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  1. Venues & Destinations

10 New Orlando Venues for Summer Meetings and Events

New attractions, eateries, drinking spots, and more for events and entertaining this season.

Mitra Sorrells
June 4, 2015

Here's a look at the best new Orlando restaurants, corporate event venues, hotels, conference centers, and private and party rooms to open this summer. These new and renovated Orlando venues can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, meetings, weddings, business dinners, teambuilding activities, cocktail parties, and more.

1. Orlando Eye
1. Orlando Eye

The much-anticipated Orlando Eye opened May 4 as the most prominent attraction at the I-Drive 360 entertainment, dining, and retail complex. The 400-foot-tall observation wheel is similar to the London Eye, and both are owned by Merlin Entertainments. The attraction has 30 air-conditioned capsules that each hold 15 people for a 20-minute ride that provides views of Central Florida in all directions. Private groups can rent one or more capsules for events. In addition, a hospitality room located on ground level holds 100 people for receptions. Larger groups can also buy out the terminal building and outdoor courtyard, creating a venue for as many as 2,500 people for receptions or 1,400 for a sit-down meal.

Photo: Courtesy of Merlin Entertainments
2. Madame Tussauds Orlando
2. Madame Tussauds Orlando

Adjacent to the Orlando Eye is Madame Tussauds Orlando, which also opened May 4. The 25,000-square-foot museum has dozens of lifelike wax statues of historical figures and celebrities such as Dan Marino, Taylor Swift, Jimmy Fallon, and Walt Disney. The attraction is available for buyout and holds 400 people for receptions.

Photo: Courtesy of Merlin Entertainments
3. Sea Life Orlando Aquarium
3. Sea Life Orlando Aquarium

Merlin Entertainments’ third attraction at I-Drive 360 is Sea Life Orlando Aquarium, the first Florida location of the chain that has locations across the United States, Europe, and Australia. The 25,000-square-foot aquarium is home to more than 5,000 sea creatures including colorful fish, sharks, seahorses, jellyfish, turtles, and rays. Floor-to-ceiling aquariums, cold-water rock pools and a glass-enclosed 360-degree tunnel give guests a close-up view of the wildlife. Groups can incorporate the facility’s interactive, educational experiences into their events. It is available for buyouts of 400 people for receptions.

Photo: Courtesy of Merlin Entertainments
4. The Boathouse
4. The Boathouse

As construction continues to transform Downtown Disney into Disney Springs, a new dining, shopping, and entertainment concept, the first new restaurant opened April 13. Managed by Gibsons Restaurant Group, the Boathouse is a 24,000-square-foot waterfront restaurant serving steaks, chops, and seafood. The restaurant seats 400 people inside and 200 on a patio. Two adjoining private dining rooms seat 50 people each or can be combined for a larger group. The venue has 19 rare boats on display and also offers guided boat rides on Lake Buena Vista.

Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney World
5. Skeletons: Animals Unveiled
5. Skeletons: Animals Unveiled

One of the more unusual attractions at I-Drive 360 is Skeletons: Animals Unveiled, which opened May 1. The 7,700-square-foot museum houses the bones of more than 400 animals, which have been meticulously cleaned and reassembled into skeletons. Examples include skeletons from an African elephant, a killer whale, and a camel. The facility is available for buyouts and holds 300 people for receptions. Several restaurants in the I-Drive 360 complex can be used for catering in the museum. Private groups can also bring in additional entertainment such as stilt walkers, strolling magicians, or live music.

Photo: Courtesy of Skeletons: Animals Unveiled
6. McFadden's Restaurant & Saloon
6. McFadden's Restaurant & Saloon

New York-based McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon opened its first Florida location April 1 on International Drive next to the Orlando Eye. The 11,000-square-foot restaurant seats 550 people or holds 750 people for receptions. The restaurant has two patios, a smaller one in the front and a larger one spanning the width of the restaurant in the back. The menu offers sandwiches, burgers, and salads, along with some traditional Irish specialties such as shepherd’s pie and corned beef and cabbage.

Photo: Courtesy of McFadden's Orlando
7. Whisper Creek Farm: The Kitchen
7. Whisper Creek Farm: The Kitchen

Whisper Creek Farm: the Kitchen and the Brewery are two new venues at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes. Both opened April 18 and are an extension of the property’s Whisper Creek Farm, which opened in 2012. The Kitchen is a 7,000-square-foot casual restaurant located just off the lobby that has a mix of communal and high-top tables and sofas, to evoke the feeling of eating in a family kitchen. There’s seating for 100 people inside and 50 on the terrace. The restaurant is open for dinner only, but the space can be used for group functions during the day. Fresh ingredients from the farm’s garden and eggs from its chicken coop are incorporated into menu items. The restaurant also serves beer from the Brewery, Marriott’s first craft nano-brewery. It will produce 28 gallons of beer weekly and private groups can also use the Brewery for a chef’s-table dining experience for eight people.

Photo: Mark Wieland Photography
8. Two Chefs Seafood & Oyster Bar
8. Two Chefs Seafood & Oyster Bar

Two Chefs Seafood & Oyster Bar brings the flavors of New Orleans to downtown Orlando. The restaurant is led by chef Bernard Carmouche, who spent 22 years as a corporate chef for Emeril Lagasse’s restaurants, and chef Larry Sinibaldi, who was executive chef of the Palm Steakhouse for 12 years. The restaurant, which opened April 7, has an open kitchen where everything is made fresh daily—there’s not even a freezer on property. The 2,500-square-foot venue has four distinct areas: a patio with seating for 32, a bar with seating for 30, the main dining area with seating for 40, and a private dining room upstairs for about 50 people. The menu includes items such as oysters, bone marrow, po’ boys, crab cakes, and burgers.

Photo: Courtesy of Two Chefs Seafood Oyster Bar
9. TR Fire Grill
9. TR Fire Grill

TR Fire Grill is a new concept from the parent company of Tony Roma’s restaurants. The first location opened March 3 in south Orlando. The menu of American bistro fare is focused on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant creates its own smoked meats and vegetables daily using hickory wood, and the bar offers in-house oak-aged tequila and made-from-scratch mixers. The 6,800-square-foot restaurant seats 230 people.

Photo: Courtesy of TR Fire Grill
10. Kokino
10. Kokino

Kokino opened March 19 just off Restaurant Row. The 2,500-square-foot venue serves dinner and late-night fare six days a week and brunch on Sundays. The restaurant seats 150 people inside and 40 on a patio. It is also available for buyouts of as many as 250 people for receptions. The restaurant has wood floors and contemporary accents. A DJ spins tunes nightly.

Photo: Courtesy of Kokino
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