This year saw the opening of many significant event and meeting venues in Orlando/Central Florida. Here's a look at the best restaurants, party rooms, hotels, corporate event venues, conference centers, and private rooms to open in 2017. These new and renovated Orlando/Central Florida venues suit groups large or small for private and corporate events, business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, weddings, and more.
Following a multimillion-dollar renovation to the physical structure and a revised menu, Planet Hollywood’s flagship location at Disney Springs reopened in January. The new Planet Hollywood Observatory is now a four-story venue that accommodates 1,100 people for a buyout. There are multiple options for smaller groups, including the outdoor Stargazers lounge, which holds 150 people for receptions, and the second, third, and fourth floors of the building, which hold between 200 and 525 people each for receptions. Updated technology has been added to the space, including a 4,500-square-foot video wall that can display a custom message for people attending private events, and a curated collection of film memorabilia decorate the entire venue. The menu includes a selection of burgers and sandwiches created by celebrity chef Guy Fieri.
Topgolf opened its third Florida location in October across from the Orange County Convention Center. The main attraction in the 65,000-square-foot venue are the three levels of high-tech golf bays—there are 34 six-person bays on each floor. For buyouts, the facility can hold as many as 1,500 people. Private spaces include a rooftop terrace for 178 people that has a private bar and fire pits. There’s also the 3,000-square-foot Signature Room for as many as 250 people, and the Lower Level Lounge, a semi-private space for 80 people that has pool tables, shuffleboard, and video game consoles. The facility has a full-service restaurant and bar that provides catering for events, and golf instruction is also available. The venue’s event staff can also provide live bands, DJs, photo booths, and more.
The first North American location for the London-based Ace Cafe brand opened in downtown Orlando in May. The 35,000-square-foot “motor-centric” dining, entertainment, and retail complex is housed in a historic building that began as a hardware store in the early 1900s. Now it includes a full-service restaurant, four bars, a coffee lounge, stages, retail shop, and art gallery, with classic and custom motorcycles and cars decorating the space. The two-story venue seats 520 people or can hold 1,025 for a reception. There are several options for smaller groups, including an enclosed boardroom with seating for 20. The adjacent outdoor space can seat 250 people or hold as many as 1,000 for a reception. The venue offers a full catering menu with food and drinks.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld was finishing its new Palms Conference Center in December and will welcome its first groups in January 2018. The new space has a 20,000-square-foot ballroom that seats 1,450 at round tables or holds 2,000 people for a reception. Two smaller ballrooms measure 10,000 and 3,200 square feet, respectively. The hotel also created a new 24,000-square-foot event lawn—the Palm Promenade—that holds 2,300 people for a reception. With these additions the hotel now has 100,000 square feet of multipurpose event space. The renovation also updated the existing event space and the 1,000 guest rooms.
Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, the former Fulton’s Crab House at Disney Springs reopened in February as Paddlefish. Designed to evoke the atmosphere of a sophisticated yacht, the 32,000-square-foot restaurant has a contemporary design and seats 525 people inside or holds 1,000 people for receptions. Docked on the shores of Lake Buena Vista, Paddlefish is the only restaurant in Disney Springs to offer rooftop-level, waterfront seating, with space for 234 people. There are also two private dining rooms that accommodate 40 and 80 people, respectively. The restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.
Universal Orlando Resort’s third theme park, Volcano Bay, opened in May. The 30-acre water park immerses guests in a lush, tropical environment, and private groups can incorporate island-inspired food and beverages to align with the theme. The park has a variety of rides including a winding river, twisting multi-rider raft rides, body slides that drop from the top of a faux volcano, and a wave pool. The park has four pavilions that each hold about 110 people for a reception.
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games opened its first Florida location in September on Universal Boulevard behind the Orange County Convention Center. The 150,000-square-foot entertainment complex has high-speed go-karts on multi-level, banked turn tracks; more than 120 arcade games; a two-story ropes course with curved rail zip line; a two-level laser tag arena; 12 lanes of bowling; the Dark Ride interactive motion theater; a full-service restaurant; and two full bars. The complex has 10,000 square feet of event space, including a large room that can host as many as 300 people for a reception. Catering and planning services are available.
South Florida-based American Social Bar & Kitchen has opened a Tampa location on Harbour Island, within walking distance of the Tampa Bay Convention Center and Amalie Arena. The restaurant has more than 9,000 square feet of space inside and a 5,000-square-foot patio overlooking Tampa Bay. The venue is available for buyout for 800 people. Smaller groups can use a private dining room that seats 24. Management describes the menu as “American comfort food” with everything made in-house. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily and brunch on Sundays.
Planners looking for an upscale rooftop venue got a new option in Ivanhoe Village in May. M Lounge is a 10,000-square-foot rooftop space with view of downtown Orlando. For a buyout, it accommodates 320 people. Smaller groups can reserve a section in the back for as many as 120 people. In the first floor of the building is another event space: M Bar. It has a more casual vibe, with more than 60 classic cars on display, arcade games, and exposed brick walls. M Bar can hold 230 people for a buyout.
Located on the third floor of the historic Mather Building in downtown Orlando, Mathers Social Gathering has a sophisticated but comfortable atmosphere, with wood-beamed ceilings, brick walls, and residential-style furnishings in cozy groupings throughout the space. The bar is available for buyout for as many as 160 people and there are also sections that can be reserved for eight to 50 people. The menu is focused on creative cocktails, many created with sodas and juices made in-house. There is also a limited menu of small bites such as a charcuterie board and roasted fava beans.
