The latest Orlando happenings updated weekly using information provided by partners and destination press releases. Stay up-to-date on Orlando's most recent announcements and openings from accommodations and attractions to restaurants and more.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Aloft Orlando Downtown has completed its multi-million-dollar renovation with notable upgrades including newly styled and modernized guest rooms and public spaces, an expansion of the hotel’s pre-existing meeting space and menu updates to the brand’s signature W XYZ bar with all-new, creative craft cocktails and small plates.
ATTRACTIONS
Gatorland will offer Florida residents half-off single day admission and one free child admission (ages 3-12) with each paying adult Sept. 1-30 as part a special back to school offer.
The Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens will offer free admission to Bank of America cardholders Sept. 3-4 as part of the “Bank of America Museum on Us Weekend.”
Journey of Water, inspired by Moana, will be brought to life within World Nature – the EPCOT neighborhood dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty, awe, and balance of the natural world. The all-ages upcoming attraction will allow guests to explore and engage with water as it travels from the skies to the oceans and back again.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will offer discounted one day admission, at $19 adults and $14 for children, Sept.12 - 18 to residents of Orange, Volusia, Seminole and Osceola counties as part of its “Mercury Offer”. Guests are encouraged to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items to donate to the local Second Harvest Food Bank.
Pirates Dinner Adventure will feature the return of its Halloween-themed dinner show experience, Vampirates Sept. 20 – Oct. 29. The show, centered around an evil gang of vampire pirates, will provide spooky fun for the entire family featuring post-show trick-or-treating. The attraction will also partner with American Ghost Tours, a local ghost hunting and paranormal investigation group, to offer an enhanced Halloween experience following the dinner show. Guests who purchase the upgrade can stay after the show to use paranormal investigation equipment and communicate with spirits who may be in the building.
Teatro Martini, Pirates Dinner Adventure’s adults-only, burlesque-inspired dinner show, will feature a Halloween overlay throughout the season. Specialties include limited edition specialty cocktails and a variety of arts including pole dancing, hula hooping, comedy, magic and more.
ICON Park will partner with the United States Army Central Florida Recruiting Company to host quarterly enlistment ceremonies for dozens of future soldiers on select dates Oct. 1 – Nov. 5, 2023. The ceremonies offer an opportunity for the future soldiers of the U.S. Army and their families to have a memorable moment before embarking on their journey to basic combat training. Active military are eligible to receive four complimentary tickets to The Wheel.
Max Action Arena, an all-new entertainment center, will open at ICON Park this fall. The family-friendly attraction will feature a variety of experiences including cutting-edge virtual reality technology, adventure rooms, axe throwing and more.
Oh Eco Orlando, an all-new eco-friendly retail shop, is now open in the Ivanhoe Village district. The new shop offers sustainable goods in addition to a bulk/refill bar for anyone interested in cutting back on packaging.
DINING & NIGHTLIFE
Pointe Orlando will open an all-new immersive dining and entertainment experience featuring new concepts, Sports & Social and PBR Cowboy Bar, in 2024. Sports & Social will offer elevated food and wine offerings, premier sports watching, live music and social games including skee-ball, foosball, shuffleboard and more. PBR Cowboy Bar will feature a professionally endorsed mechanical riding bull, multiple signature bars and private VIP booths.
The Wilson, the all-new, two-floor restaurant at Meliá Orlando Celebration, is now open. The new restaurant focuses on a “where the coast meets the curb” approach to its menu with fresh seasonal ingredients from local farms and purveyors that highlight modern and playful interpretations of New American classics complemented by signature cocktails, award-winning wine and craft beer.
White Rabbit Dessert Experience, the New York-based dessert shop, will open two Orlando-area locations this month, in Winter Garden and the Waterford Lakes Town Center. The shops will offer over 100 dessert items including made-to-order waffles, crepes, sundaes, cakes, brownies, a full espresso bar and homemade ice creams, made daily at the restaurants.
Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar will feature a “Tour of Cuba” three-course prix-fixe menu at $40 in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 – Oct.15. The three-course meal will feature numerous traditional and classic Cuban dishes from the restaurant’s regular menu.
City Works Eatery & Pour House, located at Disney Springs, will offer a limited time, German-inspired menu and festive beer menu in celebration of Oktoberfest from Sept. 17 - Oct. 3. Themed dishes will include Smokehouse Currywurst, Crispy Pork Belly Spaetzle and Pork Schnitzel.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando and JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes will offer an indulgent MICHELIN Weekend taking place Oct. 7-9. The experience begins with an exciting "Mingle with MICHELIN" event to celebrate the recognition of Florida's MICHELIN award-winning chefs, including John Tesar, Executive Chef of Knife & Spoon at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando; Rhys Gawlak, Executive Sous Chef of Primo at JW Marriott Orlando; and other chefs from around the state. The weekend of immersive culinary experiences will feature a VIP brunch experience, a “Cabana Life” poolside experience, a Gala Dinner and more.
EVENTS & FESTIVALS
Universal Orlando Resort unveiled all-new details for Halloween Horror Nights 2022 including a “killer” menu featuring more than 75 items, from themed food and beverage locations to tasty offerings with a horrifying twist at select CityWalk locations and Universal hotels. Highlights include the “Save Your Tears” signature cocktail inspired by “The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare;” the “Maggot Covered Cheese Dog,” inspired by the “Bugs: Eaten Alive” original haunted house; and Halloween Horror Nights staples like Pizza Fries, Twisted Taters and more.
Meliá Orlando Celebration will celebrate its 11th Anniversary as the first U.S. hotel of Spain-based Meliá Hotels and Resorts with special festivities for the entire month of September including themed parties featuring a DJ, themed characters, classic car exhibitions and more.
Christmas Nights in Lights, an all-new seasonal attraction, will debut at Dezerland Park Nov. 11 – Jan. 1. The immersive light show experience will take guests through a showcase of holiday displays and more than 1.5 million lights as part of a drive-thru light show fully synchronized to popular holiday classics tuned directly to each vehicle’s car stereo on a private radio frequency. .
Orange County Regional History Center will debut new exhibition, Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando’s Underground, this month showcasing the story of how Figurehead, a prominent Orlando promoter, helped grow the local underground rock music and club circuit from the 1980s through the early 2000s.
Fiesta Aquatica will return to Aquatica Orlando to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month on weekends Sept. 10-25. The event, included with admission, will feature Latin music and live entertainment, Tequila tastings at the all-new Trader Turi's Tiki Bar for an additional fee, and Latin-inspired food offerings at restaurants throughout the park.
Renaissance Theatre Company will present the return of “Nosferatu" Sept. 23-Oct. 31, at the Ren in Orlando. The re-vamped adult horror experience, offering an entirely new concept from last years’ event, will feature a menu of signature cocktails and a cast of 22 vampires leads playing out engaging, scary, and sexy scenarios.
The Olive Bar, located in downtown Orlando, will host the Beauty and The Beast Cocktail Experience: Orlando from Nov. 30 – Feb. 22. The immersive cocktail adventure will take guests on a 90-minute journey into the enchanted and cursed world of Beauty & The Beast, offering a theatrical, alternate reality experience that includes themed cocktails, the opportunity to solve riddles to lift the curse and more.
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art will open a new vignette, Preserving Louis Tiffany’s Interior Design: The Ayer Mansion on Tuesday, October 18. The Morse will exhibit a few tangible elements that remain from the Ayer Mansion, to provide a glimpse into the remarkable home, one of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s most complete design commissions for a residence. The museum will also host a free Friday Film Series focusing on American designers the last three Fridays in October.
Harry P. Leu Gardens will transform once again into a winter wonderland featuring a million dazzling lights, shining forests, magical displays, music and beautiful sculptures during “Dazzling Nights” Nov. 25 - Jan. 1. This year’s event brings a completely redesigned show featuring brand-new lighting installations, character meet-and-greets, a kids play area and food offerings.
The Oviedo-Winter Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce and the City of Winter Springs will host the 15th Annual Winter Springs Festival of the Art Oct. 15-16. The free, family-friendly festival will feature a mix of musical acts, artwork and more.
The Mennello Museum of American Art will host the Indie-Folkfest for its eighth year on Oct. 8. The free, pet-friendly, signature outdoor event will offer a lively line up featuring live music, nationally renowned artists, a kids zone, food and beverage offerings and more.
The Haunted Road, a drive-thru Halloween experience, returns to Orlando now through Nov. 6. This year’s experience features an all-new, 25-minute route; a walk-through of the Human Slaughterhouse haunted house; and a chilling Afterlife Party.
