Floridas Entertainment Capital
Orlando
Florida
Located in the year-round mild climate of central Florida, Orlando
reigns as the Souths premiere tourist destination. The citys character
is defined not only by Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of Disney World,
but also by its growth, prosperity, friendly neighborhoods, and lush
landscape of wooded parklands. Within the immediate metropolitan
area are some fifty scenic lakes, and within ten miles are a hundred
more. With one of the strongest economies in Florida, Time magazine
hails Orlando as a job seekers
paradise, and Money magazine
lists the area as one of Americas
best places to live.
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This mecca for entertainment
and family activity also offers a
wealth of opportunity for
new residents and those
looking to start, expand, or
relocate a business. While
most people are familiar with
Orlandos merit as a perfect
vacation spot, the city also
offers a high quality of life for
its permanent residents. Housing
is plentiful, and there are bountiful
opportunities for a wide range of
lifestyles. Medical facilities are firstrate, business is booming, and life
is looking good from every angle.
Orlando offers the perfect climate, environment, and infrastructure for
staying fit and enjoying the outdoors. The citys parks and recreation
department provides a rich array of outdoor activities, sporting events,
and summer courses, and residents are never far from a freshwater lake
or sandy beach. For people who have an affinity for water, swimming,
fishing, and windsurfing opportunities abound. Central Florida is also
horse country, and nearby national and state forests offer a variety of
camping, canoeing, and backpacking environments.
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The Magic Kingdom has been dubbed The Happiest Place on
Earth, and the city of Orlando is known as The City
Beautiful. With labels like these, Orlando extends an invitation to its visitors and newest residents to share in its enviable weather, limitless range of entertainments, and rapidly
growing opportunities.
Orlandos character is
defined not just by Mickey,
Minnie, and the rest of
Disney World. Theres also
the growth, prosperity,
friendly neighborhoods, and
a lush landscape of lakes
and wooded parklands.
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Population:
209,000 (Metropolitan area: 1.6+ million)
Avg. July high:
Climate
Orlando basks in a year-round
moderate climate. Cooler than its
more southerly neighbors, the city
enjoys slight seasonal changes while
remaining primarily warm, with
sunny days and cool, pleasant
evenings. Orlandos climate is
subtropical, characterized by
humidity, a summer rainy season, and an extremely mild
winter. The rainy season
extends from June through
September, with refreshing daily
afternoon thundershowers.
The city itself contains over 50
lakes, and Orange County holds over
1,000, which help to moderate temperatures. The Gulf of Mexico to the
Arts & Culture
Even though Orlando is most
widely known for its grand
assortment of more commercial
entertainments, the fine arts and
sciences are also alive and well in
this cultured southern city. The
Orange County Regional History
Center, which is housed in the old
county courthouse circa 1927, showcases Central Florida history exhibits
that cover everything from the citrus
industry to local Native Americans. Loch
Haven, a 67,000-square foot complex,
hosts the Orlando Museum of Art, the
Civic Theatre, Mennello Museum of
Page 2
Orlando At-A-Glance
91
Avg. January low:
48
Avg. Annual Precipitation:
50 inches
Avg. Annual Snowfall:
0 inches
Closest Big City:
84 miles to Tampa
Health Care:
4 hospitals with 3,174 beds
Cost of Living:
2% above the national average
Housing Costs:
Median home price: $272,000
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Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr May
Jun
west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east
also temper the climate.
The winter months almost never bring
snow or sleet, though the nights can be
cold. Days are bright and sunny, and the
landscape remains colorful with azaleas
blooming from January through March.
American Folk Art, and the Science
Center. The Museum of Art is a highlight
of the citys cultural scene, offering permanent collections of 18th, 19th, and 20th
century American and African art.
The Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
brings top Broadway performers to its
stage, as well as the Southern Ballet, the
Orlando Opera Company, the Orlando
Philharmonic, and visiting symphony
orchestras. The Walt Disney Amphitheater
showcases concerts, the University of
Central Florida Shakespeare Festival, and
Funnyeola, which are family comedy
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
All of Florida experiences hot and
humid summers, with the thermometer
sometimes rising into the 90s and cooling
down in the evenings. Mornings and
evenings are lovely, and the rest of the year
is ideal, with temperatures averaging a
comfortable 65 degrees.
nights.
Other exciting activities include a visit
to A World of Orchids, an impressive
tropical rain forest garden showcasing
thousands of rare and exotic flowering
orchids from around the globe. Splendid
Chinas 76-acre park displays Chinas most
famous sites replicated in miniature,
including the Great Wall.
For people wanting to get out and
about, Church Street Station, the historic
downtown area, has along with its splendid architectural treasures, an entertainment complex and some great shopping.
Education
Orlando does its part with
more than 60 public
courses, fourteen private
clubs, and twelve miniature courses.
Mickey Mouse is the
biggest draw to Orlando,
and Walt Disney World
brings in millions of
tourists every year. The
Disney compound houses
a variety of resort hotels
and attractions. Disney
World consists of the
Magic Kingdom, EPCOT
Center, MGM Studios,
and much more. Younger
kids are enthralled by Its a
Small World and The
Haunted House at the
Magic Kingdom, and
older kids are eager to
learn about the nation at
EPCOT or enjoy some
good, healthy screaming
on the Tower of Terror.
Recreation
Known around the country as a premier
tourist destination, Orlando offers countless entertainment and recreation opportunities to families. The climate is perfect for
year-round outdoor activities, making a
visit in any season feel like a summer vacation.
Spectator and participant sporting
events run non-stop in this city. The
Orlando Centroplex is a state-of-the-art
arena, and fans come from miles around
to cheer for the Orlando Jackals and the
official NBA team, the Orlando Magic.
The sport of Jai Alai has become popular
in recent years, and the Orlando Rowing
Club enjoys a steady flow of participants.
For the truly fearless, try a powered
parachute ride or bungee jumping, or ski
down the snow-covered peaks of Mt.
Gushmore at Blizzard Beach. Golf is one
of Floridas most popular pastimes, and
Orlando, FL
Nature lovers are attracted to Orlando
for its excellent gardens and animal
exhibits. Harry P. Leu Gardens offers the
largest camellia and formal rose gardens in
the South. See thousands of alligators and
crocodiles, birds, and reptiles at Jungleland
and Gatorland, or visit Green Meadows
Petting Farm for its hay rides and hundreds of farm animals. Sea World is a
favored destination, offering outstanding
and long-time favorite attractions including world-famous Shamu the Whale.
For more family fun outside Disney
World, Orlando sports Universal Studios
Floridaa 444-acre theme park with
movie studios. The Mystery Fun House is
the perfect place for laser games and
miniature golf, and Pirates Cove
Adventure Golf offers kids waterfalls,
rubber swords, and plenty of putting. Ride
the rails back in time at Trainland, or visit
the sprawling water park of Typhoon
Lagoon.
Orlando has many fine institutions of
higher learning. The University of Central
Florida offers a range of excellent undergraduate and graduate level programs,
while Orlando College offers a smaller
learning environment. Seminole
Community College, located in Seminole
County near Orlando, offers associate
degrees and courses to fit the needs of
non-traditional students.
Valencia Community College also offers
two-year degrees, and Webster University
has a branch campus in Orlando. MidFlorida Technical Institute and Winter
Park Technical Institute are available for
vocational/technical training. Other specialized institutions, such as the Walt
Disney Institute, are also plentiful in the
Orlando area.
Character, respect, responsibility, and
trustworthiness are the qualities that the
Orange County School District works to
instill in its student population. Around 50
elementary, middle, and high schools serve
Orlandos youth. Orlando also offers an
extensive magnet-school program, where
the specialized curriculum includes economics for elementary school students.
Student achievement earned the city 5th
place in the Ten Best Cities For Families
list in Child magazine. Hospital
Homebound School, Magnolia School, and
Silver Star are just a few schools offering
alternative educations to the areas kids.
Jai alai is the fastest sport
around, while the Orlando
Rowing Club enjoys a
steady flow of participants.
The truly fearless can try
skiing the snow-covered
peaks of Mt. Gushmore.
Page 3
ately large volume of visitorsover five
million every year. The good news is that
the large tourist influx skews the statistics
upward by measuring all crimes involving
residents or tourists against only the population that actually resides in the city.
Housing and Cost
of Living
The cost of living in
Orlando is 2% above the
national average. The accompanying high earning power of
Orlandos residents make their
purchasing power extraordinary.
Child care costs vary widely in this
area. Average costs range anywhere
from $4,000 to $5,000 for a fouryear-old child, more for infants, and
less if families qualify for the
numerous, government-funded
Head Start programs. Plus, the
government-subsidized
Voluntary Prekindergarten
Program offers four-year-olds
born before September 1 free
education for the year prior to
kindergarten.
The median home price here is
approximately $272,000. Whether residents are interested in renting a
condo on the golf course (for an average of $700 per month) or purchasing a home in a well-established
neighborhood, complete with
tree-lined streets and back-yard
swimming pools, Orlando offers
all this and more.
Crime and Safety
Floridas crime rate ranks above
the national average, and Orlando is
no exception. Higher crime rates are
due to its size and the disproportion-
To address the citys problems, the
Orlando Police Department is working
with the community through nearly 20
volunteer programs. Volunteers do everything from mounted patrols to working in
offices, thereby freeing up officers for
commissioned work. The department also
sports countless special departments that
do everything from work with kids in the
schoolthe School Recourse Officer
Units and the Super Kids Unitto administering the successful Citizens for
Neighborhood Watch programs.
Health Care
Orlando offers impressive health care at
a range of facilities such as Columbia Park
Medical Center, which offers the convenience of a top-flight, comprehensive
medical center in the heart of the city.
Orlando Regional Healthcare System is
another of the states most comprehensive
medical systems, offering a complete range
of services for nearly two million residents
of Central Florida.
Orlando Regional Medical Center is a
major teaching hospital and the site of
Central Floridas Level I trauma center and
burn unit. Arnold Palmer Hospital for
Children and Women is one of only four
such hospitals in the country and offers
obstetrical and gynecological care. M. D.
Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and
Sand Lake Hospital offer cancer treatment
and psychiatric services, brain injury rehabilitation, and assisted reproduction.
Since its a key state for retirees, its no
surprise that dozens of assisted living centers and other elderly care centers are
available within 30 miles of the city. Prices
vary, but are consistent with national costs.
Earning A Living
Mickey Mouse isnt the only one prospering in Orlando. Orlando enjoys a consistent job increase in fields as diverse as
high-tech manufacturing, tourism, and
film-making. Disney World and Universal
Studios added more than 30,000 jobs to
their roster in the last few years. A number
of Fortune 500 companies in Orlando
have contributed hugely to the job market,
Forbes magazine has
ranked Orlando in its Top
Ten Best Cities For Singles
because of its consistent and
astronomical job growth.
including Lockheed Martin, AMSouth
Bank, Hughs Supply Inc., and Tupperware
Brands Corporation.
Magazines such as Money rank the city at
the top of the charts for its extraordinary
job growth and strong economy. Places
Rated Almanac places Orlando in the top
30 cities for its astronomical job growth
and impressive business potential.
Additionally, Ladies Home Journal ranks the
city in the top 100 Best Cities For Women
for the number of women-owned businesses.
Orlando is part of Floridas High-Tech
Corridor, one of the fastest growing technology markets in the country. The city is
one of many in the area that is adding
high-tech jobs faster than the national
average. The services and retail sectors
also significantly contribute to the economys growth, with the highest demand
including areas such as air conditioning
sales and repair, pet supplies, auto and
boat sales.
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While the above information has been reviewed for accuracy, we are not responsible for errors or omissions.
Find Your Spot makes no warranty, either express or implied, regarding the desirability of this city as an ideal destination for our customers.
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Photos Courtesy of: Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau
Orlando, FL
