Decades ago, Orlando was blanketed by the fragrant scent and orange eye-popping orange an yellow colors bursting out of citrus groves that went on for miles and miles. The Sunshine State was already a popular tourist destination for its year-round climate and tropical setting. Then came a mouse. Not just any mouse, but Mickey Mouse from the legendary Disney films that children and even adults hold dear to heart. He and his partner, Minnie Mouse, and the entire cast of colorful characters come to life would help create the epicenter of magical family vacations, and putting Orlando on the ultimate tourist attraction map. It was 1963 when Walt Disney, the man behind the magic, flew over Orlando via helicopter and ear-marked Orlando, Florida, to be the perfect location and home for what would become Walt Disney World®, the equivalent to what is now the Magic Kingdom® Theme Park division today, and roller coaster rides like Space Mountain were E-ticket rides out of a booklet of tickets, kind of like a fair. But it was just the beginning of an evolutionary process. Walt purchased a vast amount of land to build his vision. We’re not talking acres; we’re talking mega miles, some of which still are sprawling greens that sit untouched. Walt Disney, the man behind the mouse postponed retirement to see through the first phase of construction and development that included tremendous advanced technology of Walt Disney World, which opened in 1971, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to Orlando to experience first hand the magic of this mega theme park that was originally designed to complement Anaheim CA’s, Disneyland but well exceeded it. Today Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited attraction in the world, with attendance of boasting some 52.5 million visitors annually, many of which spend a few days or weeks here on a Best Vacations Ever promotional vacation package often with free accommodations at one of PGR’s (Preferred Guest Resorts) preferred-partner resorts. Walt Disney passed away before he could see what become of his vision, but he knew it would exist and it did become the masterpiece and huge tourist draw of Walt Disney World Resort theme parks and attractions that Walt Disney envisioned to also complement the tropical enthusiasm and atmosphere of the Sunshine State and Central Florida’s nearby beaches. Epcot®, Disney’s Hollywood Studios® and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Parks opened throughout the 1980s and 1990s, along with its two themed water parks. Walt Disney World Resort also boasts a handful of and entertainment complexes such as Disney’s West End, the Disney’s Boardwalk along the after and its original entertainment complex center and unique shopping center, Lake Buena Vista, which eventually grew so much it got it’s own city title and zip code. It did not take long for other vendors and attractions to root in this popular tourist destination and give visitors more than they even bargained for.
One Thing Leads to Another in Orlando Evolution
Walt Disney was brilliant in his choice of location. The Sunshine State with a year-round sub-tropical climate and very, very few really cold days in January or February is a true winter bird’s ideal getaway and any outdoor lovers dream come true. Any time of year is a good time of year to visit Orlando. With that and the success of Walt Disney’s booming attraction, investors quickly realized that Walt Disney World Resort was sitting on a goldmine. These investors on a quest to attract even more tourists nimbly shifted with the economic boon and swift construction began on new attractions, theme parks and activities that would cater to the many locals and tourists flooding Central Florida for the Disney magic. The pull of such numerous tourists spawned several new resorts, restaurants, other full-blown theme parks, mini attractions and other activities to accommodate and give the many Orlando visitors a plentiful choice of resorts, activities and attractions. It wasn’t long before other major theme parks blossomed to compete for the plethora of visitors’ attention, like SeaWorld Orlando® (debuting in 1973) and Universal Studios Orlando® (first opened in the 80s and through the 90s with expansion) and its theme parks and water parks. Universal Studios Orlando was launched in 1990 in direct competition to Disney’s expanded Hollywood Studios Theme Park, and with tremendous success, especially with its advanced technology to take people behind the movies with two theme parks, Universal Studios and the roller coaster-filled Islands of Adventure and the connecting and thriving entertainment complex, City Walk, that even locals frequent. Universal Studios Orlando dips into its own world of magic and special effects with everything from sedentary to adrenaline-pumping thrill rides and back-lot tours of such incredible Universal films from the days of black and white to present day. Universal Studios opened first with real-life-experience type rides of famous Universal movies like Twister, Back to the Future, Earthquake, The Mummy, Jaws, The Hulk roller coaster, Psycho (and its famous ride, The Tower of Terror), Transformers ( with a brand -new 3-D ride), the Simpsons, Spiderman, King Kong, and now Harry Potter, some which launched with the park and some that have grown and been replaced with newer and more exciting adventure movie adventures. The most profitable and recent attraction at Universal have been Transformers: The Ride 3-D and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, which is currently under construction and slated for a massive Daigon Alley and Hogwart’s Express expansion debut in the summer of 2014. Now part of the Universal umbrella of parks, Wet ‘n Wild Orlando® is a major cluster of water slides, chutes, thrill rides, a wave pool and much more that was founded in 1977 by SeaWorld creator George Millay, known as the grandfather of water parks. Nestled on the famous, action-packed tourist strip International Blvd, it’s considered America’s first water park and has been scaring the board shorts and bikini bottoms off H20 lovers for a long time as a legendary, long-loved water park that also continue to evolve with time and advanced technology. Such tremendous growth and evolution since the 60s shows a long and evolutionary lifespan of Orlando that remains ever-growing, with numerous tourists, especially many international visitors – including several of the 2 million alone that come each year from the United Kingdom – have been buying vacation homes, timeshares, resort units and condos for guaranteed annual repeat vacation homes, that has made it by far one the world’s top vacation destinations.
Orlando Through a Child’s Eyes
People from all over the want to enjoy the sights, sounds and attractions of Central Florida, which runs circles around other destinations for a number or reasons. Little girls get to become the princesses they dream about, whether Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty or Belle from “Beauty and the Beast.” Young boys get to battle transformers one on one or use lasers to beat out enemies as Buzz Lightyear from the “Toy Story” Series. The whole family will have a plash going under sea on an adventure with the legendary Disney mermaid Ariel from “Finding Nemo.” Even teens can find more exciting adventures and activities, and thrills and chills from scary rides, coasters and slides and chutes that will never find them saying, “I’m bored!” Orlando is a life-changing bonding experience for all ages and personalities. Seeing Orlando through your children’s eyes is a life-changing experience, so is enjoying the parks through your own inner child. It’s a must-do vacation with must-visit theme parks and attractions to keep everyone in the family extremely happy!
Orlando’s Great Outdoors & Alternative Activities
Who wouldn’t want to visit Orlando, with its glorious year round sunshine and climate, as well as its numerous activities? Orlando has bloomed into a majestic and mystical land of never-ending activities to please everyone in the family, including: magical theme parks, majestic natural adventures, numerous bodies of water and nearby beaches (about 60 minutes east and 90 minutes west), charming outlying cities and ecosystems to explore, natural springs with azure waters and resting manatees, natural and federal parks, eco-tours, zip-lining over alligator ponds, waterski and wakeboarding cableways at Orlando Water Sports Complex, sky diving, hot air balloon and helicopter rides over the region, hair-raising airboat rides on the Florida Everglades, glorious performing and visual arts, galleries and museums, historical landmarks, Broadway shows at Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, an exceptional Florida winery in Clermont (about 30 minutes away), concerts and Orlando Magic baseball games at the new state-of-the-art Amway Arena, spring training baseball games with the Braves, world-class golf courses galore for all levels, a vast number of eclectic attractions and an absolutely vibrant and varied nightlife that has been pulling out locals and visitors for its trendy and well-assorted clubs for decades – plus much more! There is so much to do in Orlando, it’s literally impossible to see and experience all Orlando has to offer in just one visit, even two, which makes repeat visits a completely different and exciting experience every time. Even 30plus year residents and natives still uncovering and experiencing new treasures they never knew existed or were created due to such quick and swift expansive growth. Luckily many of Orlando’s accommodations offered include a collection of hotels that put wildlife first and have made incredible initiatives to maintain habitats while expanding and move wildlife to new homes so they too can flourish without having to loose homes. Orlando, which is also dubbed “The City Beautiful,” is mindful and responsible when it comes to its wildlife and habitat destruction as it evolves, as well as all individuals and personalities when creating attractions from theme parks to all natural outdoor experiences, making it a top traveler’s destination where spellbinding vacations really due come true.
Ever-Changing Growth and Must Visit Outlying Cities
Orlando is a non-stop city – not just in action and activities but also in growth. The popular international and domestic destination refuses be stagnant and always is expanding and living up to its reputation with continuous growth to please locals and vacationers alike. If you’re looking for an all-you-can-experience and enjoy vacation destination, Orlando is the America’s number one playground brought to you at such a low cost and with typically included complimentary vacations by PGR’s Best Vacations Ever promotional getaways. Beyond so much play, Orlando is also becoming nationally recognized as an International business and medical city. After years of watching so many cities go from heavily forested and lowly populated areas, its been unbelievable to watch these cities expand to offer charm, unique boutiques, numerous businesses, residential areas and attractions of their own, as well as numerous jobs to fuel economic growth. Orlando also is about style and keeping up with trends. Many of its outlying cities are worth exploring and include everything from high-end to ghost town. If you have one PGR’s possible incentives, an Alamo rental car, you have the ability to easily visit so many attractions and activities I outlying areas and suburbs of Orlando, which is quite large itself. So many attractions, vendors, restaurants, resorts and many more have taken root in Orlando, and many outlying evolutionary and historical suburb cities worth visiting include Winter Park and Hannibal Square, Baldwin Park, downtown’s Thornton Park, Celebration, Eatonville, College Park, Windermere, Bay Hill, Lake Wales, Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, and the mystical and the serious, spiritual community psychics and known ghosts of Cassadaga during the day only for those into the supernatural. There’s also a fun attraction area at Old Town.
Ultimate Orlando Adventures with Best Vacations Ever
Travel provider of low-cost Best Vacations Ever promotional vacation packages, Preferred Guest Resorts (PGR) also has been in business for more than 30 years with continuous growth and evolution, bearing an impassioned desire and continuous ability to travel tens of thousands of satisfied travelers every year at hundreds in travel savings with its Best Vacations Ever promotional vacation packages. Learn more about PGR’s BVE low-cost vacation packages and more about Orlando on bestvacationsever.com. With such top-dollar attractions and today’s impressive number of some 50 million visitors in town annually – 2 million form the UK – PGR has spent more than 30 years making Orlando vacations for families up to four and cohabitating couples extremely affordable with its Best Vacations Ever promotional vacation packages that typically include complimentary nightly accommodations at one of our preferred resorts (minus extraneous and resort fees) and other possible incentives like our preferred partnership with Alamo® rental cars so you can get the full Orlando experience while coming and going as far out as your want, when you want with great ease, convenience and affordability. Just like all of the attractions and activities have evolved, so has PGR over its more than 3 decades of travel service, all along maintaining its mission to share its passion for travel and offer affordable and enhanced opportunities for travelers to visit and experience the world’s famous destination, great outdoors and playground that everyone in the family will enjoy. Call PGR’s Travel Reservation Center at 800-656-2780 or visit bestvacationsever.com for more information about Orlando and its Must-Do Activities, PGR’s BVE vacation packages and available accommodations, read testimonials of happy travelers, download educational videos and much more so you can experience the magic of Orlando that Walt Disney envisioned so many years ago. Want to rev up your vacation to Orlando a notch? Call a PGR Travel Center Representative at 800-656-2780 and asking about Best Vacations Ever’s sensational seven-day promotional vacation package with stays in both Orlando and Daytona Beach, FL. Enjoy all the thrills of the theme parks and energy in Orlando then wrap it up with a relaxing stay at the beach with absolutely no worries!
Do you have any fond memories of Orlando from long ago or any attractions you are looking forward to experiencing?
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