Orlando's top tourist attractions are bucking the state's persistent economic slump with a multibillion-dollar building boom.
New and expanded venues are popping up at Disney, Universal and a host of other theme parks, laying claim to some 50 million tourists who visit Central Florida annually.
"What recession?" asks Erik Yates, who runs the website BehindTheThrills.com. "The whole corridor from Melbourne to Orlando and Tampa -- there's nothing but new construction going on."
Though Central Florida's visitation numbers dipped slightly last year, the crowds roared back this past spring break. Yates reported that Disney and Universal's Islands of Adventure had to shut down briefly because they were over capacity -- and that was during a midweek.
Universal's "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" was so jammed that hours were extended and re-entry passes were given to patrons who were turned away, Yates said from his Fort Pierce office.
Now Orlando-area attractions are expanding to accommodate what they project to be rising demand from in-state and out-of-state visitors.
WALT DISNEY WORLD, celebrating its 40th anniversary in Orlando, is the 800-pound gorilla of Orlando area tourism. Disney properties account for $18.2 billion in annual economic impact to Central Florida and $6 billion in direct and indirect compensation to workers.
Disney parks and resorts alone represent 2.5 percent of the state's entire gross domestic product, said Al Weiss, president of worldwide operations for the company.
But Disney, whose footprint spreads across 40 square miles, isn't resting on its laurels, even during tight economic times.
The park's fabled Fantasyland is undergoing a major redesign to include more interaction with movie characters. The venerable Dumbo the Flying Elephant is among the rides being "completely re-imagined," the company says.
The Star Tours simulator ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios is also getting a makeover. It is expected to reopen later this year with a new 3D experience and several new Star Wars scenes, according to the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.
Over at Downtown Disney, new stores have been added and the Pleasure Island 24 AMC has been upgraded.
UNIVERSAL ORLANDO, a more compact 100-acre venue, posted an unofficial 46 percent rise in attendance, said Yates, mainly due to the Harry Potter's "Wizarding."
Opened in 1999, Universal continues to mix attractions at its amusement park and entertainment complex that features "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,""Jurassic Park River Adventure" and "Seuss Landing."
Universal spokesmen, like Disney's, would not disclose dollar amounts or employment numbers on their projects. But Yates said activity at the park has been "nuts" since Potter opened.
LEGOLAND FLORIDA, taking over the old Cypress Gardens, is set to open Oct. 15. The 150-acre theme park in Winter Haven plans to hire 1,000 employees to staff 50 new rides, shows and attractions.
Honchoed by general manager Adrian Jones, who comes from Legoland's parent Merlin Entertainments Group, the project is geared for fun-seekers ages 2 to 12.
Yates said Merlin is spending $500 million to $750 million on the Legoland, though those figures were not confirmed by the company.
"They're treating it like new construction, while keeping the historical gardens and the Plantation House," Yates reported.
HOLY LAND EXPERIENCE is taking on a fresh look with construction of the Church of All Nations, a 2,000-seat "flagship event venue."
Trinity Broadcasting Network, which purchased Holy Land in 2007, has ambitious plans for the religious theme park on Vineland Road.
TBN spokesman John Casoria said the COAN, which he calls "a state-of-the-art theatrical auditorium," will have high-definition digital TV capabilities to produce both live broadcasts and recorded shows.
The COAN, whose construction price tag is pegged between $15 million and $17 million, is set to open in early fall.
Meantime, Holy Land has imported an additional attraction: Christus Gardens. Calling it a "cross between Madame Tussauds and a Bible diorama," Casoria said TBN transplanted the set from Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Drawing an average of 1,200 visitors per day, Holy Land has a capacity of roughly 2,000 and planners are looking to expand the current 15-acre site by using 10 acres TBN owns across the street.
Headquartered in Tustin, Calif., TBN is clearly putting more resources into Florida.
"The center of our universe [is] shifting east," Casoria said.
SEAWORLD ORLANDO opened a new water slide, "Omaha Rocka," in 2010 and this spring launched "One Ocean," a new killer whale show to replace the 5-year-old "Believe" as the park's signature attraction.
But not every Central Florida attraction is moving ahead as planned.
ORLANDO THRILL PARK was proposed on 77 acres along International Drive, but was rejected by local planning authorities over concerns about noise and height.
The tallest roller coaster was to soar to 420 feet -- double the height of any other such ride in the area.
Still, the project remains in play as developers seek ways to comply with the local zoning codes.
Yates has no doubt that more growth is heading for Orlando.
"The fervor for Harry Potter and the big-name attractions shows no signs of slowing," he said.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341
