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Floridaland |
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Return To Florida's Lost Tourist Attractions, a site celebrating the now defunct tourist attractions of the Sunshine State. The attraction profiled on this page no longer exists. Postcards from the author's collection.
This site Copyright (c) 1997-2011 by Robert H. Brown
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Floridaland, which opened in December, 1964 in Osprey (near Venice), seemed to be a
theme park searching for a theme. Colorful tropical birds decorated the entrance,
suggesting possibly a Florida theme, yet the main attraction inside was a western
town. The various attractions offered suggest a scattergun approach, as if they tried to
capture the main part of other successful Florida Attractions along with some of their business.
Shoot outs in the street entertained the kids, while the requisite saloon
show, complete with can-can dancers, held Dad's interest. But note the somewhat
makeshift appearance of the small stage -- Floridaland's budget is beginning to show.
And every park has got to have a train -- even if it's really just a trackless tram dressed
up to look like one. Here the theming is literally only skin deep. (Apparently there was also a real, tracked, live steam train there, but it was owned by a contractor, not the park.)
And what western town is complete without its... porpoise show? Here Floridaland jumped back
to the Florida theme. Note the small, ground level lagoon and platform. Compaired to the Miami
Seaquarium or Saint Petersburg Aquatarium's large porpoise show stadiums, their budget is once again
showing.
Animal attractions and petting zoos are also always popular, so, naturally, Floridaland
had its petting zoo and "Goat Island".