The New Cypress Gardens

[HTHBellcaptain]

For decades Cypress Gardens used to be one of the main tourist draws to Florida before WDW was opened. The poor little park suffered greatly when all the big parks moved in. Cypress Gardens used to have no rides at all. It's draw was beautiful gardens and a major water ski show. Well, the place went bankrupt last year and closed. Now someone has bought it up and had added a lot of rides, but has kept the gardens and ski show in tact.

Click Here for their web site (http://www.cypressgardens.com/welcome.asp)

So has anybody been to it yet? I'm wondering whether it still has it's old Florida charm.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Interesting that if you look under "rides", it says that they have a section of the park called "Paradise Pier". :)

[HTHBellcaptain]

I saw that. I'm wondering if there is going to be a law suit or if there is a loop hole. Since Cypress Gardens is about 40 miles from WDW, I'm sure some executive has noticed by now.

[€uroMeinke]

No rides? Didn't this place used to have glassbottomed boats? or am I thinking of some other pre-WDW park?

[tigertail777]

Is Weeki Watchi still open? I know it was in trouble too.

[Matterhorn Fan]

Interesting that if you look under "rides", it says that they have a section of the park called "Paradise Pier". :)Yeah. It's also called an "Adventure Park."
I'm wondering whether it still has it's old Florida charm.There's only one way to find out . . . ask on a message board where mostly everyone is from California. ;) The place is in your backyard--how much are tickets?

[Not Afraid]

There's only one way to find out . . . ask on a message board where mostly everyone is from California. ;) The place is in your backyard--how much are tickets?

Thank you for being inside my brain while posting!:gnome:

[Tref]

Is Weeki Watchi still open? I know it was in trouble too.

I heard they are now closed during the weeki.

[HTHBellcaptain]

There's only one way to find out . . . ask on a message board where mostly everyone is from California. ;) The place is in your backyard--how much are tickets?

Perhaps you're right. Anyway, for my next question: Has anyone been to Bok Tower? It's right next to Cypress Gardens. I was wondering how it survived the hurricanes. Anyone??


(By the way, I believe Weeki Watchi and Silver Springs are still open. Maybe someone from California can enlighten us.)

[Matterhorn Fan]

Didn't you say it blew down during Charley? Or was that something else?

[HTHBellcaptain]

Well, that's what they were saying on the radio. It turned out to be untrue, although they did have some damage.

[Matterhorn Fan]

Hooray! That news gives me such BOK JOY!

(Get it? Get it? Hahaha.) :rolleyes:

[HTHBellcaptain]

Frequently, or you might even say Offen BOK

[€uroMeinke]

So where were the galss bottom boats? I remember going some place with my parents where that was the featured attraction. You got your picture in it, and you got to feed bread to the fish who swarmed the boat.

I thought this was Cypress Gardens, but being 8 at the time, it may have been a false memory.

[HTHBellcaptain]

The glass bottomed boats are at Silver Springs. (http://www.silversprings.com/index-flash.htm) Although, watch out for the talking bear. He's kind of creepy.

Now, if you're into Mermaids, then there is only one place to go. Weeki Wachee (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/FLWEEmer.html)

If, however, you don't want a creepy talking bear or mermaids, may I suggest BOK Tower (http://www.boktower.org/)

If you aren't interested in a creepy talking bear in a glass bottomed boat, mermaids drinking Coke under water or beautiful gardens in a peaceful setting, then maybe dancing chickens are your style. Webb City (http://www.sptimes.com/2002/05/27/NIE/Wonders_of_Florida.shtml) no longer exists, but it was the king of tacky cool.

[Not Afraid]

Well, I'm just into big ole gators. I need to find me some next time I'm in Florida.

[HTHBellcaptain]

Well, there's always Gatorland (http://www.gatorland.com/)

[Matterhorn Fan]

And heck, if none of that other stuff appeals to you, or if you're too cheap to pay for that stuff, there's always Spongearama.

[HTHBellcaptain]

You're right. Spongerama (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/FLTARsponge.html) is always an option.

[Not Afraid]

OMG! It's an asexual's wet dream!


I'm sorry. That was bad on so many levels. And, we don't have our little evil smilie yet.

[€uroMeinke]

The glass bottomed boats are at Silver Springs. (http://www.silversprings.com/index-flash.htm) Although, watch out for the talking bear. He's kind of creepy.

Thank you, that's the place - I knew they also had gators. That was a favorite family spot back in the day.
:cool:

[Matterhorn Fan]

All these cool places to go to in Florida, and I've only been to Spongorama? That would be like living in Utah for 4 years and never going skiing--not that I would ever do something like that.

[Not Afraid]

I didn't know you skied! ;)

[HTHBellcaptain]

Matterhorn Fan, Flippy Shark, and myself went to Spongerama a few months ago. They have very oudated dusty hallway of displays that they call a museum. It is so awful, it's wonderful. Then there's the Spongerama film. Oh my! It is a very boring, and unprofessionally produced 45 minute film that tells you all about the different types of natural sponges and how to tell them apart. We walked out of it about half way through the film. Matterhorn Fan and I were giggling and kicking each other throughout the film. We felt we should leave before we desturbed the others, who were actually trying to watch the film.

[Matterhorn Fan]

P.S. We did leave before anyone told us to shut up or get out.

P.P.S. I have never been skiing, snow or water.

[HTHBellcaptain]

I've been water skiing. I've even gone right past a gator in the middle of the lake. It was cool.

[Not Afraid]

Awwwwww GATOR!!!!!!!!:snap:

[Gemini Cricket]

Well, there's always Gatorland (http://www.gatorland.com/)
Ralphie loves loves LOVES Gatorland! :)

[NirvanaMan]

and you got to feed bread to the fish who swarmed the boat.


I'm not sure why..but when I first read that..I thought it said "breast feed"