Kissimmee, FL  Event Planning

Key Highlights

Hotels 75
Total Sleeping Rooms 19,038
Average Hotel Room Rate USD $78
Average Daily Meal Cost USD $46
Average Weekly Car Rental USD $378

Kissimmee, FL Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to our Kissimmee meeting and event planning guide. Kissimmee is a place where perfect space and facilities, convenient location, world-class entertainment, and superb service come together. Blessed with beautiful weather, small-town charm and endless possibilities for excitement, Kissimmee has plenty to offer business and leisure travelers alike. A commitment to service, emphasize on value, and plenty of facilities that offer a perfect blend of business and pleasure are just a few of the hallmarks of this Central Florida destination. With so much to offer, it's no wonder Kissimmee is host to nearly six million visitors each year.

Kissimmee's popularity is due in part to its ease of access. A convenient gateway to over 2.6 million passengers each month, Orlando International Airport is an easy 30-minute drive to most meeting properties. In addition to air travel, Amtrak's Silver Service/Palmetto line, which runs from New York City to Miami, stops right in downtown Kissimmee. For those who prefer to drive, Kissimmee is just off major routes such as Florida's Turnpike, I-4, and the Central Florida Greeneway, placing it within easy access to I-75 and I-95 and convenient driving distance of most of the southeastern United States.

Upon arrival, groups are met with a plethora of quality accommodations designed to suit every taste and price point. In fact, Kissimmee has over 47,000 total lodging units from which to choose, ranging from express business hotels to boutique properties and full-service resorts, such as the Gaylord Palms Hotel & Convention Center. Here, business and pleasure also go hand-in-hand, thanks to 1,406 stylish guest rooms, a tranquil spa, world-class restaurants, and 400,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 178,500-square-foot Florida Exhibition Hall. Meanwhile, just 15 miles away from downtown Kissimmee, Reunion Resort offers luxury accommodations, championship golf courses and over 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

In addition to these premier meeting resorts, Kissimmee's Osceola Heritage Park is a top destination for tradeshows and conferences in Central Florida. This expansive 120-acre complex boasts a 60,000-square-foot exhibition building, the 10,500-seat Silver Spurs Arena and the Osceola County Stadium Spring Training home for the Houston Astros. Also known for its A-list performances, Osceola Heritage Park has played host to such legends as Van Morrison, Norah Jones, Pearl Jam, and Vince Gill as well as World Championship Boxing, the bi-annual Silver Spurs Rodeo, and the nation's largest collectible car auction.

Recognizing that there's no such thing as a "one-size-fits-all" meeting venue, Kissimmee is brimming with unique alternatives for events of all types, sizes and purposes. Host a cocktail reception in the 14,000-square-foot hangar at the Kissimmee Air Museum. Plan a black-tie affair at the 10,000-square-foot reception hall at the entertainment showplace Arabian Nights, heralded as one of the best dinner shows in the region. Meanwhile, the Osceola Center for the Arts offers meeting and banquet space amidst a culturally-rich atmosphere of theater, dance and ever changing art exhibitions.

Drawing more than six million visitors per year, Kissimmee's economy is based primarily on tourism. The city is also home to Valencia College and Florida Christian College.

About Kissimmee, FL / Additional Info

Kissimmee's central location positions it just south of Orlando along the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga. Spanning roughly 17 square miles across Osceola County, Kissimmee is home to more than 62,000 people, is the county seat of Osceola County, population of nearly 270,000 and is a principal city of the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area a region that is home to more than two million residents. From its quaint, historic neighborhoods to its world-class golf and invigorating outdoor adventures, Kissimmee is an integral piece of one of the world's most popular vacation destinations.

Founded in the mid-1800s as Allendale, the city was incorporated and renamed in 1883 as Kissimmee, which most agree was a modern spelling of a tribal word. Until the opening of nearby Walt Disney World Resort in 1971, Kissimmee was known primarily as a transportation hub for the South Florida Railroad; later, its economy relied heavily on the cattle ranching industry and citrus. Its modest beginnings have not been forgotten, and visitors can still get a taste of the region's bygone days at the Osceola County Historical Society. Here, visitors marvel at the inner-workings of the Citrus Packing House, shop at the Tyson General Store, or live a day in the life of a Florida Cracker Cow Man.

For a more comprehensive view of Kissimmee's historical attractions, the Osceola County Historic Driving Tour takes visitors to some of the most intriguing sites in the region, including the Bataan-Corregidor Memorial, Veteran's Tribute and Memorial Museum, St. Cloud Heritage Museum, and the historic Courthouse built in 1889. Among Kissimmee's not-to-be-missed historic attractions is the 40-foot-high Monument of States. Built from stones provided by tourists, governors, a prime minister and a U.S. President, the monument is comprised of 1,500 stones collected over 22 years. Its stalagmites, petrified wood and bones represent every state in the U.S. along with 20 foreign countries.

Kissimmee's more modern attractions are second to none. In addition to being just a stone's throw from the Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort, and the Kennedy Space Center, Kissimmee features several local attractions that give it a flavor all its own. Visitors can take the controls of an authentic, restored warplane at Warbird Adventures, enjoy a birds-eye view of the area from a hot air balloon, or skim across Lake Tohopekaliga for an adventurous airboat ride. Other stops for your itinerary should include Gatorland, the Alligator Capital of the World; Old Town, where the Saturday Nite Cruise of classic cars is a 20-year-old tradition; a zipline or coach safari at Florida Eco-Safaris; or the SkyCoaster plunge at Fun Spot USA.

For the serious golfer, Kissimmee's famed championship courses and year-round sunshine create the perfect opportunity to get in a little tee time. Celebrated golfers such as Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Koch have all made their mark on courses at Reunion Resort; or challenge courses designed by Greg Norman at the ChampionsGate Golf Resort. Players can try out the Scottish Style Links modeled after British courses at The Royal St. Cloud course, enjoy the environs of the Harmony Golf Preserve, or even improve their swing at a choice of three golf academies: the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at ChampionsGate, the ANNIKA Academy at Reunion, and the Golf Academy at Celebration.

When darkness falls over Kissimmee, the excitement of the day spills over to a sparkling nightlife- filled with fine dining, electrifying performances at unique and high professional dinner shows. Culinary delights await at more than 150 restaurants dotted across the region many which feature outdoor seating for dining beneath the stars. Whether visitors are in the mood for fresh seafood or hearty steaks, Cuban or Caribbean, Kissimmee is brimming with a host of flavors to please every palate.

 
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