1973 in a station wagon. Disney World only two years old, a monorail running through our hotel. Five decades later, three visits, and Orlando still delivers on its original promise.
We drove to Orlando in 1973 — a station wagon from Washington DC, four brothers, no seatbelts, stopping in Charleston and Hilton Head on the way down. Disney World had only been open two years. We stayed at the Contemporary Resort, the A-frame hotel with the monorail running directly through the building — one of the most genuinely futuristic things any of us had ever seen. Three or four days inside a place that felt like it had been built from the future looking back. Orlando has been delivering on that original promise ever since, in ways nobody in 1973 could have fully anticipated.
Which Orlando Is Right for Your Trip?
Three different Orlandos — all of them worth knowing about.
Walt Disney World
The original reason most people come. Four theme parks, two water parks, Disney Springs for shopping and dining. Stay on property for the monorail access and early park entry. The Contemporary Resort is still there.
Search HotelsDisney Springs
The outdoor dining and shopping district at Walt Disney World — no park ticket required. Summer House on the Lake is the standout. Outdoor seating over the water, exceptional food, the right place for dinner after a long park day.
Search HotelsOrange County Convention Center
One of the largest convention centers in the United States — 2.1 million square feet. Orlando handles large groups better than almost any American city. The weather in spring is perfect for it. Strong hotel infrastructure throughout.
Search HotelsTournament Capital
Orlando hosts major youth and amateur sports tournaments year-round at the Convention Center and surrounding facilities. The combination of weather, hotel inventory, and infrastructure makes it one of the premier tournament destinations in the country.
Search Rentals1973 — The Contemporary Resort
The Disney Contemporary Resort opened on October 1, 1971 — the same day as Walt Disney World itself. The A-frame structure, designed to allow the monorail to pass through the building at the fourth floor, was one of the most architecturally ambitious hotel concepts in American history. In 1973, two years after opening, it still felt like science fiction.
We arrived from DC via Charleston and Hilton Head — a two-day drive that felt much longer with five children in a station wagon. Disney World in 1973 was a different place than it is today: one park, a fraction of the current attractions, and the specific magic of something genuinely new in the world. The Contemporary Resort’s monorail running through the lobby was its own attraction. We stood and watched it pass through the building more than once, simply because it was astonishing.
The Contemporary Resort is still there, still running the monorail through it, still one of the most distinctive hotel experiences in Orlando. It underwent a major renovation in the 2010s and the design is more refined than it was in 1973 — but the bones are the same bones, and the monorail still comes through on schedule.
Disney Springs — Summer House on the Lake
Disney Springs is the outdoor dining and entertainment district at Walt Disney World — no park ticket required, open to anyone. It has evolved significantly from the original Downtown Disney concept into something genuinely worth going to for dinner regardless of whether you’re visiting the parks.
Summer House on the Lake is the standout — a lakeside restaurant with outdoor seating directly over the water, an excellent menu, and the specific pleasure of sitting outside on a warm Florida evening watching boats on the lake. The pokey nachos are the thing to order as a starter — a grilled avocado anchors the dish in a way that makes it more substantial than standard nachos. The food across the board is genuinely good, not theme-park-adjacent good — actually good. Worth seeking out even if Disney Springs isn’t otherwise on your agenda.
Orlando as a Convention City
The Orange County Convention Center is one of the largest in the United States — 2.1 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space, capable of handling events of virtually any scale. Orlando has built its entire infrastructure around large groups: the hotel inventory is enormous, the transportation is organized around convention traffic, and the dining and entertainment options are calibrated to keep thousands of people occupied in the evenings.
What makes Orlando work as a convention destination beyond infrastructure is the weather. Spring conventions in Orlando — the peak season for the industry — happen in temperatures that make outdoor activities genuinely pleasant. The evenings are warm without being oppressive. The pools are open. It’s possible to feel like you’re on a trip rather than just at a conference, which is the whole point of taking a convention somewhere.
Orlando as a Tournament City
Orlando hosts major youth and amateur sports tournaments year-round — martial arts, gymnastics, swimming, soccer, cheerleading, and dozens of other sports at the Convention Center and surrounding facilities. The combination of large indoor spaces, hotel inventory within walking distance, and the appeal of Disney World as a family bonus makes Orlando one of the premier tournament destinations in the country. Families who come for a tournament often stay an extra day or two for the parks — which is exactly what Orlando’s economy is built around.
Where to Stay
On Disney Property
The Disney resort hotels offer early park entry, complimentary transportation within Disney World, and the experience of being fully immersed in the Disney environment. The Contemporary Resort remains the most architecturally significant. The Polynesian and Grand Floridian offer different character at comparable price points.
Near the Convention Center
The International Drive corridor has extensive Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt inventory within walking distance or a short shuttle from the Orange County Convention Center. Rates vary dramatically by convention schedule — book early if your trip coincides with a major event.
Search Orlando Hotels and Rentals
Disney resort hotels, Convention Center corridor properties, and vacation rental homes for larger groups. Book early for peak season and major tournament weekends — Orlando’s hotel inventory is large but fills fast.
Quick Reference: Orlando Florida
| Category | The Answer |
|---|---|
| Airport | Orlando International (MCO) — well connected, major hub |
| Disney World | 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, Disney Springs — allow 4+ days for the full experience |
| The historic hotel | Contemporary Resort — monorail through the building, opened 1971, still the most distinctive |
| Best dinner | Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs — no park ticket required |
| Convention center | Orange County Convention Center — 2.1 million sq ft, one of the largest in the US |
| Best season | January–April and September–November — avoid July/August heat and crowds |
| From Miami | About 235 miles north via Florida’s Turnpike — roughly 3.5 hours |
| From Savannah | About 360 miles south via I-95 — roughly 5 hours |
| Vacation rental advantage | Large homes with pools near Disney — significantly more space than hotel rooms for families and groups |
In 1973 we stood in the Contemporary Resort lobby and watched the monorail pass through the building and it was the most futuristic thing any of us had ever seen. Disney World was two years old. The whole thing felt like a bet on the future that had somehow already paid off. Fifty years later — three visits, five decades — Orlando is still making that same bet and still paying off. The monorail still runs through the Contemporary. Summer House is still on the lake. The Convention Center still handles everything you throw at it. Orlando knows what it is and it does it extraordinarily well.