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Orlando officials on Oct. 1 welcomed the grand opening of the 497-room Waldorf Astoria Orlando – 78 years to the date that the New York icon opened. In addition, the 1,000-room Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek celebrated its opening alongside the Waldorf Astoria property.

The new hotels, which are adjacent to Walt Disney World, are located on 482 acres of the Bonnet Creek Resort property and boasts over 1,497 room, 12 restaurants, a pool with private cabanas, lazy river, water slide, fitness center, golf course, spa, meeting spaces and more. Even better, the resort property employs over 700 employees with plans to add many more.

Designed to look like the New York property, the Orlando outpost has a handcrafted clock in the lobby, which is likely to become revered, much like the iconic lobby clock that has stood in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria in New York since 1931.

Several local officials, along with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, attended the event, which officially marked the opening of the only Waldorf Astoria property outside New York City.

Crist added, “I am confident the guests and visitors to Bonnet Creek will enjoy tremendous hospitality while experiencing world-class accommodations in a world-class city. As the tourism capital of the world, Florida is honored to welcome this beautiful resort that will help generate new economic opportunities in the region.”

For more information, check out the local news coverage below:

Local 6 WKMG

WESH 2 Orlando

Central Florida News 13