"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 . courtesy of Dianne's daughter Debbie McDonald, I love to see the show and see the girls, says McDonald. Find out everything you need to know about Weeki Wachee Springs State Park from the official website here. Weeki Wachee is an enchanted spring where you can see live mermaids, take a trip on a river boat cruise, learn about Florida wildlife, and swim in the pristine waters at Buccaneer Bay. And dont expect anything less charming in the surrounding town of Weeki Wachee; with a population of 12, its known as one of the nations smallest cities and, of course, is proudly run by a mermaid-turned-mayor. Winter Haven had Cypress Gardens, known for water-ski shows and young women dressed in floral-colored southern belle costumes. Flowing from the spring, the Weeki Wachee River winds its way 12 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. On the day we went to Weeki Wachee, we left our hotel a little after 7AM and made it to the park by 8:30AM. The popular shows featured former mermaids that returned to enchant audiences once again . After several miles through protected wild-lands as we neared the Gulf of Mexico the river widened and paddling became a little more challenging near the takeout point at Rogers Park, which marked the end of our unforgettable adventure. As one can imagine, this makes performing somewhat challenging, but one would never know it from the ease of its mermaid's movements! When the girls heard a car coming, they ran to the road in their bathing suits to beckon drivers into the parking lot, just like sirens of ancient lore lured sailors to their sides. The mermaids wore one-piece suits and were treated like royalty wherever they went in Florida. 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. We're thrilled to announce the unveiling of The Mermaid Tale Trail! The show also includes several musical numbers. The Weeki Wachee River, named by the Seminole Indians means little spring or winding river, and is well protected, therefore they only allow a limited number of kayaks to launch per day. Visitors enjoy the mermaids show with the gap of just a window. You CANNOT do it once you arrive at the park. 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 . In 1956, the American Broadcast Co. (ABC) bought Weeki Wachee and built a new, 400-seat theater in which todays audiences still watch the mermaid shows. Those who wish to become a Weeki Wachee Springs mermaid have to be strong swimmers. The backdrop is that of a quintessential, small boating community secluded by marshes and barrier islands and we loved the feel even before we stepped through the door. In its heyday, mermaids performed eight shows a day, and as many as half a million people traveled annually to Weeki Wachee to see the mermaids, including Elvis Presley, Don Knotts, and Esther Williams herself. You cant get out of your tube in the river, but the portion of the river you float through is MUCH LESS crowded than the main springs. And all the visitors able to see the magic they perform via this underwater theater., Thursday at 10 a.m., the park will unveil 28 mermaid statues to celebrate its anniversary, in an exhibition called "The Mermaid Tale Trail.". After the show you can enjoy the water in the spring next to the aquarium. The Mermaid Shows are the most crucial part of the Weeki Wachee Springs. WEEKI WACHEE Shut down for a year due to COVID-19, the mermaids are swimming again as the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park reopened this week . See how Weeki Wachee has changed over time in the following pictures. However, in those days, cars were few along U.S. 19. The Wilderness River Cruise runs daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Mermaid Morgan loves animals and dreams of one day owning a dog rescue. Youre going to want something cold to drink, snacks, maybe something to sit on, definitely a hat and sunscreen. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Top Picks Gayle King and. The theater is air conditioned and it felt DIVINE to sit and wait for 30 minutes. In fact, the auditorium in which visitors watch these clever underwater shows was originally less than half the size that it is today. This wasnt running when I visited and that was disappointing because it wouldve been a great way to see the river. Weeki Wachee 60th Anniversary, performers in lycra mermaid fins. The mermaids are swimming in a natural spring; the 500-seat theater is embedded in the side of the spring 16 feet below the surface. Sadly, the spring was full of old rusted refrigerators and abandoned cars. References. We actually ended up pretty close to the front of the line considering all of the people that were behind us so it would be pretty brutal if you had to be out there for 1 hour+. [ Times . It was built by former Navy man Newton Perry who invented a new way of breathing underwater and taught it to some girls who were willing to perform while submerged. To ensure the safety of our performers, mermaid shows are subject to cancelation based on inclement weather. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. Do you have a thing that youve wanted to do since you were a kid? If you want to follow along on my travel adventures in real time, you can follow me on Instagram (@caitylincoln). So the mermaids do not perform in a tank or an aquarium. In 1946, Newton Perry, a former member of the U.S. Navy who trained Navy Frogmen to swim underwater in World War II, came upon Weeki Wachee and had an idea for a business. A network of underground water channels that dates back to the Middle Ages. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. 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. One performer, Kylee Troche, who started swimming at Weeki Wachee at 16, has posed during her off hours at mermaid conventions as "Mermaid Kylee, the International Mermaid." (She does not. Weeki Wachee Springs is the only place in the world where you can see live mermaids performing right before your eyes. Mermaid Paisley loves to indulge in half-baked ice cream and play with her pet hedgehog. Your email address will not be published. It became a wildly successful roadside attraction in the 1950s and really exploded when ABC (yep, the American Broadcasting Company) bought the spring and built the modern 400 person theater. They're actually performing in a first-magnitude spring. And I hope they will help you in some way and maybe even lift your spirits. The attraction received worldwide attention. Ruins of an old sugar mill sitting quietly next to a park in rural Florida. Before finding a home with TheTravel, her focus was indie publications and she has been published with Bolde, The Arts Fuse, The Silver Tongue, LI Pulse, Tattooed Heroine Magazine, and more. While theres not a ton of stuff to do here, it very much feels like a little waterpark. In addition to that, the Weeki Wachee mermaids perform shows including the beloved Hans Christian Anderson's story, The Little Mermaid. The park draws hundreds of thousands of tourists each year for kayaking, to see manatees, and, of course, the live mermaid shows. plus the mermaids narrate a lot about the history of Weeki Wachee springs, how the mermaid show started and give a few not so subtle pitches about protecting the springs, making good environmental choices, etc. 2007. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Early Advertising Poster for Weeki Wachee Springs Theyll put you in your kayak at the launch site, you float down the river a few miles and then they shuttle you back to the park. No purchase necessary. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. These cookies do not store any personal information. On that day, the mermaids performed synchronized ballet moves underwater while breathing through the air hoses hidden in the scenery. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online. In the mid-90s they introduced Mermaids of yesteryear, a popular standing-room only show performed once a month by former mermaids of Weeki Wachee - after all, as their motto goes: "Once a mermaid, always a mermaid." Weeki Wachee Springs is a Florida state park where you can still go back in time and catch the classic mermaid show. In addition to that, the Weeki Wachee mermaids perform shows including the beloved Hans Christian Anderson's story, The Little Mermaid. We didnt stick around much past noon because there were other things in the area that I wanted to do and I 100% just came for the Mermaid Show. ABC built the current theater, which seats 400 and is embedded in the side of the spring 16 feet below the surface. We are unable to issue refunds or return tickets for any cancellations due to weather. We also use cookies for functional and analytical purposes. By the time the show started at 10, the theater wasnt completely full. Escape From Paradise, Travel-writer & Blogger, Award-winning TV Host, Publisher, Travel Writer, Ambassador for www.Seven-Stars.com & 15 Emmy awards, Florida Governor William Sherman Jennings, University of South Florida (USF) development. Its quite a feat for a mermaid to stay in one place in such a current. The former mermaids motto is: Once a mermaid, always a mermaid.. Everybody had come ready for a day in the cool water. Several times each year, Weeki Wachee Springs puts on the 'Legendary Sirens' show, which brings former mermaids back to the underwater theater to perform alongside their current-day counterparts. All the other roads were dirt; there were no gas stations, no groceries and no movie theaters. The mermaid shows have been an attraction of Weeki Wachee Springs since 1947. Like everyone else, they came to see the famous mermaidsin actuality, highly trained swimmers and divers. Movies were filmed at the spring, like Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid. Next, he built an 18-seat theater into limestone, submerged six feet below the waters surface, so an audience could look right into the crystal clear water. In 1982, Buccaneer Bay opened with waterslides and a white sand beach. Mermaid Sam is an artist and can even play the ukulele. www.breadboxbakery.net. Then they jumped into the spring to perform. Romania: Castles, Ruins, and Medieval Villages, Iceland in Summer: Journey Through a Fabled Land, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Mokele-Mbembe, Accidental Discoveries: A Celebration of Historical Mistakes, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Stories from the Collection of Ryan and Regina Cohn, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Satanists, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilgyi, Gourds Gone Wild: Growing and Crafting Gourds With Gourdlandia, Playing Ancient Games: History & Mythology With John Bucher, Secrets of Tarot Reading: History & Practice With T. Susan Chang, Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake. 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!) The Mermaids of Weeki Wachee and the History of Chinsegut Hill. This image, by fashion photographer Toni Frissell, was published in Harper's Bazaar in December 1947. And on October 13, 1947, the first show at the Weeki Wachee Springs underwater theater opened. We had to show them a few things we could do in order to be on the team, and we all made it. The Weeki Wachee Mermaids Somewhere in the bowels of South Florida, there is a campground. "It's this big agency . The basin of the spring is 100 feet wide with limestone sides and there, where the mermaids swim, 16 to 20 feet below the surface, the current runs a strong five miles an hour.
