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Welcome to Orlando, Florida.
The city of Orlando is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 185,951 (metropolitan area 1,644,561). It is the sixth-largest city in Florida, and its largest inland city.
The city is well known for the tourist attractions in the area, particularly the nearby Walt Disney World Resort, which is in the Reedy Creek Improvement District . Other area attractions include SeaWorld and Universal Orlando Resort. Despite being far from the main tourist attractions, downtown Orlando has recently seen much redevelopment, with many more projects currently under construction or planned. One of the oldest attractions in this area is Gatorland. Orlando sees an estimated 52 million tourists a year. Orlando is the 2nd largest city in the country for number of hotel rooms. It is a leader in medical care and research, especially at Orlando Regional Medical Center, the only statutory teaching hospital in Central Florida.
Downtown Orlando skyline. Photo by The Masked Blogger, March 2005
Orlando is close enough to Patrick Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and Kennedy Space Center for residents to commute to work from the city's suburbs. It also allows easy access to Port Canaveral, an important cruise ship terminal. Because of its proximity to the "Space Coast" near the Kennedy Space Center, many high-tech companies have shifted to the Orlando area.
Perhaps the most critical event for Orlando's economy occurred in 1965 when Walt Disney announced plans to build Walt Disney World. Although Disney had considered the cities of Miami and Tampa for his park, one of the major reasons behind his decision not to locate in those cities was the threat of hurricanes. The famous vacation resort opened in October 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic growth for the Orlando metropolitan area, which now encompasses Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake counties. As a result, tourism became the centerpiece of the area's economy and Orlando is consistently ranked as one of the top vacation destinations in the world.
Orlando has a warm and humid subtropical climate, and there are two major seasons each year. One of those seasons is hot and rainy, lasting from April until October (roughly coinciding with the Atlantic hurricane season). The other is a cooler season (November through March) that brings more moderate temperatures and less frequent rainfall. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its low elevation and its position relatively close to the Tropic of Cancer, and much of its weather is affected by the movement of the Gulf Stream.
A large part of the Orlando area economy is involved in the tourist industry. Over 48 million visitors came to the Orlando region in 2004. The area's economy includes other industries besides tourism, such as manufacturing. Lockheed-Martin has a large manufacturing facility for missile systems, aeronautical craft and related high tech research due to Orlando's proximity to the NASA Kennedy Space Center.
Like fellow Florida cities Miami and Tampa, Orlando has a large and increasing number of Hispanic residents living in the city. Orlando is home to one of the nation's largest and rapidly-growing Puerto Rican communities (particulary its metropolitan area). This is reflected by the abundance of Hispanic-themed restaurants and radio stations. Spanish-language music, such as reggaeton, is common on Orlando radio stations. The Orlando Magic basketball team is the only team in the NBA to have a Latin Night, which is geared towards the Hispanic population in the area. Throughout the city, many Puerto Rican flags can be found on or near buildings, including car dealerships. The city's local newspaper, The Orlando Sentinel, publishes a weekly all-Spanish newspaper called El Sentinel.
The Orlando area is home to a wide variety of tourist attractions, including the Walt Disney World resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando. The Walt Disney World resort is the area's largest attraction with its many facets such as the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and Downtown Disney. SeaWorld Orlando is a large adventure park that features numerous zoological displays and marine animals alongside an amusement park with roller coasters and water park. Universal Orlando, like Walt Disney World, is a multi-faceted resort comprised of Universal Studios, CityWalk, and the Islands of Adventure theme park.
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Local daily news in Orlando:
Orlando police investigating shooting death of man
Authorities are investigating the death of a man found shot on Amityville Drive in Orlando, according to a representative for Orange County Fire Rescue.
Jacqueline Jones next up at Winter Park Playhouse cabaret series
Ms. Jacqueline Jones, with pianist Michael Kramer, will be showcasing her vocal jazz stylings in her cabaret, Hello Darlings, as part of the popular Winter Park Playhouse Spotlight Cabaret SeriesA at 7: 30 p.m. Friday, Aug.
Urban League going places it has never been before
Something happened recently that had never happened in the 23 years that Mark Durbin has been city manager of Kissimmee: The Urban League came knocking.
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Places of interest:
Holden Heights, FL (2.3 miles), Edgewood, FL (3.2 miles), Conway, FL (3.8 miles), Pine Castle, FL (4.5 miles), Fairview Shores, FL (4.6 miles), Winter Park, FL (4.8 miles), Belle Isle, FL (5.1 miles), Oak Ridge, FL (5.1 miles).
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Weather in Orlando:
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Hotels in Orlando
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Sheraton World Resort
10100 INTERNATIONAL DRIVE - Orlando, FL, US 32821
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Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
ONE GRAND CYPRESS BOULEVARD - Orlando, FL, US 32836
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Orlando Airport Marriott
7499 AUGUSTA NATL DR - Orlando, FL, United States
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Wyndham Resort
8001 INTERNATIONAL DRIVE - Orlando, FL, US 32819
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Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort LAKE BUENA VISTA
13351 STATE ROAD 535 - Orlando, FL, US 32821
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Marriott Orl Sabal Palms
8805 World Center Drive Orlando Fl 32821
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Marriott Orlando World Center
8701 WORLD CENTER DRIVE - Orlando, FL, United States
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Holiday Inn & Suites-Universal
5905 KIRKMAN ROAD - Orlando, FL, US 32819
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Orlando Airport
2323 MCCOY ROAD - Orlando, FL, US 32890
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Days Inn Lakeside - Universal
7335 SAND LAKE RD - Orlando, FL, US 32819
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Days Inn-International Drive
7200 INTERNATIONAL DR - Orlando, FL, US 32819
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Days Inn Orlando 33rd Street
2500 W. 33rd Street, Orlando, FL 32839 US
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Days Inn - Convention Center
9990 INTERNATIONAL DR - Orlando, FL, US 32819
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Quality Inn At International Dr
7600 INTERNATIONAL DR - Orlando, FL, US 32819
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Quality Inn Plaza
9000 INTERNATIONAL DR - Orlando, FL, US 32819
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Travelodge Orlando Downtown
409 N. Magnolia Ave., Orlando, FL 32801
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Sheraton Safari
12205 APOPKA-VINELAND ROAD - Orlando, FL, US 32836
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Renaissance Orlando Resort
6677 SEA HARBOR DRIVE - Orlando, FL, US 32824
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Marriott World Center
8701 World Center Drive Orlando Fl 32821
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Residence Inn Int'l Drive
7975 Canada Avenue
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