Orlando

Orlando's Entertainment Options Make for Memorable Moments

ORLANDO, Fla. – “Remember the time when we…” “Wasn’t that a great night at…” “I’ll never forget the fun we had during…” These are the types of sentiments that every meeting planner hopes to inspire in their attendees – moments that will live on in their minds for years to come.

As a premier destination for meetings, conventions, tradeshows and incentive travel, Orlando has just the assortment of entertainment options to inspire such memories. Whether it be a celebration over dinner, a night out on the town, a rejuvenating spa treatment or an awe-inspiring cultural exchange, delegates to Orlando meetings will take home far more than they expected.

An Evening of Good Eats

Since dining ranks as one of the key experiences of a successful meeting, Orlando gives meeting attendees hundreds of restaurants from which to choose; and they don’t have to travel far to find them. Within a 10-mile radius of the Orange County Convention Center, they’ll discover more than 50 upscale restaurants with 15,000 seats. Throughout Orlando, dozens of ethnic, specialty, family and fine dining establishments offer something for every palate with one-of-a-kind meals at stylish, sophisticated and out-of-the-ordinary spots that will leave meeting attendees wanting more. That’s to be expected when some of the nation’s most talked about chefs operate area restaurants, including Todd English’s bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Dolphin resort, Emeril Lagasse’s Emeril’s Orlando at Universal CityWalk and Emeril’s Tchoup Chop at Universal Orlando Resort, Melissa  Kelly’s Primo at the JW Marriott Orlando, Wolfgang Puck’s Wolfgang Puck Café at Downtown Disney West Side, Norman Van Aken’s signature restaurant Norman’s at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, and Roy Yamaguchi’s Roy’s on Restaurant Row.

Celebrity chefs are joined by a host of equally talented local chefs who serve up a rich diversity of good eats. Meeting delegates from around the globe are delighted to find Middle Eastern specialties, along with German, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Cuban, Indian and Vietnamese fare. Others prefer to find spots frequented by the locals, such as Del Frisco’s, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Babbo Wine Bar & Café, Antonio’s La Fiamma, Park Plaza Gardens, or the White Wolf Café. To experience the hippest spots, some head to California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort for a bird’s-eye view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks or to the trendy HUE – A Restaurant, The Beacon or Graze in Thornton Park in downtown Orlando.  Music lovers find their place at the House of Blues, Bongo’s Cuban Café. Those seeking an eclectic selection head to Restaurant Row for one of 20 diverse restaurants within one mile, including Euro-Asian creations at Roy’s Restaurant, Middle-Eastern fare at Cedar’s Restaurant, seafood at Moonfish or Bonefish Grill, sushi at Amura, Latin-inspired dishes at the Samba Room, or fondue at the Melting Pot. And, for the super special dinner with clients or other VIPs, meeting delegates settle at one of the area’s exclusive restaurants such as Manuel’s on the 28^th, Victoria & Albert’s, Chalet Suzanne or Enzo’s on the Lake.

Still are more choices at the Pointe Orlando shopping and entertainment complex with several new signature restaurants, including The Capital Grille, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Tommy Bahama’s Tropical Café & Emporium, B.B. King’s Blues Club, Taverna Opa, and Maggiano’s Little Italy.

A Night on the Town

After a remarkable meal, meeting attendees often want to continue their fun with a night on the town. Orlando obliges with a thriving nightlife scene of ultra-hip bars, high-energy dance clubs, laid-back pubs and multi-venue entertainment complexes. There are several distinct areas for attendees to unwind after a hard-day’s work on the tradeshow floor or in general sessions and seminars.  

Downtown Orlando comes alive at night with the sounds of an urban metropolis and a host of nightlife options on Orange Avenue, Church Street, Magnolia Street, Central Boulevard and Pine Street. Nearby, Ybor Martini Bar offers a full menu of specialty martinis while down the street The Globe, a relaxed coffee shop, serves unique appetizers and sushi as guests listen to the music from neighboring Slingapours and Tuk Tuk, two attached nightclubs often featuring live music. Sky60, a rooftop bar on Orange Avenue, has a California-cool style that lets visitors relax in small cabana-style booths with great views of the Orlando skyline; and Rhythm & Flow draws an eclectic crowd with decor and design evoking contemporary New York and Miami’s South Beach. And for those seeking comic relief, nearby SAK Comedy Lab serves as a training ground for new comedians, including famous alumni Wayne Brady.

Closer to the Orange County Convention Center, the bright lights of International Drive (I-Drive) shine for an evening of vast entertainment options. The Cricketers Arms is a relaxed pub featuring British fare, 17 beers on tap and nightly entertainment. Also on I-Drive are GLO Lounge, a sophisticated, trendy club featuring today's hottest blend of music, 50-inch plasma screens, billiards tables, VIP couches and live entertainment; Backstage at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, dubbed Orlando’s “original” dance club, where patrons dance to tunes from the 70s, 80s, 90s and today; and the Lucky Leprechaun Irish Pub, where patrons enjoy imported brew and cider specialties in a friendly atmosphere. Other nightlife options in the area include the dueling piano bar, Howl at the Moon Orlando; and Blue Martini at The Mall at Millenia, the perfect place to relax and enjoy live entertainment, a specialty drink and an appetizer in an indoor or outdoor setting.

Meeting attendees needn’t go far to find nighttime fun, since the area’s theme parks offer up plenty of good times at Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk shopping, dining and entertainment complexes. Downtown Disney Pleasure Island offers seven night clubs for the price of one, with entertainment ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to hip hop to country. At nearby Disney’s Boardwalk, the Atlantic Dance Club, guests sway to the hottest top 40 dance tunes. Not far away at Universal CityWalk, meeting attendees find the world’s largest Hard Rock Café and the adjacent Hard Rock Live Orlando, showcasing some of the biggest musical acts in the business as well as up-and-coming local bands. Then there’s a host of themed restaurants and nightclubs, with live music at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville; nightly live funk, R&B, soul and rock ‘n’ roll at CityJazz; live reggae at Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom; Mardi Gras year-round at Pat O’Brien’s and food and entertainment from 21 Latin American nations at Latin Quarter.

A Day of Pampering

If it’s daytime entertainment that meeting attendees seek during their free time from the business at hand, they can find it in Orlando’s many spas and cultural attractions. Because delegates are placing greater emphasis on personal health and relaxation, resort- and day-spas throughout Orlando are growing to meet the demand for innovative rejuvenating therapies, pampering treatments and fitness solutions. Conveniently accessible to meeting attendees, many of the area’s resorts boast top-notch spas.

In fact, 19 destination spas throughout Orlando offer an enticing lineup of amenities, and quite a few include state-of-the-art fitness centers. Two of the newest choices are the Mandara Spas, one at Universal’s Portofino Bay Hotel and the other at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. The former brings exotic Balinese healing traditions to the Universal Orlando Resort in an 8,000-square-foot sanctuary; and the latter 12,000-square-foot ancient Asian-inspired retreat features 13 treatment rooms, meditation gardens and a sophisticated hair and nail salon. Treatments at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes Spa include the two-hour Tuscan Citrus Cure with a sweet-orange wrap; and the luxury spa features Florida’s first Carita Institute and Salon, known throughout Europe for its top-of-the-line skincare products. The Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a Victorian-themed spa with its own line of grapefruit-flavored skin products. The Spa at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is the area’s newest spa with three outdoor cabanas for relaxing alfresco treatments, including the Golfer’s Massage.  And the Spa at Rosen Shingle Creek, one of Orlando’s newest spas, features a Creekside Citrus and Cedar Body Revitalizer body treatment complete with a guided relaxation experience.

A Taste of Culture

Cultural attractions may be more to the liking of some meeting attendees. In a region where theme parks dominate, delegates might be surprised to find a diverse cultural landscape of museums, galleries and performing arts. Unique museums include: the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and showcasing nearly 200 of his works in his home, galleries and three-acre garden in Winter Park; The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany; and the Mennello Museum of American Art, Florida’s only museum showcasing works of self-taught artists, including renowned folk artist Earl Cunningham.

Not-to-be-missed gallery stops are: the Crealde School of Art, featuring one of the largest contemporary art sculptures in the state; the Maitland Art Center, spotlighting changing exhibitions, concerts in the garden, a lecture series and numerous special events; CityArts Factory, a working studio space where among other things, guests can learn the art of glass-blaring, and galleries; Millenia Fine Art, featuring paintings by Picasso, Chagall, Renoir and other masters as well as works by contemporary artists; and Timothy’s Gallery, one of the “Top 100 Gallery of American Craft” winners since 1997.

Performing arts choices include: the Bach Festival Society, with seasonal performances by a 150-voice choir and guests soloists and ensembles; Cirque du Soleil, featuring surreal sets, live music and high-energy choreography with gymnasts, acrobats, dancers and clowns; Blue Man Group, a totally unique form of entertainment combining music, comedy and multimedia theatrics; the Festival of Orchestras permanent concert series showcasing five or more internationally acclaimed symphony orchestras each season; the Orlando Ballet with 24 national and international dancers; and the SunTrust Broadway Across America/Orlando series, presenting national Broadway touring shows at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in downtown Orlando; the Orlando Opera; the Orlando Philharmonic; and numerous live theatre options.

- Information Provided by the Orlando Visitors Bureau -