including timeshare holdings, scores of restaurants, and two cruise ships. Universal Orlando tacks on two theme parks, three resorts, and an entertainment complex, home to several unique restaurants, clubs, and entertainment venues. SeaWorld tosses in two theme parks and a new entertainment district of its own. And those are just the major theme parks and enticements. All in all, there are over 95 attractions, both large and small, to keep you coming back for more. There's also an avalanche of restaurants (including, of course, many themed ones), and more than 110,000 rooms to house the multitudes. And if you can believe it, the landscape is still changing, evolving, growing, and expanding to ensure your experiences will do the same each and every time you come to play in Orlando.
Beyond the fast paced excitement of Orlando's theme parks awaits a plethora of hidden treasures for you to discover. The region is home to over 300 lakes, springs, and rivers just waiting to be explored and enjoyed. Wildlife sanctuaries, zoos, parks, and gardens showcase Florida's natural beauty as well as its animal inhabitants. The number of recreational opportunities -- picnics in parks, boating along waterways, fishing, biking, and hiking, to name a few -- is almost limitless. And Orlando's rich history and culture come to life through its many museums, galleries, and theaters.
Decisions, decisions, decisions. You'll have an almost overwhelming number of them to make. Because of the immense quantity (not to mention quality) of offerings, a vacation to Orlando requires a fair amount of both planning and budgeting. The sheer number of attractions and available activities requires that you narrow down your choices to properly fit both your schedule and budget. Entrance fees can be daunting (a one-day ticket to one of the major parks averages around $55 for adults and $44 for kids 3-9), and when you add in the costs of dining, accommodations, and souvenirs, sticker shock at the high price tag is not out of the question. A typical family of four could easily end up spending several hundred dollars a day! But even if you have deep pockets, there is so much to experience in Orlando that to properly take it all in would require far more time than the average vacation would allow. I doubt if even two or three vacations could do the trick.
That's exactly why this book was written; to provide you with the most up-to-date and detailed information on what Orlando has to offer, providing options for every budget and taste, so you can make the most informed decisions possible. With this book, you'll have the tools to plan ahead and make sure all members of your family have a good time. Having traveled to central Florida more times than I can count over the past 15 years, I've done Orlando single, married, with kids, and without. I've stood in lines, ridden the rides, dined in the restaurants, and scoped out the best deals. In other words, I've done all of the hard work so you don't have to, and give realistic and practical travel tips throughout this book in order to help you enjoy a most magical vacation. At the same time, I also give you options to make your vacation affordable and to keep expenses to a minimum while having maximum fun. And Orlando tourism gurus will make sure your family has a steady stream of new things to see.
By the Numbers -- Orlando theme parks took the top 5 spots in Consumer Reports recent ranking of national theme parks. Epcot was named the top park in the country, followed by Disney-MGM Studios, Magic Kingdom, SeaWorld, and Islands of Adventure. Animal Kingdom finished seventh, while Universal Studios Florida was ranked No. 11.
The parks also have more to crow about than rankings. After a couple of years in the doldrums, attendance levels are on the rise again, thanks in part to improvements in the economy. Parks are also enticing visitors to return by added perks, offering special deals, and adding wild and wonderfully new attractions. Here are the 2003 attendance estimates (and their national rankings) for the 7 major parks according to Amusement Business magazine:
No. 1: Magic Kingdom, 14 million
No. 2: Epcot, 8.6 million
No. 3: Disney-MGM Studios, 7.9 million
No. 4: Disney's Animal Kingdom, 7.3 million
No. 5: Universal Studios Florida, 6.9 million
No. 6: Islands of Adventure, 6.0 million
No. 7: Sea World Orlando, 5.2 million
