Central Florida Life

student life

welcome to the city beautiful!

Work hard, play hard! F.I.R.S.T. Institute is located in the heart of Orlando, Florida, a growing and exciting city where the audio/visual and entertainment industries are thriving. Known as “The City Beautiful,” Orlando is home to a wide array of liveliness from theme parks, shopping, nightlife, and more. Come see why we live in the hospitality capital of the world! Explore the opportunities to use your talents in production facilities such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and other major studios.

Communities

According to the City of Orlando: “Orlando is one of the world’s fastest-growing cities. It is among Florida’s major cities and is a center for digital media and bio medicine. The City has the 9th busiest airport in the U.S. and is warm and sunny all year round.”

College Park – Life in the 32804! College Park is a quaint town with incredible restaurants, shops, and some of the nicest homes in all of Orlando. Known for its lakes and parks, College Park also boasts the oldest public golf course at Dubsdread Country Club.

Downtown Orlando – Downtown Orlando is the heart of Central Florida’s diverse and growing economy. Under the leadership of mayor Buddy Dyer, this hub for finance, government, and commerce creates a business environment and quality of life that supports various industries in the Downtown core and entire region. Downtown will continue to create, retain, and attract high-wage and high-value jobs that grow the economy.

Winter Park – Winter Park is an upscale suburban city north of Orlando. It is recognized as the first centrally planned community in Florida including civic buildings, art galleries, museums, and parks as well as a private liberal arts college, train station, golf course country club, historic cemetery, beach, and boat launch. The city draws thousands of visitors to its annual festivals including the Bach Festival, Sidewalk Art Festival, and Winter Park Concours d’Elegance.

THEME PARKS

Walt Disney World – The happiest place on earth! Visit Mickey, Minnie, and the gang at any of the four major theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. Take a break from the Florida heat and swing by one of Disney’s two water parks — Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach — to zip down one of the world’s tallest and fastest waterslides or take a dip in the Shark Reef. Other places to visit at the Walt Disney World Resort for shopping, dining and more include Disney Springs, BoardWalk, Wedding Pavilion, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and the Speedway — home of the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

Universal Studios – Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen, and jump right into the action of everyone’s favorite movies at Universal Studios, the world’s premier movie and TV-based theme park. Next, hop on over to the Islands of Adventure where the world’s most cutting edge rides, shows, and interactive attractions bring stories, myths, cartoons, comic book heroes, and children’s tales to life. Then, wind down after a day in the parks with some food, shopping, and music at CityWalk.

SeaWorld – SeaWorld is a theme park and marine-life based zoological park offering roller coasters, rides, shows, tours, attractions, and family-friendly activities for thrill seekers and animal lovers alike. When combined with its neighbors, Discover Cove (snorkeling) and Aquatica (waterpark), it forms a large entertainment complex devoted to the Earth’s oceans and the array of life that inhabits them.

Shopping

Mall at Millenia – The Mall at Millenia offers an extraordinary experience for people calling Orlando home or who are visiting for business or pleasure. Major department stores include Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Coach, Tiffany & Co., and many other fine retailers.

The Florida Mall – The Florida Mall is a two-story indoor shopping mall near Downtown Orlando. Here you can find upscale restaurants such as Buca di Beppo or fun experiences such as M&M World or The Crayola Experience.

Media

Orlando Sentinel – The Orlando Sentinel is the daily newspaper, which began more than 100 years ago.

Orlando Weekly – The Orlando Weekly, published every Thursday, is the alternative source for news, views, arts, and entertainment.

Transportation

Amtrak train – Amtrak strives to deliver a quality, safe, on-time rail passenger service that exceeds customer expectations. The Orlando Amtrak is located south of Downtown at 1400 Sligh Boulevard.

LYNX bus – LYNX provides public transportation services for Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties. Small portions of Lake, Polk, and Volusia counties are served as well. The nearest line to F.I.R.S.T. Institute is LYNX 125. To figure out a specific bus route, visit the LYNX website, enter the starting address and final destination (2309 Silver Star Road, Orlando 32804), and the route will be outlined along with a cost estimate.

Orlando International Airport – Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the closest commercial airport to Orlando’s world-class attractions and downtown business district. Note: other airports using the “Orlando” name are not located in Orlando, or even Orange County, and therefore will require significant driving time, tolls, or other ground transportation costs to get to Orlando if you choose an airport other than MCO.

Orlando Sanford International Airport – Orlando Sanford International boasts the finest leisure passenger facilities in the United States. Conveniently located within the boundaries of the City of Sanford, the airport is just 18 miles northeast of Orlando.

student life