Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the most common questions asked about Orlando. For additional questions, please call 407-354-5586 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For more information on the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc., click here.

Orlando Visitor Information

How many visitors come to Orlando each year?
How many visitors go to the theme parks?
Do Canadian travelers require passports to visit the United States?
Do travelers require machine-readable passports to visit the United States?

City of Orlando Information

Where can I get photos of the Orlando area?
What is the population of Orlando?
How large is the Orlando area?
What is the largest employment industry in Orlando?
Who are the major employers in Orlando?
What are some of the other major industries in Central Florida?
Does Orlando have a downtown area?

Orlando Activity Information

Is Orlando the number one destination for families?
What events are currently going on in Orlando?
Where do residents go at night?
How far of a drive is Cocoa Beach?
Is Disney World actually in Orlando?
Other than the theme parks, what else is there to do in Orlando?

Orlando Facts & Figures

How many hotels and guestrooms are in Orlando?
How many restaurants are in Orlando?
What's the weather like in Orlando?
What is the economic impact of tourism in Orlando?
What are the contact numbers for the City of Orlando?
What is the size of the Convention Center?
What meetings are currently at the Convention Center?
How many acres is Disney World?

Media Visit/Orlando CVB Questions

Does the Orlando CVB offer complimentary tickets to Orlando attractions?
Does the Orlando CVB offer any consumer discounts?
How do I obtain filming permits for Orlando?
When is the best time to plan a press visit to Orlando?
Do you have a directory for Orlando CVB members?

General Destination Questions

Where can I get photos of the Orlando area?

A wide variety of digital, CMYK-quality Orlando area images are available to download in the Online Media Gallery.

Is Orlando the number one destination for families?

Orlando is in the top of this market segment and research shows that Orlando is the number one Family Spring Break destination in the country.

How many visitors come to Orlando a year?

Approximately 48 million visitors make the trip to Orlando each year. Approximately 45.9 million of those guests are domestic visitors and 2.8 are international visitors.

How many visitors go to the theme parks?

For Central Florida's estimated attraction attendance, click here.

What is the population of Orlando?

The population of Greater Orlando is approximately 1.9 million. Greater Orlando consists of Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties.

How large is the Orlando area?

At the approximate geographic center of the state, the three-county Orlando area consists of 2.6 million acres making it the approximate size of Austin, Texas or Stockholm, Sweden. Orlando is situated approximately 150 miles from the Florida/Georgia border to the north, 50 miles from the Atlantic Coast to the east, 75 miles from the Gulf Coast to the west, and 370 miles from the Florida Keys at the southern tip of the state.

How many hotels and guestrooms are in Orlando?

The greater Orlando area contains approximately 450 hotels and 112,000 hotel guestrooms. There are also more than 26,000 vacation home rentals available and more than 16,000 vacation ownership units.

How many restaurants are in Orlando?

There are more than 5,300 restaurants in the area with continental and ethnic cuisine in unique settings including upscale and fine dining.

What is the largest employment industry in Orlando?

The tourism industry accounts for more than 236,556 jobs in Central Florida, making it the region's largest employer.

Who are the major employers in Orlando?

The three major employers are Walt Disney World Co. (59,500), Orange County Public Schools (26,000) and Florida Hospital Orlando (16,002).

What are some of the other major industries in Central Florida?

Other major industries in Orlando include life science and biotechnology, digital media, aviation and aerospace and high-technology industries such as optics/photonics and simulation.

Does Orlando have a downtown area?

Orlando's downtown is a thriving residential and business center that is constantly growing. With Lake Eola as its centerpiece, downtown Orlando offers a variety of dining, shopping and nightlife options for visitors. There are a number of historic neighborhoods to explore including Thornton Park, Orlando's center of new urbanism; College Park, a mix of bungalows and turn-of-the-20^th century manses; and Winter Park, full of tree-shaded avenues and unique shops and restaurants.

What's the weather like in Orlando?

October - May Average Daily Temperatures
Days - Low 70s F (22 C) to mid 80s F (27 C)
Nights - Low 60s F (16 C) to high 60s F (20 C)

June - September Average Daily Temperatures
Days - Upper 80s F (27 C) to mid 90s F (32 C)
Nights - Upper 60s F (20 C) to mid 70s F (25 C)

What events are currently going on in Orlando?

To see a listing of events in the Orlando area by date, visit the Calendar of Events page.

Does the Orlando CVB offer any consumer discounts?

The Orlando CVB offers the Orlando Preferred Visitor Magicard, a year-round money-saving discount card that allows visitors to save up to $1000. The card is valid at 97 area establishments including attractions, restaurants, ground transportation, golf courses, shopping malls, eco-tourism and cultural arts. Visitors can conveniently download the card at orlandoinfo.com/magicard.

Where do residents go at night?

Nightlife consists of ultra-hip bars, high-energy dance clubs, happening game spots, multi-venue entertainment complexes, comedy clubs and plenty of venues filled with live music located from Downtown Orlando to the attractions area.

What is the economic impact of tourism in Orlando?

Tourism has generated $31.1 billion for the Central Florida area.

What are the contact numbers for the City of Orlando?

The main number is  407-246-2121  407-246-2121    407-246-2121  407-246-2121 407-246-2121  407-246-2121    407-246-2121  407-246-2121 . The 24-hour information hotline is  407-246-2000  407-246-2000    407-246-2000  407-246-2000 407-246-2000  407-246-2000    407-246-2000  407-246-2000 . For more information, visit cityoforlando.net.

What is the size of the Convention Center?

The Orange County Convention Center has 2.1 million square feet of exhibit space and ranks second only to Chicago's Convention Center.

What meetings are currently at the Convention Center?

To learn more about what is happening at the Orange County Convention Center, please visit their Web site at occc.net.

How far of a drive is Cocoa Beach?

Cocoa Beach via the 528 Beachline Expressway is 63 miles and approximately 1 hour from the Orlando attractions area. Driving to Cocoa Beach from the Orlando International Airport takes approximately 40 minutes.

Is Disney World actually in Orlando?

Yes and no. Half of the property resides in Orlando while the other half resides in Lake Buena Vista.

How many acres is Disney World?

The Disney World area covers 30,500 acres.

Other than the theme parks, what else is there to do in Orlando?

There are plenty of activities to enjoy in Orlando. Visitors can shop at one of Orlando's many outlet centers, themed shopping villages or 12 regional shopping malls. For a cultural experience, guests can visit an area art or history museum or enjoy a performance at one of the numerous performing arts venues in the area. Sport lovers will enjoy the 176 golf courses, 800 tennis courts and 2,000 lakes for swimming, fishing, boating and water skiing. Orlando offers a wide variety of themed restaurants and dinner theaters. Visitors will also enjoy the diverse nightlife at downtown Orlando or at the many clubs near the attractions.

Do Canadian travelers require passports to visit the United States?

Yes. As of Jan. 23, 2007, a passport is now required for Canadian visitors who will be flying or driving to the United States. For more information, visit www.getapassportnow.com.

Do travelers require machine-readable passports to visit the United States?

Visitors traveling from Visa Waiver Countries to the United States holding a valid passport issued prior to Oct. 26, 2005, will not require a visa to enter the country as long as their passport is machine-readable. A machine-readable passport has two lines of characters at the bottom of the photograph page. Visa Waiver Countries are: Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom. (For citizens with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.)

• Travelers who are issued a passport on and after Oct. 26, 2005, will be required to have biometric data on their passport. If not, they will require a visa to enter the United States.
• Travelers from Non-Visa Waiver Countries (all of Latin America) are required to have a valid visa and passport to enter the United States. Each traveler, including children, must have a visa and passport.

For more information on the Visa Waiver program, click here.

Media Visit Questions

Does the Orlando CVB offer complimentary tickets to Orlando attractions?

The CVB offers accredited journalists a Journalist VIP Passport, which provides admission to more than 60 attractions, museums, restaurants, golf courses and recreational facilities throughout the Orlando area. Those seeking admission to the three major area theme parks (SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World) should contact each park directly with ticket requests. The following are phone numbers for these requests:

SeaWorld Orlando:  407-363-2280  407-363-2280    407-363-2280  407-363-2280 407-363-2280  407-363-2280    407-363-2280  407-363-2280
Universal Orlando:  407-363-8220  407-363-8220    407-363-8220  407-363-8220 407-363-8220  407-363-8220    407-363-8220  407-363-8220
Walt Disney World:  407-566-6397  407-566-6397    407-566-6397  407-566-6397 407-566-6397  407-566-6397    407-566-6397  407-566-6397

How do I obtain filming permits for Orlando?

To obtain filming permits, contact the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) at  407-422-7159  407-422-7159    407-422-7159  407-422-7159 407-422-7159  407-422-7159    407-422-7159  407-422-7159 .

When is the best time to plan a press visit to Orlando?

Certain periods of the year are busier than others in terms of visitation to Orlando. The December holiday season as well as the traditional spring break vacation period (March and April, especially around Easter weekend) and summer vacation periods acquire the highest visitation numbers. In addition, various conventions and trade shows come to Orlando each year and may limit hotel space. The best travel times are February or September-November.

Do you have a directory for Orlando CVB members?

Yes. It can be found at: www.orlandoinfo.com/members/directory.

Source:  http://www.orlandoinfo.com