Posted on 04/23/2003 5:41:23 AM PDT by MalcolmS
When my son was small we enjoyed Cypress Gardens because it was "low key" with no lines.
After our fill of Disney Parks, we found that a season pass to Busch Gardens was the best value (visit once during a certain month and get a pass for the entire year), and had lots of things that kids enjoy so we get a pass every year to Busch Gardens in Tampa.
Now that he's a teenager, Universal would be his preference, but we save those visits for "special occasions" and only get to Universal about once every other year.
True, and a Debbie Boone concert isn't either.
Prices have already been effectively lowered, but there is a two-tier pricing structure in effect.
For example, Busch Gardens (Tampa) and SeaWorld (Orlando) have been offering a two-for-one deal for tourists. Buy one day (about $50) and come back free for a second day. And most people really do need 2 days to see everything.
However, Florida residents can pay for one day and come back free all year. You still get dinged for parking etc. About the same time this was done, it seems like food prices inside the park (not allowed to bring your own picnic) went up by about 50%, and most new construction involves souvenier shops. It appears that the business model is shifting away from admission fees and towards inside-the-park sales.
In a way this is true. But if you live in Florida (as we do), you'll probably be confronted by nature on a regular basis. We live in a large city, but near a nature preserve.
Alligators are a common sight (we've even had to chase one out of our back yard), and we see bald eagles, egrit, herons, rosette spoonbills, quaker parrots (lots of those noisy birds), osprey, owls, racoons, opposums, gopher tortoise, etc. on an almost daily basis.
So only tourists would find "Florida nature" a real draw. If a Floridian wants to see an alligator, why pay money, just go to your nearest golf course.
Busch Gardens has a pretty impressive zoo, and I think that adds to it's attractiveness as a theme park. Much better than the Disney zoo.
I may be in contact with you sooner or later re: the house rental. My folks live in Lake Wales; my mother was born there in 1929 (my grandparents moved there right after The Crash because my grandpa took the City Clerk job - it was a job after all ;-), and my parents live there now after moving back there in the mid 1980's, but don't have room to house our family when we visit. Dick Pope was a very good friend of my grandpa's and we used to visit there every summer of my childhood since my grandparents were given all-season passes (my grandpa was a big tourist promoter in the central FLA area).
Also, my grandparents were also at the opening ceremony of the Bok Singing Tower where they had a dinner with "Silent Cal" Coolidge who was there. Have you ever done "Spook Hill" in Lake Wales? I'm telling you - you haven't lived unless you have! ;-)
Sorry - bzzzzzzzzzt. Wrong answer. (Reference my post above.) I loved the place when I was a kid - used to spend a LOT of time there every summer when we'd visit our grandparents who ran a ma & pa motel in nearby Lake Wales. I loved the ski show AND the gardens. Unbelievably beautiful. The Botanic Gardens in the Chicago area is a big hit with the kids - the schools around here are always getting the kids there for Field Trips. I have yet to hear any complaints about that from my kids or any of their friends for that matter.
The REAL value is in the gardens and its proximity to the lake. If the State of FLA takes it over, it should get some sort of State Park designation. Entry fees would support its maintenance on that level.
Wow! Talk about local connections.
My wife's Mom stayed in Lake Wales last winter. We drove past the Spook Hill sign many times, but never took the opportunity. I'll be sure to next time--at least the price is right.
In theory, yes. In reality we'll likely see a raise in some taxes (The same way St Pete did with Sunken Gardens a while ago). The mantra of free-markets will go out the door because no local politician will want to be painted as "against the Gardens".
Funny thing is that in another article posted above, a Georgia businessman has offered to open discussions about buying the park but the current owner won't return the calls and some WH city officials are trying to make rules about what the park should be like if a buyer is found.
Sounds to me like they want their cake and the ability to eat it, too.
We had an egrit that would come into the yard on a regular basis, so we started feeding him bait fish. If you left the front door open, he'd follow you right into the house.
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