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117-558: International Drive stretches approximately 11.1 miles, with the northern part extending into the southernmost city limits of Orlando and the remainder of the central and southern portion located in unincorporated Orange County . An additional extension which does not directly intersect with the main section of International Drive is known as International Drive South , partly located in the northern portion of Osceola County . Surrounding cross-roads include Sand Lake Road, Kirkman Road, SR 536 , and Universal Boulevard , which runs parallel to

234-792: A Cinemark Theatres and offers varying live music and entertainment options each night. Notably CityWalks's Rising Star (a karaoke club with a live band), Red Coconut Club, and Bob Marley - A Tribute to Freedom (both a night club and restaurant). Some notable restaurants include the Cowfish, NBC Sports Grill & Brew, Hard Rock Cafe , Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville , Bubba Gump Shrimp Company , Antojito's Authentic Mexican Food, and Bigfire American Fare. Casual dining locations include: Moe's Southwest Grill , BK Whopper Bar , Panda Express , Red Oven Pizza Bakery, and Voodoo Doughnut . The resort features eight official on-site hotels, totaling up to 11,000 rooms. All 11 hotels are located in close proximity to

351-491: A wildfire hazard exists. During some years, fires have been severe. In 1998, a strong El Niño caused an unusually wet January and February, followed by drought throughout the spring and early summer, causing a record wildfire season that created numerous air-quality alerts in Orlando and severely affected normal daily life, including the postponement of that year's Pepsi 400 NASCAR race in nearby Daytona Beach . Orlando

468-504: A Universal Souvenir Cup. For additional costs, visitors could add park-to-park Meal Deal Access allowing them to eat meals in both parks. Universal Meal Deal was replaced on November 3, 2013, with Universal Quick Service Dining Plan. Universal Orlando features a large group of characters varying from Woody Woodpecker to Spider-Man . Visitors have three ways of dining with characters. At Loews Royal Pacific Resort, guests can eat breakfast with Universal Characters on select days. Throughout

585-457: A city population of 307,573 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville , Miami , and Tampa . In July 2023, its population was 320,742 inhabitants. It is the state's most populous inland city. Orlando is one of the most-visited cities in the world primarily due to tourism, major events, and convention traffic. It is the third-most visited city in

702-714: A coincidence. In 1823, the Treaty of Moultrie Creek created a Seminole reservation encompassing much of central Florida, including the area that would become Orlando. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized relocation of the Seminole from Florida to Oklahoma, leading to the Second Seminole War. In 1842, white settlement in the area was encouraged by the Armed Occupation Act. The first settler, Mr. Aaron Jernigan of Camden County, Georgia, arrived

819-522: A courthouse square. The fledgling village suffered greatly during the Union blockade . The Reconstruction Era brought on a population explosion, resulting in the incorporation of the Town of Orlando on July 31, 1875, with 85 residents (22 voters). For a short time in 1879, the town revoked its charter, and was subsequently reincorporated. Orlando was established as a city in 1885. The period from 1875 to 1895

936-472: A new park, Universal Islands of Adventure . During this time, several new attractions were being built and opened at Universal Studios Florida, including Woody Woodpecker's KidZone , Men in Black: Alien Attack , and Animal Actors On Location! (formerly Animal Planet Live). Universal's Islands of Adventure opened to the general public on May 28, 1999, featuring six themed islands, including

1053-593: A peace treaty with the Seminoles because it did not reimburse him for the loss of slaves and crops. Rees could have left a pine-bough marker with his name next to the trail; later residents misread "Rees" as "Reeves" and also mistook it as a grave maker. In subsequent years, this story has merged with the Orlando Reeves story (which may have originally incorporated part of Dr. Gatlin's story). On two separate occasions, relatives of Rees claimed their ancestor

1170-498: A plant in the city. Orlando AAB and Pinecastle AAF were transferred to the United States Air Force in 1947 when it became a separate service and were redesignated as air force bases (AFB). In 1958, Pinecastle AFB was renamed McCoy Air Force Base after Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, a former commander of the 320th Bombardment Wing at the installation, killed in the crash of a B-47 Stratojet bomber north of Orlando. In

1287-529: A shopping promenade and nightlife district that incorporates a variety of themed hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets. A third park, 30-acre (12 ha) water park Universal Volcano Bay , was added in 2017, and a fourth theme park, Universal Epic Universe , is scheduled to open in 2025. The amusement destination was originally dubbed Universal Studios Escape , but the name was short-lived and changed to Universal Orlando Resort in July 2000. Notable additions over

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1404-803: A theme park that let visitors "Ride the Movies." The park is composed of themed areas and attractions based on the film industry. Visitors get themed dining and shopping, a variety of special events throughout the year, and may even catch an actual film crew at work on the backlot. The themes of Universal Studios Florida are targeted at making guests feel like they are on a movie set with rides, shows and attractions inspired by popular film, television, and music productions. The park currently consists of nine themed areas – Hollywood, Minion Land on Illumination Ave, Production Central, New York, San Francisco, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, World Expo, Springfield and DreamWorks Land. The second park to open at

1521-457: A wide a range of housing in differing class-levels. Neighborhoods in the western side of town include Apoka , Dr. Phillips , MetroWest , Pine Hills , and Windermere . The north side of Orlando, includes a wide range of older and more established neighborhoods, including Eatonville , Fern Park , Maitland , and Winter Park . Finally, the east side of Orlando includes neighborhoods such as Alafaya , Azalea Park , and Union Park . The east side

1638-439: A year in "a stockade that Aaron Jernigan built on the north side of Lake Conway". One of the county's first records, a grand jury 's report, mentions a stockade where it states homesteaders were "driven from their homes and forced to huddle together in hasty defences [sic]." Aaron Jernigan led a local volunteer militia during 1852. A post office opened at Jernigan in 1850. Jernigan appears on an 1855 map of Florida, and by 1856,

1755-462: Is 60.6 °F (15.9 °C). Temperatures dip below the freezing mark on an average of only 1.6 nights per year and the lowest recorded temperature is 18 °F (−8 °C), set on December 28, 1894 . The annual mean minimum is just above 30 °F (−1 °C) putting Orlando in hardiness zone 10a. Because the winter season is dry and freezing temperatures usually occur only after cold fronts (and their accompanying precipitation) have passed, snow

1872-421: Is April 9 to October 14. The area's humidity acts as a buffer, usually preventing actual temperatures from exceeding 100 °F (38 °C), but also pushing the heat index to over 110 °F (43 °C). The city's highest recorded temperature is 103 °F (39 °C), set on September 8, 1921. During these months, strong afternoon thunderstorms occur almost daily. These storms are caused by air masses from

1989-459: Is a 1,291-acre (522 ha) theme park and entertainment resort complex located in Orlando, Florida . Following the opening of Universal Studios Florida in 1990, MCA moved forward with plans to expand from a single park into a large resort hoping to compete with Walt Disney World . In 1999, a second theme park called Universal Islands of Adventure opened in addition to Universal CityWalk ,

2106-485: Is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida , United States. Part of Central Florida , it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area , which had a population of 2,509,831 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau . It is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States and the third-largest metropolitan area in Florida behind Miami and Tampa Bay . Orlando had

2223-570: Is a major 11.1-mile (17.9 km) thoroughfare in the southwestern section of Orlando, serving a similar purpose to that of the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas , as the core of the tourism area. The northern part of the strip extends into the city limits of and the remainder of the central and southern portions are all located in unincorporated Orange County . An additional extension is known as International Drive South , partly located in

2340-624: Is a major population center and has a considerable hurricane risk, although it is not as high as in South Florida 's urban corridor or other coastal regions. Since the city is located 42 miles (68 km) inland from the Atlantic and 77 miles (124 km) inland from the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes usually weaken before arriving. Storm surges are not a concern since the region is 100 feet (30 m) above mean sea level . Despite its location,

2457-760: Is a residential neighborhood that is also the home of The Mall at Millenia , an upscale super-regional mall. The mall's Macy's store was the first in Central Florida , and it was also one of only seven Macy's stores in Florida that predated the company's merger with Burdines . Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus are also regional firsts and these remain their only locations in the Greater Orlando region. The western side of Orlando includes various neighborhoods (within city limits, incorporated municipalities, and unincorporated within Orange County) with

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2574-576: Is also one of the busiest American cities for conferences and conventions; Orange County Convention Center is the second-largest convention facility in the United States. Like other major cities in the Sun Belt , Orlando grew rapidly from the 1960s into the first decade of the 21st century. Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida , which became the largest university campus in

2691-432: Is broken into two main routes. One provides transportation to all thirty Universal Partner hotels while the newest route began service to Orlando International Airport in 2016. Universal's Super Star Shuttle provides free transportation between Universal Orlando, SeaWorld and Aquatica . Airport service is available for a fee to onsite hotel guests booking through Universal Parks and Resorts Vacations. The airport shuttle

2808-587: Is exceptionally rare. The only accumulation ever to occur in the city proper since record keeping began was in 1948, although some accumulation occurred in surrounding areas in a snow event in January 1977 that reached Miami. Flurries have also been observed in 1989 , 2006, and 2010. The average annual rainfall in Orlando is 51.45 inches (1,307 mm), a majority of which occurs in the period from June to September. October through May are Orlando's dry season. During this period (especially in its later months), often

2925-710: Is home to the wax museum Madame Tussauds , the Orange County Convention Center complex, the Pointe Orlando entertainment complex, major hotels, SeaWorld Orlando , Aquatica (SeaWorld's water park), Fun Spot America amusement park, the ICON Orlando Ferris wheel , the world's tallest StarFlyer (opened June 1, 2018), the world's tallest Slingshot, the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's , CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort,

3042-588: Is included in park admission. Many attractions in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure allow guests to utilize an Express Pass, with availability depending at each attraction. This pass admits guests to a separate line for the attraction, which is given priority status when boarding. Express Pass is not a virtual queuing service. Instead, passholders may enter the Universal Express line whenever they wish. This pass

3159-440: Is less than 250 yards from a nearby Council Oak tree, where Native Americans had traditionally met. King Phillip and Coacoochee frequented this area and the tree was alleged to be the place where the previous 1835 ambush that had killed over 100 soldiers had been planned. When the U.S. military abandoned the fort in 1839, the surrounding community was built up by settlers. Prior to being known by its current name, Orlando

3276-413: Is more commonly known, is one of the largest Halloween events in the U.S. From 1991 to 2001, the event was held at Universal Studios Florida. Halloween Horror Nights was moved to Islands of Adventure in 2002, and the 2004 event featured sections of both parks, but the event was moved back to Universal Studios Florida in 2006. The event celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2010, its 25th anniversary in 2015, and

3393-430: Is not included with park admission but can be bought for an additional fee. Fees change depending on date. Guests can choose to purchase one of two options: Express Pass, which gives guests access to the express line once per day on each participating attraction, or Express Unlimited Pass, which allows guests to skip the regular lines an unlimited number of times per day at participating attractions. The Universal Meal Deal

3510-502: Is now) and southward past the Beachline Expressway . The International Drive Master Transit and Improvement District was created in 1992 to provide growth management, transportation, and infrastructure development for the area with collaboration between the local governments and I-Drive businesses. One of the most critical projects presented to the organization is to create an efficient transportation system for tourists on

3627-573: Is remembered as Orlando's Golden Era, when it became the hub of Florida's citrus industry. The period ended with the Great Freeze of 1894–95 , which forced many owners to give up their independent citrus groves , thus consolidating holdings in the hands of a few "citrus barons", who shifted operations south, primarily around Lake Wales in Polk County . The freeze caused many in Florida, including many Orlandoans, to move elsewhere, mostly to

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3744-414: Is the home of the University of Central Florida (UCF). As of fall 2023, the university had a total enrollment of 69,320 students, making it the fourth-largest on-campus student body of any public university in the United States . A list of all major neighborhoods and suburbs: Metro Orlando has a total of 19 completed skyscrapers. The majority are located in downtown Orlando and the rest are located in

3861-546: The Fantastic Beasts franchise, Universal Monsters and Super Nintendo World . It was stated that the project would create 14,000 jobs. Brian Roberts, the CEO of Comcast , called Epic Universe "the largest investment we've ever made in a park". The complex will also include separate resort hotels, dining and retail facilities. In April 2020, NBCUniversal announced the park's opening would be delayed until 2024 due to

3978-495: The COVID-19 pandemic . In July 2020, NBCUniversal announced that they would be pausing development on the new theme park "until the future becomes more certain". In March 2021, work on Epic Universe resumed. Epic Universe is slated to open on May 22, 2025. Universal CityWalk Orlando is an entertainment and retail district which opened on May 28, 1999, over the former parking lot and entrance of Universal Studios as part of

4095-517: The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean colliding over Central Florida. They are highlighted by spectacular lightning and can also bring heavy rain (sometimes several inches per hour) and powerful winds as well as rare damaging hail . During the winter, humidity is much lower and temperatures are more moderate, and can fluctuate more readily. The monthly daily average temperature in January

4212-560: The Köppen climate classification , Orlando has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) like much of the deep Southern United States. The two basic seasons in Orlando are a hot and rainy season, lasting from May until late October (roughly coinciding with the Atlantic hurricane season ), and a warm and dry season from November through April. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its low elevation, its position relatively close to

4329-588: The Orange County Convention Center (the current West Building). The north corner of the intersection is now the Pointe Orlando shopping district. When the North Building (then Phase V) of the OCCC was planned, it was also planned to extend Universal Boulevard along its current alignment on the north side of the North Building. Plans were made in conjunction with the Williamsburg subdivision to design

4446-526: The Orange County Convention Center during major events. Several planned communities and extended-stay business apartments are planned for the corridor, including the Village of Imagine, across from the OCCC North Building. The University of Central Florida opened the off-campus Rosen College of Hospitality Management , funded by local hotelier Harris Rosen , in 2005 at Universal Blvd. and

4563-628: The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute , Nemours Children's Hospital , and University of Florida College of Pharmacy , in addition to the Orlando Veterans Administration Medical Center (which began seeing clinical patients in 2015). In the southwestern side of Orlando, is the main tourist strip for the city, along with some residential neighborhoods. International Drive , commonly known as I-Drive ,

4680-570: The Tropic of Cancer , and its location in the center of a peninsula . Many characteristics of its climate are a result of its proximity to the Gulf Stream , which flows around the peninsula of Florida. During the height of Orlando's humid summer season, high temperatures are typically in the low 90s °F (32–34 °C), while low temperatures rarely fall below the low 70s °F (22–24 °C). The average window for 90 °F (32 °C) temperatures

4797-736: The Universal Orlando Resort, opened in 1990 as a major expansion of Universal Studios Florida and the only theme park inside Orlando city limits. With the exception of the theme parks, most major cultural sites like the Orlando Museum of Art and Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and nightlife, bars and clubs are located in Downtown Orlando. Other attractions like Orlando Eye at ICON Park are located along International Drive . The city

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4914-605: The 1960s, the base subsequently became home to the 306th Bombardment Wing of the Strategic Air Command , operating B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, in addition to detachment operations by EC-121 and U-2 aircraft. In 1968, Orlando AFB was transferred to the United States Navy and became Naval Training Center Orlando. In addition to boot camp facilities, the NTC Orlando

5031-552: The 1970s and 1980s, though, turned up no record of Orlando Reeves ever existing. Some versions attempt to account for Reeves having no military records by using the name of other people named Orlando that exist in some written records – Orlando Acosta; however, not much is known about Acosta or whether he even existed. Another version of the story has Orlando Reed, supposedly an Englishman and mail carrier between Fort Gatlin and Fort Mellon , allegedly killed while camping with his friends near Fort Gatlin. A second variation also places

5148-529: The 30th anniversary in 2021. The event sometimes features an "icon" that presides over the terror each evening, along with seven to ten haunted houses and numerous unavoidable scare zones. It is a separately ticketed event. Rock the Universe is an annual Christian rock music festival that is located within Universal Studios Florida. It began in 1998 and has been running ever since. The event typically occurs in early September and lasts for two days. In 2019, Rock

5265-480: The 79 of the high-rises in the Greater Orlando region, 46 are located in downtown. It is also the home to many of the city's cultural venues, such as Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts , Kia Center , and Orlando Museum of Art . Southeast of Downtown is the rapidly growing neighborhood of Lake Nona . Along with being home to Lake Nona Golf & Country Club , it is also the health district for

5382-615: The Beachline. Universal Blvd. is currently six lanes from Vineland Rd. southbound to International Drive, then four lanes southbound to Pointe Plaza Ave., then six lanes again to the Beachline. Only one lane in each direction passes under the Beachline to connect to Orangewood Blvd., which is four lanes on the other side. 28°25′02″N 81°27′35″W  /  28.4171999°N 81.4598421°W  / 28.4171999; -81.4598421 Orlando, Florida Orlando ( / ɔːr ˈ l æ n d oʊ / or- LAN -doh )

5499-542: The Christmas celebrations within Universal Studios Florida. Generally, in February through to April, a parade and concert series inspired by New Orleans ' Mardi Gras party, is held within Universal Studios Florida. The event features merchandise especially for the celebration and is held usually on Friday and Saturday nights. Every event night guests will hear some of Louisiana's bands performing blues and zydeco . It

5616-460: The City of Orlando. This also explains Orlando's relatively low city population when compared to its metropolitan population. The city and county are working together in an effort to "round-out" the city limits with Orlando annexing portions of land already bordering the city limits. At the center of the Greater Orlando region is Downtown Orlando , the historic core and central business district of

5733-668: The I-Drive 360 entertainment complex, museums, themed restaurants , bars, outlet malls, mini golf courses like Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and other tourism-related commercial properties and tourist attractions such as Air Florida Helicopter Inc and Wonder Works. The major theme park resort Universal Orlando is also located in the area. Wet n' Wild was a water park formerly located on International Drive, considered to be America's first water park until it closed on December 31, 2016 to make way for Universal's Volcano Bay , which opened on May 25, 2017. The I-Ride Trolley system operated by

5850-620: The I-Drive strip; this prompted the creation of the I-Ride bus trolley system. Universal Boulevard runs roughly parallel to International Drive from the Beachline Expressway north, then crosses I-Drive and intersects I-4 via an overpass into the Universal Orlando Resort . Originally built as Republic Drive , it originally stopped at International Drive and fed into ramps onto and off I-4 eastbound. In 1998,

5967-835: The International Drive Master Transit & Improvement District provides bus transportation along the I-Drive Resort Area primarily for tourists, convention attendees, and locals alike. Several Lynx public bus routes also serve the I-Drive area with routes to Orlando International Airport , Downtown Orlando and other parts of the city. The first section of I-Drive was laid out in the 1960s by attorney Finley Hamilton to serve his Hilton Inn South, opened in May 1970. He imagined that once Walt Disney World opened in October 1971, tourists would spot

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6084-793: The North , California , or the Caribbean . Notable homesteaders in the area included the Curry family. Through their property in east Orlando flowed the Econlockhatchee River , which travelers crossed by fording . This was commemorated by the street's name, Curry Ford Road. Also, just south of the Orlando International Airport in the Boggy Creek area are 150 acres (0.61 km ) of property homesteaded in

6201-570: The Orlando area is susceptible to sinkholes . Probably the most famous incident involving a sinkhole happened in 1981 in Winter Park, a city immediately north of downtown Orlando, dubbed "The Winter Park Sinkhole ". There are 115 neighborhoods within the city limits and many unincorporated communities. Orlando's city limits resemble a checkerboard, with pockets of unincorporated Orange County surrounded by city limits. Such an arrangement results in some areas being served by both Orange County and

6318-433: 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. Orlando now has more theme parks and entertainment attractions than anywhere else in the world. Today, the historic core of "Old Orlando" resides in downtown Orlando along Church Street, between Orange Avenue and Garland Avenue. The urban development and

6435-481: The Port of Entry, Seuss Landing, The Lost Continent, Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon, and Marvel Super Hero Island . The park opened to mediocre attendance, and as a result, several attractions were closed soon after, including Island Skipper Tours . Along with the new theme park, the resort also opened a Florida version of Universal CityWalk from Universal Studios Hollywood . While it is the same concept, CityWalk Orlando

6552-566: The Reeves legend in History of Orlando published in 1949. A memorial beside Lake Eola – originally placed by students of Orlando's Cherokee Junior School in 1939 and updated in 1990 – designates the spot where the city's supposed namesake fell. Conflicting legends exist. One legend has Reeves killed during an extended battle with the Seminoles after being field promoted after his platoon commander fell. An in-depth review of military records in

6669-670: The U.S. after New York City and Miami , with over 2.9 million visitors as of 2022. Orlando International Airport is the 7th-busiest airport in the United States and the 18th-busiest in the world . The two largest and most internationally renowned tourist attractions in the Orlando area are the Walt Disney World Resort, opened by the Walt Disney Company in 1971 and located about 21 miles (34 km) southwest of downtown Orlando in Bay Lake , and

6786-469: The United States in terms of enrollment as of 2015. In 2010, Orlando was listed as a "Gamma+" level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Fort Gatlin, as the Orlando area was once known, was established at what is now just south of the city limits by the 4th U.S. Artillery under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander C. W. Fanning on November 9, 1838, during

6903-569: The Universal Orlando theme parks. The hotels offer guests free water taxi or shuttle bus service to the Universal Orlando theme parks. The hotels are sorted into three categories: Signature Collection, Prime Value Hotels, and Value Inn and Suites. On select nights in September through early November, Universal Studios Florida is transformed for the annual Halloween event, Halloween Horror Nights . Halloween Horror Nights, or HHN as it

7020-627: The Universe took place in early February for the first time ever. Many Christian rock artists play throughout the event both nights. The resort offers special tickets, packages and church partnerships for that weekend. Select attractions are also open throughout the evenings. Grad Bash and Gradventure are two separate events held in April and May at the parks. Grad Bash is an event for graduating high school senior classes who can gather for an exclusive, all-night party at Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure. This event features live performances by some of

7137-493: The area during the Second Seminole War . Several of the stories relay an oral history of the marker for a person named Orlando, and the double entendre , "Here lies Orlando." One variant includes a man named Orlando who was passing by on his way to Tampa with a herd of oxen , died, and was buried in a marked grave. Through a retelling of history, a marker of some sort was believed to have been found by one of

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7254-522: The area had become the county seat of Orange County. In 1857, the post office was removed from Jernigan, and opened under the name of Orlando at a new location in present-day downtown Orlando. During the American Civil War , the post office closed, but reopened in 1866. The move is believed to have been sparked, in part, by Aaron Jernigan's fall from grace after he was relieved of his militia command by military officials in 1856. His behavior

7371-418: The area's history, a 1998 outbreak that killed 42 people and a 2007 outbreak that killed 21, both happened in February. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 307,573 people, 113,238 households, and 61,667 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 238,300 people, 97,661 households, and 51,716 families residing in the city. In 2014, the city's population

7488-434: The area's hotels and theme parks. Universal Orlando exceeded three of the four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in estimated 2021 attendance. After Universal Studios Florida opened on June 7, 1990, Universal Entertainment formed a joint venture with The Blackstone Group and began planning a future expansion that would transform the single park into a multi-day destination resort. In late 1995, construction began on

7605-642: The central business district of downtown have rapidly shaped the downtown skyline during recent history. The present-day historic district is primarily associated with the neighborhoods around Lake Eola but stretches west across the city to Lake Lorna Doone and north into the College Park Neighborhood where you can find century-old oaks line brick streets. These neighborhoods include the "Downtown Business District," "North Quarter," "Parramore," "Callahan," "South Eola Heights, "Lake Eola Heights,"Thornton Park" and "College Park", and contain some of

7722-496: 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. Tornadoes are not usually connected with the strong thunderstorms of the humid summer. They are more common during the infrequent cold days of winter, as well as in passing hurricanes. The two worst major outbreaks in

7839-563: The city named after the protagonist in the Shakespeare play As You Like It . In 1975, Judge Donald A. Cheney put forth a new version of the story in an Orlando Sentinel article. Cheney (a local historian and then chairman of the county historical commission ) recounted a story told to him by his father, Judge John Moses Cheney (a major figure in Orlando's history, who arrived in Orlando in 1885). The elder Cheney recounted that another gentleman at that time, James Speer, proposed

7956-401: The city, with Lake Nona Medical City . It features the University of Central Florida 's Health Sciences Campus, which includes the university's College of Medicine , Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences , the University of Central Florida College of Nursing , and the University of Central Florida College of Dental Medicine (along with a teaching hospital ). The medical city also includes

8073-411: The city. It is bordered by Marks Street in the north, Mills Avenue ( SR 15 ) in the east, Orange Blossom Trail ( US 441 ) in the west, and Kaley Avenue in the south. It is home to many of the region's major banks, skyscrapers, government buildings, and cultural and tourist attractions, along with a large residential population. It is mostly composed of high-rise residential towers and office towers. Among

8190-461: The construction of a series of fortified encampments across Florida during the Second Seminole War . The fort and surrounding area were named for John S. Gatlin, an Army physician who was killed in Dade's Massacre on December 28, 1835. The site of construction for Fort Gatlin, a defensible position with fresh water between three small lakes, was likely chosen because the location was on a main trail and

8307-709: The day, characters have meet and greets within the parks and make appearances during lunchtime at several theme park restaurants. During dinner, on select nights, guests can dine with Universal characters at Trattoria del Porto, The Kitchen and Islands Dining Room. The Marvel Super Heroes also appear in the Meet the Marvel Super Heroes attraction where the characters ride on motorcycles down the street of Marvel Super Hero Island. The transit system at Universal Orlando Resort consists of water taxis , buses, escalators, elevators, moving walkways , and pathways; connecting

8424-500: The expansion that created the Universal Orlando Resort. Guests arrive at the resort park in one of two multi-story parking structures, then travel via covered moving sidewalks over Universal Boulevard into CityWalk. From there, guests can proceed into one of the theme parks. The Universal Store is its flagship store, offering merchandise from the three parks. CityWalk features shopping, nightclubs, dining venues, and

8541-442: The extension north into Universal Studios was opened (in preparation for the opening of Islands of Adventure in 1999), and the road was renamed to Universal Blvd. The intersection at I-4 still only has ramps onto and off I-4 eastbound; the ramps on westbound I-4 connect not to Universal Blvd., but to Hollywood Way, necessitating a right turn to get to Universal Blvd. Southbound, it originally fed into International Drive just north of

8658-405: The following year and settled near Lake Holden. Mosquito County was renamed Orange County in 1845, with the county seat shortly thereafter relocated to Mellonville, a few miles west of Sanford . By 1856, settlement had begun in earnest in the interior of the county and a more centrally-located Courthouse was sought. The new town of Orlando, laid out in 1857, consisted of four streets surrounding

8775-581: The former Air Force Base airport code (MCO). Perhaps the most critical event for Orlando's economy, though, occurred in 1965 when Walt Disney announced plans to build Walt Disney World . Although Disney had considered the regions of Miami and Tampa for his park, one of the major reasons behind his decision not to locate there was due to hurricanes – Orlando's inland location, although not free from hurricane damage, exposed it to less threat than coastal regions. The vacation resort opened in October 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic growth for

8892-556: The former McCoy AFB still hosts a Navy Exchange, as well as national guard and reserve units for several branches of service. NTC Orlando was completely closed by the end of 1999 by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission , and converted into the Baldwin Park neighborhood. The Naval Air Warfare Center had moved to Central Florida Research Park near UCF in 1989. A major factor in Orlando's growth occurred in 1962, when

9009-418: The hotel when traveling to the park along Interstate 4 . "They called the hotel 'Finley's Folly' – everyone, all of my friends," Hamilton said. "They said it was in the boondocks. ...But it turned out to be highly successful. ...I came up with International Drive," he recalled, "because it sounded big and important." International Drive was eventually extended to its current north point (where Prime Outlets

9126-528: The intersection at the Beachline Expressway so that traffic would not inadvertently clog Orangewood Boulevard, which already met the Beachline at that point (Exit 2). The extension was opened in early 2003, and the old connector to I-Drive at Pointe Orlando was renamed Pointe Plaza Avenue. An electric sign system on the Beachline directs convention-goers to the proper road so as to avoid unnecessary traffic on I-Drive. Universal Boulevard has fewer businesses, thus much less traffic serving as an overflow exit road for

9243-665: The late 19th century by the Ward family. This property is still owned by the Ward family, and can be seen from southbound flights out of Orlando International Airport immediately on the south side of SR 417. Orlando became a popular resort during the years between the Spanish–American War and World War I . In the 1920s, Orlando experienced extensive housing development during the Florida Land Boom , causing land prices to soar. During this period, dozens of neighborhoods in

9360-410: The midsection of International Drive. I-Drive has four lanes, two in each direction, from its north end at Oak Ridge Road to Pointe Plaza Dr. (former Universal Blvd. south end; see below), and again between the northern and southern intersections with Westwood Blvd. It has six lanes, three in each direction, from Pointe Plaza Dr. to the Beachline Expressway (the eastbound ramps to the Beachline tie into

9477-660: The most popular artists, dance parties with DJs, and pre-parties at the Universal Music Plaza Stage in the Production Central section of Universal Studios Florida. Gradventure is very similar but is designed for graduating middle school students. Both events are sponsored by Coca-Cola . Macy's Holiday Parade brings some authentic balloons that are based on attractions in the parks in a 2 month long event in November and December that highlights

9594-502: The most visited resorts in the world with an annual attendance of 21 million as of 2017. Guests staying at certain hotels receive special perks such as early admission into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal's Volcano Bay, or in some cases, benefits such as a free Universal Express Pass , which gives access to shorter lines at major attractions. The resort also features an organized transportation system, including water taxis , pathways, and moving walkways that connect many of

9711-513: The name Orlando after the character in As You Like It . According to Cheney, Speer, "was a gentleman of culture and an admirer of William Shakespeare ..." Quoting a letter that Speer wrote, "Orlando was a veritable Forest of Arden , the locale of As You Like It ." Speer's descendants have also confirmed this version of the naming and the legend has continued to grow. This account also has some validity in that, as mentioned above, Speer

9828-404: The name was quickly changed to Universal Orlando Resort. In December 2000, Hard Rock Hotel opened as Universal Orlando's second onsite hotel. Despite its name, the hotel is owned by Loews Hotels, like Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and is not affiliated with Hard Rock International . In 2001, Loews Royal Pacific Resort opened. In the midst of all these openings, two parking garages were constructed and

9945-479: The new Orlando Jetport, the precursor of the present-day Orlando International Airport, was built from a portion of the McCoy Air Force Base. By 1970, four major airlines ( Delta Air Lines , National Airlines , Eastern Airlines , and Southern Airways ) were providing scheduled flights. McCoy Air Force Base officially closed in 1975, and most of it is now part of the airport. The airport still retains

10062-480: The northern intersection with Westwood Blvd.), and again from the southern intersection with Westwood Blvd. to its end at SR 536. The entirety of International Drive South, from SR 535 to US 192, is entirely six lanes. The section of I-Drive from Universal Blvd. to Sand Lake Road has no median or center turn lane, and frequently has heavy traffic and gridlock in the evenings in the tourism corridor, affecting Carrier Dr. and Sand Lake Road. The International Drive area

10179-418: The northern portion of Osceola County , but is not connected to the main stem of this route. Surrounding cross-roads include Sand Lake Road, Kirkman Road, SR 536 , and Universal Boulevard , which runs parallel to the midsection of International Drive. At its northern end, International Drive is home to Orlando International Premium Outlets and Universal Orlando resort, along with being in close proximity to

10296-419: The oldest homes in Orlando. On June 12, 2016, more than 100 people were shot at Pulse , a gay nightclub in Orlando. Fifty (including the gunman) were killed and 60 were wounded. The gunman, whom the police SWAT team shot to death, was identified as 29-year-old Omar Mir Seddique Mateen , an American security guard. The act of terrorism was both the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history at

10413-471: The original pioneers, but Speer's family has since claimed that Speer simply used the Orlando Reeves legend to help push his plan for naming the settlement after the Shakespearean character from As You Like It , his favorite play. This has become the most common accepted version of how Orlando got its name. Historians agree that likely no soldier was named Orlando Reeves. Folklore is that Reeves

10530-417: The parking structures, hotels, CityWalk, and theme parks. Additionally, strollers, wheelchairs, and electronic convenience vehicles can be rented for a daily fee. There is an organized bus transportation system, shuttling guests between onsite hotels, Universal Partner Hotels, theme parks, airport, and other area attractions. Mears Transportation runs this system. Orlando's LYNX bus system also connects

10647-408: The popular Harry Potter franchise, as well as Skull Island , based on the 2005 King Kong film, are the only islands that were added after the park opened. Hogsmeade opened to the public on June 18, 2010, and Skull Island opened to the public on July 13, 2016. Volcano Bay is the third theme park, a 27-acre water theme park that opened in 2017. It replaced Wet 'n Wild , owned by Universal, as

10764-606: The popular water park Wet 'n Wild Orlando was acquired. In 2003, rumors began swirling that a Harry Potter themed attraction would be coming to Universal or one of the Disney parks. On May 31, 2007, Universal, in partnership with Warner Bros. , officially announced that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter would be built as the seventh of the Islands of Adventure park. The attraction opened on June 18, 2010. Shortly after

10881-466: The property into two hotels that were part of one resort. On August 1, 2019, NBCUniversal announced that it was building a fourth theme park called Universal Epic Universe . It will be located a few miles south of the existing resort, within a larger 750-acre site. There will be five lands including a central hub and four other areas themed to How to Train Your Dragon , Wizarding Paris from

10998-399: The public. The Blackstone Group sold its stake in Universal Orlando in early 2011. As of 2015, Universal Orlando Resort occupies 541 acres (219 ha). As of 2024, Universal Orlando Resort currently occupies 1,291 acres (522 ha) of land with the expansion of Universal Epic Universe . The original theme park in the resort, Universal Studios Florida , opened on June 7, 1990, as

11115-404: The resort to other places in the city. Onsite hotel guests can get to the theme parks and CityWalk by either boarding a water taxi or bus directly to CityWalk, or using walkways. The dock at CityWalk is located at the center of CityWalk and can be accessed via the bridges. Several hotels and a major airport are located within 20 minutes of Universal Orlando. Universal's Super Star Shuttle service

11232-602: The resort was Universal Islands of Adventure , opened on May 28, 1999. It is composed of eight distinct "islands" that are themed to various forms of adventures from literature. Visitors start off in the Port of Entry and make their way through the various islands – Marvel Super Hero Island , Toon Lagoon, Skull Island, Jurassic Park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade, the Lost Continent and Seuss Landing. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, based on

11349-517: The resort's water park. Wet 'n Wild was founded in 1977 by SeaWorld founder George Millay as one of the first major water parks. In 1998, Wet 'n Wild was acquired by Universal Destinations & Experiences , adding it to Universal Orlando. There were eighteen water slides and attractions at the water park. Popular attractions included the Storm, Bomb Bay, Disco H2O, Mach 5, and the Surge. Wet 'n Wild

11466-407: The shooting. The city offered to buy it for $ 2.25 million, but the club's owner declined to sell. The geography of Orlando is mostly wetlands , consisting of many lakes and swamps. The terrain is generally flat, making the land fairly low and wet. The area is dotted with hundreds of lakes, the largest of which is Lake Apopka . Central Florida's bedrock is mostly limestone and very porous;

11583-440: The stories behind the naming of Orlando) rose in the heat of the argument and said, "This place is often spoken of as 'Orlando's Grave.' Let's drop the word 'grave' and let the county seat be Orlando." The origin of the name is unknown but at least five stories relate how Orlando got its name. The most common stories are that the name Orlando originated from the tale of a man who died in 1835 during an attack by Native Americans in

11700-495: The story in 1835 during the Second Seminole War. This name is taken from a South Carolinian cattle rancher named Orlando Savage Rees. Rees owned a Volusia County sugar mill and plantation , as well as several large estates in Florida and Mississippi . Rees' sugar farms in the area were burned out in the Seminole attacks of 1835 (the year Orlando Reeves supposedly died). Subsequently, Rees led an expedition to recover stolen slaves and cattle. In 1837, Rees also attempted to stop

11817-400: The success of the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade, rumors began to swirl once again, this time of a second Potter-themed area in Universal Studios Florida. It was announced shortly thereafter that Universal would begin construction of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, replacing Jaws: The Ride . On July 8, 2014, Diagon Alley officially opened to

11934-540: The time and one of the deadliest mass shootings perpetrated by a single person in recorded world history. Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State during his unsuccessful negotiations with police. After the shooting, the city held numerous vigils. In November 2016, Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer announced the city's intention to acquire the Pulse Nightclub to build a permanent memorial for the 49 victims of

12051-593: The tourist district southwest of downtown. Skyscrapers built in downtown Orlando have not exceeded 441 ft (134 m), since 1988, when the SunTrust Center was completed. The main reason for this is the Orlando Executive Airport , just under 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city center, which does not allow buildings to exceed a certain height without approval from the FAA. According to

12168-548: The upcoming Epic Universe theme park (set to open in 2025). Further south on International Drive, it features the Madame Tussauds wax museum, the Orange County Convention Center , Pointe Orlando entertainment complex, SeaWorld Orlando (along with Aquatica , SeaWorld's water park), Fun Spot America , ICON Park (featuring its famous ferris wheel, Orlando Eye ), the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's , and other tourist ventures. The Millennia neighborhood

12285-651: The vicinity of downtown were constructed. The boom ended when several hurricanes hit Florida in the late 1920s, along with the Great Depression . During World War II , a number of Army personnel were stationed at the Orlando Army Air Base and nearby Pinecastle Army Air Field . Some of these servicemen stayed in Orlando to settle and raise families. In 1956, the aerospace and defense company Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin ) established

12402-520: The years include Woody Woodpecker's KidZone at Universal Studios, Hard Rock Hotel and The Rising Star karaoke bar within CityWalk, as well as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area, which spans two theme parks and significantly boosted attendance at the entire resort. It also features well-known annual events, such as Universal's Halloween Horror Nights , along with a variety of live entertainment and shows. Universal Orlando ranks as one of

12519-511: Was a ticketed meal plan for park visitors. It allowed visitors of either theme park to eat all day long from lunch through dinner at select restaurants. These included Mel's Drive-In and Louie's Italian Restaurant at Universal Studios Florida and Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous, Comic Strip Cafe, and the Burger Digs at Islands of Adventure . The selection food was limited and drinks were not included. Beverages could be purchased through

12636-476: Was acting as a sentinel for a company of soldiers that had set up camp for the night on the banks of Sandy Beach Lake . Several different lakes are mentioned in the various versions, as no soldiers were in what is now downtown during 1835. The legend grew throughout the early 1900s, particularly with local historian Olive Brumbaugh (or Kena Fries ) retelling in various writings and on local radio station WDBO in 1929. Another historian, Eldon H. Gore, promoted

12753-496: Was briefly reoccupied by the military for a few weeks during October and November 1849, and subsequently a volunteer militia was left to defend the settlement. A historical marker indicates that by 1850, the Jernigan homestead (or Fort Gatlin in some sources) served as the nucleus of a village named Jernigan. According to an account written years later by his daughter, at that time, about 80 settlers were forced to shelter for about

12870-401: Was given different venues and design. Universal also opened the resort's first onsite hotel in September 1999. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel (originally Portofino Bay Hotel, a Loews Hotel) was operated and partially owned by Loews Hotels but was also partially owned by Universal and The Blackstone Group . The two theme parks, CityWalk, and the hotel were branded as Universal Studios Escape, however

12987-567: Was home of one of two Navy Nuclear Power Schools, and home of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division . When McCoy AFB closed in 1976, its runways and territory to its south and east were imparted to the city to become Orlando International Airport , while a small portion to the northwest was transferred to the Navy as McCoy NTC Annex. That closed in 1995, and became a housing, though

13104-437: Was instrumental in changing the name of the settlement from Jernigan to Orlando, though he may have used the Orlando Reeves legend in lieu of his true intent to use the Shakespearean character. According to yet another version of the story, Orlando may have been the name of one of his employees. One of downtown Orlando 's major streets is named Rosalind Avenue; Rosalind is the heroine of As You Like It , but this could also be

13221-412: Was located at the intersection of International Drive and Universal Boulevard, about half a mile south of the Universal Orlando parking garage. Wet 'n Wild officially closed on December 31, 2016, due to the opening of Volcano Bay. It was announced on March 21, 2017, that the land once occupied by Wet 'n Wild would be transformed into Universal's seventh hotel. It was later learned that Universal would split

13338-550: Was once known as Jernigan. This name originates from the first European permanent settlers, Isaac and Aaron Jernigan , cattlemen who moved from the state of Georgia and acquired land 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Fort Gatlin along the west end of Lake Holden in July 1843 by the terms of the Armed Occupation Act . Aaron Jernigan became Orange County's first state representative in 1845, but his pleas for additional military protection went unanswered. Fort Gatlin

13455-523: Was so notorious that United States Secretary of War Jefferson Davis wrote, "It is said they [Jernigan's militia] are more dreadful than the Indians." In 1859, Jernigan and his sons were accused of committing a murder at the town's post office. They were then transported to Ocala , but escaped. At a meeting in 1857, debate had grown concerning the name of the town. Pioneer William B. Hull recalled how James Speer (a local resident, and prominent figure in

13572-399: Was spread out, with 12.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 36.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. Universal Orlando Resort Universal Orlando Resort , often shortened to Universal Orlando ,

13689-562: Was the namesake of the city. F. K. Bull of South Carolina (Rees' great-grandson) told an Orlando reporter of a story in 1955; years later, Charles M. Bull Jr., of Orlando (Rees' great-great-grandson) offered local historians similar information. Unlike Orlando Reeves, who cannot be traced to any historical record, the record is considerable that Orlando Rees did exist and was in Florida during that time. For example, in 1832, John James Audubon met with Rees in his large estate at Spring Garden, about 45 minutes from Orlando. The final variation has

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