5 Fun Facts About Orlando

Orlando is the fourth largest city in Florida, after Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa. It is also the center of the third-largest metropolitan area in the state.

Many visitors to the area do not get to see downtown Orlando. Instead, many head to the Orange County Convention Center, 12 theme parks, 39 golf courses or the HUNDREDS of resorts and hotels.

Fun fact about myself: Orlando was the first city I visited when I traveled to the United States for the first time. I loved it.

Here are some key facts about Orlando:

In advance of your visit, in the article, we’ll cover 5 fun facts about Orlando.

2. Orlando was the center of Florida’s citrus industry, but the “Great Freeze” of 1894–1895 devastated citrus crops in Central Florida

Orlando’s soil now grows golf courses and holds theme parks (see fun fact about Orlando #4), but the city’s history was steeped in citrus before the cold weather forced farmers further southward.

Camping World Stadium was formerly The Orlando Citrus Bowl, built during the Great Depression and named in honor of Orlando’s history with the citrus industry.

3. The world’s largest McDonald’s is in Orlando

Orlando is home to the “World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s,” located on Sand Lake Road. This McDonald’s has attractions not available at your local burger joint, including a brick oven pizza station, dessert bar and an arcade with 100 games.

The MickyD’s has a “Gourmet Bistro Menu” with over 50 unique items from McDonald’s locations around the world, including customized pastas and Belgian waffles.

McDonalds

• Address: 6875 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL
• Hours: Typically, open from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM

4. Orlando is the “theme park capital of the world,” but the family that runs Gatorland beat Walt Disney to the punch

Orlando has more major theme parks than any other city in the world. Walt Disney World alone attracted 60 million visitors in 2024.

But did you know the first theme park in the Orlando metropolitan area was actually Gatorland which opened in 1949?

Gatorland is a family owned 110-acre theme park and wildlife preserve south of Orlando. The park has thousands of alligators and brands itself as the “Alligator Capital of the World.”

>> Read about which country has the third most visited theme park in the world (hint: it’s not the US).

5. Church Street Station was once a central stop for rail travel in Orlando

Church Street Station was built in 1889 and served rail passengers until 1926. Also known as the Old Orlando Railroad Depot, the station was an entertainment hub in the 1970s and 1980s with nightclubs, restaurants and attractions.

The Old Orlando Railroad Depot was the first location in listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

References:

• Click Orlando: The largest McDonald’s is in Central Florida
• Gatorland Official Site: Gatorland Theme Park
• National Parks Service: National Register of Historical Places
• The Walt Disney Company: 2023 Annual Report
• Visit Orlando: Central Florida’s Tourism Industry