ThemePark Splendid China ?

[JuneChickie]

When we were in Florida last week looking to buy a home we rode
by a place called Splendid China. It was closed and badly
run down.

The realtor said it might become either a mall or a new housing develepment.

Anyone know anything ?

Just curious

 

[pogo791]

A google search found the following info.

"Splendid China" was opened in 1993, and was a $100 million version of China in miniature, spread over 76 acres. This included a half-mile long replica of the Great Wall, 60 scale model replicas of Chinese temples and palaces, a big cat show, and many contortionists. It also included (surprise, surprise) a Chinatown, with street vendors, gift shops and restaurants.

It lasted ten years, and was at times picketed by human rights protesters, displaced Tibetan monks, and human chains objecting to missile tests. It finally closed on Dec. 31, 2003, due to the post-Sept. 11th depression in attendance. Their official web site explained: "Florida Splendid China Theme Park will discontinue operations in Central Florida as of the close of business on December 31, 2003. This determination was reached primarily due to the continued downturn in the tourism economy, as evidenced by the closing of other tourism-dependent businesses in the area. Despite several years of attempting to achieve successful theme park operations, the company has concluded that it could not longer continue to incur significant losses. To our friends and supporters, we express extreme regret that this action has become necessary."

The only other info I have is that the area is scheduled for "redevelopment", but what this will be, who knows.

 

[deide71]

We stayed @ Emerald Isle last march and drove past the site everyday.

It's kind of creepy, but a small part of me wanted to jump the fence and check it out.

It is so strange to imagine a 100 million dollar investment left to the weeds.

Guess that was a monumentally bad business decision.

 

[Charade]

I drove past it many times when I stayed at rental homes just down the street. I heard it was an interesting place to visit but unfortunately I never made it before it closed.

 

[SamRoc]

We own a home in Emerald Island right down the street from Splendid China. The rumor is that a mall will be built there. I never went to Splendid China in all the years I have been going to Florida, but its strange to see all the buildings still in there when you pass by.

 

[Acklander]

We rented a house from someone who used to work at Splendid China, so the yard had a lot of exotic plants/trees from the clippings he used to get while working there.

 

[CheshireVal]

It always seemed like a strange concept to me. Not something I'd really want to pay to go see.

 

[JuneChickie]

I would have liked to have seen it. But never knew it existed.

 

[ducklite]

I've heard that they are building a somewhat more "upscale" shopping area (as opposed to the store after store of discount t-shirt and theme park tickets normally found in that area) with a boutique style hotel (think Celebration hotel) in the space. Time will tell.

Anne

 

[stevenpensacola]

Here's a "photo trip report" of Splendid China:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=71155&sid=d9447dde50be38991c9d0306d9a7a2ed

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/FLKISchina.html

http://orlando.about.com/library/slides/blsc01.htm

 

[ChristmasElf]

There have been many versions of what will go in there. At one point it was going to be an outside mall-then it was going to be completely demolished and upscale housing would go in there. ( In that area though, this would have been highly unlikely) and then there was talk that it would be a shopping center again.
Who knows what could happen. That place would hop though several times a year when the Chinese schools were out and people would come over to check it out while they were visiting the World.

 

[ChrisFL]

if they only had put in a Jade Dragon rollercoaster...it would have been worth the trip

 

[JuneChickie]

There have been many versions of what will go in there. At one point it was going to be an outside mall-then it was going to be completely demolished and upscale housing would go in there. ( In that area though, this would have been highly unlikely) and then there was talk that it would be a shopping center again.
Who knows what could happen. That place would hop though several times a year when the Chinese schools were out and people would come over to check it out while they were visiting the World.

Humm, there are million dollar homes right down the street ,,,,, We saw them while driving further down the road to a timeshare. So why would a nice upscaled mall be unlikly ?

 

[Pig Pen]

Don't feel bad for not visiting this park. It was a monumental waste of money. We visited in 2000 during a day off from WDW. The only worthwhile thing was the "dinner show" which was included in the price of admission. Some interesting acrobatics, etc. "Dinner" was gooey sweet and sour chicken and fried rice on a styrofoam plate.

I cannot describe how bad this park was. I can't even call it a park! It was just a bunch of minature replicas of scenes and structures from Chinese history. At each station there was a speaker (like the old drive-in speakers) that described each station. The sound quality was so bad it was comical.

I still can't believe we wasted a whole day (actually just a few hours as we left and came back for the dinner show) and $100 there.

 

[ducklite]

Humm, there are million dollar homes right down the street ,,,,, We saw them while driving further down the road to a timeshare. So why would a nice upscaled mall be unlikly ?

Where are there million dollar homes near that location--other than Celebration or Reunion--which aren't really all that close in the big picture?

I don't think that there will be an actual "upscale" mall there. What I hear--and find believeable--is a more upscale shopping area than what is currently in the vicinity. I don't think that a true upscale mall would be successful in that spot. JMHO.

Anne

 

[monkeyboy]

1/2 hour later you want to go back

 

[JuneChickie]

Where are there million dollar homes near that location--other than Celebration or Reunion--which aren't really all that close in the big picture?

I don't think that there will be an actual "upscale" mall there. What I hear--and find believeable--is a more upscale shopping area than what is currently in the vicinity. I don't think that a true upscale mall would be successful in that spot. JMHO.

Anne

Anne , about a mile further down that sand hill road on the left. Yep,
they were truely 600,000 all the way up to over a million dollars.

Further down on the left about another half mile is Rolling Hills and on the
right is Indian Creek *not Indian Ridge* . These were investment short term rentals.

I know this for a fact because we were riding around looking for homes and turned in there , It was gated and we went oops what do we do now , but
a car was ahead of us and the gate opened so on in we went. We rode
around looking for 4 sale signs and found quite a few, but realized right
away , that we were way out of our price range. We did get out and got
a few of the flyers that were in the for sale boxes and our eyes popped out
of our heads. OUR next worry was how do we get out , *we do not have gated communities here in Minnesota* so we sort of panicked. But
saw the mailman and asked him , he laughed really loud and said ,,
Just pull up and it will open for you.. He said this was not the first time
people like us have asked him this. Whew ..

So yes, there are very expensive homes down that road. I believe its called
the first phase of "formosa" gardens.

I do have the flyers , so pm me if you like a few addresses to Zillow.

 

[ChrisFL]

Anne , about a mile further down that sand hill road on the left. Yep,
they were truely 600,000 all the way up to over a million dollars.

Further down on the left about another half mile is Rolling Hills and on the
right is Indian Creek *not Indian Ridge* . These were investment short term rentals.

I know this for a fact because we were riding around looking for homes and turned in there , It was gated and we went oops what do we do now , but
a car was ahead of us and the gate opened so on in we went. We rode
around looking for 4 sale signs and found quite a few, but realized right
away , that we were way out of our price range. We did get out and got
a few of the flyers that were in the for sale boxes and our eyes popped out
of our heads. OUR next worry was how do we get out , *we do not have gated communities here in Minnesota* so we sort of panicked. But
saw the mailman and asked him , he laughed really loud and said ,,
Just pull up and it will open for you.. He said this was not the first time
people like us have asked him this. Whew ..

So yes, there are very expensive homes down that road. I believe its called
the first phase of "formosa" gardens.

I do have the flyers , so pm me if you like a few addresses to Zillow.

$600,000 is a regular 4 bedroom house in Florida these days

 

[gavine]

I heard about a year ago the the Splendid China site might become a golf course.

 

[ducklite]

Anne , about a mile further down that sand hill road on the left. Yep,
they were truely 600,000 all the way up to over a million dollars.

Further down on the left about another half mile is Rolling Hills and on the
right is Indian Creek *not Indian Ridge* . These were investment short term rentals.

I know this for a fact because we were riding around looking for homes and turned in there , It was gated and we went oops what do we do now , but
a car was ahead of us and the gate opened so on in we went. We rode
around looking for 4 sale signs and found quite a few, but realized right
away , that we were way out of our price range. We did get out and got
a few of the flyers that were in the for sale boxes and our eyes popped out
of our heads. OUR next worry was how do we get out , *we do not have gated communities here in Minnesota* so we sort of panicked. But
saw the mailman and asked him , he laughed really loud and said ,,
Just pull up and it will open for you.. He said this was not the first time
people like us have asked him this. Whew ..

So yes, there are very expensive homes down that road. I believe its called
the first phase of "formosa" gardens.

I do have the flyers , so pm me if you like a few addresses to Zillow.

I'll have to take a drive down there sometime--I like looking at really nice homes to get landscaping ideas. That's funny that you thought you were stuck in the community! That said, what some of those homes are listed for isn't what they'll sell for. Take my neighbors listed at $1.2M Snowballs chance in hell.

Anne