It’s the story that’s often been told about the creation of Disney World. How Walt — as he was flying over the swamps of Central Florida in Disney’s corporate plane — looked out the window and saw Raz Island sitting in the middle of Bay Lake. “That’s it,” Walt was reported to have said, “That’s where we should build.”
Mind you, Walt Disney wasn’t the only man to ever look at a clump of cypress in the Sunshine State …
Photo by Jeff Lange
… and then think: “I can really do something with that. I can turn this place into a thing of beauty.”
Photo by Jeff Lange
Almost three full decades before Walt revealed that he was planning on building “Disneyland East” just to the south of Orlando, Dick Pope stood at the edge of Lake Eloise in Winter Haven and saw … potential. And with the help of his wife, Julie, Dick eventually turned this quiet piece of waterfront property into “Florida’s first theme park,” Cypress Gardens.
Back in the day, this was one of the state’s biggest tourist attraction. People would come from all over the country to catch Cypress Gardens’ world-famous water-skiing show …
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… or tour the botanical gardens.
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That’s why it’s a treat to visit Cypress Gardens today. So much of what made this place appealing to our parents & grandparents is still in place. Those beautiful southern belles …
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… who pose amongst the topiaries.
Photo by Jeff Lange
That said, it’s not like there haven’t been any changes to Cypress Gardens since the Popes sold the place back in 1985. There have been numerous changes made over in the past few years. Like that wooden coaster which was added to this theme park’s line-up of rides, shows and attractions just last year.
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But even as it was adding this “new” thrill ride, Cypress Gardens was also strengthening its ties to Florida’s past. You see, the Starliner used to be the high point of Panama City’s Miracle Strip Amusement Park. But once the Strip closed in 2004, this classic “out and back” was carefully dismantled and then shipped off to Polk County. Where — as CG staffers were reassembling this much beloved coaster — they made a point of including a tribute to its former home as part of the Starliner’s new queue area.
Photo by Jeff Lange
But — me personally — you wanna know what my favorite part of Cypress Gardens is? The parking lot.
Why For? Well, there’s this story that I’ve heard from a number of Disney old-timers. And it basically has to do with Dick Pope’s relationship with Walt’s brother.
Back in 1948, Roy O. and his wife Edna went on an extended vacation. The Disneys drove all over America. And as they were touring the South, Roy & Edna supposedly spent a very pleasant afternoon at Cypress Gardens as the personal guests of the Popes.
And in the years that followed, whenever he found himself in Florida, Roy would make a point of returning to Cypress Gardens and renewing his friendship with Dick.
Now one day in the early 1960s, Pope reportedly receives a phone call from the employee manning Cypress Garden’s entrance. He tells Dick that Roy has just pulled into the parking lot and should be entering the park shortly.
So Mr. Pope goes out to the entrance of Cypress Gardens and waits to greet Walt’s brother. And waits … And waits.
After 15 minutes or so, Dick’s curiousity gets the better of him. So he then wanders out into the parking lot to find Roy. And there he finds Walt’s brother … counting how many cars are parked in Cypress Gardens’ lot.
Pope then allegedly said to Disney: “Is there something you want to tell me, Roy?”
Walt’s brother — of course — was just gathering information. At that point, Roy O. still wasn’t entirely convinced that an East Coast version of Disneyland would work. But as he stood there, looking at all those license plates from all those different states, Walt’s brother’s eyes were opened. He saw that a quality attraction in Central Florida could really draw a crowd from all over the U.S.
Now you’d think that — what with the Mouse moving in on his turf just a few years later — that this would have ruined Dick Pope’s relationship with Roy O. Disney. Quite the contrary. Back in the late 1960s / early 1970s, there are no bigger booster of “Project Florida” than the owner of Cypress Gardens.
Don’t believe me? Then check out this prescient quote that Pope gave with the Sentinel back in 1965, right after the Disney World project was first officially announced:
“The Orlando-Disney area will become a real hub of a great new progressive area of Florida … There is no limit to the number of tourists a Disneyland will bring into this area … It is, in my opinion, the most important thing to (ever) happen to Polk County. I am very, very pleased.”
Or — better yet — what Dick said about this development in 1969:
“(Disney World will be) the best thing to hit Florida since sunshine.”
Of course, what’s kind of ironic about all this is … Well, what with Disney World becoming more & more crowded every year. And what with all of these people rushing around on property, trying to make the most of their WDW vacations by making use of things like FastPass and Disney’s Magical Express … Cypress Gardens’ lighter crowds & much slower pace suddenly seems that much more appealing to me.
Photo by Jeff Lange
Sooo … You want to have the sort of vacation that your grandparents had? You know, where you actually get the chance to relax before you rush on home? Then set aside some time to visit “Florida’s first theme park,” Cypress Gardens. And let this piece of Old Florida renew you.
Your thoughts?