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Cypress Gardens

Winter Haven, Florida

About Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens Adventure Park (previously just "Cypress Gardens") is a theme park in Winter Haven, Florida.

Cypress Gardens opened on January 2nd, 1936, making it Florida's first theme park. Although it had remained popular through the 60's with elaborate water ski shows and family attractions, the family-owned Cypress Gardens was in direct competition with the Disney parks starting in the 70's.
Between the 80's through the mid 90's, Cypress Gardens continued to be bought and sold: Harcourt Brace & Jovanovich purchased the park along with Sea World and Circus World, but sold it to Anheuser-Busch. Busch continued to operate the park until 1995, and then sold to Bill Reynolds. Reynolds was forced to close the park on April 19, 2003, due to the decline in tourism following the terroist attack on September 11th, 2001. To many, that was to be the end of Cypress Gardens.

However, in 2004, Kent Buescher's Adventure Parks Group purchased the property, and became "Cypress Gardens Adventure Park", getting more attractions into the park then ever before. Yet, on the same year, hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne hit hard, enough to cause $30 million in damages to the park (and the park even opened the ride "Triple Hurricane" named after them!) On September 2006, Adventure Parks Group filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, though it had no bearing on the park's operation. As of January 2008, Baker Leisure Group are the new owners.

Amid the up and downs of Cypress Gardens, it remains central Florida's sweet spot: ticket prices have always been less then Disney's or Universal's. And the Southern Belles make it all worth it.

http://www.cypressgardens.com/index.php

-- Last edited by P Alemany

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Attractions

Children's rides(Rating)(Height)
Stars & Stripes1042
Upsy Daisy1042
Tiny Trotters1032
Rio Grande Train942
Junior Rampmasters842
Red Baron742
Dizzy Dragons736
Gear Jammers736
Daisy742
Super Truckers6
Exhibits(Rating)(Height)
Santa Through History7
Family rides(Rating)(Height)
Storm Surge1032
Sideswipers1050
Boardwalk Carousel942
Mega Bounce942
Tilt-A-Whirl832
Sunshine Sky Adventure7
Citrus Line Railroad542
Cypress Belle
Cypress Cove Ferry Line
Fire Brigade
Fun Slide
Jalopy Junction
Paradise Sky Wheel0
Rockin’ Tug42
Seafari Swing32
The Garden Gondolas48
The Pirate Ship36
Soaring Scooters36
Wave Runner032
Gardens(Rating)(Height)
Botanical Gardens8
Topiary Trail
Snively Plantation
Paradise Pier(Rating)(Height)
Starliner948
Shows(Rating)(Height)
Junior Belle Program10
Cypress Gardens Water Ski Show7
Southern Belles6
Cypress Gardens On Ice4
Shake, Rattle & Roll1
Swamp Critters
Treasure of Cypress Cove
Tricks of the Trade
Farmyard Frolics
Junior Water Ski Experience
Thrill rides(Rating)(Height)
Pharaoh's Fury1048
Disk'O942
Yo-Yo942
Inverter848
Okeechobee Rampage842
Thunderbolt742
Triple Hurricane742
Galaxy Spin7
Fiesta Express6
Delta Kite Flyers542
Power Surge552
Swamp Thing552

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