| Orlando,
Florida Information
With an estimated
40 million visitors a year, Orlando is one of the world's top
vacation spots, if not the most visited place on the planet. And,
it's no wonder why. It's the home of Disney World and Universal
Studios.
Most of those
people come here with one goal in mind: to see Mickey Mouse. They're
less unanimous about their lodging preferences. Still, some generalities
hold true.
Typical visitors
tend to like chain hotels/motels because they know what they're
getting. The Orlando area has lots of these, both domestic and
foreign-owned. They dominate the landscape, especially in the
main tourist centers, and often offer transportation to one or
more theme parks.
There are
a few B&Bs, mostly downtown or in nearby municipalities (Mount
Dora, mainly, but also in Sanford), and a scattering of smaller,
locally or regionally owned lodgings.
The area has
a few campgrounds, but not many visitors come all this way to
rough it. Most prefer room service, or at least cable and in-room
coffee makers.
More than
3.5 million of the area's tourists are from overseas, proving,
perhaps, that it really is a small world after all. The majority
hails from the U.K., but we also get visitors from other European
countries, Latin America, the Mideast and Asia.
Because of
this influx in international visitors, hotels (even small ones)
frequently boast bilingual or multi-lingual staff. Many also offer
currency exchange. Some cater to specific segments of the market.
Several Kissimmee motels, including the Unicorn Inn, are proudly
British owned. At the Quality Inn on I-Drive, more than half the
guests are Brits on package tours.
Typical vacationers
generally stay in one of two main tourist areas: near the theme
parks or on International Drive, a.k.a. I-Drive. (These are, technically,
mostly outside the city, but the Orlando "umbrella"
pretty much covers everything.)
"Near
the theme parks" is self-explanatory. I-Drive, on the other
hand, is several miles of curving roadway tightly lined on both
sides with every imaginable (G-rated) tourist desire: fancy hotels,
plain hotels, t-shirt shops, ice cream stands, shopping complexes,
Starbucks, pizza joints, souvenir shops, convenience stores. Plus,
there's more dining and entertainment than you can shake a platinum
card at. Anchoring one end is the Orange County Convention Center;
Sea World is nearby. At the other is a popular water park, a mega-outlet
mall and, a short drive away, the entrance to Universal Studios
Escape.
Orlando also
is a major convention destination. Most take place at the Convention
Center, which is booked years in advance. Attendees usually stay
nearby, whether at the fancy Peabody across the street from the
facility or in more modest lodgings, such as a Quality Inn or
AmeriSuites.
One last word:
Expect crowds year round. The lines at theme parks are longer
on holidays, of course, and in summer when Mickey's biggest fans
are out of school.
 See
Also:
Disney World InformationDisney
World Official Resorts
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Walt
Disney World Click
here
Orlando
At a Glance
Best
Time to Go
Any time is a good time to visit Orlando. Because the weather
is warm year-round, Orlando is an ideal travel destination. There
are a few things to consider when planning your trip to Orlando.
If you're taking the kids, you'll more than likely have to visit
during the sweltering summer months, along with thousands of other
school's-out families. It may benefit you and your family to visit
a tad earlier, when the weather is perfect and the crowds are
thinner. Remember, though, Orlando prices are often higher during
the winter months and about 40 percent less from June through
November.
Average
Weather
Average yearly temperature is a hair over 72 degrees. Winter temps
average in the 40s and 50s at night with highs in the 60s and
even the 70s during the days. Summer days can sizzle with highs
in the 90s and lows in the mid to upper 70s. Thunderstorms are
common on summer afternoons, contributing to the area's 50-60
inches of rainfall per year. Remember to keep an umbrella in your
car.
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