McDonald was the co-creator of a certain pose that is depicted in "Adagio," one of the statues that can be seen in front of the park. Introducing the Mermaid Tail Trail ", Courtesy of Dianne's daughter Debbie McDonald, "I always wanted to be like Esther Williams, says McDonald. As the mermaids sing in The Little Mermaid show: Were not like other women, Brooksville is home to many historic buildings and residences, including the homes of former Florida Governor William Sherman Jennings and football player Jerome Brown. A lady next to us had Crackers world famous 10,000 island shrimp & grits for breakfast. See. View. After many travels during a B.A. Yep, MERMAIDS. 19, 2021. Weeki Wachee became part of the Florida Parks Service in 2008. ), but the show lasts about 30 minutes and theres probably half a dozen different songs/performances (maybe more?) Weeki Wachee mermaids take on a challenging job. Shortly after wed unpacked we were on the way to check out historic Brooksville and look for a nice place for dinner. FSP.Feedback@FloridaDEP.gov, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Amphitheater, Interpretive Exhibit, Concession and Restaurant. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. But usually I have a Fastpass (I go to Disney a lot ; ). At the time, U.S. 19 was a small two-lane road. By, Weeki Wachee Kelley_Jun22_17_2814_edited, Weeki Wachee Mermaids_performing_at_Weeki_Wachee_Springs_State, Weeki Wachee Mermaid_Kiyomi_at_Weeki_Wachee_Springs_State_Park_SPRRswGr1K8t_A9quDK2WMs18q0ABlZBh_rgb_l.jpg, Weeki Wachee Kristy__Amanda___Cheyenne_Sep27_19_8715, A Florida school superintendent keeps speaking out against DeSantis despite looming sanctions, DeSantis' appointed board approves a lawsuit against Disney, Florida LGBTQ+ lawmaker tells the GOP: 'Im literally trying to exist', New COVID variant of interest comes to Florida with a common allergy symptom: pinkeye, Arkansas woman pleads not guilty to selling over 20 boxes of stolen human body parts, A decoder that uses brain scans to know what you mean mostly, The Senate holds its Supreme Court ethics hearing this week with no justices, Tracking the impact of U.S.-China tensions on global financial institutions, Weeki Wachee River may soon become a protected spring zone, Weeki Wachee Is Being Destroyed By Docking Kayakers, Study Says, Weeki Wachee Springs Is Hiring Mermaids To Carry On A Florida Tradition. There were people around us who were getting sick from the heat and nobody was really prepared for it. As featured in The Montauk Sun, in print, from the Hamptons to Manhattan, Escape from Paradise with Ingrid Lemme-Chalut. If I were going to make a day of it, I would probably pay the $7 to have access to that for the day. Shows may be canceled due to weather and no refunds are issued. Please plan to arrive early. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Visiting Weeki Wachee Spring State Park Cost: Park entry costs $13 for adults and $8 for kids ages 6-12. With the air hose, humans could give the appearance of thriving twenty feet underwater with no breathing apparatus. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Today, visitors can still witness the magic of the mermaids, take a river boat cruise and canoe or kayak on the Weeki Wachee River. "Perry happened to hear about us, and that's why he invited us up to put on a show," says McDonald. Mermaids have intrigued sailors and land-dwellers alike for centuries and though their existence has never been proven (save for Discovery channel drama-mentaries), they're still fascinating. "The former mermaids may have moved on in life, but the enchantment of the Weeki Wachee Spring calls them back time and again, like a dream that can . You will enjoy this classic told unlike any other as The Little Mermaid celebrates her birthday and comes face to face with her prince! The mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs have delighted visitors since 1947. RICHES 1980s-2000s: The Death of the Roadside Attraction ABC sold Weeki Wachee and Silver Springs to Florida Leisure Attractions, Inc. in 1984 for $25 million dollars ($63.4 million adjusted for inflation). Perry was also an all-star swimmer and coach, so it was easy to bring his idea to fruition when searching for the perfect business venue. Hey Friend, Before You Go.. However, the shows were not originally as popular as they are now. Florida was once known for its roadside attractions such as Six-Gun Territory in Ocala, which featured shootouts at high noon on its dusty main drag. Newt knew that humans could survive underwater by breathing air pumped through a hose by a compressor. Candidates from across the globe train to become one of the live mermaids in Weeki Wachee. . Guests who are watching the shows at Weeki Wachee are in for a true surprise. In the 1840s when Florida was opened up to settlers a few brave and hardy families had come to take advantage of 160 acre plots and we were looking forward to taking photos of some of their still existing, beautifully restored, old homes and walking along their brick-paved, live oak tree-lined streets. My post captions are full of travel tips and I have a ton of story highlights and videos with great info. He then put a sign out on U.S. 19 that read: WEEKI WACHEE. Youre just standing out in the sun the whole time. Find out everything you need to know about Weeki Wachee Springs State Park from the official website here. In 1982, Buccaneer Bay opened with waterslides and a white sand beach. Mermaid Ashley What Mermaid Ashley enjoys most is hanging out with her animals. Weeki Wachee Mermaids features rare, never-before-published vintage photographs, postcards, and publicity shots taken over a thirty year period, starting with the first performance in 1947 and ending with the extravagant "underwater Broadway" shows created by the corporate owners of ABC-TV. I love creating & composing history articles and lists. It was created in 1947 by swimmer and attraction promoter Newt Perry. Hours: The park is open from 9 am to 5:30 pm every day. The mermaids perform four shows a day, 365 days a year and theyve been doing it since 1947. Thats when we decided to mix mermaids, manatees, and museums into our West Central Florida adventure. 2007. Perry was a former U.S. Navy veteran who, being familiar with the water and movement in it, came up with Weeki Wachee. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. In 1997, the popular Former Mermaid shows began, bringing former mermaids back to Weeki Wachee Springs to swim in the Mermaids of Yesteryear shows, which play . View. The spring had been used as a dumping site, so he cleared it out and experimented with using a breathing hose to explore its depths. There is an admission fee that covers both the mermaid side and the water park side of the park. Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time. During the first half of the 20th century, decisions and discussions made within the walls of Chinsegut influenced national and world leaders and the impacts are still felt today www.chinseguthillretreat.com, Until next month from another interesting location! And that was the day! To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. In a world where kids are so glued to screens and devices, its nice to know that spending a day swimming around the springs with the mermaids is such a crowd pleaser. In 1946, Newton Perry, a former U.S. Navy man who trained Navy Frogmen to swim underwater in World War II, scouted Weeki Wachee as a good site for a new business. But when we went in (July 2021), they were back to operating normally. Before I-75 traversed the Sunshine State from north to south, and before a mouse and wizards arrived in Orlando, a roadside attraction along U.S.-19 allured passers by with a different out-of-this-world experience: mermaids. It was the most beautiful sight I think I ever saw. As of September 2022: Mermaid shows are offered at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 11 a.m., 1:30 and 3 p.m. on weekends. "It's a 400-seat theater that was submerged. You can kayak or swim in Florida Springs and see native Florida wildlife in many places. McDonald recalls that the following week she and another girl on the synchronized team got together and drew stick figures of different poses to do underwater. What do you get when you combine underwater fantasy with SCUBA technology? Susan B. Barnes is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience writing about food, travel and lifestyle. Top Picks Gayle King and. The park itself is home to more than 530 acres, and visitors are free to explore it on their own with a paddleboard or kayak rental. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The popular shows featured former mermaids that returned to enchant audiences once again . Guests will be turned away when the park is full. We lined up for the 10AM Wonders of Weeki Wachee show and were pretty quickly let into the theater when it opened at 9:30. Rhonda pointed us out to the Floridas Adventure Coast visitor center where we got to meet John Athanason personally as well as the two ladies that work there ( he was of great help when I was researching the area). Life has been hard lately. On Jan. 12, 2023, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park will unveil 28 mermaid statues to celebrate its anniversary, in an exhibition called Destination Mermaid: The Tail Trail. In the 1950s, Weeki Wachee was one of the nations most popular tourist stops. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. References. Weeki Wachee 60th Anniversary, performers in lycra mermaid fins. The property with the springs was purchased by former US Navy man Newt Perry in 1946 and after he cleaned it up (cars and old refrigerators had to be hauled out of the springs!) This wasnt running when I visited and that was disappointing because it wouldve been a great way to see the river. The performances include a rendition of 'The Little Mermaid.'. The shows have been dazzling visitors for decades. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands, The City of Live Mermaids - Only in Florida, Want to Be a Mermaid? He just thought the pose was beautiful, and then I guess Newt Perry decided he liked the pose, too, and the next thing you know theyre making a statue of it.. 464K views 6 years ago A Weeki Wachee mermaid has to descend about 30 feet through 'the tube' to begin each show. Weeki Wachee's mermaids were the fever dream of Newt Perry, a trainer of Navy frogmen during World War II. Ashley Bobo of Nashville, Tennessee, sits in a fake mermaid tail in Weeki Wachee springs, Florida, July 25, 2007. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Weeki Wachee celebrated its 75th year earlier this month. On January 12, Florida's Adventure Coast Visitors Bureau will unveil the Mermaid Tale Trail, which features twenty-seven mermaid statues, hand-painted by regional artists, placed throughout nearby . This park celebrates the natural beauty of Florida's springs, which are so clear they were once a popular spot for filming underwater scenes in movies.