Honestly, I fail to understand why this venue was built when the older Amway Venue was still perfectly fine. Clearly its newer, has same fancy upgrades and is sandwiched into a nook to give it more of a big city feel.
They claim it has more seating but I just don't see how. The incline in the cheap seats looks precarious and taking a tumble might just be life threatening. I get a really boxed in feeling when inside the venue. It seems very cramped but if you are a sports fan I guess it doesn't matter. We just need a real team...
I have been lucky enough to view concerts from the Founder's suite and that is just about the only way to watch an event here. I would not sit in the stands with the noisy rabble in this location.
Parking sucks. Scant and expensive. You can park in the hood for cheaper and for the most part its a safe walk due to the heavy police presence during events.
I think Orlando didn't quite hit the mark with this venue but it serves its purpose. Visible from the interstate with a flashy marquee, this edifice does give downtown Orlando a dab of needed character. Orlando is still a town, but maybe one day it will become a city with much needed culture that allows it to shrug off its orange grove, cow-town ambiance.
I guess I was expecting something above and beyond the old Amway. What I saw was limited so I can't give a full review. The seats are a bit uncomfortable and the leg room is limited especially for tall people like me. I can't understand the steep stairs that lead from the concessions to the seats. I think it was an architectural mistake and I can see it being dangerous especially for people that have had too much to drink.
Review Source:Terrible sound , KISS nearly killed me with there distorted sound level. And you should be warned in advance that explosives will be used during the show. I love the band but I have a heart condition and I had to leave after 5 songs. As for the concession , they suck , the food is close to the taste that ORMC serves. This is an alcohol venue and possible DUI trap with the amount of cops and booze they serve. They ran out of handicap spots on level 5, sent us to 6 and had to watch my friend in a wheel chair struggle . OPD should check TAGS not BAGS and 20 bucks to park , Mayor Buddy give ADA a break and the residents of Orlando a parking discount but the fountain is getting paid for.
Review Source:I've  had a great experience at this venue.  I've been here several times for major sporting events including Orlando Magic games and Orlando Solar Bear games as well as concerts. More recently The Package Tour featuring NKOTB, 98 degrees and Boyz II Men.  We had the cheap seats up in the  "rafters" and the the acoustics were terrible. We could barely make out some of the songs being sung until further into song.
Aside from this, the sporting events are always a lot of fun and definitely worth experiencing, There's not really a bad seat in the house. If you can afford club level seating, that would be the most ideal way to go. Less crowds and more of an intimate experience. Even purchasing from the concession stands is less of a headache but do expect to spend higher than average prices. Â There are plenty of food and beverage kiosks on all floors of the venue though.
If you are a Magic fan, it's definitely worth checking out the Magic Team shop on the ground level next to the main entrance. They usually offer a specially priced deal during every home game.
Overall, this venue has been an asset to Downtown Orlando. Cannot wait to check out upcoming events!
I attended The Package Concert at the Amway Center. Â It was the first time that I had been to the new center. Â It's gorgeous! Â Walking up you can tell how nice it is, and then that's reaffirmed when you go inside.
We got there right as the concert started, so I didn't get to walk around much, but just from looking around as I was going up the escalators, there seemed to be a bunch of various food options.
The only negative was that the sound quality was horrible. Â I'm not sure if it was the speakers or the equipment used by the musical groups or the arena itself, but it was extremely hard to understand what was being said. Â A bunch of us were commenting on that.
I look forward to attending an Orlando Magic basketball game there!
My first time at The Amway Center was for the Paul McCartney concert and while the tickets were a bit pricey at $500 for two they were on the Club Level and they were just stage left so we had a great view of Sir Paul.
This venue while primarily home to the Orlando Magic is darn nice. The staff was efficient and very friendly. What really surprised me was how good the acoustics were, a great treat to hear Sir Paul. It's a beautiful venue, clean, modern, well designed, with excellent flow even with a sold out crowd. The one downside was we parked under the interstate and my guess is all the cops were off eating donuts as there sure didn't seem to be any helping to get traffic out of the area.
Overall, a really fine venue.
Enjoy!
Bad Experience.
I went to the Amway center to see a concert and arrived early since I am from out of town. Â It was pouring rain, thunder, and lightning, so we parked in the Geico Garage since it had a bridge into the building. Â It was $20 to park there (ASTRONOMICALLY EXPENSIVE) and there is NO RE-ENTRY! Â Which they didn't tell us. Â They also didn't tell us that the bridge was closed until 1 hour before the show. Â We had planned to go inside and eat dinner, get some drinks, walk around, look in the shops, etc, but everything was closed. Â All of the Amway staff employees were INCREDIBLY rude to me and totally not helpful in any way.
Since we couldn't leave the garage, but we had to use the bathroom, we had to walk in the pouring rain, all the way around the amway center since the geico garage is on the back side of the building and there is no entrance on that side at all. Â Then none of the doors were open until we finally tried to get into the Magic Grill, which was locked. Â But they unlocked the doors and we asked to use the restroom. Â They gave us a hard time and said we couldn't use the restroom unless we were going to eat there. Â
Completely soaked and having to use the bathroom really badly after our roadtrip to get there, they finally let us go. Â Then we tried to go inside the arena to the box office window to get our tickets and they wouldn't let us through. Â So since we were trapped inside the Magic Grill, we decided to stay there and order some nachos to wait out the rain.
The food was mediocre and overpriced, as expected. Â The waitress was annoyingly chipper and I was not in the mood since i was literally dripping wet.
Finally the rain stopped and we walked all the way around the building again to get to the car. Â We changed out clothes in the car and waited for the bridge to be open. Â They wouldn't let us through the bridge without printed tickets in hand. Â I tried to use the kiosk inside the garage to print my tickets *since I ordered them online and did not receive a printed ticket in the mail* and it wouldnt recognize my card. Â So once again we had to walk all the way around the amway center in the drizzling rain to get to the front entrance. Â We stood in line at the box office window until they gave us our tickets, then went inside.
Once we got to our seats we decided to go get food and drinks. Â Only to discover that there was NO FOOD on the entire side of the arena that we were on. Â I'm sorry WHAT? Â No concession stands at all on 1/2 the arena? Â That's stupid. Â So we went the entire show without any food.
There were no cupholders on our chairs so we had to have our cups on the floor where they could get knocked over. Â The acoustics were bad and I could hear a lot of feedback echoing off the roof.
When it came time to leave, we had to walk all the way around the building to get to the bridge, which we finally we able to use, which was the whole f-ing point of parking the geico garage in the first place. Â And we finally made it back to our car and left.
In short, I had a Horrible experience at the Amway center and will make a point to choose other venues instead if given the option.
On a positive note, once we were inside, the arena was clean and seemed very nice. Â Although we didn't have time to see anything since we could only get in 60 min before the show started and there was a massive mob of people shuffling to their seats.
A word to the wise, don't park in the geico garage. Â And don't get there any earlier than 60 min before the show starts because you won't be able to do anything but sit in your car and wait. Â Also make sure you eat beforehand.
I finally made my first visit to the Amway Center so that I could watch the Celtics take on the Magic. Â The game was entertaining (to the extent that a lopsided game can be entertaining) but the Amway Center was the real winner of the night. Â It is by far the most comfortable arena that I have visited. Â Great site lines. Comfortable seating. Â Easy entry and exit. Â Excellent amenities. Â The only complaint that I have about the Amway is the prices charged by the vendors -- $4.50 for a 20 ounce soda is just too much. Â Food and beverage aside, the venue is great -- so much so that I have already put down a deposit on a partial ticket plan for the Magic for next year.
Review Source:The long and short of it is: this is a great place for the Magic to play, and even in the nosebleeds it's a lot of fun, but I hate this arena for concerts.
Got free tickets to see the magic when the stadium first opened, and I cannot deny that it is a beauty. You have plenty of food and beverage options, and the atmosphere is always great.
What I did have a problem with is that the place is awful for concerts. I sat in the nosebleeds for one concert last year, and I was terrified of falling over since everything was so steep. On top of that, the acoustics... What acoustics? It sounded like a bunch of noise. Not memorable at all.
The concert I went to last weekend was somewhat of an improvement, since I sat in 111A, which was much closer. Still, I found that the acoustics were still pretty bad but sitting in the more expensive seats did get rid of that falling feeling I had up in the high levels.
I like the tampa forum better overall. Sorry, Orlando.
The Amway Center is located in the heart of downtown right off I-4, so it is very convinient to everything. I thought it would be much larger than the former Orlando Arena, but it was only slightly larger.
My purpose was to attend an ECHL (minor, minor league) hockey game. I had called their office many times previous to going there and received both incorrect and "I don't know" answers from the staff which put me in a conundrum. I enjoyed the game and the hanicap seats are privately situated though a bit difficult to gain entry to immediately. Once you get the hang of it, it's fine. The Amway staff were EXTREMELY helpful and polite and the fans were a delight. But I found an indifference with the apparel selling staff.
The traffic wasn't that bad afterwards, and you can easily grab a cab if you walk under the highway to the opposite side of the street.
Last time I saw the Magic play in person, Jacque Vaughn was our point guard, not the coach. So, yeaaah, it's been a minute...or two.
Just such a gorgeous venue and a great place to catch a game. Anyway, I'm loving the sight lines at the Amway Center. Seems like there really isn't a bad seat in the house, although, I have not ventured up to the nosebleed seats because I'm too ascared. Also, I can't really walk, so...
Super-friendly staff, though, they ARE being paid to be nice, so, they SHOULD be nice, right?
Minus one star for the handicapped ladies bathroom stall I had to make use of that had a toilet seat almost completely slip off when I sat down.
Yeah, you needed to picture it because I had to experience it.
There's nothing really bad to say about the Amway Center. Lived in Florida for two years and watched some games there. The place looks amazing and I know some people that worked there so I can say that they have nice personnel.
I watched the Magics play from the nosebleed seats and was having a hard time trying not to think about vertigo which was my only problem. If you can't afford good seats in the place then you'll probably be watching the game from the screen which you could probably do at home anyway.
I've been here several times for Magic games. The new Amway Center is beautiful. There are plenty of concession stands, plenty of room and lots of style. There are several different places I have yet to explore in this place such as Gentlemen Jack's Terrace, O-Zone and so forth. The food is priced as you would expect for an arena. $5 or so for a beer, about $6-10 for food depending on what you are wanting to purchase. The food is pretty good and the beer selection is limited. I believe they mainly offer Heineken and Bud Light or Budweiser. There is also a liquor "bar" located in different areas of the arena, so depending on the area you are located in, it might be a walk to find it. If you get a chance to experience a Magic game or any other event here, I would definitely recommend checking out this venue.
Review Source:I finally made my way for the first time inside the Amway Center to see the Ringling brothers, the arena is awesome and looks much better then the other one but the prices for the food are so expensive but in the positive side it is easier to find your way around this arena and there is only one entrance and exit so you do not have to remember if you came thru the North or South side.
The staff was also very nice and thankful and polite, I will come here more often to concerts and hockey games and other events.
Good Job Orlando for building a nice facilities for the city and  community.
Four stars is well deserved for this location, and also the place is kept really clean and plenty of places to eat.
Like any arena with high priced gear and food ha ha ha. Â Seriously I must say that the remodeling was awesome! Â This place looks sooooooooooo nice and fun to watch the Magic Games. Â I like that the food stands have healthy options which many do not and for my healthy lifestyle that is huge for me. Â Also, located in a cool part of Downtown Orlando which you can hit up local places afterwards.
Review Source:I have mixed feelings about the Amway Center, and Magic games in particular.
On one hand: Visually, it's a sleek and modern building, both interior and exterior. The lines at the concession stands and bathrooms are much shorter than in the old arena. The food and drinks are still on the expensive side, but at least they're edible now (not to mention there are more options to choose from). Plus, it's a lot closer to the nightlife/entertainment district downtown than the O-Rena (RIP).
On the other hand: The seats are further away from the action, and sitting up in the nosebleeds can subject you to vertigo. Every game I've been to has had huge pockets of empty seats, but ushers were adamant about checking every ticket, even in the 4th quarter. The atmosphere at games seems subdued, if not sterile, compared to the old place, though I suspect that's no different from most other NBA venues these days.
All that said, when put side to side with O-Rena, the new digs provide a much better gameday or concert experience. It's a nice venue that the locals and the tourists alike can enjoy.
Awes. Orlando is growing up so fast! *tear*
Finally, a real arena is established and properly used. I appreciated Amway Arena, but it was small, old, and, well, a giant box, really. Amway Center looks modern, sleek, and quite gorgeous. Although the display that faces I-4 can sometimes be incredibly blinding, I feel proud whenever I am stuck in traffic and passing by this monster.
It looks as gorgeous on the inside as it does on the outside. There's plenty to see on each level so be sure to take some time to explore the first time you visit this crazy place. A lot of it is about the Orlando Magic, but that's kind of the point of the arena in the first place. (Now, if only the team would do better.)
The seats are a lot more comfortable than the oldie's, but the nosebleeds are now really the nosebleeds. After all, you can fit the entire oldie in just the bottom section of the newie. It is also extremely steep up high, which makes navigating to your seat a test on your fear of heights, but once you sit, you'll realize that it's actually a good thing. Yes, you're far vertically, but you can still watch the game/event pretty clearly because you're not too far horizontally from the court.
As for food, I was actually surprised that their concession food is relatively diverse and decent. They have the typical offerings - an assortment of fried things - but they also have other, more "exotic" options as well.
PS: Everything is overpriced. Duh.
I'm honestly a little disappointed with the new Amway Center. After much fanfare during construction the building itself is beautiful inside and out. My major complaint that is that there is nothing that makes the Amway unique. The building is new and nice but after a few years it will be another run-down arena.
I was particularly disappointed in the concessions. They are pretty standard and downright dull. It wouldn't hurt to embrace a bit of Florida's Cuban heritage and give fans an alternative to an overpriced hotdog and a Budweiser.
Shiny new stadium, delicious Kona beer, Gluten Free beer and dedicated food carts, friendly workers, clean bathrooms and floors - what could be missing?
Fans!!!
We were at a Magic game on a Friday night and the stadium was half full and most of those folks were tourists like us who were looking for something to do after visiting the parks all day. Sure the team isn't very good this year, but they played hard and there was just no excitement in the stadium. They even had some grandmas out on the court dancing during a timeout.
One star taken away for the overly dedicated ushers who wouldn't let us move down from our balcony seats despite entire sections in the lower bowl remaining vacant.
Beautiful arena. Haven't been to Orlando for a concert in a while. And though it's been around for a few years now, I haven't seen anything at the Amway Center. Boy was I missing out.
I was there to see Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks for my mom's birthday. While I hesitated when she said she wanted seats on the floor, it was her birthday. So worth it. The show was amazing and we had the best time.
All the staff are friendly and will quickly point you in the right direction when you get turned around. Definitely putting Orlando back on my radar when watching for tour dates.
..this place is awesome...I go here for the Magic games (GO MAGIC!) and also have been here as well for a comedy show (Bang Bang Tour w/ Chelsea Handler feat. Jo Koy). I love this place and it's a great experience every time I come here.
The One80 Grey Goose Lounge is a good place to come to after the game or even on a normal downtown night (no cover!) but get here quick since it gets SUPER packed at times. I'm a fan...thanks Orlando!
I decided since I had a few days of downtime before the 2012 Walt Disney Marathon, I figured it'd be cool to see what's changed in the downtown area. While the city itself hasn't grown to the cultural/shopping epicenter of say The Big Apple or San Francisco, it's still nice to come back home to O-town after living a few years in NorCal and seeing the, uh new 'high'rise buildings being built here.
Anyways, I also wanted to see the centerpiece of all this revitalization in the former ghetto section of the Parramore area by catching a Magic/Wizards game at the new Amway Center. In short, other than AT&T Park in San Francisco, you will be hard pressed to find a nicer sports venue to check out a game - from the multi-level concourse to the restaurant and lounge/nightclubs, this place is high class digs and quite impressive.
Better still was the fact the Magic rumbled past the Wizards, with D-12 having a monster game.
Go outside after, and you'll see a number of people walking about all enjoying themselves; due to the large crowds made up of families, college kids, and singles, it currently makes for a somewhat safe place at night as you walk over to the Church Street area. While it was a weekday when I went there, it was a little disheartening to see everyone basically scatter home instead of patronizing the bars and clubs.
Which means, it'll be awhile till downtown Orlando actually gets up with the rest of the big boys when it comes to a vibrant night life. Hopefully, there will be more projects at work to offer visitors and citizens alike an opportunity to take spend more time and money in helping out the local economy.
However, I feel that with the new Amway Center in tow, and as long as the Magic continue their winning ways, the development of the downtown area will continue to move in the right direction.
I have been to the Amway Center one time, for a concert.
While the facility looks nice, the acoustics were beyond horrible in the upper deck compared to the old arena. The echo and sound distortion was actually painful to listen to.
I'll give this venue another chance at some time and update this review if it turns out that it was a one-time experience. Talking with friends, though, it does not sound like mine is an isolated observation.
I am a HUGE fan of the Amway Center. From day one what I've really loved is how friendly the staff is. Everyone is always saying, "Thanks for coming", "Enjoy your night", ect. Even when you are in the nosebleed section, everyone is very friendly.
There is such a variety of food here at a not too expensive price (for an arena type setting) This place offers tons of seating and I've sat in the "nosebleed" seats a lot and the view isn't too bad. I love that for Magic games you can find tickets for $15 (including fees) when they play against lesser teams. That makes going to games affordable and doable for most people.
This place is really state of the art and always super clean. They have a play area for kids during Magic games (pretty cool).
Whether you are going here for a concert or a sporting event I don't think you'll be disappointed.
This is not an arena.
This is a palace.
A palace filled with TONS of food options (albeit expensive ones), TONS of souvenier shops (albeit expensive ones), and TONS of seating (albeit...you guessed it...expensive ones).
It is immaculate. The design is beautiful, the interactive features (such as the mini Orlando Magic Museum, the Disney lobby, the random Metro PCS store...) are entertaining, the view from the Sky 360 lounge is breathtaking, the whole place just gives me chills everytime I walk in.
Prepare to pay an arm and a leg to park in the Geico Garage, conveniently attached to the arena by a glass skybridge a la the Orlando Science Center. Personally, I prefer to park at the Library parking garage (you can enter from either Central Blvd. or Pine St.), pay the cheaper parking (I payed $6 for parking for the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour and $10 for a Magic game) and walk the 3 blocks to Amway.
This is a beautiful addition to Downtown.
I never have seen the old center, so I have nothing to compare it to. The sound quality of what I experienced was really great. I feel thelayout of the facilities nicely done and easy to maneuver.
That being said, some of the signage is really difficult to figure out. The design of the building is somewhat awkward during intermission as lines for the restrooms can get extremely long, which spills into the hall walking space. that is a bummer.
The food vendors seem to only have crap. This should not surprise me because people want to make money. However, it would be nice to have a small collection of whole fruit available at some of the hotdog places.
It's kind of sad about the location of this place. I understand with gentrification there seems to be the hope that the area itself will improve based on new facilities. I'm not sure of the time expected with this downtown project area - all I know is that there is a noticeable mix of downtown homeless and those "regular folk " out to have a good time in this area.
It's really sad to see the huge disparity in the way people live downtown. I understand that having the downtown homeless can make some people feel really uncomfortable. And I understand that it's probably not really comfortable to be one of the homeless downtown either. Whatever the case, both groups of people exist in downtown Orlando, so if going to this area just understand that it comes with the territory.
I visited Amway Center for the first time a couple of weeks ago for a free event, which is just about all I can afford (if Springsteen or Neil Young appears there, I'll make an exception).
The was an open Magic practice, but more of a "please don't leave, Dwight" event. Â Although the entire seating area wasn't open, the place was packed with about 9,000 people. Â I sat in the rafters.
I guess Amway is state-of-the-art -- quite nice and a fine addition to downtown.
This is my second concert event at the Amway Center and my second event that leaves me perplexed and concerned. Â I am physically disabled and use a wheelchair. Â I cannot transfer to a regular seat. Â
The elevator situation is atrocious! Â Not only are the elevators difficult to locate, the staff does absolutely nothing to control the crowds or show priority to disabled guests who must use an elevator. Â Staff members have no knowledge of alternative elevators.
The crowd flow is horrible. Â We were caught in a bottleneck of people trying to get to the garage via a small little bridge. Â The flow inside the building means you're going against the flow of traffic at times for things. Â I shudder to think what an emergency evacuation would be like as I definitely feel that I would not be safe.
The staff is unfriendly and unhelpful. Â We had won tickets and needed to exchange for disabled seating. Â We understood doing this we weren't going to have our great seats that had been won, but the staff member was more than reluctant to exchange the tickets. Â Patrons appeared to be a bother for all staff.
I'm coming to the Tampa Bay Lightning game in about 2 months and I hope they will handle a sporting event better than a concert. Â
I would rather drive over an hour to the St. Pete Times Forum than choose to see the same concert at the Amway Center.
So here goes it. Game 5 of the playoffs Orlando Magic versus Atlanta.. and what a high it was.
It showed we can do it, Â and we will this upcoming season.
I'm going to start of with the negatives.
* Stadium hotdog - I don't care what sporting event you are at you should be able to get a decent hot dog - Silver Spark Grill does not deliver one. It was just a huge messy failure, the bun split in half and was mushy, the mustard was watery and the ketchup did little to help.
* Prices on food and beer - they are a little steep but I understand. A little tip on the beer go for the better quality draft instead of Budweiser in a bottle, a little more in price but a little more in volume and well worth it.
* End of Game Shenanigans  - We paid good money for our seats and at the end of the game it seemed they let whoever wanted to take up the empty seats from people who didn't show or in our case the people in front of us who had to leave early because they had small kids, take those seats.  I wouldn't have cared however those people were rude, saying I was yelling too loud and that I coughed on him. Sorry for getting exciting about our team winning. If I wasn't having such a good time I would have complained. Maybe I should have complained.  I don't think I'll let it happen again.
The Good News is that this place is awesome, there are plenty of places to eat that make up for the crappy hotdog.
* Structure of the place is cool. We found it easy to meet up with our friends over at the Budweiser Bar.
* Budweiser Bar was a nice pregame drink with friends, good service, and friendly fans dwell in this area.
* Bathrooms are clean and not much of a wait
* Service at the small beer stand we went to was awesome, and super friendly. She knew us after the first time we stopped there. Â She was a volunteer but I wished she was an employee. Â
* Gentleman Jack Club Bar is super cool after game lounge area. Â I tried one of their signature drinks for 9 bucks and was not impressed. The guys got beer and I got a beer as well, maybe I should have just went with a rum and coke an a beer.
* Â The last call for the game is weird its before the game ends. I see their point it is valid but is it almost too responsible? Perhaps not, perhaps I'm running on fumes here, you tell me.
I was extremely fortunate to watch a recent Magic game in courtside seats with access to the Mercedes Benz Lounge; a phenomenal experience that I hope all Magic fans get to experience at least once.
The special wrist band that allows you to partake in the MB Lounge is as good as gold, or at least I thought so. Â Before the game and until half time, dinner was served and served well. Â From create your own nachos to spaghetti squash and fresh, carved turkey, the options were plentiful. Â I went for the amazing Minestrone soup which would have received approval from my Italian grandmother. Â And for beverages, everything was free except for liquor drinks. Â
Then, at half time, my favorite spread was offered -- dessert. Â A make- your-own sundae bar was tonight's feature. Â A chef scooped vanilla bean ice cream and the choice of toppings were spectacular: hot caramel, hot fudge, oreos, chocolate chips, whipped cream, cherries, and sprinkles. Â And, if you wanted to get fancy, they had moist brownies, fudge cake and a variety of cookies to add to your sundae concoction. Â Who needs basketball to watch basketball stars like Dwight Howard when you can have the best ice cream sundae ever? Â Only kidding. Â (but it was pretty amazing!)
Good job Amway Center for creating the option to have such a wonderful time at a game!
Dear Amway Center,
Thank you for being built so fast and not in lieu of design or quality, it is mucho appreciated.
I know many of the fine citizens of this lovely city may not have been on board in the beginning of your conceptualization and budgeting, however, hopefully now most of those haters have visited you and realize you are truly an experience.
I am writing this review in comparison to various sporting and entertainment venues I have visited in the past including our very own Amway Arena (RIP). I truly think the haters have to realize what an amazing thing they are doing with the old Amway Arena space too!
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Ok, I know, I am obviously excited about this new arena and everyone is wondering why it is taking me so long to review since I spend at least one day a week here buttt.... I wanted to get a great feel of everything so I held off on the review until I had various experiences here and after being there quite a few times this year, I am in love with so many things but there are some things that I am not the hugest fan of.
It definitely feels like you are walking into an airport it's so grand and open in the "lobby" area; it is somewhat majestic. I also love how the entrance is on the street. I love walking out and watching the drummers jam out and everyone gathers around to participate. I also love being able to grab dinner or watch/listen to the live pre-show at Mojo and then WALK over to the game. Â Please note, I have never parked in the arena parking that is allocated. Â If I have parked, it has been DT somewhere and I walk. Â It's AWESOME!
This state-of-the-art building is full of beautiful decor, Magic info and history, and delicious food and drinks! With TV screens on either side of all the concession stands, bars with views of the court and radio broadcast of the game in the restrooms, you never miss a minute of the game! There are plenty of options to feed your hunger and quench your thirst no matter where you turn.
Because it's got a great view of the court with convenient distance to a bar and food, I dig hanging out at the Budweiser Baseline Bar. Also, my season tickets are up high and I get a much better view from this location. This is a large bar with 360 degree access, plenty of surrounding tables, and a great view overlooking the court. It's convenient, the bartenders are always nice, and I always run into people I know there!
I also adore the Gentleman Jack patio bar. This luscious space has an amazing view of the downtown skyline, plush seating, and monitors to watch the game. They generally have other games on as well, including football, if you don't want to miss out on anything! So if you are at a slow game and just want to kick it, this is the place to hit up. However, avoid it right at halftime, it gets PACKED!
Food!!!! So the food options are almost endless. Â They go way above and beyond the pizza, nachos and popcorn choices you find everywhere else. Example: Big Blue Taco, they have awesome tacos, nachos, and a fajita salad! Or if you adore the original nachos you would get at the cart in the Amway Arena, they still have one stand for that but the line is usually crazy long. Â Want home cooking? Yup, they got that too Country Friend Chicken sandwiches, pulled pork, brisket... etc. There are plenty of burger, hot dog, chicken finger, tater tot, etc. options, as well as deli sandwiches, Panera, Papa John's, Coldstone Creamery... Really, anyone could find something they'd be happy with in here!
Overall, this is completely an experience center from beginning to end. There is a block party 2 hours before the game, dinner and drinks within walking distance, so much to keep you entertained during the game/event, Gentleman Jacks stays open an hour after the events if you want to chill while the crowds leave and then walk to a bar for after party, perfect! Best part about living near here... pedi cabs! I would suggest that when leaving with crowds, avoid the escalator... go for the stairs.
Things I would change:
- Coke instead of Pepsi
- Large seats in top tiers
- Charge same for 2 vodka drinks compared to one drink & a shot
- Stuff's castle being directly on a concourse. I would move this to a separate area, no where near a bar!!!
Things I am so glad they changed and noticed immediately:
- The game audio in the bathrooms, genius
- Adding bathrooms in general
- Not all the retail locations on the concourses are behind counters, you can walk around them
- Huge retail store within the center
- Amazing history about the Magic throughout the center
Keep up the great entertainment,
Truly yours,
Season Ticket Holder and Proud Citizen of Orlando,
Colleen B.
**I would also like to thank everyone who reads my reviews, this is #500 and it feels good to share my opinions and experiences =)
Been here three times now. Â Magic game, the UCF mega triumph over the evil forces of UF, and Trans Siberian Orchestra. Â Here are my thoughts, and I've been a gym rat all my life.
It is HUGE. Â It is something like three times the size of the old arena.
Seats are wider. Aisles are wider too, so you no longer have to pull your knees off your ears to hear. Â People can actually get by you. Â Each seat has a cup holder.
Lots of concession stands. Â That's the good news. Â But the prices are absolutely insane. Â Eat someplace else downtown before you go. Â A beer is $7. Â The bbq is putrid.
The bars - awesome idea. Â Terraces overlooking the court. Â Absolute genius.
Great audio and video. Â Almost insane. Â And TV's everywhere.
They f-ed up the bathrooms again. Â Despite all the talk about how many more johns they would have compared to the old arena, it isn't true. Â The men's room looks like they didn't install about half the urinals or stalls. Â Value engineering run amuck. Â When's the last time you saw a line out the door into the corridor for the MEN"S ROOM?
Some pro tips:
1. Â Don't eat or drink there. Â Eat or drink downtown. Â Pourhouse works. Â Club 57 West works. Â Mojo's if you can get in. Â I notice tons of people walking in from east of Rosalind, eating and drinking at the joints on Central and Wall Street.
2. Â Parking - don't park nearby. Â It's more expensive and a huge pain in the ass to get out after the game. Â It took more than an hour to get out of the SunTrust garage after the UCF triumph. Â Instead, park someplace on the other side of Orange Ave. Â It''s cheaper, you will get out easier, and you get to walk by all the restaurants and bars that will help you achieve pro tip #1 (above). Â May I suggest the garage at 77 E. Jackson? Â This is a half block east of Orange, across from the Grand Bohemian. Â They charge $4 to park, and you can jet out and away from traffic with no delay after the game.
3. Â Grand Bohemian - this is where all the teams and musical acts stay. Â The hotel sets up a rope line, and if you really want to get autographs and pictures, this is the place to get them.
Overall, it's a physical masterpiece. Â Nicest arena I've ever been in - and that's 50+ years of experience.
COLD hotdogs (as in not even cooked), half filled trays of 'tater tots' (at least they were hotish), can't get to the restaurants on the Club level (at least for the Eagles concert - 'That's for the families, etc. of the Eagles'????). Â
And don't even get me started on the gestapo security CONSTANTLY walking up and down the aisles (we were on the floor). Â Seriously people - it was an Eagles concert... Â what are you trying to do - keep the ladies from throwing their Depends on the stage?
Looks pretty though.
YAAAYYYY!!!! This place is beautiful! I'm SO excited about his being the new home of the Magic!
When I first walked in, I was kind of overwhelmed. It's beautiful, huge, clean, and SO cool!
LOVE the outdoor setup at Gentleman Jack's! So pretty on that patio overlooking downtown!
The food is so much better than at the old arena. Much better options. O3 - the bar on the Ozone level, is pretty sweet, too! and ColdStone?! Are you kidding me?
ALSO - as my quick tip says - they play the radio broadcast of the game in the bathroom!! How cool is that? You can take a potty break without missing anything! Not to mention all the TVs at the food stations - don't miss the game standing in line, either!
LOVE this place!! Excited to check out some of the stuff on the club level next game!
According to Yelp, a five star rating equals = Woohoo! As good as it gets!.. This couldn't be more literal. Â The new Amway Center has actually created the new standard to which all other arenas will be compared to for years to come!
Being an Orlando resident, I have waited anxiously for this new venue to complete construction. Â Today I had the opportunity to tour the new facility. Â I can say without reservation that it not only met my expectation, but it soared above and beyond what I anticipated.
The Amway Center offers around 1,200 seats more than the old Amway Arena bringing the total to 18,500! Â Under other configurations it will be able to accommodate 20,000 patrons!
The arena itself is said to cost $380 million with an additional $100 million in infrastructure and land! Â Once you are inside, it appears that price tag is a bargain.
Amway brought Harris Corporation in as their technology partner. Â Harris has equipped the center with countless monitors and screens. Â The mega tron hanging over center court is over 40 ft tall and all of the mega screens are full HD! The full extent of technology capabilities won't truly be realized until the venue hosts its first events.
The architects and developers took great care to ensure that the new facility goes above and beyond meeting all ADA (Americans w/ Disabilities Act) requirements. Â The new home of the Orlando Magic has nearly double the wheelchair and wheelchair companion seating and they are available on virtually every level of the venue.
Attended the official opening of the arena and got an awesome preview! Â At first the area looked small from the entrance area - it's a big change from the large open entrance with the grand staircase of the old Amway Arena. Oh but once you set foot into the building it does not disappoint! Â It's 1000 times better than the old arena. Really high celling and large receiving lobby and large concourses through out the building. The "regular" seats are super comfortable too, hopefully I can try out the club seats soon!
A few things worry me but hopefully it all works out... Â the escalators going up to the seating area seemed to be a bit small. Â The opening didn't even fill up 10% of the area from what I can tell and there was a huge bottle neck and cue to get up. Â When I get to the upper level concourse, the hallway leading up to the seating area seemed a bit narrow. Â Probably only 3-4 people wide, and there's steps to climb.
I really can't wait to attend an official event - I'll make sure to update then!
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