My recent eight-day swing took me to Orlando and Las Vegas. I used
to think of the two places as being not only far apart on a map but
far removed in every other respect: the first a family-oriented
destination and the second an adult playground.
But while there are still some significant distinctions, notably
the absence of gaming in the former and its pervasiveness in the
latter, the two extraordinarily popular destinations have become
more alike, mainly because Vegas has morphed into a neon theme
park.
Both destinations epitomize the main reason people travel, to
escape reality. Both transport visitors into a dream world, pushing
the concerns of everyday life as far away as possible.
Orlando arguably is the gentler place, designed with children in
mind but with high appeal to adults. Indeed, the Florida attraction
draws a remarkable number of visitors without children, including
honeymooners.
But while Vegas still has its seamy side, it's become more
equatable with Orlando as it steadily creates a World's Fair of
themed hotels. In fact, if you had the space and you took away the
casinos, you could merge the themed hotels of Vegas into the
destination-themed pavilions of Epcot.
The early-generation hotels of Vegas have faded away or been
submerged by the splashy themed arrivals of recent times: New
York-New York; Venetian and Paris, among many others.
Although gaming remains the principal lure and none of the
incredibly expensive properties could have been imagined without
the bottomless source of money from the casinos, Vegas now offers
more than enough for visitors who are not motivated by the call of
sudden wealth.
Similarly, Orlando's first-rate hotels and choice of dining
offer enjoyable alternatives to long stretches inside its many
theme parks.
There's one other common denominator linking the two places:
weather. It can turn briefly chilly in central Florida in the
winter and the desert heat in Vegas can be wilting in summer but
for the most part, the weather in both destinations is comfortable
and Americans' desire to doff the overcoats can be satisfied.
So notwithstanding the presence of Mickey Mouse in the one and
seas of slot machines in the other, Orlando and Vegas are more
alike than you think.