Yes, riptides are deadly! These powerful undertows in the ocean can sweep you away from shore. Swimmers often exhaust themselves by fighting the current as they struggle to return to shore. If you’re caught in a riptide, swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current and then swim toward the shore.
NO! Termites aren’t out of control, neither are fire ants. Having a termite inspection is a common practice when buying a home in Central Florida. Be sure to have your home treated if necessary and make sure you renew your termite bond each year. Similarly, look around for any grassy, sandy areas and you’re likely to see an ant mound. Yet, the pests are treatable. Show caution and take action.
Yes, lightning is a major summertime weather issue! With fast moving storms, it’s best to take precautions immediately when a storm is forecast. If you’re caught in a storm, seek shelter or find a low spot away from trees, fences or poles.
No, love bugs don’t bite! These pesky bugs, called love bugs because they mate in flight, tend to swarm in May and September. They’re harmless, though, except to your car. Clean them off vehicles quickly.
DID YOU KNOW?
With more than 95 attractions in Orlando, it world take quests about 67 eight hour days to visit every spot. Also it would take you more than four years to eat in Orlando’s 5180 restaurants, if you ate in three each day. And, it would take 902 football fields laid side by side and end to end to completely fill the 52 million square feet of retail shopping space in Orlando.
The lighthouse icon towering 130 feet over them main entrance to Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure is actually inspired by the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt, one of the Seven Wonders of World, which was constructed in 350 B.C. and fell during the 14th century.
Seminole County is home to the Senator, the oldest and largest bald cypress tree in the world, standing more than 138 feet high with a diameter of 17.5 feet.
The steel required for the north/south expansion of the Orange County Convention Center totaled 27,000 tons. In comparison, the Eiffel Tower took only 7.3 tons of steel. If the 1, 454 foot tall Sears Tower in Chicago was placed on its side, it would fit lengthwise inside the Orange County Convention Center’s exhibition space and that includes the antenna atop the Windy City icon.
Orlando is the hometown of many famous faces, including Delta Burke of “Designing Women” fame, and actor and director Wesley Snipes. Before asking America to be his neighbor, the late Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood was in Orlando. He graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park before going on to don those famous sweaters. Hollywood legends Buddy Ebsen and Anthony Perkins also graduated from Rollins.
Many of today’s most famous pop icons got their start in Orlando’s entertainment industry. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and JC Chaez of “NSYNC all first earned their ears on Disney Channel’s “The New Mickey Mouse Club”, shot on location at Disney-MGM Studios. Keri Russell of “Felicity” also refined her acting skills on the show. Joey Fatone of ‘NSYNC and Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys sand and danced their way to the top with the stage shows at Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando.
Former President Richard Nixon gave his famous “I am not a crook” speech at Disney’s Contemporary Resort on November 17th, 1973, at a convention of newspaper editors.
The St. John’s River in Seminole County is Florida’s longest at 342 miles and one of only a few in the northern hemisphere that runs north.
The Good, The Not so Bad and the Not too Ugly
Yes, metro Orlando is the vacation capital of the world. With almost 500 hotels and 113,000 guestrooms, the region offers more lodging options than nearly any destination across the globe. Accommodations range from luxury resorts and themed hotels to charming bed and breakfasts, economy hotels/motels and campgrounds. There are also more that 26,000 vacation home rentals available and more than 16,000 vacation ownership units.
No, alligators aren’t everywhere! While it’s true that alligators can thrive in retention ponds, lakes and swamps, they don’t walk the streets (except in ultra rare cases), and attacks on humans are quite infrequent. To be on the safe side, though, keep children and pets away from watersides, particularly at dusk and after dark.
Yes, hurricanes bear watching! Given the busy seasons of 2004 and 2005, it wouldn’t be wise to neglect the possibility of a hurricane, even in buffered metro Orlando. Hurricane season stretches June 1st to November 30th, with peak season in September. However, chances are, those two recent hurricane seasons can be considered worst case scenarios for the region.
NO! Sharks aren’t the menaces they’re made out to be on TV! Unprovovoked shark attacks along the coastline are, in reality, on the decline in recent years. Considering all the people at the beaches, shark attacks are rare.
The Truth About Central Florida
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