Orlando FL Moving Companies

Orlando, Florida

Moving to Orlando can be like taking a permanent vacation. That’s what Walt Disney had in mind when relocating from Orlando from California. He knew that the city was situated in an ideal climate for year-round fun in the sun.

Orlando moving companies stay busy because the hundreds of theme parks, hotels and resorts that grew up around Disney World need many people to keep them functioning and operable. As an international tourist attraction, Orlando is better poised to weather financial storms than some other parts of Florida, and this draws workers from all over Florida.

Economy:
Tourism is the most important part of Orlando’s economy. Family-oriented theme parks draw tens of millions of visitors each year, and business conventions are another important source of income. The Orange County Convention Center, which was expanded in 2004, is now the second-largest convention center in the United States.

Beautiful experiences aren’t the only thing that Orlando manufactures. The warm climate and wide-open spaces have drawn many firms that do their business out-of-doors, especially manufacturers and aeronautics companies. Lockheed-Martin has an important plant in the area, and so do other engineering firms such as Westinghouse, Siemens, KDF and General Dynamics. The United States government is also an important employer; the U.S. Air Force and NASA each have large bases within commuting distance of Orlando.

History:
The first European settlement in the Orlando area was Fort Gatlin, which was located somewhat to the south of the present-day city limits. The community that grew up around the fort was originally known as Jernigan, which was the name of one of the founding families.

Jernigan officially changed its name to Orlando in 1856, but history is unclear as to the origins of the name. Some say that Judge James Speer, who had helped Orlando become the county seat of Orange County, named the town in honor of a respected employee. Others claim that Speer named the town after a character in William Shakespeare’s play As You Like It.

A third story suggests that an oxen drover named Mr. Orlando was buried near Jernigan and his grave became a landmark. The most popular story, however, is that a young soldier named Orlando Reeves fired a warning shot at an attacking Indian while on guard duty. His shot drew his attackers’ attention, and he was killed soon afterward. By his sacrifice, he had saved the fort from ambush, and the town renamed itself in honor of him.

Orlando began as an agricultural area. In the early twentieth century, its citrus groves were the most important part of the economy. Unfortunately, the groves were decimated in 1926 by an invasion of Mediterranean fruit flies. This sent Orlando into a slump. It wasn’t until Walt Disney surveyed the area in 1956 and bought the land for DisneyWorld that the local economy began a genuine recovery.

Tourism:
Ever since the grand opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, Orlando has been the home of some of the highest-quality theme parks in the world. Disney World itself is divided into several parks; some of its highest-recommended attractions are the Animal Kingdom, the Epcot Center, Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom.

The magic isn’t limited to Disney World. Universal Studios has spectacular attractions, including roller-coaster rides themed around popular Universal Studios movies. For a nature-themed attraction, visit one of the beautiful sea parks: Sea World, Discovery Cove or Aquatica. These offer up-close encounters with live animals, including dolphins, fish, macaws, penguins, polar bears and more. For a really down-and-dirty look at nature (at a lower price than a theme park), visit Gatorland. This long-running zoo has been around since 1949, and it offers a close-up view of alligators and their handlers. Gator wrestling is on the menu, and you can even pay to be a “Gator Trainer for a Day.”

Colleges/Universities:

• University of Central Florida
• Valencia College
• Herzig University
• Barry University School of Law

Interesting Facts:

• Orlando is known as “The City Beautiful,” but many locals call it by another nickname: “O-Town.”
• Jack Kerouac, the renowned Beat author, was living in Orlando’s College Park neighborhood when his famous novel "On the Road" was published.
• Because Orlando is a popular tourist destination for families, many hotels offer in-room babysitting services for a small additional fee.