March 27, 2008

New and Upcoming in Orlando For Meetings

2008

Orlando Accommodations

The Westin Imagine Orlando
Opening April 3 directly across from the North Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center, the 12-story hotel features 470 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom suites and will eventually anchor a 30-acre urban village complete with dining and entertainment venues and walking paths. 

Green Hotels
More than 30 Orlando hotels have received "green" certification by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. To achieve this designation, hotels must follow certain green practices including: water conservation measures through low-flow plumbing fixtures; linen reuse programs; energy efficiency and programmable thermostats; waste reduction programs including recycling, purchasing items in bulk and purchasing recycled materials; and the use of green cleaners, high-efficiency air filters and clean air handler units.  The destination anticipates all convention hotels to be “green” certified by 2009. For more information on the Florida Green Lodging program and to stay current on the latest Orlando area "Green" Hotels, visit dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging/lodges.htm.

Orlando Theme Park Attractions

SeaWorld Orlando

• Aquatica – SeaWorld’s Waterpark, opened in March. The park, Orlando’s first new theme park in 10 years, includes beaches and swimming areas, as well as an attraction that whisks riders through acrylic flumes amid a lagoon of jumping Commerson's dolphins.

Universal Orlando Resort

• Universal Studios Florida opens a new ride based on FOX’s blockbuster hit series, “The Simpsons,” in the spring.
• In summer 2007, The Blue Man Group debuted in the new Sharp Aquos Theatre at Universal CityWalk.

Walt Disney World Resort

• Walt Disney World changed its Disney-MGM Studios theme park name to Disney's Hollywood Studios in January.
• "The Year of a Million Dreams" has been extended until the end of the year and will include more than one million very special dreams awarded to guests—from free ice cream and an all day FASTPASS to a night in Cinderella’s Castle Suite.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open an “American Idol” attraction that will bring the television and pop culture phenomenon to life, in late 2008.
• Toy Story Mania!, an interactive “Toy Story” competition inspired by the film, opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the summer.
• “Block Party Bash,” a new interactive parade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, opens in the spring.
• Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is home to the only yacht in Central Florida available for group charters. Appropriately named the Grand I, the new yacht is a 52-foot, fully staffed Sea Ray that cruises Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area. The yacht can accommodate up to 18 guests and offers spectacular views of Wishes, the Magic Kingdom fireworks spectacular, and the nightly Electrical Water Pageant. Full on-board catering is available.
• Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, the largest of the six Walt Disney World Convention Resorts, has opened three new restaurant facilities, each with different theme and food offerings.
• Disney Institute has introduced a completely new version of its popular 3½-day seminar, The Disney Approach to People Management.  The program is regularly scheduled throughout the year for individual enrollment and small groups.  Private sessions are available for groups of 70 or more. 

Shopping and Dining

• Pointe Orlando, an entertainment complex in the heart of the convention district, continues its multi-million dollar makeover adding an eclectic collection of casual, themed and upscale dining establishments along with a variety of retail shops.  To date, the new restaurants include:  The Capital Grille; The Oceanaire Seafood Room; Tommy Bahama’s Tropical Café and Emporium; B.B. King’s Blues Club; Maggiano’s Little Italy; Redrock Canyon Grille; The Grape Wine Bar & Gourmet Bistro; and Taverna Opa.
• Prime Outlets International Orlando, formerly Belz Factory Outlet World, completes Phase Two of its $200 million renovation that will include Banana Republic Factory Store, BCBG Max Azria Factory Store, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Michael Kors, J. Crew Factory Store, Hickey Freeman, Bath & Body Works and kate spade in July.  When complete, the outlet will offer more than 125 brand-name stores.

Misc.

• On September 18, Orlando community leaders will conduct the city’s first-ever “Medical Tourism Summit” to discuss and create opportunities to share Orlando’s growing medical community with the area’s meetings and convention business and tourism. 

2009

Accommodations

The Hilton Orlando Hotel
Scheduled to open in summer 2009 adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center, this new property will feature:

• 1,400 rooms
• 130,000 square feet of meeting space 
       -  50,000 square foot grand ballroom
       -  30,000 square foot junior ballroom
       -  38 meeting rooms
• Six dining establishments including a fine dining option
• 15,000 square foot spa & fitness center
• An eventual pedestrian sky bridge linking the hotel to the convention center

The Hilton Bonnet Creek
Opening late 2009 near the Walt Disney World Resort, this new Hilton resort complex will feature the first Waldorf=Astoria outside of New York City and a Hilton hotel, creating Hilton’s largest mainland resort.

Waldorf=Astoria hotel features include:

• 498 rooms
• 8,100 square foot ballroom
• 13,900 square feet of flexible and pre-function meeting space
• Renowned dining options including Bull & Bear, Sir Harry’s Lounge, Peacock Alley
• Private pool with cabanas
• 18-hole, on-site Rees Jones Golf Course
• 24,000 square foot spa & fitness center

Hilton Hotel features include:

• 1,000 rooms
• 114,000 square feet of meeting space
• 36,000 square foot Grand Ballroom
• 27,500 square foot Junior Ballroom
• 48 individual breakout rooms
• Three designated boardrooms
• Five restaurants including a fine dining option
• Resort-themed pool and lazy river

Attractions

Universal Orlando Resort

• Universal’s Islands of Adventure opens “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” a new 20-acre area. Expected to open late in the year, the new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions as well as experiential shops and restaurants that will enable guests to sample fare from the wizard world’s best-known establishments.
• Universal Studios Florida opens Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit, a multi-sensory, special effects roller coaster, in the spring.

Misc.

• Burnham Institute for Medical Research at Lake Nona opens early in the year. The Institute, along with the UCF College of Medicine, will serve as the anchors for a medical city complex at Lake Nona.

2010

Accommodations

Four Seasons Orlando
This new 450-room luxury property is expected to anchor a new 900-acre luxury resort at Walt Disney World and will include an 18-hole championship golf course.

The Peabody Hotel expansion project
A more than $400 million expansion project is underway including a brand-new tower with 750 guest rooms (for a total of 1,641 guest rooms), an additional 150,000 square feet of meeting space (for a total of 220,000 square feet), two new restaurants, a new spa, pool and English garden.

Sports & Recreation

• The 800,000-square-foot Orlando Events Center will open in the fall in downtown Orlando on West Church Street and Hughey Ave.

Misc.

• Florida Children’s Hospital will open a new seven-story, 200-bed facility bearing the Disney name (official name TBD).

2011

Sports & Recreation

• Extensive renovations at the Citrus Bowl stadium in downtown Orlando are complete providing more opportunities for Orlando to host major college sporting events. 

2012

Arts & Culture

• A new performing arts center with three state-of-the-art performance halls open in downtown Orlando on Orange Avenue and South Street. It will host Orlando's philharmonic, ballet and opera as well as touring Broadway shows. The new center's plans include 400,000 square feet of space, a 2,800-seat hall for large-scale productions, an 1,800-seat hall for local performing arts groups and a 300-seat hall for small performing arts groups.