Orlando

Orlando: The World Capital of Theme Parks

Orlando has no beach or coastline of its own, yet it became the most visited family vacation destination on the planet. Everything revolves around its theme parks — Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld — but the city also has a downtown with its own character: Lake Eola, historic Winter Park, and a dining and shopping scene that goes well beyond the attractions.

💡 Fun Facts & History

• 💡In the 1960s, Walt Disney bought swampland south of Orlando through shell companies, to keep prices from rising before Walt Disney World was announced in 1965.
• 💡Walt Disney World is larger than the island of Manhattan. Its property includes four theme parks, two water parks, and dozens of on-site hotels.
• 💡Universal Orlando and SeaWorld have competed for the same visitors since the 1990s, which turned Orlando into the most visited theme park destination in the world.
• 💡International Drive ("I-Drive") is a roughly 11-mile strip built almost entirely for tourists, with attractions, outlet malls, and restaurants side by side.
• 💡Lake Eola, in downtown Orlando, sits in a former sinkhole crater and is one of the city's symbols that has nothing to do with Disney — its illuminated fountain is a downtown nighttime classic.
• 💡Orlando is also one of the largest vacation-home markets in the United States, with entire villa communities built for short-term rental near the parks.