orlando

orlando

LOCATION: in central Florida, the greater Orlando area comprises the Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties, with a combined population of more than 1.5 million.

TIME DIFFERENCE: GMT minus five hours.

AIRPORT TRANSFERS: delegates should have complimentary transfer vouchers for Mears Transportation buses to their hotel. These are valid for arrivals at Orlando International Airport on May 4, 5 and 6 and for the return on May 10, if applicable. The offer applies from 9am-9pm on the first two days and 9am-5pm on May 6. Outside of these hours, delegates should contact the Mears desk on Level Two for further transfer arrangements.

CLIMATE: daytime temperatures in May range from 70ûF to the mid 80ûF, with the evenings from the low 50ûF to mid 60ûF.

GETTING AROUND: aside from the official Pow Wow shuttles between delegate hotels and the Orange County Convention Centre, there are taxis and limousines for hire. The Lynx bus system also provides city connections. The downtown Orlando Lymmo bus service offers free transit from the TD Waterhouse Centre to City Hall. The I-Ride trolley network serves the popular International Drive area of hotels and attractions from 7am to midnight, with services operating every 15 minutes. More than 50 stops are designated with numbered I-Ride location markers.

SHOPPING: there are seven shopping malls in Orlando offering nearly 1,000 stores, ranging from designer shops to discount outlets. The newest shopping attraction is Orlando Premium Outlets which stays open until 11pm, except Sundays. Bargain hunters should also check out Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, Belz Factory Outlet World and the Beltz Designer Outlet Centre.

DOWNTOWN: away from the theme parks, Orlando itself has plenty to offer. The former railroad stop, Church Street Station, features an arts and crafts market, music saloons, and bars and restaurants, while the historic Lake Eola district has lots of new trendy restaurants, street cafés, galleries and shops.

Then there’s the so-called Cultural Corridor featuring the Orlando Museum of Art, the Civic Theatres of Central Florida and the Mennello Museum of American Folk Art.

DINING: some of the newest restaurants are a good example of the wide choice of food available. They include spicy Latin dishes at the Samba Room Cuban bar and café; the Timpano Italian Chophouse; Zazarac, offering New Orleans and Cajun fare; and Kanpai of Tokyo. The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotel complex has opened Shula’s Steak House, one of the top US steak restaurant chains.

NIGHTLIFE: if delegates have a free night, the theme parks are a good option. Disney Downtown’s Pleasure Island and West Side locations have the House of Blues, Bongos Cuban Café and the Wildhorse Saloon. The BET SoundStage Club also provides some great live entertainment, including rhythm and blues, soul, rock and hip-hop. Equally, Universal Studios CityWalk has live reggae at Bob Marley’s, the Motown Café Orlando and ‘the groove.’

ACCOMMODATION: the UK delegation will be staying at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, which is modelled on an American Northwest mountain retreat, located in the middle of Walt Disney Resort. It has three restaurants, including Artist Point, Whispering Canyon Café and the Roaring Forks self-service outlet. There is the Continental Divide for takeaway breakfast, and the Trout Pass Pool Bar and Territory Lounge serving drinks and snacks. Accommodation is based on standard rooms, studio villas and one/two-bedroom villas.

OUTANDABOUT: golfers are spoilt for choice. Three of Walt Disney’s courses – Palm, Magnolia and Lake Buena Vista – are challenging locations, while at the Grand Cypress Resort, the Jack Nicklaus New Course is a replica of St Andrews’ Old Course in Scotland. For those who enjoy horse-riding, there are facilities for a day in the saddle within the Ocala National Forest, which has several stables and ranches.

Orlando’s Lake County is the place for water sports. With more than 1,400 lakes, it is a popular haunt for anglers and sailing enthusiasts. If you prefer a few days at the beach, the lively Atlantic coast resorts of Daytona and Cocoa Beach are only an hour’s drive from central Orlando.

Alternatively, within two hours’ drive of Orlando on the west coast of Florida you can opt for the Gulf of Mexico resorts of St Petersburg/Clearwater, Bradenton, and Captiva and Sanibel islands.

Downtown: away from the theme parks, Orlando offers its visitors a diverse range of history andculture

Take your pick: the region offers a range of courses for golfers