TL;DRWhether you are an Orlando local, or just visiting the area, we have several fun facts below that you can impress your friends and family with! So next time you’re gathered with your nearest and dearest, perhaps on an escape room adventure, you can wow them with not only your puzzle-solving skills, but on your knowledge of how many lakes there are in Orlando, the height of Spaceship Earth at Epcot, and what movie was filmed at Gatorland!
Are you an Orlando local that finds yourself playing tour guide to all of your out of state or international friends when they come to visit? If so, instead of recycling the same old tidbits they have heard before, here are some interesting potential additions to your repertoire! Read on to discover the fascinating facts we’ve compiled below, featuring everything from history, to arts, culture, and local landscape…oh and of course, any Orlando-area list wouldn’t be complete without a couple of Disney World facts thrown in there too!
In Orlando? Come play an escape room
Historical Orlando And The Local Landscape
- Orlando was incorporated as a city back in 1875, and at the time, only had a population of 85 residents!
- No one really knows the origin of why Orlando is called…well, Orlando! But before it was known by this name, it was called Jernigan after the area’s first permanent settler.
- There is a reason Orlando is often referred to as The City Beautiful – it’s home to over 100 lakes and over 100 parks!
- The oldest remaining structures in the downtown area are The Rogers Building and the 1890 Railroad Depot.
- Speaking of old structures, The Bumby Building dates back to 1886 and is infamous for ghost sightings! Passersby have reported a small girl dressed in clothing from the 1800’s skipping in the road, or waving from the windows of the building.
Orlando Arts And Culture
- Fred Rogers wrote Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood as his senior thesis at Rollins College in Winter Park. He graduated from the college in 1951, with a musical composition degree.
- For a while, Winter Haven was home to a 24-foot potty chair, built by local artist and resident Steve Chayt. Naturally, the neighbors petitioned to have it removed.
- The Orlando International Airport has a hyper-realistic statue created by American artist Duane Hanson. The sculpture depicts an everyday traveler, who looks incredibly lifelike, but is actually made using polyester resin, fibreglass, and extremely detailed painting techniques.
- Since 1992, Orlando has held its own Fringe festival, celebrating visual arts, theatre, comedy, and all kinds of entertainment.
- The Orlando Museum of Art has been open for over 100 years, and is home to one of the largest collections of Hispanic and Latino artifacts.
Orlando Attractions And Theme Parks
- Orlando hasn’t always been the attraction-packed place it is today, in fact, the first theme park to ever open in the area was Gatorland! It opened in 1949 with a 15ft alligator as the main attraction (which was said to be the world’s biggest). In 1984, parts of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom were filmed in the park!
- The Walt Disney World Resort encompasses a truly gigantic area, over 40 square miles to be exact, and around the size of two Manhattan islands.
- In 1974, John Lennon signed the legal paperwork which officially dissolved The Beatles in none other than Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
- Disney World landmark, Spaceship Earth (pictured above), is a whopping 165 feet tall and weighs around 16 million pounds!
- The ever-popular annual Central Florida Fair has been entertaining Orlando locals since 1912.
Oh, and one more thing…
Orlando is also home to award-winning escape room The Escape Effect! To reserve your game, call (855) 426-3372 or book online today.
