At the risk of bashing an internet meme, “Hey Dad, what were Orlando’s theme parks and attractions like in the ’90s?”
I’m going to say it’s fun and impactful. Let’s think about it. If we fudge the timeline a bit, half of theme parks came into existence within the last 10 years. That probably disrupted our thinking and created a broader demand for new attractions. So when Epic Universe Theme Park opened last year, it felt like a bomb, so to speak.
There was a community-driven buzz in Orlando at the time. Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway gave the Orlando Magic a big push into the playoffs. City Hall was equipped with giant goggles to imitate popular athlete Horace Grant. The dome-shaped structure also transformed into a soccer ball during the World Cup. The city was filled with boy band members, Mickey Mouse clubbers, and future Disney Channel stars.
And Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner announced the arrival of the “Disney Decade.” But in the 1990s, there was more to tourism than just Lake Buena Vista. Introducing the 1900’s Flashback Machine Set.
double up disney
Disney-MGM Studios (now called Hollywood Studios) debuted in May 1989, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened in 1998. The studio featured now-defunct attractions such as the Great Movie Ride, Superstar Television, Monster Sound Show, Backstage Studio Tour by Tram, and a glimpse of animators at work.
The Sunset Boulevard area then opened and eventually featured Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, “Beauty and the Beast – Live” and “Fantasmic,” all of which remain in the lineup.
Blizzard Beach made a splash in 1995, joining Typhoon Lagoon and River Country. So Disney World operated three water parks for several years.
In the early ’90s, Magic Kingdom still had Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and the nearby 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction.
universal has arrived
For some reason, the early days of Universal Studios in Florida, which opened in 1990, featured both Jaws and “Murder, She Wrote” star Jessica Fletcher. The park featured many faded and memorable attractions, including “The Adventures of Rocky and the Bullwinkle Show”, the Fantastic World of Hanna-Barbera (a motion simulator ride), “Ghostbusters Spooktacular”, “Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show”, and the Bates Motel Set.
The Hard Rock Cafe, which looks like a guitar when seen from the sky, has also appeared. The bottleneck was the elevated walkway to the parking lot.
Then came Islands of Adventure in 1999, Universal CityWalk (with a NASCAR cafe), and two giant garages.
Of course I can’t find Potter. The first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in the United Kingdom in 1997.
George Skene, Orlando Sentinel
Opened in 1997, Skull Kingdom’s distinctive entrance attracted tourists near I Drive. (Orlando Sentinel File)
Things get scary
Some argue that Orlando’s Halloween mania has its roots in the ’90s. Halloween Horror Nights debuted at Universal in 1991 and was originally called Fright Night. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party began in 1995 at the Magic Kingdom.
Terror on Church Street ran in downtown Orlando from 1991 to 1999 and is a year-round haunt. Skull Kingdom opened in 1996 near International Drive.
Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
“Journey to Atlantis” was SeaWorld Orlando’s early experience in the thrill ride industry. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Seeking a thrill
SeaWorld Orlando launched its first thrill ride in 1999, Journey to Atlantis, a waterway experience with a stretch of roller coaster. Since then, more coasters have appeared.
The park also introduced the simulator Mission: Bermuda Triangle in 1992. It was replaced by Wild Arctic in 1995 and last year became Expedition Odyssey, a flying theater ride.
Upper and lower I drive
In addition to Skull Kingdom, International Drive has seen the return of several timeless attractions from the ’90s. Fun Spot arrived here in 1997, along with go-karts and more.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not opened the Oditorium in 1992. The building is designed to look like it’s falling into a sinkhole. Wonder Works is a building that was opened in 1998 and has an upside-down design.
Ready to use
Believe it or not, there was an…unusual…concept attraction (and attempted attraction). This is a group of four from Osceola County.
• Doug Henning, a famous magician, wanted to build a park based on Transcendental Meditation called Veda Land. That didn’t happen.
• Florida Splendid China, a scale model of the Great Wall of China, opened in 1993 and lasted about 10 years. (The Margaritaville Orlando Resort currently stands there.)
• American Gladiators Orlando Live was a dinner show based on sports competition television that provided entertainment from 1995 to 1997.
• Capone’s Dinner & Show, a gangster speakeasy experience, opened in Kissimmee in 1998. Last year, it moved to Deserland Park on International Drive in Orlando.
The end of the 90s
Orlando Science Center moved to its new/current location in 1997. … Gatorland already celebrated 50 years of operation in 1999 … Disney World celebrated its 25th anniversary by transforming Cinderella Castle into a large pink cake. … “La Nouba” was first performed by Cirque du Soleil at Downtown Disney in 1998. … The Holy Land Experience was announced in 1999 but only opened in 2001.
Sure, there were a lot of things to worry about in the 90s, such as Y2K. But then we worried more about a global computer meltdown than about artificial intelligence taking our jobs. Epcot hosted parades and nighttime spectaculars at the turn of the century.
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