While most think of Florida as a year-round paradise, many would be surprised to learn that there ar

Orlando, japan tour for most people, conjures up the image of theme parks, mainly Walt Disney World , but it has a lot more to offer than that. (In fact, Disney World is not in Orlando, but is in nearby Lake Buena Vista ). With the estimated 52 million tourists a year, Orlando and many other areas in the region have developed a lot to offer the less theme park minded (or theme park exhausted) traveler.
When people think of Orlando, most think of theme parks and a vast urban sprawl. However, the city proper contains none of the major theme parks (Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World), dinner attractions (Arabian Nights, Medieval Times), or even most small theme parks (Gatorland, Holyland Experience, Ripley's Believe-it-or-not, etc). However, since Orlando is the larger city associated japan tour with most of these popular attractions, you will find details and descriptions of them below.
Most tourists visit Orlando japan tour between June and August, while another peak time for tourism is March and April. Ironically, the less busy times for tourism correspond to the best weather in the Orlando area; the summer months can be exceptionally busy with families who are making a trip while kids are on summer vacation. Visiting when the weather isn't so hot means less people in the area and that provides some advantages, but you will be able to enjoy cooler weather.
Many say central Florida has two seasons: hot and hotter. Orlando has warm, balmy springs and autumns; hot summers complete with daily thunderstorms; and temperate winters affected by the occasional cold front. That being said:
Spring in Orlando has highs in the 80s (27°C) in March April transitioning to around 90°F (32°C) in May and low-mid 90s in June. Spring is the driest time of year here, and in the past decade japan tour some spring months have seen less than a half-inch of rain! This is the time of year in which many small wildfires appear around the region, but this should not bother anyone who stays within the urban area. March and April are great times to visit with dry days, clear skies, and warm temperatures (and no cold fronts). However, late May and early June are arguably the worst time to visit filled with hot, humid, dry days.
While most think of Florida as a year-round paradise, many would be surprised japan tour to learn that there are at least ten clear winter mornings a year when lows fall to near freezing. However, even on the coldest of mornings, highs will soon reach into the 50s and 60s! Nevertheless, every 3-4 years, snow flurries will mix with rain somewhere in the region, the most recent being 3 January, 2008. However, only once since records began in 1948 has any measurable snow fall at the airport (0.2" in/0.5 cm Jan 1977). So if you visit between November and March, bring a jacket...it may be warmer than northern states, but not as warm as you may think it will be!
Summer begins with the start of daily thunderstorms around mid-June. Highs from mid-June to mid-September are in the mid 90s, with 90ºF (32°C) often being reached by 10-11AM, and lows in the 70s (23°C). Due to Orlando's proximity to two coasts, thunderstorms form everyday during this period from ocean breezes which heat over land, rise, and cool in the atmosphere to create sometimes violent thunderstorms (see the "Stay Safe" section). However, they often will drop temperatures into the low 80s (28°C) after passing...a welcome relief japan tour from the hot temperatures earlier in the year.
Autumn varies much more from year to year than spring. The daily thunderstorms taper off in September leaving highs in the mid-high 80s (29°C) until mid-October. The first cold front of the season will usually pass between mid and late October, plunging highs into the 70s (24°C) and lows into the 50s (12°C) and high 40s (10°C). The cooling trend continues into November and December, with highs falling into the 70s (24°C) by late December and lows into the 50s (12°C), japan tour affected only by the occasional cold front which can plunge highs into the 60s (18°C)(Nov) and 50s (12°C)(Dec) and lows into the 40s (7°C)(Nov) and as low as freezing (32ºF/0ºC) by mid December.
Winter is much the same as November and December. Highs are in the 70s (24°C), japan tour lows in the 50s (12°C), affected every week or two by cold fronts. Following a cold front, highs can drop into the 50s (12°C), lows into the 30s (2°C).
Orlando International Airport ( IATA : MCO , [1] ) is the city's primary airport, and the busiest airport japan tour in the state in terms of passenger traffic. japan tour The airport is located to the southeast japan tour of downtown japan tour but is centrally located with respect to the region and area attractions. Orlando International Airport is a secondary hub for AirTran Airways, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, all of which fly numerous routes to/from Orlando. Furthermore, Delta Air Lines offers 10-15 flights daily between Orlando and their super-hub japan tour in Atlanta and American japan tour Airlines has 9 flights a day to their Miami hub. Non-stop service is offered to nearly every major city east of the Mississippi and to several major western cities (LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Denver).
Daily flights to Europe are offered by Virgin Atlantic (London-Gatwick Manchester), British Airways (London-Gatwick), Lufthansa (Frankfurt). Multiple flights japan tour per week are flown to Dublin (Aer Lingus), Paris (Air France, japan tour ends Sep. 2012), Glasgow (Virgin Atlantic, seasonally), Zurich (Swiss Int./Edelweiss Air). To South America, there are daily flights to Sao Paulo (TAM) Bogata (Jet Blue) and seasonal service to Santiago, Chile (LAN). Over a dozen Canadian destinations are served non-stop, many seasonally (Toronto Montreal are served daily year-round). Other international destinations served from Orlando include: Jamaica (Montego Bay), the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo), the Bahamas (Nassau), Mexico (Cancun, Mexico City), Panama (Panama City), Costa Rica (San José), El Salvador (San Salvador). The airport was approved japan tour in 2012 to begin Cuba flights.
Orlando International is structured into two components, landside and airside. japan tour There is a central landside terminal (A and B), containing airline counters, baggage claim, rental agencies, numerous shops, and a hotel. japan tour This central terminal is connected via trams to four other terminals, known as Airside 1-4, with the airplane gates. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in both the central terminal and the airsides.
Security screening is performed japan tour in the central landside terminal before taking the tram to the airsides japan tour and, as in all U.S. airports, only ticketed passengers are allowed past security. Security lines can become extremely long (1 hr), especially during the summer tourist season and near holidays. Combined with long check-in lines, it is advisable to arrive 2-3 hours before your scheduled departure.
Almost every medium to high priced hotel in the city offers transfers. Orlando is the rental japan tour car capital of the world and as such there are several car rental agencies offering a wide range of vehicles for rental.
There are several Shuttle and Town Car services options that run from the airport japan tour to various points, including Kissimmee, theme parks, University of Central Florida, and the cruise port at Port Canaveral . Approximate rates [2] for shuttle vans ranges from $18-26 depending on your destination.
Disney's Magical Express , +1 407-WDW-MAGIC or 407-939-6244, [3] Complimentary shuttle and luggage delivery service for guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Advance reservations are required.
Mears Transportation , +1 407-423-5566 provides shuttle service from Orlando Internation to many hotels in and around the region, including those in the Disney area that are not served by Magical Express. [4]
Florida Magical Tours and Transportation , +1 407-240-8432 provides transportation services japan tour (Town Cars, Escalade SUV's, Passengers Vans, Limousines) from Orlando japan tour International Airport MCO and Sanford japan tour International Airport SFB. [6]
Public transit from MCO to Downtown Disney/Magic Kingdom transportation centers is provided by Lynx Route 111 [7] , every half an hour, picking up at Landside A Terminal (North), on the Ground Transportation japan tour Level (Level 1), at Commercial Lane spaces A38-A41. $2.
A secondary airport which serves the Orlando area is the Orlando-Sanford International Airport ( IATA : SFB , [8] ) located in Sanford , a city just to the north of Orlando, the side of Orlando opposite most attractions. Service between Orlando Sanford International and Europe includes: Monarch Airlines (London-Gatwick Manchester; seasonally to Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle upon tyne Newcastle); Thomas japan tour Cook Airlines (Manchester; seasonally to Belfast, Glasgow, London-Gatwick); Thomson Airways (Birmingham, London-Gatwick, Manchester; seasonally to Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne); Arkefly (Amsterdam); and Icelandair (Reykjavik, seasonal). Orlando Sanford International japan tour is also a hub for Allegiant Air which serves a lot of small U.S. cities. /p
Other regional airports (within an hour and a half drive) include Daytona Beach International Airport (served by Delta to Atlanta and US Airways to Charlotte) Melbourne International Airport (served by Delta to Atlanta, US Airways to Charlotte, Baer Air to Marsh Harbour, Bahamas). In addition, Orlando area visitors who plan on visiting the Gulf Coast may consider flying into Tampa International Airport , about 80 mi (130 km) west of Orlando japan tour or just over an hour's drive, as it is less crowded and a bit easier to access via road.
If you plan on visiting more than just Orlando and plan on taking international flights, you may want to consider flying via Miami International Airport , a 200-mile (320 km) and a 2-3 hour drive south of Orlando, which offers more international flights and is the largest U.S. gateway for flights to South/Central America the Caribbean.
All persons flying via general aviation japan tour should consider arriving via Orlando Executive Airport which is six miles east of downto