Orlando Special Events and Trip Tips

Welcome to Orlando

Any time of the year is a great time to visit sunny Orlando, Florida. There's always something happening. Check out the featured Special Events we've listed below. And scroll down... for Trip Tips about the weather, how to get around town, and some insider advice about best times to visit.

	Mardi Gras at Universal Studios \| February – April Universal Orlando Celebrate carnivale New Orleans style with beads, bands and parties in the street.



	Atlanta Braves Spring Training \| March The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex Get up close as the Braves battle it out in this intimate ballpark.



	Houston Astros Spring Training \| March Osceola County Stadium / Kissimmee Catch the Astros play ball in their Grapefruit League home.



	ESPN: The Weekend \| March Disney-MGM Studios Get in the game at the ultimate sports fan's weekend where you can meet sports stars and sportscasters.



	Arnold Palmer Invitational \| March 12-18, 2007 Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club and Lodge One of the premiere events of the PGA Tour.



	Shamrock 'N' Roll \| March 17, 2007 Universal CityWalk Pat O’Brien’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day party ever with live rock bands, traditional Irish food and leprechauns.



	Disney Grad Nite \| April 20, 21 and April 27, 28, 2007 Magic Kingdom A senior celebration till 4 a.m. with wall-to-wall fun, live concerts, and all your friends.



	Universal's Grad Bash \| April Universal Orlando High school seniors get a night of fun and thrills at Islands of Adventure.



	Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival \| April - June Epcot Celebrate spring with colorful and fragrant flowers, gorgeous gardens and topiaries.

	Star Wars Weekends \| May - June Disney-MGM Studios Meet some of your favorite characters and actors from the Star Wars movies.



	Sounds Like Summer Concert Series \| June - August Epcot Rock out to your favorite tunes at this concert series that's sure to get you dancing in the streets!



	Fire Up Your Fourth of July \| July 4, 2007 Universal CityWalk Live music, an outdoor cookout, games and one of Orlando’s largest fireworks display.

	Tom Joyner's Family Reunion \| September 1 - 4, 2006 Walt Disney World Radio host Tom Joyner and celebrity guests throw a huge, family-style party.



	Night of Joy \| September 8 - 9, 2006 Magic Kingdom Feel the joy at live concerts by some of Christian music's most praiseworthy performers.



	Rock the Universe \| September 8 - 9, 2006 Universal Studios Florida Where the biggest names in Christian rock take the stage for moving live concerts.



	Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party \| September 15 - October 31, 2006 Magic Kingdom Dress up in costume and trick-or-treat with all your favorite Disney friends.



	Halloween Horror Nights \| September 29-30, 2006 October 6-8, 11-15, 19-22, 26-29 & 31, 2006 Universal Orlando Nineteen nights of haunted houses and screaming good times to celebrate Halloween.



	International Food and Wine Festival \| September 29 - November 12, 2006 Epcot Sample delectable dishes and wonderful wines from around the world.



	FUNAI Classic \| October 19-22, 2006 Walt Disney World The Classic features golf's greatest pros on Disney's Palm and Magnolia courses.



	ABC Super Soap Weekend \| November 11-12, 2006 Disney-MGM Studios Meet and greet Susan Lucci and more stars from your favorite ABC daytime dramas.



	Festival of the Masters \| November 11-12, 2006 Downtown Disney One of the most acclaimed and eclectic open air art festivals in the country.



	Orlando Beer Festival \| November 11-12, 2006 Universal CityWalk More than 125 beers and tons of food at the largest beer festival in the state of Florida.

	Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party \| November 13 - December 22, 2006 Magic Kingdom Join Disney characters for a merry celebration including stage shows, fireworks, and a very special parade.



	Holidays around the World \| November - December Epcot Experience celebrations, customs and characters from diverse cultures all around the world.



	The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights \| November 13, 2006 – January 7, 2007 Disney-MGM Studios All the magic of the original display from Little Rock, Arkansas with millions of lights against a back-lot cityscape.



	Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade \| November - December Disney's Animal Kingdom Celebrate the spirit of the season and jive to the beat of this jammin' jungle parade.



	Festival of the Seasons \| November - December Downtown Disney A festive celebration of shopping, entertainment and good cheer.



	Shake Up Your Holidays \| December - January Universal Orlando Experience the holidays in unique style on select nights in special festivities.



	Atlantic Dance Hall New Year's Eve \| December 31, 2006 Disney's BoardWalk Move and groove into the New Year dancing and dining to the latest sounds in an atmosphere of timeless elegance.



	New Year's Eve at Cirque du Soleil \| December 31, 2006 Downtown Disney Raise a glass in celebration during the never-to-forget spectacle of La Nouba.



	Pleasure Island New Year's Eve \| December 31, 2006 Downtown Disney Dance in the streets and ring in the New Year at a rip-roaring party.



	New Year’s Eve at CityWalk \| December 31, 2006 Universal Orlando Ring in the year with live music, food, fireworks and a midnight champagne toast.



	The Capital One Bowl \| January 1, 2007 The Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium A match between teams from the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference college football conferences.



	Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend \| January 4–7, 2007 Walt Disney World A weekend of half-marathons, a marathon, a health and fitness expo, and more.



	Bob Marley Reggae Fest \| February Universal Orlando Two days of live reggae and celebration at Universal CityWalk.

Best Times to Visit:

If you can, avoid school holidays. The least crowded period at the theme parks is from just after the Thanksgiving weekend until the beginning of the Christmas holidays. Attendance at the theme parks is also light in early February and early May, and from early September until just before Thanksgiving.

Getting Around Town:

Although public buses are available, a car is the fastest and most convenient way to travel if you plan to visit several theme parks and downtown Orlando. Once you're in downtown Orlando, however, park and ride the free Lymmo bus.

	If you're staying on Disney property, plan to use Disney's transportation (buses, ferries, launches, and a monorail) to travel between the parks and your hotel.

	Universal Orlando is not as spread out as Disney World, so you can walk to all the attractions and restaurants if you stay on property.

	If your hotel is on International Drive, avoid driving in horrendous traffic by taking the I-Ride Trolley to I-Drive's attractions, shops, and restaurants.

How’s the Weather?

Plan for sunshine. Orlando is subtropical and humid.

	From Jan through March, Orlando high temperatures are in the 70s and it warms up in April and May with highs in the 80s.

	June through August, Orlando has high temperatures that hover around 90°, high humidity and often has afternoon thunderstorms.

	September and October highs are near 80° and November and December are back down in the 70s. Winter is dry and temperate but temperatures can drop at night, so bring a sweater.