Any destination “where winter doesn’t exist” tops the list of Canadian travellers these days – and that’s especially true for Orlando.

Also known as the Theme Park Capital of the World – and incidentally, also the number one travel destination in the U.S. – Orlando has a whole lot going on for 2024, from movie-inspired attractions and a launch coaster with snowmobile-style cars, to a cabaret-style music venue tucked inside a performing arts centre, and a luxury beach-like resort with an eight-acre crystal lagoon.

Orlando has more than two dozen new experiences for new and returning visitors in 2024. Here’s a look …

Theme Parks

•  Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana opened in October 2023 at Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort.
• The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, a fully reimagined theatrical production inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic “The Little Mermaid,” will debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ newly refreshed Animation Courtyard theatre in the fall.
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure replaces Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom Park in late 2024.
• DreamWorks Land will debut at Universal Studios Florida in late 2024. Guests will be able to interact with their favourite DreamWorks Animations’ characters in themed, interactive play spaces and attractions that bring characters from popular movies like ‘Shrek,’ ‘Trolls’ and ‘Kung Fu Panda’ to life.
• Aquatica Orlando will introduce Tassie’s Underwater Twist, a new waterslide.
• SeaWorld Orlando will debut Penguin Trek, an immersive indoor/outdoor launch coaster families can ride together this spring.
• LEGOLAND Florida Resort will debut LEGO Ferrari Build & Race this spring, offering guests the experience of viewing a life-sized LEGO Ferrari car, and building and testing it in one of three obstacle-laden test tracks.

Rendering of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana at EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort (photo credit Mariah Wild)

Venue Expansions & Openings

• Judson’s Live debuts on February 6, bringing a low-key, 150-seat, cabaret-style music space to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
• AREA15 Orlando, the second location of Las Vegas’ highly themed entertainment district, is coming to the heart of Orlando’s tourism corridor. AREA15 will offer an ever-changing roster of concert events, art exhibitions, nightlife and boundary-pushing shows.
• Orlando Science Center opens its newest exhibit, ‘Life,’ this spring, with three distinctive habitats – swamp, ocean and tropical rainforest – and 300 animals from around the world.

New Hotels & Renovations

• The Alfond Inn, a boutique hotel in the heart of the historic Winter Park district, completed an extensive renovation in October 2023, adding 71 guestrooms, a café and a spa, among other features, for its 10-year anniversary celebration.

The Alfond Inn

Pool at The Alfond Inn

• Evermore Orlando Resort, which opened Janury 1, is Orlando’s first beach-like property with an eight-acre Crystal Lagoon and a 20-acre sandy beach with hammocks, cabanas and recreational activities. Guests can enjoy family paddleboarding, mixology classes, sandcastle-building lessons and more.
• The brand new Conrad Orlando, the destination’s first Hilton luxury brand, has 433 rooms, a spa, numerous dining options and 40,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space. Located at Evermore Orlando Resort, the property overlooks a golf course, a two-story boathouse for private events and Evermore Bay’s crystal lagoon and sandy beaches.

Conrad Orlando

Conrad Orlando lobby

King Guest Room with Lagoon View at Conrad Orlando
 

• Aloft Orlando Lake Nona opened this month with 205 loft-style guestrooms, 15 suites, wellness facilities, a sports-themed restaurant, and a 10,000 sq. ft. event centre.
• Villatel Orlando Resort began a phased opening in late 2023, offering private villa rentals with hotel-style standards and amenities. The property will eventually include an adventure waterpark with multi-story slides and a lazy river, a full-service restaurant and more. Upon full completion in 2025, the entire resort will have 526 units with apartment-style suites and single-family homes.
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando is completing a multi-phase floor-to-ceiling transformation of its resort rooms and suites, lobby space and select culinary outlets, including its restaurant Bull & Bear and 18-hole golf course.

Dining & Nightlife

• EET, the only Indian-inspired restaurant in Disney Springs, is now open.
• Summer House on the Lake, a lakeside eatery with California-inspired cuisine, also opened at Disney Springs.
• Arcade Monsters unveiled its fifth location of the video-game bar and restaurant in Orlando’s International Drive area offering a menu of classic bar food.
• Flûtes Champagne Bar, a 40-seat French-inspired champagne bar, celebrates the art of champagne-making and brings the elegance, culture, and flavours of France to Winter Park.
• Stadium Club, a new sports-themed facility located at Caribe Royale Orlando Resort, debuts later this month. The 500-seat facility will feature eight pro-level sports simulators, two bars and several areas for private events.
• Bar Kada, a 30-seat sake and wine lounge, will open in February.
• Moso Nori, a new concept by James Beard Award finalist and Michelin-recognized chef Henry Moso, is expecting a summer opening in Winter Park.
• BANDBOX Orlando, the spirit-free speakeasy in Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village district, will expand in the new year. The 1920s-inspired venue is partnering with a local coffee company to offer a variety of coffee and tea options by day, and a sober speakeasy by night.
• Natsu Omakase, an exclusive 10-seat sushi omakase concept, opened in downtown Orlando.
• Chuck Lager America’s Tavern is opening its eighth location, and fourth in Florida, from Top Chef alumnus Fabio Viviani. Known for its craft bourbons, the Tavern will also offer classics like nachos, burgers, flatbreads and tacos.
• Pointe Orlando, known as a playground for adults with or without kids, will debut a trio of new indoor/outdoor entertainment spaces, including Sports & Social, a place to watch and play games such as Skee-Ball and foosball; a PBR Cowboy Bar, featuring a mechanical bull and multiple bars; and Live! Plaza, a space for special events, live music, viewing sporting events, festivals and more.
• Mid Drive Dive, a locally owned midcentury-inspired bar and restaurant serving elevated American classics, will open in the heart of Orlando’s College Park neighbourhood.
• The Cake Bake Shop Bakery by Gwendolyn Rogers is coming to Disney’s BoardWalk.
• Crush Yard Pickleball Club & Restaurant, a new entertainment complex backed by NFL stars such as Rob Gronkowski, is expected to open in Kissimmee in 2024.

The Bandbox, Orlando

Summer House on the Lake, at Disney Springs

Continuous updates on what’s new in Orlando are available at VisitOrlando.com.

Source: Travelweek