Does anyone remember CircusWorld?

[bamaslp]

Hi! NO ONE I know has heard of Circus World!! We went in 1980. I can remember me and my brothers getting our faces done like real clowns in front of a big mirror with lots of lights. We loved it!!

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

I too remember Circus World! Especially the place where they made up your face like a clown, how they started with the white base and ended by powdering all the face.

Julie

 

[Evans Family]

I grew up in Tampa and fondly remember Circus World.

Who out there remembers when Disney was being built and they had the preview center at Lake Buena Vista? You could see a movie about Walt's vision and they had a Disney store with merchandise. My Dad was a salesman and sold to Disney while they were building and I remember him dropping me and my Mom off there many times while he went on his "sales calls." My brother actually marched in the opening day parade down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. He brought home a bunch of ticket books for participating. Remember "E" tickets. We still joke about "that was an "E" ticket ride. Those were the days!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We went to Circus World on our very first trip to Disney (l982). Then there was only the MK (Epcot opened a month later). We also went to Sea World and the Space Center. All I remember from CIrcus World are giant green flies. I hated it - but dd (then 5) loved it. SHe's now going on 29 and still remembers that very first trip. SHe was an only child then!

 

[jlovesee]

I've heard of Circus World, but never went. The way I know of it is that the Arkansas Twister at Magic Springs was built as the Roaring Tiger in 1978 at Circus World... It was given a full re-track a few years ago, and still runs beautifully in Hot Springs, AR.

http://www.rcdb.com/qs.htm?quicksearch=arkansas+twister

Jennifer

 

[jajarino]

Yes, the chain was renamed Stacey's a while ago, tho I don't recall any noticable changes inside. Last time I drove by, the one in Orange City was still open (this would be at least a few months ago). I'm not a huge buffet fan, but Duff's/Stacey's always seemed to be an also-ran behind Ponderosa and Goldent Corral down here.

Wow, does this bring back the memories. I worked at Duff's in the mid 80's. It was my highschool job. I remember lines wrapped around the building to get in. The last time I was down to FL, in '99, it looked like it was closed. The name Stacey's actually came from the founder of Duff's. It was his daughters name. It was his attempt at restarting the franchize theme after he had sold the Duff's name. And if you really want to go to Duff's and are ever in the Smokey Mountains in TN, there is a Duff's in Pigeon Forge.

 

[3mickeys&me]

Wow, this really brings back ALOT of memories for me. We went to Circus World when we were little too. I remember going in the late 70's early 80's.
I also remember Duff's There use to be one in Deltona Fl, my Grandfather use to take us there when were down for a visit. We really enjoyed that place as kids.

 

[tink too]

I remember Circus World, too!

We visited in 1982 - my first trip to the US! I was about 9 y.o. at the time. I remember getting my face painted like a clown, getting a ride on an elephant's back and having my photo taken in a giant ball pool! I also remember being thrilled to find out the lion tamer was from the UK - just like us!

Back then, there was only the Magic Kingdom, SeaWorld, Kennedy Space Center, Cypress Gardens and Busch Gardens - and yes, we did them all!

We stayed on I-Drive and ate at Granny's Kitchen quite often - that place has been gone for ages, I think! My favourite (at the time) was Long John Silver's because you got a rather fetching pirate hat!

 

[Ted and Holly]

I grew up in Clearwater so Circus World was one of our "places to go", we usually did WDW, but every so often you needed a change. When it was replaced by Boardwalk and Baseball I went there on a school trip so I have fond memories of both parks. When Boardwalk and Baseball closed the Kansas City Royals stayed there using the stadium as their Spring Training venue for a few years. Once they left it just sat for what seemed to be forever. It has now been cleared and is being built into a "POSH" housing development. Posner Park is being built in that area which is supposed to be a planned living community (one of those you can live/work/etc all in the same place). http://www.kitsonpartners.com/commercial/posner_center.htm
We now live about 6 minutes from there, so while it has been sad to see the parks come and go, it is nice to see the area being built up...FINALLY.

The area is building up, but I sure expected to see Posner develop a LOT faster than it seems to have. I mean, all they have are a couple new roads, if that. On the other hand, Champions Gate has tons of new condos that were cow pastures a year ago. And Reunion popped up out of nowhere in that time as well.

I never visited CiscusWorld or Boardwalks and Baseball, but when we moved to the area in 2003, most of the buildings and the stadium was still there.

Ted

 

[Christypl]

I grew up and live in Haines City. So I remember it fondly. As A kid we went often as it seemed someone was always giving us tickets. After Circus World closed and the parked opened as Boardwalk and Baseball we went on school trips. Everyone was suprised when one day they just closed the doors. We cant say we were shocked to see it go and houses go up....thats what has happened everywhere here.

 

[Del]

I remember my parents taking me when I was 6. I remember the elephants. That was a long time ago.

del

 

[luv2nascar]

we went to disney w/in laws in 2000. When we got home my MIL dug out there old pictures from 1976 in FLorida. FIL says upon seeing pictures of CW how come we didn't go there that was so much fun.

 

[helenk]

We went to Circus World in 1983, my son was just about a year old. I still have the pictures of him with his face painted like a clown.
The roller coaster was just new when we went, in fact a group of us were walking under the roller coaster when a piece of the steel track fell off onto the ground. Fortunately it did not hit anyone but needless to say, I was afraid of riding on roller coasters for years.