Just look at what’s coming down the pipeline! With some of the largest expansions in theme park history and a year packed with new sporting venues and events, Orlando – Theme Park Capital of the World – is ramping up for another landmark year!
New Theme Park Thrills
- Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando Resort, opening June 1, 2017, is an all-new water park inspired by postcard-perfect tropical islands promising innovative, thrilling attractions made even more enjoyable with new technology eliminating long lines or wrestling with tubes.
- “Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon” at Universal Orlando Resort invites guests to join the Tonight Show’s studio audience on the ultimate race through the streets – and skies – of New York City.
- Pandora – The World of AVATAR, the largest expansion in Disney’s Animal Kingdom history, will feature floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and a Banshee flying attraction, as well as new after-dark entertainment.
- Miss Fortune Falls at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is a new family-style raft ride that is among the lengthiest at both Disney water parks with a ride time of two minutes.
- SeaWorld Orlando’s Kraken roller coaster will transform into Florida’s only virtual reality roller coaster experience, taking guests on a deep sea mission alongside sea creatures.
SeaWorld Orlando’s Electric Ocean, opening summer, is a new end-of-day spectacle event with bioluminescent lighting, immersing guests in a glowing sea of wonder. - LEGOLAND Florida Resort’s LEGO NINJAGO World, a new immersive land opening in early 2017, features an interactive dark ride where guests can blast fire, lightning and ice with their hands. In addition, LEGOLAND Beach Retreat opens mid-2017.
Spectacular Spectator Sports
- Orlando’s 25,500-seat Multipurpose Soccer Stadium, home to the Orlando City Lions and Orlando Pride soccer teams, is scheduled to open prior to the 2017 MLS season.
- Orlando hosts the NFL Pro Bowl game at the Camping World Stadium on January 29, 2017. The new Pro Bowl Week includes accessible team practices and a variety of youth football and family fun activities across Orlando.
- Orlando’s Amway Center welcomes the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on March 16 & 18 for the tournament’s First and Second Rounds.
- Orlando becomes the new home of American tennis as the United States Tennis Association’s new state-of-the-art headquarters’ facility opens in January, featuring over 100 courts.
New Hotels
- Downtown Orlando’s new 54-room boutique property, The Delaney Hotel, opens by late spring 2017 and offers high-tech conveniences such as remote check-in, in-room digital tablet-based concierge services and smart phone room keys.
- Margaritaville Resort Orlando, opening in late 2017, will be a waterfront destination resort with 187 rooms, 1,000 Margaritaville-themed vacation homes and 300 timeshare units, along with a new dining and entertainment district and 12-acre water park.
New Dining and Entertainment Complexes
- Disney Springs adds more new dining experiences including: The Edison, themed around a 1920s-era electric company with live entertainment, classic American food and craft cocktails; The Polite Pig, sister restaurant of The Ravenous Pig in Winter Park, led by local celebrity chefs James and Julie Petrakis; Planet Hollywood Observatory featuring a Guy Fieri sandwich menu; and Wine Bar George, the only Master Sommelier-led wine bar in Florida.
- Circo Orlando, part of the Le Cirque Restaurant brand, is slated to open on International Drive in mid-2017 offering high-end Italian cuisine and rooftop views.
- Top Golf Orlando, opening fall 2017, will offer more than 100 climate-controlled hitting bays with advanced technology to track accuracy and distance of players’ shots.
- Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, opening spring 2017, features high-speed electric superkarts on a two-level track, over 120 arcade games, a rock wall, zip line and more.