The latest Orlando happenings updated weekly using information provided by partners and destination press releases. Stay up-to-date on Orlando's most recent announcements and openings from accommodations and attractions to restaurants and more.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Orlando ranks No. 1 among “2022’s Best Summer Travel Destinations,” according to personal-finance website WalletHub based on 43 key indicators of budget- and fun-friendliness.
Orlando was ranked the top destination for Memorial Day travel. AAA predicts that 39.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from their homes during the Memorial Day Travel Weekend.
ACCOMMODATIONS
B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista will offer a savings of 15% off the best available rate and two complimentary welcome drinks throughout the month of May to active military, veterans and first responders in honor of Military Appreciation Month.
ATTRACTIONS
Walt Disney World Resort unveiled new details about the transformation of EPCOT including: an all-new World Celebration neighborhood featuring several different gardens that will change along with the festivals throughout the year; the CommuniCore Plaza, a multi-use facility and outdoor event space that brings the park’s international festivals to the center of EPCOT; CommuniCore Hall, a flexible exhibition and gallery space, offering a wide variety of experiences that highlight art, live music, food – complete with a demonstration kitchen – and more.
Museum of Illusions Orlando will offer a free gift to the first 100 veterans/active military who visit on Memorial Day. All military personnel will also be able to take advantage of a discounted rate of $21.99.
Crayola Experience will debut “Kubota Machine Adventures,” a limited-time takeover in partnership with Kubota Tractor Corporation, now through June 18. The exhibit includes over 20 hands-on activities featuring Kubota’s iconic orange equipment, including an excavator, tractor, and UTV.
The Wheel at ICON Park will offer graduates a free ride with paid guest admission and unlimited digital downloads of their pre-ride graduation photos in their cap and gown taken by a professional service.
DINING & NIGHTLIFE
ICEBAR Orlando will debut a new selection of food items available seven days a week inside the Fire Lounge, including Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese, Korean BBQ Cauliflower Bites, Chicken Street Tacos, Bianca Flatbread, Buffalo Chicken Sliders and Churro Bites, along with a new Espresso Martini.
Cafe Don Juan, the Puerto Rican chain serving tostadas, empanadas and coffee, has opened inside the City Place mixed-use complex in Winter Park.
EVENTS & FESTIVALS
Opera Orlando announced its 2022-23 Opera Everlasting season on the MainStage at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Steinmetz Hall. The season includes Mozart’s masterpiece, The Magic Flute, a remarkable true story of the 1914 Christmas Truce of World War I, All is Calm and Donizetti’s hilarious, The Daughter of the Regiment.
Creative City Project will present “The Seasons,” an orchestral event debuting at The Plaza Live on May 27-28. In partnership with Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the immersive experience will feature live musicians playing Vivaldi's symphony accompanied by large-scale projections and sensory elements that bring art to life. Tickets start at $35 per person and will be available to purchase on the Creative City Project website.
The Garden Theater announced its 2022-2023 season kicking off with the streetwise musical A Bronx Tale, followed by Paper Thin, a comedic drama that explores the complexities of a seemingly perfect family; Honk!, a family-friendly musical adaptation of the story of the Ugly Duckling; Stick Fly, a family drama dealing with the issues of race, class, and privilege; Tony Award-winning Next to Normal, a rock musical that portrays a family struggling with bipolar disorder; Something Rotten!, which will transport audience members back to the English Renaissance; and Dreamgirls, the iconic musical featuring a soundtrack of gospel, R&B, pop, disco and more.
Camping World Stadium will host the Monster Jam World Finals May 21-22. The two-day event will showcase the best trucks and drivers in racing, freestyle, high jump and skills competitions.
Pointe Orlando debuted a new, weekly pop-up Sunset Market, featuring goods from local businesses and artisans, including one-of-a-kind masterpieces in décor, fashion, art, design, plants/succulents and more. Located in the lower-level common area, the event will take place Friday evenings from 6 to 10 p.m.
The Orlando Repertory Theatre (Orlando REP) in partnership with TheaterWorksUSA will present three productions during the 2022-2023 season, beginning with TheaterWorksUSA’s production of Dog Man: The Musical, followed by Click, Clack, Moo, and The Lightning Thief: Theater for Young Audiences Edition.
SeaWorld Orlando’s electrifying summer event, Electric Ocean, will return May 27 – Sept. 5 featuring both daytime and nighttime entertainment; food and fun for guests of all ages, including concerts, family-friendly DJ dance parties; unique animal encounters, beach cleanup activities for kids; and a fireworks finale every night of the festival.
Universal Orlando Resort will debut the all-new “Universal Monsters: Legends Collide” haunted house during Halloween Horror Nights, featuring Universal Pictures’ notorious horror icons, The Wolf Man, Dracula and The Mummy.
TRANSPORTATION
The Orlando International Airport (MCO) will open the new Terminal “C” on Sept. 19, featuring eight international airlines followed by JetBlue on Sept. 26 and Hawaiian Airlines on Sept. 28.
Norse Atlantic Airways, a new Nordic airline, will launch new nonstop service from Oslo (OSL) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) beginning July 5.
Breeze Airways, a new domestic airline, will launch new nonstop service from Charleston, SC (CHS) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) beginning June 23.
Avelo Airlines will debut a new third base at the Orlando International Airport (MCO) in June, expecting to serve at least 10 nonstop destinations by the end of 2022. This summer, the airline will begin serving three new destinations, including new service three days per week from Charleston International Airport (CHS) beginning June 30; seasonal service from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) between June 30 – Sept. 6; and service from Wilmington International Airport (ILM) three times per week beginning July 1.