Orlando Facts
»Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida, which is the second largest university in Florida in student enrollment and has the 6th largest enrollment in the nation.
»The Orlando city symbol is the fountain of Lake Eola.
»During the height of Orlando's summer season, temperatures rarely fall below 70 °F (21 °C), and daytime highs average in the 90s (32-37 °C).
»A thriving Vietnamese quarter called "Little Vietnam" or "Little Saigon" exists in the Colonial town district of Orlando. The neighborhood has become a landmark in the city of Orlando.
»In December 1983 the first American Medieval Times dinner theatre opened in Kissimmee, Florida.
»Orlando has been referred to as 'Hollywood East' because of numerous cinematic enterprises in the area.
»Orlando's Culture Coast consists of Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach and includes many cultural attractions including the Museum of Arts and Sciences, Atlantic Center for the Arts and Southeast Museum of Photography.
»In 2007 Orlando International Airport was visited by 36.48 million passengers, making it the 10th busiest airport in the United States on the basis of passenger traffic and the 20th-busiest in the World.
»Orlando has become one of the fastest growing retail markets in the USA with at least five major upscale department stores opening in 2007 alone and more than 50,000,000 square feet (4,650,000 m²) of shopping space in Central Florida.
»International Drive (often abbreviated I-Drive) is Orlando, Florida's main tourist strip, located southwest of downtown. It is 14.5 miles long.
»The Florida Mall is the largest mall in Orlando, one of the largest single-story malls in the USA at over 1,849,000 sq ft (171,800 m²) with over 250 stores, seven anchor department stores, and the Florida Mall Hotel & Conference Center Tower.
»Orlando International Airport's 3 letter code MCO stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base.
»The Mall at Millenia is a contemporary two-level upscale shopping mall, including the world-famous department stores of Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and Neiman Marcus. IKEA Orlando opened adjacent to the mall on November 14, 2007.
»Champions Gate Golf Resort features a 36-hole golf course designed by famous golfer Greg Norman and a David Leadbetter Golf Academy.
»Orlando Fashion Square is the nearest indoor shopping mall to Downtown Orlando. The mall features 4 anchor department stores and a 14-screen Premiere Cinema theater.
»The Orlando Museum of Art is Orlando's largest modern art museum. Located in Loch Haven Park, the museum has exhibitions of American portraits and landscapes, American impressionists and art of the ancient Americas. In 2003, the museum hosted the world-renowned exhibition of the glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly.
»Orlando Science Center, is a 207,000 square foot (19,000 m²) hands-on learning center with hundreds of interactive exhibits for visitors of all ages. Images surround visitors on the giant screen of the Dr. Phillips CineDome.
»Kissimmee is home to a 650-person capacity outdoor water park, in addition to multiple golf courses.
»The Orange County Regional History Center features exhibits and artifacts from the earliest days of the region to the modern day. Includes information on everything from the time of the Seminole Indians to the founding of the city to the Civil Rights era to the Disney period to today.
»Orlando is home to the Orlando Magic, an NBA pro basketball franchise that plays at Amway Arena in downtown Orlando. Orlando's Amway Arena, opened in 1989. However, it will be replaced around 2010 by the $480-million Orlando Events Center.
»In arena football, the Orlando Predators have been one of the Arena Football League's flagship franchises since entering the league in 1991. Playing at Amway Arena, the Predators have won seven divisional titles and two Arena Bowls, in 1998 and 2000.
»BusinessWeek recently touted Orlando as one of three global “hot spots” for innovation along with Singapore and Stockholm.
»Kissimmee was founded in the mid-19th century as Allendale. It was renamed Kissimmee when incorporated as a city in 1883.
»Virgin Atlantic, with their Boeing 747 service to Orlando, is currently the largest aircraft type operator at Orlando International Airport.
»Metro Orlando is ranked as one of the top five “Cities for Moviemakers” by MovieMaker Magazine.
»Orlando has thirteen sister cities including Valladolid in Spain, Monterrey in Mexico, Marne La Vallée in France and Reykjanesbær in Iceland.
»Celebrities born, lived in or currently reside in Orlando include Wesley Snipes, Tiger Woods and The Byrds lead-singer, Roger McGuinn.
»The 1985 science fiction movie D.A.R.Y.L. was filmed in Orlando.
»The world's largest Hard Rock Café is located on Universal Boulevard, Orlando.
»Kissimmee is home to The Loop, a large outdoor shopping mall at John Young and Osceola Parkways on the Orange/Osceola County line. It features stores such as American Eagle, Kohl's, and Best Buy. There is also a multi-plex theater.
»The Airbus A380, the world's largest airliner, landed at MCO on November 14, 2007. Orlando was one of the first airports in the world to be "Airbus A380 ready". Currently, only two MCO carriers have an Airbus A380 order: Virgin Atlantic and British Airways.
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