The Island in the Sky, Cypress Gardens, Florida 1991 

Needing a break from the hectic Disney routine, themagiceye decided to venture off the beaten track, hired a car and eventually found itself in an oasis of calm that was Cypress Gardens.

There are many abiding memories that stand out from this visit: The Banyan Tree, a large Buddah, a pond in the shape of Florida, the Southern Belles, a boat trip on Lake Eloise, Banana George the barefoot skier, the Wings of Wonder Butterfly House, a carousel, a side stall that involved squirting water into a clown's mouth, a side stall that involved putting a ball into a golf hole and winning tickets, speaking to a PR guy who told us about a recent visit from the Guinness World Records, a model railway inside a building, themagiceye's first taste of American lemonade that was ladled into small glasses, references to a movie entitled

EASY TO LOVE (1953)
"Musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley. Another Esther Williams vehicle, shot in Cypress Gardens, Florida. The finale has Williams and 80 boy and girl water-skiers carrying big flags, a hundred girls in a pool shaped like Florida, and shots from helicopters, with Williams on a trapeze hanging from a plane. Critics called this Busby Berkeley's "crowning achievement." 

...and the Island in the Sky.

A five minute ride 153 feet up in the air on this contraption afforded magnificent views and provided us with magnificent memories of a place that sadly closed its doors to the public on April 13th 2003.

Cypress Gardens originally opened on 2nd January 1936 and was owned back then by Dick Pope.

Thankfully, Cypress Gardens is now open again thanks to Kent Buescher. It now boasts four roller coasters and has been renamed Cypress Gardens Adventure Park.

It was with some sadness that themagiceye discovered that the 11.5 acre zoological park that we visited in 1991 had closed to the public in April 1999.

Most of its animals and birds were relocated back then to the Discovery Island section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Known prior to 1999 as The Bay Lake's Tropical Island Paradise and originally opened as Treasure Island in April 1974, this lush, tranquil jewel of a place was a great way to escape the crowds and learn about the flora and fauna.

Wonderful memories include: sitting on a rocking chair drinking lemonade next to a totem pole (don't ask...but it was great!) learning about Trumpeter Swans in Trumpeter Springs from people who really cared for their subject, finding out that Discovery Island was home to over 100 species of animals and over 200 plants, following the walkways and rope bridges, seeing the turtles and feeling the heat and the humidity on the back of the neck.