By Adam Hart
Kids love the city of Orlando, and for many good reasons. Orlando is home to many fun and incredible theme parks, such as Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, Gatorland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, and the Orlando Eye (The Wheel at ICON Park).
This city also has many other things, such as fine dining, live music, and many performances for kids and adults. Since it is a great place to spend time with friends or family, you should plan so there are no last-minute disappointments.
Discover 15 fun and amazing facts about Orlando!
1. Orlando is located in Florida, just north of Tampa. It is the most visited city (yes, more than Miami) in all of Florida, with over 30 million visitors yearly. As a result, the city’s leading economy is tourism.
2. The town was settled in 1843 with less than 85 people (the town was called Jernigan at this time) and incorporated as a city on February 4, 1885. Today (as of 2021), Orlando’s population is just over 307,915.
3. Orlando’s nickname (because of all the theme parks) is “The City Beautiful.”
4. We were surprised to discover that Orlando has over 100 lakes! But, of course, the most famous one is Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.
5. Walt Disney World Resort welcomed around 50 million guests annually and officially opened on October 1, 1971.
6. The best neighborhoods to live and raise a family in Orlando: Downtown, Park Lake/Highland, Thornton Park, Delaney Park, Coytown, Audubon Park, Uptown, and Rowena Gardens.
7. The theme parks are the prime draw to this lively city. Orlando’s major theme parks include Universal Studios Florida, Gatorland, Walt Disney World Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando. In addition, guests can enjoy rides in various theme parks in Orlando. Several attractions also feature water which is great for kids and adults alike.
8. Several restaurants in this city offer fine dining experiences or family-style options. These include The Venetian Chop House, URBAIN 40, and Tijuana Flats.
9. Orlando has many live-stage entertainment venues throughout the city. In addition, many performing companies perform at The Dr Phillips Center for Performing Arts. One of the well-known musical groups is “The Beach Boys”, which was formed in 1961 and formed four years after The Beatles.
10. Many museums have opened in the Orlando area. The Orange County Regional History Center, which houses some of the exhibits of the original Disney display, also houses some exhibits about Florida‘s history and Florida’s Native Americans with artefacts from 21 counties in Florida.
11. This town has two primary professional sports teams: Orlando Magic (basketball) and Orlando Solar Bears (ice hockey). In addition, the University of Central Florida also has sports teams that compete in NCAA Division I athletics and other divisions.
12. Two well-known arenas in Orlando are also home to many different sports teams: Amway Center and Camping World Stadium.
13. Although the city has beautiful sunny weather all year, it experienced a “deep freeze” in 1894 and 1895.
14. A surprising and unknown fact about Orlando is – Gatorland, the city’s FIRST theme park, opened in 1949, before World Disney or Seaworld. If you love alligators, then this is the place to be.
15. The Orlando Science Center is where you can enjoy more than 50 interactive exhibits designed to help children learn about science. In addition, there are many opportunities for visitors to experience the Science Center’s informative displays.
There are many more facts about Orlando, but we hope you learned something from all the exciting and fun facts listed above. If we missed anything of great importance, let us know!