What Is The History Of Orlando, Florida?

Until 1971, Orlando was an unremarkable Floridian town. Then a giant mouse took over and Orlando now revolves around Disney World.

When Walt Disney arrived, residents could have had no real inkling about what was going to be unleashed. For today, Orlando attracts more than 40 million visitors each year, making it America's – and the world's - number one tourist destination.

Over the decades, Disney has been joined by a number of other top-flight attractions including SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Discovery Cove. However, it would be wrong to conclude Orlando amounted to no more Mickey Mouse and theme parks.

Orlando in common with many other Florida cities is defined by its lakes and the often intense heat, especially in summer when the thermometer can easily hit 90°. This is because Orlando's geographic position is just 28 degrees north of the Equator - the same latitude as the Sahara Desert in North Africa!