What was Florida’s first theme park? Hint: it wasn’t Disney’s Magic Kingdom
Samantha NeelyAt this point, Florida might as well be synonymous with the term "theme parks." Central Florida alone is home to some of the globe's top theme parks.
But which theme park actually was here first in Florida? While Disney World or Universal Studios might seem like the obvious answer, it's neither. In fact, Florida's first theme park isn't even around anymore.
What was it and what happened to it? Here's what to know about Winter Haven's Cypress Gardens, which attracted visitors from all over the globe for roughly 70 years.
What was Florida's Cypress Gardens?
Florida's Cypress Gardens was a 220-acre botanical garden. It was opened in January 1939 by salesman Richard Downing Pope Sr. and his wife, Julie Pope.
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It was said to all start with a "Good Housekeeping" article, as Pope's wife saw a piece about a Charleston banker who opened up his private estate to the public and charged an admissions fee. This led to the couple wanting to build something similar in their new hometown in Florida.
According to Visit Central Florida, Pope began constructing his dream garden on the swampy shores of Lake Eloise and soon the park would become a showplace for 8,000 varieties of flowers from over 90 different countries. The park soon became a tourism hot spot and attracted millions of visitors every year.
While it didn't house any theme park rides by today's standards, it still promoted several hit attractions for guests. Cypress Gardens was dubbed the “water ski capital of the world" for its many water sporting events.
The gardens have also attracted the likes of Hollywood over the years. Movies, such as “On an Island With You,” “Easy to Love,” “Moon Over Miami,” “This is Cinerama,” and hundreds of short features were filmed on its grounds.
Where is Winter Haven in Florida? Here's where Cypress Gardens is located
Cypress Gardens is a census-designated place in Polk County, located within the Lakeland-Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area.
What replaced Cypress Gardens? Here's when Cypress Gardens in Florida closed
As new Florida theme parks popped up, Cypress Gardens expanded during the 1970s and 1980s to compete, changing ownership along the way.
It officially closed for good in September 2009 and was eventually absorbed into Legoland Florida in 2011.
Can you still visit Cypress Gardens at Legoland?
Yes, you can! Legoland still houses the historic Cypress Gardens botanical gardens.
"The gardens are a horticultural masterpiece with exotic plants from all over the world such as over 30 kinds of palms, 10 varieties of banana trees, 15 types of azaleas, 10 kinds of camelias and more and are kept in pristine condition," its website says.
The gardens are still home to a giant Banyan tree that was planted as a seedling in 1939.
Legoland also honors the gardens with the historic water ski shows still performed by LEGO Pirate characters.
How much does it cost to get into Legoland Florida?
General admission to Legoland Florida start at $74 plus tax and go up depending on the date or season. The park also offers multiple-day deals and annual passes.
Toll and ticket booths open approximately 30 to 45 minutes prior to the theme park opening. According to its website, the rates for parking at Legoland Florida are:
- Standard Parking: $32
- Preferred Parking: $52
When did Florida's top theme parks open to the public?
- Disney's Magic Kingdom: Oct. 1, 1971
- Disney's EPCOT: Oct. 1, 1982
- Disney's Hollywood Studios (then-MGM Studios): May 1, 1989
- Disney's Animal Kingdom: April 22, 1998
- Universal Studios Orlando: June 7, 1990
- Universal's Islands of Adventure: May 28, 1999
- SeaWorld Orlando: Dec. 15, 1973
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: March 31, 1959
- Legoland Florida: Oct. 15, 2011