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Circus World
- Thread starter goofy
- Start date
disneycrazy
New Member
I don't remember too much about it except that I got my face painted like a clown and they had a circus. I do know that when they closed, Disney hired a lot of the employees - for instance, the Tinker Bell flying down from the castle during the fireworks was (at least originally) one of the former employees from Circus World.
My parents said they had cargo nets that kids could climb on, but they don't remember anything else.
My parents said they had cargo nets that kids could climb on, but they don't remember anything else.
Maria
New Member
It was a park themed like a circus! They had shows with clowns, trapeze (God, I don´t know how to say the rest!) I mean, just imagine a circus, and they had shows like that!
It was also like a fair, it had a huge octopuss (like the Dumbo ride), and a humongous Wheel of Fortune.
I remember there was a tent in which kids would learn how to walk on the rope, and things like that. It was a cool park.
It was also like a fair, it had a huge octopuss (like the Dumbo ride), and a humongous Wheel of Fortune.
I remember there was a tent in which kids would learn how to walk on the rope, and things like that. It was a cool park.
MrPromey
Well-Known Member
It was originally opened by Ringling Brothers. For a long time it was a rather nice park but towards the end of it's life it became a local teen hangout and the maintenance on the rides began to slip a lot making them rather unsafe. It closed and a few years later a new park called Boardwalk and Baseball opened which was made up of pretty off the shelf carnival and amusement park rides. A book publishing company owned it along with SeaWorld and Cypress Gardens. They were in negotiations to sell the parks to Bush Entertainment but the sticking point was Boardwalk and Baseball which had never been successful and was not something Bush wanted to buy. They finally reached an agreement and Bush Bought it. The employees at B&B were excited when they learned that Bush might be buying them because they figured Bush would be able to turn the park around. What they didn't know is that Bush had no intention of doing this. On the very same day Bush closed on the deal they closed the park early, refunding the guests admission price. They called a meeting for all employees of B&B and pretty much told them that they were out of jobs. The park never reopened after that afternoon. As far as I know, Bush still owns the land but has no intention of doing anything with it in the future. It is believed that it's too far away from the Orlando area to feed off the Disney crowd like everything else does and is too far away from the west coast to attract people on their way to the Tampa Bay area for the beaches and cruise ships. If you are coming down 1-4 you can still see their flashing marquee sign kind of rusted out on the left side of the road just as you approach the Hanes City exit. Part of the theme of the park was baseball and the baseball stadium is still there with a minor league team but that's about all that remains. If you pull into the Hardies just off the exit you can see just about all of where the park was with the parking lot overgrown with weeds… I remember very little of the Circus World part although I've seen lots of pictures and read quite a bit about it. I got my face painted there too. They used greasepaint which kind of smells and is rather messy. I refused to let my parents wash it off. They claim that they had to wait till I fell asleep to wipe it all off my face.
I don't want to confuse you, but the Cirque de Soleil does perform at Disney Village/Pleasure Island/Marketplace. (I'm not exactly sure which, I'm not a huge fan although my husband is) This has been mentioned on the boards from time to time. Circus World>Baseball and Boardwalks has been closed for years, as mentioned earlier in this thread. Hope this clarifies things.
I flew thru the air with the greatest of ease there way back in 1985......(not reallly with ease)--I was attached to these rope thingys that would keep me from killing myself. I remember climbing up A LOT of steps on a ladder and standing on the platform. I looked down and wanted to back out but the REAL trapeze guy (very handsome too) picked me up and dropped me. I lost my hold as soon as my weight (think gravity) hit me and they let me down to the nets slowly. I was always mad that he did that because I wasnt ready. It was fun though and I have a great picture of myself with my face painted like a clown flying thru the air. (I was 26 at the time).
Tigggrl
Well-Known Member
Ok, Confession time....
*sigh* I was one of the B&B Employees who was laid off just prior to the parks closing. I worked in Entertainment...I started out in the Professor Bubbles show. It was a magic and illusion show geared towards kids...We had fun with that one! Then they decided to replace it with a sports game show...I worked onstage and backstage on the magic one....
I went from there to be the only female in an all male crew of DJ's and announcers...I had club experience, as well as announcing and commercial experience so they sent me there. I also ran the lights and some sound for the shows we had at the Dance USA dome... We had a 50's show, and a Laser show and always had special events...I had a BLAST! I also had the privilage of being in the stadium whenever I wanted, and became friends with quite a few of the Royals staff....I was the only girl allowed in the players dorms too...LOL I had so much fun.....Of course..I am an angel, and I was also dating a member of electronic services, so I was in the park at night all the time...it was so magcal in its own way...I sure do miss it...
Tig
p.s. the Hardees is gone, and the propery is a mess.....so depressing for me
*sigh* I was one of the B&B Employees who was laid off just prior to the parks closing. I worked in Entertainment...I started out in the Professor Bubbles show. It was a magic and illusion show geared towards kids...We had fun with that one! Then they decided to replace it with a sports game show...I worked onstage and backstage on the magic one....
I went from there to be the only female in an all male crew of DJ's and announcers...I had club experience, as well as announcing and commercial experience so they sent me there. I also ran the lights and some sound for the shows we had at the Dance USA dome... We had a 50's show, and a Laser show and always had special events...I had a BLAST! I also had the privilage of being in the stadium whenever I wanted, and became friends with quite a few of the Royals staff....I was the only girl allowed in the players dorms too...LOL I had so much fun.....Of course..I am an angel, and I was also dating a member of electronic services, so I was in the park at night all the time...it was so magcal in its own way...I sure do miss it...
Tig
p.s. the Hardees is gone, and the propery is a mess.....so depressing for me
cm1988
Active Member
Cirque is on the West Side of Downtown Disney, near DisneyQuest and House of Blues. Show is acrobatics; no animals. Haven't seen it myself, but have heard good reviews from several friends.
Not much left of Circus World/Boardwalk and Baseball. As Tigggrl observed, it (and surrounding businesses) is in sad disrepair, at the intersection of I-4 and rte. 27.