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When City Works Eatery and Pour House opened at Disney Springs in February, it debuted with not only 90-plus craft beers, modern American fare, and the chance to watch sports and big events, but also private event opportunities. Within its 8,632 square feet, the massive gastropub offers a semiprivate space that can accommodate as many as 50 guests for a cocktail-style reception. The venue can also fit as many as 300 guests with a full buyout. Copper and dark woods make up the backdrop, while state-of-the-art technology enables event planners to air slide shows and other presentations on the video wall, which features a 168-inch high-definition screen, plus four 110-inch monitors and 12 65-inch screens. Bar bites, shareable plates, salads, burgers, and sandwiches comprise the catering menu.

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At the center of Sapphire Now was the Central Showcase, a high-tech air travel-theme display designed to demonstrate how experiential data and operational data can merge to assist businesses.

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Your guests can play like kids in Andy’s backyard in Toy Story Land, a playful area that resembles the Disney Pixar movie series at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort. The attraction, opened for private events as of June, a year after its debut, for after-hours gatherings. The venue is large, so the park can accommodate hundreds at once for cocktail-style events with buffet-style food and beverages, including sweets unique to the franchise. Dessert parties are especially popular. High-tech lighting and dramatic decor elements are included. Disney can also provide entertainment and character visits and access to rides such as the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster.

10 New Orlando/Central Florida Venues for 2019 Fall Meetings and Events

Celebrated chef José Andrés’ rapidly growing restaurant empire brings his Jaleo concept to Orlando in the form of a bold, bright, and colorful restaurant featuring classic and contemporary Spanish cuisine. Opened in mid-March 2019, the restaurant serves its signature tapas, wood-fired paellas, and other specialties into its event menus. Groups of varying sizes can dine in five separate spaces downstairs, eight upstairs, or the whole second floor. Buyouts for as many as 550 are available as well. Spanish wines, and themed gift bags with items such as cookbooks or Catalan cookies, are among the extras offered.

10 New Orlando/Central Florida Venues for 2019 Summer Entertaining and Events

At the center of Sapphire Now was the Central Showcase, a high-tech air travel-theme display designed to demonstrate how experiential data and operational data can merge to assist businesses.

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Jutting out over the Atlantic Ocean, the historic Cocoa Beach Pier is a restaurant- and retail-packed wooden structure, and as of January, is also home to the Atlantic Ballroom, a 3,500-square-foot banquet and meeting space. Wood floors, a wraparound balcony, and floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the ocean and Cape Canaveral add to the event venue’s charm. The ballroom has a private bar and a private restroom. The space seats 140 at banquet rounds, or holds 200 for a standing reception or a theater-style setup. All catering is provided from the in-house catering team. Audiovisual technology is available.

10 New Orlando/Central Florida Venues for Spring 2019 Meetings and Events

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Isolé Villas, a new 15-suite villa, is available for corporate retreats, meetings, or events south of Orlando. Within its 25,000 sleek, contemporary square feet, the property includes a 14-seat boardroom and a Grand Dining Room that seats 40 guests for plated meals at a custom-made black Italian marble table. As many as 75 can attend buffet or reception-style events in the same space. Other amenities include a multi-level saltwater pool, an indoor sports court for teambuilding programs, a 19-seat high-tech movie theater, a piano salon, a spa, and a cigar lounge. Additionally, a sommelier is available to help choose wines. The venue is located inside the gated Reunion golf resort community.

Best of 2018: 10 Most Notable Orlando/Central Florida Venue Openings of 2018

Situated along the boardwalk, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort has long been a destination for events. Now, on the heels of renovations to the guest rooms and dining facilities, the 1,190-room hotel has finished a convention center expansion that includes the spacious Newport Ballroom. Measuring 16,000 square feet, the ballroom is part of an expansion that adds 28,000 square feet to the convention center, bringing the total square footage to nearly 100,000. The ballroom, like the resort itself, has a subtle nautical theme reminiscent of Newport and Nantucket in the late 1800s with blue undertones as well as gold and white accents. The 4,600-square-foot Newport Lobby & Gallery gives way to the addition that includes three pre-function areas, two networking rotundas, eight breakout spaces, state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, and other amenities. The ballroom has 22-foot ceilings with moldings and holds 2,300 people for receptions; 1,584 for theater-style events, and nearly 1,300 for banquets.

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In the center of Disney World’s busy Disney Springs dining, shopping, and entertainment complex, Wine Bar George is a den of civility. Within its warm interior with brick and wood details, the two-story, 6,000-square-foot wine bar—run by namesake master sommelier George Miliotes—features six event-space options. Groups can buy out the entire restaurant to fit 200 seated or 300 standing guests, including multi-course dinners with wine pairings. Smaller groups can opt for the second floor interior (80 seated or 190 for receptions), bar (30 seated or 50 for receptions), or barrel room (as many as 190 seated). The glass-enclosed library holds 10 guests, and the patio seats 26 or holds 35 reception-style. Miliotes himself will host private wine pairing sessions for private events.

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The Four Seasons Resort Orlando on Disney World property added a $2.5 million, 16-acre practice facility to its Tranquilo Golf Club in January, and the greens are an outdoor option for group activities or catered events. The expanse, which includes a chipping green and an 18-hole putting course, can hold 200 guests for receptions or banquets. Alternatively, groups of 60 might first play a round of golf—even a glow-in-the-dark version after sunset—then proceed to the putting course’s sidewalk perimeter for food and beverage or to the indoor Tranquilo Clubhouse for a cocktail reception or meal in the banquet room. The club's Plancha restaurant, serving Cuban fare, is another option.

10 New Venues in Orlando/Central Florida for Spring Meetings and Events