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Orlando, Florida

"The City Beautiful"
Walt Disney turned a swampy cattle town into the theme park capital of the world — but Orlando's story also includes one of America's deadliest mass shootings and the space program that launched from next door.
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Founded 1875 | Population 307,573 | Peak 307,573 (2020) | County Orange County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Orlando, Florida

1
1971Walt Disney World Opens: Walt Disney World opened on October 1, transforming central Florida. Built on 25,000 acres of former swampland, it became the most visited vacation resort in the world, attracting 58 million visitors annually.
2
2016Pulse Nightclub Shooting: A gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 at Pulse, an LGBTQ+ nightclub, in the early hours of June 12. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history at the time.
3
1965Disney's Secret Land Purchase: Walt Disney secretly bought 27,000 acres through dummy corporations to avoid land speculation. The purchase, twice the size of Manhattan, gave Disney unprecedented control over the development.
4
1969Space Coast Connection: Orlando's proximity to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center made it a home for aerospace workers. The Apollo program and later Space Shuttle missions boosted the region's economy and identity.
5
2004Triple Hurricane Season: Three hurricanes struck Orlando within six weeks — Charley, Frances, and Jeanne — causing billions in damage. The unprecedented season tested the city's infrastructure and resilience.
6
1875Orlando Incorporated: Orlando was incorporated as a small citrus and cattle town in central Florida. The area's warm climate and fertile soil made it a center for orange groves.
7
1943Military Training Hub: Orlando hosted multiple military training bases during WWII, bringing thousands of servicemen to central Florida. Many returned after the war, fueling population growth.
8
1990Universal Studios Opens: Universal Studios Florida opened, breaking Disney's monopoly on Orlando tourism and establishing the city as the undisputed theme park capital of the world.
9
1982EPCOT Opens: EPCOT Center opened as Walt Disney World's second theme park, fulfilling Walt Disney's vision of an 'Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.'.
10
2010Orlando Becomes Tech Hub: The 'Modeling, Simulation, and Training' corridor along the 408 highway established Orlando as a center for defense simulation technology and gaming.
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Population Over Time

0 76,893 153,787 230,680 307,573 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Latest News in Orlando

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Among those arrested was the homeowner’s granddaughter, the orchestrator of the crime.
Feb 20, 2026
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In the wake of a bold and controversial U.S. military operation in Venezuela…

Complete Historical Timeline

1875 Government
Orlando incorporated as citrus and cattle town
1894 Disaster
Great Freeze devastates citrus industry
1943 Government
Military bases established during WWII
1965 Business
Walt Disney secretly buys 27,000 acres
1969 Science
Apollo 11 launches from nearby Cape Canaveral
1971 Business
Walt Disney World opens
1982 Business
EPCOT Center opens
1990 Business
Universal Studios Florida opens
2004 Disaster
Three hurricanes hit in six weeks
2016 Crime
Pulse nightclub shooting kills 49
2020 Disaster
COVID-19 devastates tourism economy

Did You Know?

1
Walt Disney World is roughly the same size as San Francisco — 25,000 acres — and has its own government, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, with power to build roads, run utilities, and even build a nuclear power plant.
2
Orlando attracts more than 75 million visitors per year, making it the most visited destination in the United States — more than New York City or Las Vegas.
3
Walt Disney died before Walt Disney World opened — he never saw his Florida park completed, though his brother Roy dedicated it in his memory in 1971.

Famous People from Orlando, Florida

WS
Wesley Snipes
Actor, Singer · Born Jul 31, 1962 · Age 63
KN
Kathryn Newton
Actor, Television Actor · Born Feb 8, 1997 · Age 29
EM
Emma Myers
Actor · Born Apr 2, 2002 · Age 23
HD
Howie Dorough
Actor, Singer · Born Aug 22, 1973 · Age 52
DB
Delta Burke
Actor, Stage Actor · Born Jul 30, 1956 · Age 69
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