2005...a GREAT year to visit Orlando

[speck76]

2005 is going to be a great year to visit Orlando. Even with the improving economy, 2005 is going to be a "down" year in most major off-property hotels. This is due to the reduced number of large citywide conventions that are in Orlando next year, along with many hotels not having as many conventions already booked for next year.

Due to this, you can expect that many hotels will be discounting over "need-time" dates.

That being said, there are some dates that you will want to consider NOT coming to Orlando. If you do plan on visiting over these dates, do not expect any major discounts.

1/13/05-1/16/05 International Home Builders Convention (about 110,000 attendees, hotel rates will be high, if rooms are even available...this is the largest convention to ever some to Orlando)

1/17/05-1/19/05 Sporting Goods Super Show Convention (66,000 attendees)

1/27/05-1/30/05 PGA Merchandise Convention (50,000 attendees)

2/7/05-2/9/05 Int'L Heating and Air Conditioning Convention (50,000 attendees)

Presidents Weekend (2/17-2/19) combined with Photo Marketing Convention (2/20-2/23) will make Orlando even busier over this historically busy week.

2/28/05-3/3/05 Pittcon Convention (25,000 attendees)

3/6/05-3/9/05 American Cardiology Convention (30,000 attendees)

5/14/05-5/17/05 Clinical Oncology Convention (25,000 attendees)

A few more notes:

The 2 historic Spring Break weeks (the week before and after Easter) should be busier this year due to the early Easter (3/27/05) . The span of the various spring breaks around the counttry typically occur the week after Presidents' day until the week after Easter....when Easter is earlier, the typical amount of visitors is compressed into a shorter period of time. Also, when Easter is in March, more northerners come to Orlando, as the weather is typically still cold....when Easter is mid-April, the weather in the north is usually better, which tempts less people on a warm vacation.

Typically, Orlando hosts a very large convention the first week of October, but this is not the case in 2005, due to the fall Jewish Holidays (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah) being in that time period. There is really no MAJOR citywide convention in the fall of 2005, which should be good for discount seekers.

Let me know if you have any questions about specific dates.....I will pass on any information I can about "the state of the city".

 

[Ergens2]

Any more info for October? I am looking to go the 1-9. Any help would be great!

Shelley :wave:

 

[ncbyrne]

Me too - we're booked at Coronado Springs October 15-23. We booked this week and were told that there were no double bed rooms available, so we took a king. I know there is a golf tournament going on the end of the week, do you think this is impacting CS? What else is going on that week?

 

[Debbie]

There is really no MAJOR citywide convention in the fall of 2005, which should be good for discount seekers.

QUOTE]

This is scary but the same applies to New Orleans. Is Las Vegas appealing that much to corporations? Or have corporations been cautious with their money, thus choosing not to finance a big production?

 

[speck76]

There is really no MAJOR citywide convention in the fall of 2005, which should be good for discount seekers.

QUOTE]

This is scary but the same applies to New Orleans. Is Las Vegas appealing that much to corporations? Or have corporations been cautious with their money, thus choosing not to finance a big production?

It is in part due to the Jewish Holidays (Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur) falling late this year.....typically, they are in mid-to-late September, possibly the first few days of October.....but this year they are later......and most conventions, having respect for their Jewish attendees, will not meet over these holidays.

Typically, Orlando has 3 or 4 huge fall citywides.....this year, there is a few in early September (which will not create the demand, as it is the lowest demand time for tourists) and 1 in early December (but it is not huge....maybe 8,000 rooms). The October/Novemeber citywides that usually come seem to always fall near Columbus Day or Veteran's Day, both of which have significant tourist demand also.......therefore, the city fills up and discounts go away.