Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
63
tethered balloon, shop till you drop,
and tempt your taste buds—all in the
space of a single evening.
Lake Buena Vista
Lake Buena Vista
actually encompasses all of WDW, but
also includes much of the area bordering
the resort. Here you can find the “official”
(but not Disney-owned) hotels situated
along Hotel Plaza Boulevard. The area
along 535 (known locally as Apopka-
Vineland), is home to its own share of
resorts and restaurants. Though the region
is bustling, many of its resorts, restau-
rants, and shops are set along alcoves and
tree-lined side streets, far from the main
thoroughfare, to maintain a quieter, more
charming atmosphere.
Celebration
As you drive through this
quaint little town, full of beautiful
homes trimmed in gingerbread, some
of them with white picket fences, shade
trees, and some of the loveliest land-
scaping around, you may find yourself
musing about this 4,900-acre commu-
nity's seeming perfection. The fact that
Disney had a hand in its creation then
should come as no great surprise—
experts that they are at creating the
perfect version of almost anything. The
Market Street area's charming collection
of shops, restaurants, and even its own
small hotel, is reminiscent of a bygone
era—and an upscale version at that.
Kissimmee
Brought back to life by a
multimillion-dollar “Rebeautivacation”
project, U.S. 192, Kissimmee's main
tourist strip, sports extra-wide side-
walks, colorful (and plentiful) street-
lamps, landscaping, and location
markers (though areas are weathering a
bit poorly). Even the roadway itself has
been improved to handle traffic more
easily and safely. Kissimmee is lined
practically end to end with a variety of
budget and moderate resorts and hotels,
most of which cater to families (though
a few more upscale options have started
to spring up along its outer edges as
well as to the south); a plentitude of
casual restaurants; and a handful of
minor attractions.
International Drive Area (Hwy.
536)
Known as
I-Drive,
this busy
tourist zone is home to more than 100
resorts and hotels (a number that's
growing almost exponentially), count-
less restaurants, attractions both big and
small, shopping, entertainment, and
even its own transportation system—
the I-Ride Trolley. There literally is
something here for everybody. The
areas north of Sand Lake Road are by
far the most congested, filled to capac-
ity with T-shirt shops, tourist traps,
resorts, restaurants, and attractions. If
you head south, toward the intersection
at S.R. 528 (aka the Beachline Expwy.),
it's still chock-full of restaurants and
hotels, but the landscaping is far more
appealing, and tree-lined walkways offer
a more pleasant place to walk. The driv-
ing, however, is still slow-going at best.
Downtown Orlando
Orlando is actu-
ally a lot smaller than most major U.S.
cities but has a charm all its own. The
downtown area is actually about 20
miles northeast of Walt Disney World,
which ensures it's far less congested
with tourists than the theme-park
zones. Here you'll find chic restaurants,
trendy clubs, and upscale hotels, a cul-
tural center that's filled with theaters,
museums, the very visitor-friendly
Orlando Science Center, and more.
Shopping is plentiful, as downtown
streets are dotted with upscale bou-
tiques and antiques shops (especially
along “Antique Row” on Orange Ave.
near Lake Ivanhoe).
Winter Park
Those who make the
effort to get up to Winter Park, located
just north of downtown (Orlando, that
is), will enjoy its upscale ambience and
quaint southern charm. The town's big-
gest draw is Park Avenue, with its col-
lection of upscale shops and restaurants
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