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"Eight of the top ten domestic destinations for 2012 were also on the top ten list for 2011, and the top two choices –Las Vegas, Nev., and Orlando, Fla.– remain the same."
The complete list of the top ten U.S. destinations is a diverse mix of islands, cruises and cities:
1. Las Vegas, NV
2. Orlando, FL
3. Maui, HI
4. Alaska cruising
5. New York City, NY
6. Honolulu, HI
7. Washington, DC
8. Chicago, IL., up two spots from last year
9. Los Angeles, CA, up three spots from last year
10. Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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I'm a little surprised at Las Vegas (just a little, not a lot) still being # 1. Apparently Sin City hasn't lost its trademark appeal. 20-30 years ago if one wanted a casino resort or go gambling Vegas and Atlantic City were the only choices. Over the last 10-15 years there has been a huge expansion in casino development all over the country so that a trip to Vegas wasn't really neccessary for that element. In the 90's and 2000's Vegas started building the mega reosrts to up their game so that they would have a commnading lead in that industry. Nonetheless besides the real estate/foreclosure and banking crisis I might have thought part of Las Vegas' abysmal economic drop was due to the big casino resorts from Connecticut to New Mexico and Colorado and several other US states and even recent international casino gambling destinations like Macau in China may have stolen some limelight and revenue from Las Vegas' tourism industry, though they'll always have the desert sunshine.
I'm always just a little surprised to see Orlando so high in almost every ranking. It's the one city I've never even had the slightest desire to visit. Is it mostly people with kids that drive it up so high? In my mind I always picture kids when I think of Orlando, and it makes me shudder every time.
I'm always just a little surprised to see Orlando so high in almost every ranking. It's the one city I've never even had the slightest desire to visit. Is it mostly people with kids that drive it up so high? In my mind I always picture kids when I think of Orlando, and it makes me shudder every time.
I just got back from a week at Disney World (with a kid, of course), and to me, it's hardly surprising to see Orlando at No. 2. While I was there, I found myself thinking that it and Las Vegas -- unsurprisingly at No. 1 -- are probably the only two U.S. cities where more or less the only major industry is tourism or some variation thereof.
First you've got Disney World -- by the way, not in Orlando proper, as is commonly believed, but most everyone who visits passes through Orlando. My wife had never been there before, and she told me she had never anticipated its scale. The property is twice the size of Manhattan. The capacity of the Magic Kingdom is 100,000 people -- and the Magic Kingdom is just one of four Disney World theme parks, plus two water parks and assorted other attractions. Between buses, trains and boats, 250,000 people take Disney World-run public transportation every single day. Remember that nearly every one of those 250,000 people is a tourist.
And Orlando is much more than just Disney World. Universal has very successfully staked its own claim, and I'm told business is booming now that they've added a Harry Potter area to their sprawling, Disneyesque compound. There's also SeaWorld, and now Legoland (the biggest Legoland in the world), and scores of minor attractions. Of the 20 most-visited theme parks in the world -- not the United States, mind you, but the entire world -- seven are in the Orlando area. Again, the millions and millions of people who flock to these places are almost all tourists.
And yes, they're almost all tourists with kids. Though Disney et. al. will likely always try to promote themselves as destinations for everyone, the vast majority of people are toting kids around. That's what Orlando is for, really. It's not a nightlife-in-the-city destination. I didn't even lay eyes on the skyline while I was there, and I love cities. It's a families-with-kids destination. And it's not a big shock that kids bump up the numbers -- a couple with two kids is twice as many people as a couple with none.
I'm always just a little surprised to see Orlando so high in almost every ranking. It's the one city I've never even had the slightest desire to visit. Is it mostly people with kids that drive it up so high? In my mind I always picture kids when I think of Orlando, and it makes me shudder every time.
No its not, its everyone. People on this forum in general have a superiority complex and believe "common" fun like Disney for example is beneath them compared to say the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The general population doesn't and while many enjoy art, many don't appreciate it or understand it - furthermore some like myself find it pretentious to so highly regard one form of pleasure over another.
Another boost to Orlando that often goes overlooked here is that we play host to many intramural, extracurricular sports/activities, golf competitions and such.
Over a million people a year come just for tradeshows and while early in the figures I found 2012 has grown from 2011 thus far.
Part of that is like Vegas we have the hotel infrastructure, good weather conditions so flights don't typically get cancelled to Orlando, and extra activities so that people can make a weekend or week out of it if they want to.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Last time I was at Disney (age 25) I entered through the gates and all my jaded adult cynicism had magicly dissappeared and I instantly felt like a kid again. Most anyone (not all but most) adult and children alike can enjoy Disney (Epcot is my favorite).
I'm always just a little surprised to see Orlando so high in almost every ranking. It's the one city I've never even had the slightest desire to visit. Is it mostly people with kids that drive it up so high? In my mind I always picture kids when I think of Orlando, and it makes me shudder every time.
We have a 1 year old child and my wife and I agree that we are never going to Orlando or Florida for that matter. I would rather take a family vacation to Yellowstone, or Grand Canyon any day of the week over Orlando. Even if we were offered a free trip to Florida I still wouldn't go, I don't know, Florida just seems so fake and dumpy to me.
I have no opinion on the Trayvon Martin case but I guarantee you if people started protesting; saying they will never vacation in Orlando or the State of Florida because of what happened, I guarantee you that guy would be in jail in 20 minutes.
no point. Asking a question cause I am confused. Duh didn't you see the confused smilies???
What's YOUR point???
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