Our guide to Kia Center in Orlando includes information on events, tickets, parking, public transportation, nearby hotels and restaurants, seating and more. Read on to find out how to get the most out of your gameday experience.

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The city of Orlando is known the world over for Walt Disney World and all the other amusements and family-friendly activities available there. With so much to do there, you might think there’s not much room for spectator sports on the agenda.

But thanks to the Magic and Kia Center, the NBA is a big draw and a worthy reason to get away from the theme parks for at least a few hours.

Over the years, the Magic have entertained their faithful with two distinctly notable eras built around two dynamic centers — first Shaquille O’Neal, then Dwight Howard — that each produced a trip to the NBA Finals, but neither resulted in a championship.

Though Magic fans are still waiting for that title, they can still watch an up-and-coming team in a beautiful, modern arena that’s part of a burgeoning district of downtown.

The Magic aren’t the only attraction at Kia Center, either — the Orlando Solar Bears minor-league hockey team plays home games there, and it’s a popular attraction for major concerts and other events.

For visitors, getting to Kia Center for a game or other event requires a bit of a detour from all the other touristy things going on in Orlando and throughout the Central Florida region. But fans will find that it’s well worth the trip.

Though Kia, the car maker, has had a marketing presence inside the arena for some time, becoming the naming sponsor of the venue is a recent development, as the name was changed from Amway Center during the 2023-24 season.

Looking for Kia Center event tickets? Search events on Ticketmaster.

Getting to Kia Center

Most of Orlando’s theme parks are located miles southwest of downtown, and in Walt Disney World’s case, it’s more than 20 miles away and not even within the city limits (it’s located in a Disney-created town called Lake Buena Vista).

If family fun is part of the reason you’re in the area and you’re staying in one of the many hotels located near one of the amusement parks, getting to Kia Center requires a quick drive eastbound — or, more accurately, northeast — on Interstate 4 toward downtown.

Kia Center, located alongside I-4 and topped with a distinctive lighted spire, is easily visible on the side as the highway cuts through the downtown area. Exit at South Street to get downtown, and you’re at the arena’s doorstep.

The same directions hold true if you’re attending a convention in Orlando, another big draw for the city — the massive Orange County Convention Center lies alongside I-4 about 10 miles south of downtown, and many hotels are located near the convention center.

If you’re not coming from the theme-park area, Orlando’s SunRail train system is a viable option for getting to the game. The train runs a north-south route with a stop at Church Street, a block from the arena. One-way fares range from $2 to $4 depending on distance traveled.

Parking at Kia Center

Once you’re downtown, you can find ample parking around Kia Center. The arena’s proprietary garage located just south of the arena, across South Street, is accessible to attendees who purchase parking in advance via Ticketmaster. A pedestrian ramp allows fans to cross over South Street and into the arena.

General parking for Kia Center events can be found east of I-4, throughout downtown Orlando. There’s a large parking structure at the Church Street Marketplace shopping center, two blocks east of Kia Center, and numerous smaller lots and structures if you head north along Garland Avenue.

Parking rates typically begin at $15 and up depending on the Kia Center event.

Orlando hotels near the arena

• Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Autograph Collection – 0.4 miles away
• Aloft Orlando Downtown – 0.4 miles away
• Marriott Orlando Downtown – 0.5 miles away
Search for more Orlando hotels on Booking.com.

Map of downtown Orlando

Check out rates for hotels near Kia Center below.

Things to do around Kia Center

Downtown Orlando, like many other downtowns around the country, has enjoyed an influx of new residents in recent years thanks to a building boom, and as a result there’s more nightlife and activity in the blocks near Kia Center.

The arena has its own restaurant that is open to the public on event nights. The space is now operated by Tampa Bay-based Big Storm Brewing Company (which also has a presence at Amalie Arena, home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning) and is located at the northwest corner at Church Street and Division Avenue.

Kia Center is next to what’s known as the Church Street District, a retail and entertainment district full of restaurants and bars. This area tends to take on a more upscale and sophisticated feel than the family-friendly chains that tend to proliferate near the theme parks.

Popular options for fans prior to Magic games or other events at Kia Center include Hamburger Mary’s, located on Church Street near the SunRail station.

The Parramore neighborhood west of Kia Center is a historic district that has seen an increase in development in recent years largely due to the opening of the soccer-specific Exploria Stadium a few blocks away. A handful of neighborhood bars and coffee shops can be found on Church Street, Central Boulevard and surrounding streets.

Orlando restaurants near the arena

• The District Gastrobar – pub, 0.1 miles away
• Hamburger Mary’s – American, 0.2 miles away
• Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant – Latin, 0.2 miles away
Search for more Orlando restaurants on Tripadvisor.

Watching a game at Kia Center

Kia Center is appreciably big for an NBA arena, much bigger than the building it replaced, the Orlando Arena — which once stood about a mile north of the current arena before being demolished in 2012.

The large glass facade that faces Church Street serves as the main entrance, accented by the aforementioned spire at the northeast corner of the arena that lights up in the Magic’s blue and silver colors on game nights. Church Street is typically blocked off to traffic as tipoff gets closer and gets turned into a plaza for pregame activities.

If entering at Church Street, the first thing fans see is a grand, glass-covered atrium. The Magic’s team store is located at this level as well. From there, patrons must ascend stairs or escalators to reach the main concourse (known here as the Terrace Level).

Also notable at Kia Center is the number of sit-down restaurants, bars and lounges inside, throughout the concourses and seating bowl. Many are limited to fans holding club-level tickets, but one, the Budweiser Baseline Bar on the Terrace Level, is accessible to everyone and worth checking out — it opens up to Kia Center’s seating bowl and offers standing-room views of the game.

There’s a lounge located within the spire structure called the Michelob Ultra Lounge. It’s opens to all patrons before, during and after games or events at Kia Center. The outdoor space takes on the feel of a rooftop bar, complete with lounge chairs and heat lamps, and offers a decent view of the downtown Orlando skyline on the other side of the highway.

Families haven’t been forgotten, though. Kia Center’s Promenade seating level includes a play area called Stuff’s Magic Castle — which gets regular visits from the Magic’s mascot, Stuff the Magic Dragon. Also on the Promenade Level is a food stand geared toward kids, with items like chicken nuggets and cotton candy available.

Going to Kia Center can take on a club-like atmosphere, but the game remains the centerpiece. Despite Kia Center’s size, sight lines are terrific throughout the upper seating bowl for all sports.

When the building opened, it boasted the tallest center-hung scoreboard in the NBA, though its size has since been surpassed by several arenas as large horizontal screens have come into vogue.

Interested in a suite at Kia Center? Buy suite tickets on SuiteHop.

Food and drink at Kia Center

The concessions choices at Kia Center draw on local flavors and merchants. Check out the Gringos Locos stand on both the Terrace and Promenade levels for tacos and nachos, including the Double D’s (crunchy tacos wrapped with a cheese-filled soft tortilla).

Brand-name stands operating at Kia Center include Papa John’s and chicken-tender establishment PDQ, while you can also find Cuban sandwiches, sushi rolls and Mexican-style hot dogs.

Head to the Craft Beer Bar on the Terrace Level for a selection of beers. Kona Brewing Company has a handful of carts on both concourses.

Original publish date: February 4, 2016
Most recent update: October 3, 2024

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