Kissimmee is on the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga (locally called "Lake Toho", "West Lake Toho" or simply "West Lake") and just a few miles south of Orlando. It was founded in the mid-19th Century as Allendale. The name was changed when the city was incorporated in 1883. It is the county seat of Osceola County in the State of Florida.

Cattle ranching was an important part of the local economy for a century or so before the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. After that, tourism fuelled the city's development and growth. However, cattle ranches still remain nearby, particularly in the southern part of Osceola County.

A popular misconception is that the Disney World resort exists in Orlando. In fact, the entire Walt Disney World property is outside Orlando city limits; the majority sits within southwestern Orange County with the remainder in adjacent Osceola County to the south. Most of Walt Disney World's Central Florida land and all of the public areas are located in the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, located southwest of Orlando and a few miles northwest of Kissimmee.

The nearest International airport to Kissimmee is Orlando International (MCO), next closest is Sanford (SFB) and then Tampa (TPA). See our links page for these airport's websites.