Things To Do In SW Florida

Orange County’s tourist-tax revenues for February topped the month’s tally from a year ago.

Collections for the month totaled about $34 million, up about 4.3% or $1.4 million from Feb. 2023.

“Before leaping to conclusions, consider there were 29 days in February this year compared to 28 last year,” said Comptroller Phil Diamond, whose office tracks collections of the 6% surcharge tacked onto the cost of a hotel room, a home-sharing rental or other short-term lodging. “But for the extra day, revenues would have been relatively flat.”

Revenues from the Tourist Development Tax (TDT) are considered a measure of the tourism industry’s health.

February’s total builds on January’s collections, which topped $30 million, the most ever for the month.

Citing insights by Visit Orlando, the TDT-funded marketing agency for Central Florida tourism, Diamond also credited the February boost on an attendance surge at the Orange County Convention Center, driven by the pop culture show MegaCon. read more

Universal Studios has announced dates for the 2024 edition of its Halloween Horror Nights and started selling one-night tickets for the after-hours event.

For the first time, HHN will kick off in August. Opening night is Aug. 30. (Last year, it began Sept. 1.) Horror Nights will be held nightly, Wednesdays through Sundays, through Nov. 3, a total of 44 event nights, the same amount of evenings as in 2023.

Single-night ticket prices vary by date. The lowest admission fee is $82.99 on 11 select nights in September; the most expensive option is $122.99 on the middle three Saturdays of October. Opening night tickets are $102.99.

Prices for express passes range between $149.99 and $239.99, depending on the date.  The pass gives access to shorter lines for the HHN haunted houses and select theme park rides. It does not include the general admission ticket for the event.

Universal is not selling multinight passes for HHN yet, and no themes for the 10 houses and five scare zones have been announced.  A news release provided by Universal Orlando on Thursday says the event will include an “energetic live show.” read more