Sunshine Matters

VISIT FLORIDA manages the state’s five Official Florida Welcome Centers located at I-10, I-95, I-75, US 231 and the Florida Capitol.  As an invaluable resource for visitors to the Sunshine State, the knowledgeable and helpful staff in the Welcome Centers provide a wealth of information to millions of Florida visitors each year.  In addition to offering detailed travel planning advice, the centers also provide maps, brochures and even a free cup of Florida citrus juice!

As a fun way to engage Welcome Center visitors, and showcase all there is to see and do in the Sunshine State, each of the four highway Welcome Centers set up special displays that allow travelers to learn more about what’s happening in Florida at certain times of the year.  The “Own a Welcome Center” program allows VISIT FLORIDA’s tourism Partners to create a highly visual theme that takes over the interior of the facility for an entire month.

The latest and greatest example of this program is going on now.  Walt Disney World recently debuted their largest expansion ever at the Magic Kingdom, known as New Fantasyland.  To celebrate and promote their expansion, Walt Disney World has taken over the four highway locations for the month of April.  The Welcome Center lobbies have been decked out in Fantasyland gear including large banners, giant floor and ceiling graphics, transparencies, and stands where visitors can capture photographs.

Some details of New Fantasyland that are being featured in the Welcome Center displays include characters from classic films such as Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, new and improved rides such as a jumbo-sized Dumbo, and interaction with old favorites such as Snow White and Goofy.

To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA’s “Own a Welcome Center” program, contact Annette Larson at 850-205-3864 or alarson@VISITFLORIDA.org.