(Cosplayer competing in the Craftsmanship Contest at GalaxyCon’s Animate! Orlando, August 8–10 at the Orange County Convention Center. Photo by John E. Manard, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)
Theme park growth, airport routes, and $94.5B tourism gains keep Orlando in the national spotlight
From billion-dollar tourism gains to new international flight routes, theme park expansions, and major tradeshows, Orlando remains a national leader in travel, events, and entertainment. September brings thousands of visitors to the Orange County Convention Center for CAMX, NRPA, and the MSP Summit, while local attractions continue to evolve. SeaWorld adds new scares, Disney advances long-term park plans, and Universal rides a strong Q2 on Epic Universe buzz. With 2024’s tourism impact reaching $94.5 billion, Central Florida shows no signs of slowing down.
September Tradeshows Bring Composites, Parks, and Managed Services to Orlando
The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo(CAMX) leads Orlando’s September lineup, returning to the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) September 8–11 with 8,500 attendees and 500 exhibitors focused on next-generation materials and manufacturing. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Annual Conference follows September 16–18, also at the convention center, drawing 8,000 attendees and 400 exhibitors in parks, recreation, and public space planning. At Loews Royal Pacific, the MSP Summit runs September 15–17, bringing together 2,500 managed service providers and 100 exhibitors focused on IT infrastructure, cloud services, and channel growth.
Animate! Orlando Draws Fans to OCCC for Cosplay, Gaming, and Voice Actor Panels
GalaxyCon’s Animate! Orlando returned to the Orange County Convention Center August 8–10, drawing animation fans for a weekend of celebrity Q&As, cosplay, tabletop and video gaming, and family-friendly activities. Highlights included appearances by Jodi Benson, Robbie Daymond, and John DiMaggio, as well as panels on character design, anime dubbing, and fan art. The event featured a tattoo row, Studio Ghibli-themed crafts, and a Street Fighter 6 tournament.
Florida Event Decor Acquires Chic Event Furniture
Orlando-based Florida Event Decor has acquired Chic Event Furniture, expanding its inventory and design capabilities across the state. The deal brings together two established names in Florida’s event production market and enhances full-service offerings for corporate, wedding, and social events. The combined company will provide statewide delivery, larger rental inventories, and support for event planners with custom staging, branded décor, and furniture packages.
Central Florida Tourism Hits $94.5 Billion Milestone
A new economic impact report released Aug. 21 by Visit Orlando and regional tourism partners shows Central Florida’s visitor economy generated $94.5 billion in 2024, a 2.2 percent increase over the previous year. Direct visitor spending reached $59.9 billion, supporting more than 468,000 jobs and reducing the average Orlando-area household tax burden by $7,474. Tourism now supports 37 percent of all jobs in the region and generated $12.9 billion in total government revenue. The findings highlight the continued strength of the area’s hospitality sector, which welcomed 75.3 million visitors last year.
Epic Universe Boosts Universal Revenue in Q2
Universal parent company Comcast reported a 19 percent year-over-year revenue increase for Q2 2025, driven by the May opening of Epic Universe in Orlando. Executives say the new park is generating strong per capita spending and drawing additional traffic across the Universal Orlando Resort without undercutting attendance at existing parks. The resort’s three new hotels, themed attractions, and merchandise sales are also contributing to early financial success. Company leaders expect continued growth as Epic scales through the end of the year.
SeaWorld Expands Howl-O-Scream for 2025
SeaWorld Orlando’s Howl-O-Scream returns September 5–November 1 with three new haunted houses, four new scare zones, and a new live show. Additions include “The Widow’s Nest,” set in a haunted orphanage; “The Collector’s Curse,” featuring cursed artifacts; and “The Rave Yard,” billed as an undead dance party. New scare zones include scrapyard, swamp, and trailer park themes. Nighttime coaster rides and themed bars round out the seasonal event.
Disney Lays Groundwork for New Theme Parks in Orlando
New planning documents from the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District reveal that Disney has secured approval to develop a new 500-acre major theme park and two 300-acre minor parks as part of a 2,600-acre expansion at Walt Disney World. The long-range plan, extending through 2045, also includes new hotels, dining, retail, and a golf course. If realized, the major park would be Disney’s first in Florida since Animal Kingdom opened in 1998. In the meantime, confirmed additions include a Monsters, Inc.-themed coaster at Hollywood Studios, a Villains Land at Magic Kingdom, and a Tropical Americas expansion at Animal Kingdom.
Disney Files Set Permit for DINOSAUR Attraction Ahead of 2027 Expansion
Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a new permit for the DINOSAUR ride at Animal Kingdom, listing “Install Set Elements” at the show building. Central Florida–based Mecca Productions is named as the contractor. The work may involve routine upkeep or early preparation for the planned Indiana Jones attraction set to replace DINOSAUR as part of the Tropical Americas expansion. Disney has not announced a closure date, and the attraction remains open.
Orlando International Airport Adds New Nonstop Routes Across U.S. and Latin America
Orlando International Airport continues to expand its global reach with new nonstop flights from Breeze Airways, LATAM Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Porter Airlines. The latest additions include direct routes to Lincoln, NE; Tri-Cities, TN; Lima, Peru; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, with more seasonal and Canadian service planned. MCO surpassed Miami as Florida’s busiest airport in 2024 and now serves over 57 million annual passengers, strengthening its role as a major international gateway.
