7 New Venues in Orlando/Central Florida for Summer 2023 Meetings and Events

In May, following a $35 million renovation to create a fresh, modern look with warm undertones, the 20-acre Delta Hotels Orlando Celebration opened a mile south of Walt Disney World. The hotel has 718 guest rooms, lushly landscaped grounds, and 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. Indoors, the property has four event spaces; the largest, The Preserve Ballroom, can accommodate 500 guests for reception-style events and 350 with a banquet or classroom setup. The spaces can be divided into eight breakout rooms. The outdoor gazebo is set amid 20 acres of greenery. The lobby, ballrooms, pool deck, waterside gazebo, and lawns are all available for events. The tailored, modern indoor spaces have geometric patterns in neutral colors. A full array of extras are available including carpenters, video conferencing, and translators.

When it opened May 1, JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa brought this Gulf Coast destination nine new event spaces—meeting rooms, ballrooms, and an outdoor event space totaling 17,000 square feet. Located along a secluded stretch of beach, the upscale property with a rooftop pool deck has 162 guest rooms and 36 one- to three-bedroom residential-style suites. Coastal-inspired turquoise hues dominate the color scheme. Corporate and leisure groups are invited to book events in the 20,000 square feet of event space; all indoor options have multimedia technology available. Large windows add Gulf of Mexico views to the eighth-floor, 6,002-square-foot Kiran Grand Ballroom and the 3,793-square-foot junior Pallavi Ballroom, both divisible into smaller venues. They accommodate up to 600 and 380 guests, respectively. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide natural light for four breakout spaces and the executive boardroom—which has a meeting table, lounge area, and dry bar. The hotel can provide amenities from notepads and pens to spotlights and security guards. All food and beverage needs are handled in-house.

A new ballroom with prefunction space was added to the Disney World area’s 502-room Waldorf Astoria Orlando golf and spa resort in late 2022. The Central Park Ballroom provides an outdoor feel, especially for daytime events, since the 8,436-square-foot ballroom and 2,565-square-foot prefunction space (pictured) both have floor-to-ceiling windows letting in abundant sunlight. More than 282 celebrants can be seated in the ballroom cabaret style at rounds of six, 470 at larger banquet tables, and 888 reception style. The ballroom itself can be divvied into eight sections. The adjacent Central Park Foyer holds as many as 270 guests for standing events. These complement an existing enclosed Golf Pavilion, covered tented gardens overlooking a nature preserve and golf practice facilities, a smaller ballroom, 13 meeting rooms, and a pool-view outdoor promenade. The additions bring a total of 60,000 square feet of event space to the Waldorf, a luxury property.

Ocean-inspired mineral tones and dune-like designs create a fresh new look for the revamped event spaces at Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, a 64-acre resort located near Jacksonville in Ponte Vedra Beach. The refreshed spaces encompass 55,000 square feet of the 514-room hotel’s 90,000 square feet of dedicated flexible venues indoors and out; the hotel has 114,227 square feet of total possible event space. The flooring of the Champions Ballroom (pictured), the resort’s largest at 15,741 square feet, resembles ocean waves, while modern chandeliers add a bright, contemporary element. As many as 1,600 guests can gather for a reception and 1,000 for a banquet. It can be divided into six spaces and has two registration areas. The Champions Foyer has sand-colored designs and windows with greenery views. Similar waterfront theming distinguishes the 12 other renovated venues, including the Masters and Heritage ballrooms. In total, options include three ballrooms, which can be broken into five to eight sections apiece; the 3,000-square-foot Cascades deck and equally sized lawn; the Spa Lawn; a deck overlooking the golf course; and smaller conference rooms.

After a day of meetings or trade shows at Orange County Convention Center or one of International Drive’s many convention hotels, groups can gather for an informal dinner at Kavas Tacos + Tequila, a large and colorful family-owned Mexican-inspired restaurant that opened in May on the same tourism strip. The festive spot is decorated with vibrant colors, rattan hanging chandeliers, and Day of the Dead adornments. Long tables line the four sections of the 7,000-square-foot dining room, and some spaces can be made semiprivate or private; the private dining room seats up to 80. In total, up to 500 people can gather for a standing reception with food and beverage or 450 for a seated meal. On-site event managers will work with planners to arrange for audiovisual equipment, a DJ, and entertainment including fire dancers. Group menu options are flexible and include a variety of tacos served on long wooden boards holding a dozen assorted tacos apiece.

Boasting that it’s “the size of 15 football fields,” Orlando’s 850,000-square-foot Dezerland Park attraction—in part a car museum—added new event venues this spring. Among them is the Gamrz Delight lounge (pictured), where guests can play pinball, pingpong, darts, and other games, and have cocktails in a dedicated indoor patio. A virtual reality simulator available for group buyouts will open, also in the Pinball Palace, this summer. In addition to existing event venues, corporate groups can host team-building competitive dodgeball events in the 30,000-square-foot trampoline park. The 007 Bond Sports Bar & Restaurant will soon be available for cocktail events and seated meals. Elsewhere, groups are invited to buy out the indoor go-kart area (with seating for 200 observers), the Laser Tag Maze, and the Axecelsior Axe Throwing areas. Food and beverage options are available for all private events. In total, Dezerland accommodates events of up to 18,000 people. Some groups move from space to space, rotating through activities.

An entirely new neighborhood is sprouting up within the city of Orlando. The Dr. Phillips Charities’ Packing District will evolve over the next two decades. Two event venues that debuted in May are among the facilities. A 66-acre park called The Grove—named in honor of the citrus groves that long inhabited the land—has a 145-foot-wide performance pavilion and an adjacent lawn with electrical access. Together, they can accommodate groups of up to 3,000 people (note that permits are required for groups of over 100). Upon approval, planners can bring in their own rented sound and stage items, seating, entertainment, and food and beverage. The park requires groups to pay in full in advance. It also has a 1.5-mile trail, a mile-long boardwalk, and preserved wetlands. A quarter-mile away, the state-of-the-art Orlando Tennis Center has 27 tennis and six pickleball courts, plus a welcome center that is 4,000 square feet, including a clubhouse and a pro shop. The building’s Community Room can be rented for meetings of up to 30 participants. The venue has Wi-Fi access, smart TVs, and tennis court views through its windows.