There wasn't much to Orlando until a famous little man living in California started buying up property at the city's southwestern edge in the 1960s. That famous man was Walt Disney, and the property he bought became Disney World in 1971. Since then, waterslides, rollercoasters, fairy tale palaces and costumed characters have made Disney World one of the world's most visited tourist attractions.

Before Orlando became an extension of Disney Corp's expansionist dreams, it was known as the 'city built on the peel of an orange.' In other words, citrus was at the turn of the century what mouse ears are today. The citrus boom straddled railroad and real estate booms, but none of these compare to the well-honed tourist boom in full swing today.

Orlando is the fifth-ranking US destination of overseas travelers - after San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles and New York City - and it claims the second highest number of hotel rooms in the US, lagging just behind Las Vegas in the bedroom stakes. The city has also established itself as part of Florida's high-tech corridor, boasting not only the space technology industries focused on the Florida Space Coast (also keen on 'booms'), but a healthy dose of bits and bytes makers as well.

Local Travel Agent(s):
	Famous Destinations
	Address: 11736 Reedy Creek DR Suite 304 Orlando Florida 32836 United States of America Phone: +407 2391615, 407 239 1615, Fax: +407 2391615
	Global Destinations, Inc
	Address: 12179 S. Apopka Vineland 603 Orlando Florida 32836 United States of America Phone: +863 424 4033, 800 438 6426, Fax: +863 424 4201
	Rocker Fruit
	Address: 4499 W. HWY 192 Kissmmee, FL 34746 United States of America Phone: +407 396 4009, Fax: +407 390 1554
	New Creative Tours, Inc.
	Address: 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200 Winter Park, FL 32789 United States of America Phone: +407 647 2710