Meeting Space

Orlando is a world-class meeting destination with a variety of facilities that accommodate small groups as well as large citywide conventions and trade shows.

Orlando's Orange County Convention Center is ranked second in the U.S. in terms of exhibition space with more than 2.1 million square feet. The Center also offers 479,190 square feet of meeting rooms. There are more than 7,600 hotel rooms within walking distance of the facility.

Conference hotels and freestanding event facilities offer an additional 3.1 million square feet of meeting space, giving meeting planners plenty of choices for their meeting location and special event venues.

High-Tech Services

Acknowledging the importance of high-tech services and amenities to meeting planners, Orlando regularly provides the latest in technology for efficient and productive meetings and conventions. The Orange County Convention Center offers event technology solutions that include telecommunications, high-speed Internet access using fast Ethernet protocols, wireless broadband access, T-1 and other special data circuits, temporary LAN/WAN/VPN construction and point-to-point networking. Hence, meeting attendees enjoy the advantages and convenience of webcasting; web hosting; video conferencing; e-mail stations and cyber cafes; virtual trade shows; computer rentals and repairs; and on-line registration support.

Accommodations

With almost 450 hotels and more than 115,000 guestrooms — including 21 AAA Four-Diamond award winners and two Mobil Four-Star recipients — Orlando offers meeting planners more lodging options than nearly any destination in the world. Accommodations range from luxury resorts and themed hotels to charming bed and breakfasts and economy hotels/motels. Vacation ownership units and private condominiums and homes also are available. Meeting planners find their jobs a lot easier, when they readily can find just the accommodations they need for their delegates at the price that suits their budgets.

Transportation

Whether attendees fly, drive or ride the rails to their Orlando meeting, they'll find it's easy to access the destination from nearly any major city on low-cost carriers with affordable rates; and, once in town, they'll find getting around the area just as convenient.

Orlando International Airport - Orlando International Airport (MCO) is located within 15 miles of the Orange County Convention Center and major attractions. More than 34 million passengers used Orlando International Airport in 2006, making MCO the busiest airport in Florida. In 2006, Airport Revenue News ranked MCO as the "Airport with the Best Customer Service airport-wide."

Orlando Sanford International Airport - Located within 18 miles of Orlando city limits and 45 minutes from the Orange County Convention Center. With 9 airlines serving 26 U.S. and 19 international destinations, this bustling facility was ranked the fastest-growing airport in North America for the first nine months of 2004 by the Airport Council International. The airport is the fourth most active in Florida and 32nd in the U.S.

Roadways - Major highway networks provide easy access for meeting delegates to reach the destination and for traveling in and around the Greater Orlando area. Primary roadways include Interstate 4, the Florida Turnpike (toll), Highway 528 (Beachline Expressway-toll), Highway 408 (East-West Expressway-toll) and Highway 417 (Central Florida Greenway-toll).

Train Service - Amtrak serves more than 28 Florida communities with northbound and southbound daily trains originating from New York and Miami. These Silver Service trains stop in downtown Orlando, Winter Park, and Kissimmee. Amtrak also offers the Auto Train, which transports passengers and their vehicles daily between Lorton, Va., and Sanford, Fla.

To review Visit Orlando's meetings and conventions press kit, go to orlandoinfo.com/media/meet/presskit/