Copyright (c) 2008 Terry Hely
During the 1960s, a gentleman by the name of Walt Disney started buying land on the outskirts of a quiet, sleepy little citrus farming town called Orlando in central Florida.
The remainder of that story is now history and by 1971, that land had become Walt Disney World. Today, Orlando has a resident population of approximately 200,000 people and visitor numbers swell that figure into the many millions.
Hear the words “Orlando, Florida” and your mind immediately conjures up images of entertainment theme parks, fairytale palaces, thrill rides and Disney characters loved the world over. The combination of the “big 3″ entertainment parks of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World, not to mention the many other smaller scale speciality parks, has no equal anywhere else in the world.
Located on the the outskirts of Orlando, the towns of Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee are home to most of the major entertainment park attractions. It’s no surprise that the accommodation industry generates a major portion of the Orlando economy and that it employs a high percentage of the local population.
The nearby towns of Winter Haven and Altamonte Springs offer a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Orlando and the parks. Their sedate pace and quiet rural charm provides a nostalgic glimpse of bygone times before the area became home to the world’s best known entertainment parks.
** Orlando Hotels And Resorts
Orlando has more beds to service the tourist industry than any other USA city except for Las Vegas. Orlando is the fifth most popular USA city for travelers visiting from overseas. It is not surprising that the accommodation industry represents a major portion of the Orlando economy and employs a high percentage of the local population.
Visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to Orlando accommodation and every taste is catered for in every price range. Every imaginable type of accommodation is available in Orlando, ranging from fantasy resorts, themed luxury hotels and villas, exclusive golf resorts, vacation rentals, condominiums, bed and breakfasts, backpacker hostels, motor inns and motels… it’s all available in and around Orlando.
The parks have several entrances which can be separated from each other by quite a distance, so selecting accommodation near the best gate for you can be an important consideration. Orlando accommodation is often named for proximity to a particular theme park (Universal) or a particular gate (main gate east etc)
** Orlando Transport
At least 35 airlines and just as many charter operators fly into Orlando International Airport with the bulk of these flights being Delta which accounts for around 25% of the flights that originate in approximately 160 different cities.
Other airlines serving Orlando are America West, American, Air Canada, British Airways, Continental, Northwest and US Airways. Details about airport shuttle services and city transport is available from the excellent Orlando Airport website.
Amtrak is the USA rail service and it operates services to and from New York and Los Angeles and all stops in between. Amtrak provides connections to many of the surrounding towns such as Kissimmee, Sebring, Winter Haven, Sanford and Ocala.
An excellent way for getting around the International Drive Resort precinct is the I Ride trolley service. The LYNX bus service services routes throughout the downtown Orlando metropolitan area and surrounding cities.
The main highway through Orlando is I4, running directly from downtown Orlando to the Disney area. If you plan on driving in Orlando, be prepared for traffic, especially at rush hour.
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