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Orlando History

Orlando was originally named Jernigan after early settler Aaron Jernigan, who travelled down from Georgia and established the location in 1843. The city grew relatively slowly around the abandoned Fort Gatlin, an old army post erected during the Seminole Wars.

The town's name was permanently changed to Orlando in 1857. The city is thought to be named after Orlando Reeve, a sentinel who was felled by arrows and buried on the south side of Lake Eola after having saved his unit guarding the camp.

The area was heavily farmed into the early 20th century, first with cattle, then cotton and finally orange groves during the ‘Orange Fever’ period of the late 19th century.

The Florida land boom of the 1920s saw extensive development and Orlando enjoyed minor success as a middle-class resort. Although the boom was short-lived, the city’s tourism reputation was consolidated with the opening of Cypress Gardens in 1936.

Cypress Gardens was opened as a botanical garden, but quickly became a major attraction, known for its waterskiing. It remained open through until 2009, when it closed and was reopened as LEGOLAND Florida Resort.

Success as a tourism destination was assured in 1965, when Walt Disney announced plans to build a theme park there, ahead of Miami and Tampa. After opening the resort in 1971, there was an explosion of housing and hotels, and tourism quickly spurned further development.

The rise in theme parks and resorts became exponential, and the city now has the most theme parks and attractions in the world.

More recently, a burgeoning central business district, or financial district, is changing the city’s skyline, and enterprise outside of tourism (e.g. information technology and financial services) is being widely encouraged. However, for now, it is the theme parks that continue to encourage millions of tourists to visit each year.

Did you know?
• Orlando’s first settler, Aaron Jernigan, was arrested on murder charges and escaped jail twice.
• The huge Floral Clock situated in Leu Gardens was actually imported from Scotland in 1966.
• In 1884, a huge fire destroyed much of Downtown Orlando, including The Orange County Reporter newspaper plant.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld

This beautiful resort-style hotel is right opposite SeaWorld, and has an impressive lobby atrium and a spectacular indoor courtyard. For the price, this hotel has great rooms and the restaurant choice is reassuringly diverse. All in all, this property offers superb value in this price range.

Sheraton Safari Hotel and Suites

With larger than average rooms, a great pool and an ideal location just outside Walt Disney World Resort, this make this a good family choice. As you can imagine, the décor is largely animal prints and exotic details. There’s been attention paid to the outdoor areas, including a 24m (80ft) water slide in the pool. The hotel is currently undergoing a US$25 million renovation, due for completion this spring.

Walt Disney World Swan and Walt Disney World Dolphin

The former operated by Westin and the latter by Sheraton, these are the archetypal fancy Disney hotels with all the attendant allures. Between the two hotels, there are 2,267 luxury rooms and 254,000 sq ft of meeting and exhibition space. They share 17 restaurants and lounges, four swimming pools, two health clubs, and a wide array of recreational activities.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort

An 18-storey atrium welcomes honeymooners and families, screeching parrots and all. It’s hard to imagine a more replete resort hotel, and there’s a whole world to explore, from one of the best pools in the country to the comprehensive sports on offer to the destination restaurants.

Galleria Palms Hotel & Suites

One of the best-located budget hotel options you’re only a mile and a half from Disney but you can stay at a fraction of the price of similarly placed hotels. The rooms aren’t the largest you’ll ever stay in but they are clean and modern and there’s even a free breakfast.

Doubletree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld

Formerly the Doubletree Resort Orlando, a US$35m refurbishment in 2010 means this is now one of the best value hotels on International Drive. Set in 11 hectares (28 acres) of landscaped gardens, there are three main pools and a children’s pool. There are varied dining options on site, and a myriad of choices just nearby.