Disney Ocala Center closing

[Luv2Roam]

I saw this mentioned on the CB, but thought it should be brought up here with trip planning.
I think today is the last day for the Ocala Disney Welcome Center.
I have never been there, but I know others have mentioned stopping and buying tickets there.
I did not want anyone to be in for a unplanned inconvenience. So travelers -- you have been warned!

 

[jlcbshaw]

Not sure if it is today or the 18th? However, gonna miss stopping there. We always stopped to and from on our trips.

 

[kathyseb]

We had stopped there quite a few times. It was a way to get our Mickey fix on the way down. Even if we did not stop, we always looked for the Mickey cut out from the highway.
We will miss it.

 

[candmforever]

Awwww, we loved going there on our way down too! It got the kids all excited and me too!
Why is it closing??

 

[OhMari]

I remember when you could stop there and get a great deal on unoccupied rooms. I think that was stopped in 2000.

I wonder if it was privately owned or owned by a chamber of commerce or by WDW. Who knows.

How sad.

 

[danny1649]

Stopped many times.

 

[RachelTori]

My family is heartbroken.

 

[Tigger&Tink]

OH man....we use to love that place..and would stop when we were coming back from Ga. at times,,,,,and we can go to DISNEY whenever,,BUT we still liked that place,,just felt GOOD to be there,,,sad to hear its closing....WHAT are they gonna do withthe big MICKEY cut out?? I have room in my FRONT YARD LOL

Tink

 

[qtwns]

I have great memories of my boys playing there on our way down. We loved stopping there. Oh, well...time to find a new traveling to Disney tradition

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh no! we loved it there!

We always stoped there on our way down and back, we love getting WDW stuff and taking pics.

Not fair!

 

[RachelTori]

I have great memories of my boys playing there on our way down. We loved stopping there. Oh, well...time to find a new traveling to Disney tradition

Have you been to the new Florida Welcome Center yet? That's our *other* tradition!! If you come up with something new, let me know please! We pretty much drive the same route (I moved from Marietta in March).

Exit 350 on I-75 will never be the same

 

[PixieDust32]

Have you been to the new Florida Welcome Center yet? That's our *other* tradition!! If you come up with something new, let me know please! We pretty much drive the same route (I moved from Marietta in March).

Exit 350 on I-75 will never be the same

Grayson GA hello !

I know will never be the same!

We do stop to the welcome center and drink lots of OJ.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I thought it was closing the 13th. And I could not recall if it was open through the 13th, or closing on the 13th. I thought closing the 13th. But could be wrong.
Just a heads up either way for future travelers.

 

[katebeth]

Why is it closing?

 

[Luv2Roam]

I only assume as a cost cutting measure. But who knows?

 

[Blueberry]

Years ago it had a radio station attached to it..with promos for the park, we loved that!! That was years before the internet radio stations arrived of course, so it was special to listen to that station as long as we could hear it before it was out of range....

 

[GingerbreadCoffin]

I grew up in Ocala and I always loved that place.It was nice to just drive across town and pick up our tickets a few days in advance.I remember being heartbroken when they built that ugly hotel and took out all of the topiaries.

Speaking of memories,my DS had his very first public crying fit there. When he was 1 1/2 we decided to make a day trip to Epcot and get our tickets there two days beforhand.We went in,shopped,watched the movie and got our tickets.As we were leaving he sat right in front of the door and just cried his eyes out.He kept pleading with me to "Inna Disey!"He learned so young

As far as why it is closing I have no idea.I always thought it was an odd place to have it anyhow.

 

[Quasi123]

I'm so sad to hear this! We always stopped there on the way to Disney. I will miss it.

 

[Belle1962]

Another Georgian checking in---we will miss it!!!!! DGS has only been once but thankfully we have some cute pics from that one stop. (He's either asleep or my trip nazi son won't let us stop in Ocala if we stopped at the welcome center....not long enough between stops!)

 

[Poohs Pal]

I was heart broken to hear this. The center was a tradition from way back. I don't want to be the one to tell DSIS we woun't be able to stop there on the way down. Susan