Alafaya - UCF's Backyard in Eastern Orange County
Alafaya is a census-designated place in eastern Orange County that exists primarily because the University of Central Florida was built there. Before UCF opened in 1968, the area was cattle pasture and orange groves along what is now Alafaya Trail (SR 434). Student housing, apartments, and commercial strips grew in concentric rings around the campus over the following decades. The name likely derives from a Seminole word, though its exact origin is disputed.
UCF enrolls over 68,000 students, making it one of the largest universities in the country by enrollment. The campus spans 1,415 acres and includes the CREOL optics research center, a medical school, and athletic facilities. The growth of UCF has been the single dominant force shaping Alafaya's development, with most of the community's restaurants, retail, and housing catering to students and university employees.
Waterford Lakes Town Center, a large open-air shopping center on Alafaya's southern edge, serves as the de facto commercial center. The East Orange Trail provides a paved cycling and walking path through the area. Innovation Way, south of the campus, has attracted technology companies and research offices. Despite its size, Alafaya has no incorporated government; all services are provided by Orange County.
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Alafaya is a census-designated place in eastern Orange County that exists primarily because the University of Central Florida was built there. Before UCF opened in 1968, the area was cattle pasture and orange groves along what is now Alafaya Trail (SR 434). Student housing, apartments, and commercial strips grew in concentric rings around the campus over the following decades. The name likely derives from a Seminole word, though its exact origin is disputed.
UCF enrolls over 68,000 students, making it one of the largest universities in the country by enrollment. The campus spans 1,415 acres and includes the CREOL optics research center, a medical school, and athletic facilities. The growth of UCF has been the single dominant force shaping Alafaya's development, with most of the community's restaurants, retail, and housing catering to students and university employees.
Waterford Lakes Town Center, a large open-air shopping center on Alafaya's southern edge, serves as the de facto commercial center. The East Orange Trail provides a paved cycling and walking path through the area. Innovation Way, south of the campus, has attracted technology companies and research offices. Despite its size, Alafaya has no incorporated government; all services are provided by Orange County.
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