Travel Guide

Full Name

Orlando

Former Name

Area Size

261.5 km²

Time Zone

UTC/GMT -4 hours

Climate

Orlando experiences jolly holiday weather all around, with its subtropical and very humid climate. Summertime temperatures can be uncomfortably hot. Winter is dry and temperate, and occasionally night time temperatures can plunge surprisingly low. Thunderstorms are common between May and September and tend to be short and sharp, offering some respite.

Languages

English is the official language.

Culture

While Orlando may be known for its world-class theme parks and attractions, our artistic and cultural community is offering up world-class entertainment in its own right. Buy a ticket, take a seat and let yourself be transported from the Emerald City to ultra-civilized Shakespearean England. Spend an evening with “the very model of a modern Major General,” a little orphan named Annie or a sleeping princess. After a fun-filled day at the attractions, you might find that you can experience thrills and chills of a more theatrical kind on your Orlando vacation, too.

History

Orlando’s history dates back to 1838 and the height of the Seminole Wars. The U.S. Army built Fort Gatlin south of the present day Orlando City limits to protect settlers from attacks by Indians. By 1840, a small community had grown up around the Fort. It was known as Jernigan, named after the Jernigan family, who had established the first permanent settlement in the area. Jernigan had a post office, established May 30th, 1850. Six years later with the settlement expanding northward, the community officially changed its name to Orlando. In 1857, the U.S. Post Office adopted the name change. The Town of Orlando was incorporated in 1875 with 85 inhabitants, 22 of whom were qualified voters.

Travel Information

Orlando International Airport (MCO), located 14km south-east of Orlando city centre and some 35km east of Walt Disney World. It serves some 55 airlines to 82 domestic destinations and 19 internationally. Facilities include a 446-room Hyatt hotel, 40 shops and restaurants, a full service bank, a hair salon and spa and a post office. Six car hire companies operate direct from the airport. Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), this satellite airport 51km to the north of Orlando has become a major UK gateway. It is much more limited in its scope and services but processes new arrivals extremely quickly compared to Orlando International. There are five car hire companies operating on-airport. Amtrak provide the main rail link to Orlando, with direct service to downtown Orlando, plus Winter Park, 16km to the north, and Kissimmee, from south California, Texas and Louisiana, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. The Silver Service operates daily from the north-east, while the Sunset Limited runs three times a week from Los Angeles via Houston and New Orleans. Florida in general is served by two main motorways, I-95 from the north-east, and I-75 from Canada and the mid-West, both of which run down either coast, plus I-10, which runs the full width of the USA from Los Angeles to link up with I-75. Orlando can be reached from I-95 or I-75 via I-4, which runs east-west through central Florida.

Accommodation

The Orlando area is second only to Las Vegas for its concentration and number of hotels, and they come in all shapes, sizes and budgets. Sales tax varies from 6-7%, depending upon which county you are in. Virtually everything is family-friendly and many are elaborately themed, with some very competitive deals at off-peak periods. In all, the area boasts some 113,000 hotel rooms, and the general rule of thumb is, the closer to Disney, the higher the price.

Visa Requirements

Visas are not required by nationals of Australia, Canada and the EU except the following: nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa. Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time. Apply to Embassy or consulate. Valid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to above; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA.

Getting Around

The rather plodding Lynx bus system is Orlando’s only public transport, but it covers most of the city, Orlando International Airport, the theme parks and most of the main tourist areas. In downtown Orlando, the free Lymmo bus service operates around the city centre. On International Drive, there is also the I-Ride Trolley, a cheap bus service linking all the main hotels and points of interest. Taxis are common in all areas. Three of the biggest taxi firms are Star Taxis, Diamond Cab Co and Yellow/City Cab. Most attractions are well sign-posted and easy to find on Orlando’s road system but traffic can be very heavy on key routes in the morning and evening. There are rental offices all over the main tourist areas. Alamo and Dollar are easily the two biggest companies in town.

Health & Safety

There are no specific health risks associated with travel within the USA. Medical facilities are excellent, but expensive. Only emergencies are treated without prior payment and treatment can be refused without evidence of insurance or proof of funds. Good medical insurance is essential. Travel within the United States is generally trouble-free, however travellers should be aware that the US shares with the rest of the world an increased threat from terrorist incidents. Security has been heightened particularly at airports. Travellers should also be alert to the dangers of car and street crime in cities and should use common sense and take basic precautions. Forecasting teams in the USA have predicted an increase in hurricane activity in the Atlantic for 2007, between June and November, putting the southern USA, including the Gulf Coast and the eastern US, at higher risk than usual.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 15 Jan - Martin Luther King Day. 19 Feb - Presidents’ Day. 28 May - Memorial Day. 4 Jul - Independence Day. 3 Sep - Labor Day. 8 Oct - Columbus Day. 12 Nov - Veterans' Day. 22 Nov - Thanksgiving Day. 25 Dec - Christmas Day.

Currency

US Dollar

Electricity

110 volts AC, 60Hz

Working Hours

Office hours: Mon-Fri 9.00am - 5.30pm.

Emergency Numbers

911