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ORLANDO_THINGS_TO_DO
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| Fun: It's a full-time feature in Orlando |
| Food, activities, attractions blur into one |
By J. Joshua Placa
If you're looking for amusement in Orlando, the fun doesn't stop at the parks. Orlando's nights are just as jam-packed as its days.
Orlando definitely has something for everyone, from comedy clubs to a Texas two-steppin' rodeo bar with live bull riding, from Polynesian luaus to cartoon character dinners.
Families can check out fireworks and parades, themed dining events and high-stepping Lippizaner stallions. Music-wise, local and national talent runs the gamut from rock 'n roll, disco and blues to jazz, country and DJ music.
Massive movie theaters with 20 screens play Hollywood fare, avant-garde film and, of course, plenty of cartoons. For a taste of Orlando's nightlife, there are martini bars, cigar bars, piano bars, high-energy dance clubs, taverns, posh supper clubs, English pubs, Irish pubs, singalong pubs, happy hours, late hours, wee hours.
Theme Restaurants
No place in the world loves a theme better than Orlando. In terms of dining establishments, you can find everything from bedrooms to barrooms to medieval castles. Creative restaurateurs have applied their pull-out-all-the-stops enthusiasm for dining/entertainment combos to come up with themed dining events that have been drawing crowds for years.
You can toss your handkerchief to a knight in shining armor at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament or boo the evil pirates at Pirate's Dinner Adventure. Carpets fly and high-stepping, aristocratic Lippizaner stallions perform "airs above the ground" at Arabian Nights. Knock twice and tell 'em Joe sent you at Capone's Dinner & Show, where the days of flappers and Prohibition spats come to life.
For a virtual smorgasbord of entertainment, check out the Victorian-themed Church Street Station, spread out across several downtown blocks and centered around an old railroad track no longer in use. In its varying showrooms, Church Street features rock 'n roll, dancing and plenty of dining. A host of entertainment spots have grown up around the attraction and now line Church Street and Orange Avenue. Topping the list is Ybor's Martini Bar.
For an laid-back International Drive diversion, Cricketers Arms features 15 imported beers and four hand-drawn ales, and is tucked into cobble-stoned streetscapes, amid 75 shops and restaurants. For fans of Irish beer: the Lucky Leprechaun Irish Pub is just down the street on International Drive.
There's still more to be found on International Drive: Pointe Orlando is an entertainment complex featuring an IMAX 3-D theater, a 21-screen movie complex, outdoor entertainment and 70 shops, decked out with the unmistakable landmarks of its huge concrete teddy bear and Barbie's pink shoes.
Get in on the Action
It didn't take the major theme parks long to figure out that the parks were way too quiet at night. Voila!—hot-hot-hot evening entertainment diversions at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida.
WDW created Pleasure Island first, uniting waterside dining and entertainment with a 70s disco, an 80s beach club, a 90s dance club, a jazz and comedy club and mainstage live bands, capped off each night of the year with a New Year's Eve celebration complete with a wild street party featuring dancers on the roof, lights and fireworks.
Next came Downtown Disney Marketplace, where a cluster of restaurants, including one by famed chef Wolfgang Puck, and restaurant/clubs, including Bongo's, owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, are joined by a host of shops like a Virgin Megastore, a cigar shop, a games center filled with virtual reality machines and video challenges, plus lots of purveyors of Disney memorabilia.
Unquestionably, the entertainment crown of Downtown Disney is the massive circular theater that houses Cirque du Soleil — La Nouba, a splendiferous show that gives a whole new meaning to the concept of circus. A study in color, lighting and special effects, Cirque du Soleil is imaginative, graceful, death-defying and awe-inspiring.
Those seeking entertaining but somewhat less frenetic fun can find it at WDW's Boardwalk Entertainment Complex. Themed around the boardwalks epitomized by 1930s entertainment centers along the U.S. coastline, this "village" overlooking a lake, houses the Atlantic Dance Club, Jellyroll's, and various other restaurants, nightspots and shops.
Universal Amusement
Universal's response to Disney's entertainment center is CityWalk, which packs 'em in every night. Sprawling across 30 acres, CityWalk is a lively cluster of dining, shops, cinemas and entertainment options ranging from the popular Hard Rock Cafe/Live—the world's largest—to Bob Marley's reggae, from Motown sounds to Latin rhythms and jazz. Famed chef Emeril Lagasse's dining spot, Emeril's Orlando, whisks up a roux to create Creole cuisine straight from the Louisiana bayous.
Margaritas and "Cheeseburgers in Paradise" pour from the bar and kitchen at singer Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, and everybody gets into the groove at a club called, well, The Groove. Salsa and samba reign at the Latin Quarter, where dance is abetted by food and entertainment from 21 Latin American nations. Racecar fans revel in the Nascar Cafe and basketball fans flock to NBA City to immerse themselves in National Basketball Association memorabilia. |
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Road trips around Orlando
CHOOSE KISSIMMEE! WHAT’S NEW
Kissimmee is just outside of Orlando. Give it a whirl!
A MOTHER/DAUGHTER GIRLFRIEND GETAWAY
Shopping, a spa, and a fun night out doing girl stuff!
Sponsored by
For details see article on: 
KISSIMMEE - FAMILY FUN, LEARNING,and MORE FUN
Sponsored by
For details see article on:
ORLANDO - FAMILY TRIP
Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Studios - Everyone in the family will have a blast!
For details see article on:
ORLANDO - EDUCATIONAL
Make a Theme Park Trip, a visit to Kennedy Space Center and a look at Sea World educational and fun!
ORLANDO - RELAXATION
Three days of great Orlando golf will send you home recharged!
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