Celebration, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Celebration, Florida
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Water Street Park
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Location in Osceola County and the state of Florida
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U.S. census map
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| County |  Osceola |
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| Area | ||
| • Total | 10.58 sq mi (27.40 km2) | |
| • Land | 10.53 sq mi (27.26 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.14 km2) | |
| Elevation | 85 ft (26 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,178 | |
| • Density | 1,062.04/sq mi (410.06/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
34747
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| Area code(s) | 321 & 407, 689 | |
| FIPS code | 12-11285 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2402754 | |
Celebration is a special kind of town in Osceola County, Florida. It's called a master-planned community (MPC) and a census-designated place (CDP). This means it was carefully designed and built from scratch.
Celebration is a suburb of Orlando. It's located very close to Walt Disney World Resort. The town was first created by The Walt Disney Company. In 2020, about 11,178 people lived there.
After starting Celebration, Disney slowly gave up most of its control over the town. However, some Disney offices are still in the town's buildings. Celebration is connected to Walt Disney World by World Drive, a main road that starts near the Magic Kingdom.
Many famous architects helped design the buildings in Celebration. The post office was designed by Michael Graves. The Welcome Center was designed by Philip Johnson. The Celebration Health building was designed by Robert A. M. Stern. Other well-known architects also designed buildings nearby.
Contents
History of Celebration
How Celebration Was Built
In the early 1990s, the Disney Development Company (DDC) started the Celebration Company. Their goal was to build a new town on about 4,900 acres (20 square kilometers) of land. This land was in the southern part of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
The overall plan for the town was created by two award-winning architects. Their names were Jacquelin T. Robertson and Robert A. M. Stern. The many parks, trails, and pathways were designed by a company called EDAW. Another group, Urban Design Associates, created a "Pattern Book." This book had rules for how new buildings in the community should look.
Celebration was designed to look like towns from the early 1900s. It does not allow for very tall or crowded buildings. In 2001, the Urban Land Institute named Celebration the "New Community of the Year." Disney also hired a graphic designer named Michael Beirut. He designed things like street signs, shop signs, and even golf course graphics.
The first homes were built in 1996. These were in areas called Celebration Village, West Village, and Lake Evalyn. More areas like North Village, South Village, East Village, and Artisan Park were built later.
Michael Eisner, who was the CEO of Disney, was very interested in building this new town. He wanted it to be a town that Disney would be proud of. He also wanted it to connect to Walt Disney's idea for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Disney leaders worked with experts in education, health, and technology. They all helped create the vision for the town.
Over time, some safety changes were made near a pond next to World Drive. This was done after a few car accidents happened there.
Community Diversity Efforts
In the beginning, Disney tried to make sure people from different backgrounds moved to Celebration. They placed ads in newspapers and magazines for African-American and Hispanic families. They also hired African-American workers in the sales office.
To make things fair, the first homes were chosen by a lottery. This helped prevent unfair treatment against homebuyers. However, by 2000, most residents in Celebration were white (88%). This was different from the surrounding county, where 59% of the population was white.
Geography and Location
According to the United States Census Bureau, Celebration covers about 10.7 square miles (27.7 square kilometers). Only a very small part of this area is water.
Celebration uses the ZIP code 34747. This ZIP code is sometimes linked to Kissimmee. This is because Celebration is not an official city. It is considered an unincorporated town.
Nature Trails and Outdoor Fun
Celebration is known for its town center, beautiful houses, and how easy it is to walk around. It has over 23 miles (37 kilometers) of nature trails. These trails connect all parts of the neighborhood.
The nature trails let residents and visitors enjoy the beautiful scenery and wildlife of Central Florida. You can explore these trails by walking or biking.
People of Celebration
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 2,736 | — | |
| 2010 | 7,427 | 171.5% | |
| 2020 | 11,178 | 50.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 7,427 people living in Celebration. There were 3,063 households. About 32.7% of households had children under 18. Many families were married couples living together (57%).
Most people in Celebration were white (91%). About 11.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. The average age of people in Celebration was 37 years old.
Life in Celebration
Downtown Area
Celebration Town Center has many shops, restaurants, and businesses. It also has 106 homes. It's a busy place where people gather.
Places of Worship
Celebration has six Christian churches and one Jewish group. There is also a hospital ministry.
Businesses in Town
More than 500 companies are registered to do business in Celebration. These businesses are in shopping areas, small office buildings, and the Disney World office park. Celebration has the only top-quality office buildings in Osceola County.
Neighborhoods (Villages)
Celebration is divided into different areas called "villages."
- The main village is closest to downtown.
- North Village is near US-192 and has condos and estate homes.
- East Village includes Roseville Corner.
- Lake Evalyn has a small lake with ducks, alligators, and otters.
- South Village has large homes and Heritage Hall.
- Mirasol has condos with special services.
- Artisan Park is at the end of Celebration Avenue. It has condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. It also has a clubhouse with a pool, gym, and restaurant.
Fun Events in Celebration
Celebration hosts many fun events each year. These include:
- Community-wide yard sales
- An art show
- An exotic car festival
- A Radio Disney Holiday concert
- An Oktoberfest Celebration
- The "Great American Pie Festival" (shown on TV)
- A "Posh Pooch" festival for pets
- Special downtown events for Fall and Christmas. During these times, autumn leaves and "snow" (soap flakes) are released in the Town Center.
- A big Independence Day fireworks show.
You can find out about all these events on the Community Calendar online.
Education for Kids
Public Schools
The School District of Osceola County, Florida, runs the public schools in Celebration. Kids in kindergarten through 8th grade go to Celebration School. For grades 9-12, students attend Celebration High School, which is also in the town.
The community center also offers free classes. These classes are taught by clubs and cover topics like cooking, gardening, art, writing, and technology.
Private Schools
For private education, there is The Montessori Academy of Celebration. It teaches students from kindergarten through 8th grade.
Library Services
The Osceola Library System has a branch in Celebration. It's called the West Osceola Branch Library.
Getting Around Town
Transportation
In 2011, most residents (91%) who worked outside their homes drove to work.
The two main roads in downtown Celebration are Market Street and Front Street. Other important streets include:
- Celebration Avenue
- This is a main road in town. It goes from U.S. 192 to Artisan Park. Along this road, you'll find a small shopping area. It also passes the North Village, the golf course, and some downtown shops and schools.
- Celebration Boulevard
- This road has two parts. One part runs next to I-4 and has many businesses and Celebration High School. The buildings here have a modern style with sleek lines. This part of the street is lined with Washington Palms. The other part of Celebration Boulevard is mostly residential. It passes homes, condos, a community pool, and soccer fields.
- Celebration Place
- This road is mainly for businesses. It connects to the Water Tower Plaza.
Healthcare Services
The only hospital in Celebration is AdventHealth Celebration. It is a non-profit hospital connected to AdventHealth Orlando. The hospital has a Mediterranean-style design. Because it's close to Walt Disney World, it attracts patients from all over the world.
In 2024, AdventHealth announced plans to add a new five-story building to the hospital. This will include more operating rooms and 80 new beds. This expansion will make it one of the largest hospitals in Osceola County.
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See also
In Spanish: Celebration (Florida) para niños
