Marco Polo Park
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Marco Polo Park was a theme park located just off Interstate 95 between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach near Bunnell in Flagler County, Florida. The park's theme was based on Marco Polo's legendary travels through Europe and the Far East. The brochure provided at the park's entrance described it as such, "Like Marco Polo himself, you will be wonderstruck at the authentic Oriental splendor of your personal voyage of discovery as you journey into the exotic four worlds of the Far East, Turkey, India, China, Japan and beautiful Venice, your port of embarkation." The park featured rides, puppet shows, multimedia shows, and other attractions.
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[edit] History
The park was first envisioned in 1967 as a novel family recreation center. The central feature of this center was to be a 12-story building as long as a football field. Dubbed "The Climatron," it was to contain horticultural exhibits from regions as distant as the Arctic to the Equator, each display occupying a floor that climatically simulated the environment of the plants. The glass walls of the building would be hidden by trees, plants flowers and a 90 foot high waterfall. From the roof of the Climatron, visitors would be able to look down upon a variety of exhibits, including a Japanese garden, a Black Forest garden, a storybook forest, a grand bazaar and various scientific laboratories. Opening day was first proposed for the Autumn of 1968.
The first phase of the park was completed and opened in early 1971. The Japanese gardens covered about 500 of the park's 5000 acres. It included a samll replica of a Japanese fishing village, a Japanese botanical garden and a mile long waterway spanned by oriental bridges. Eithteen sampans, made of teakwood imported from Japan, carried visitors along the waterway. Two restaurants served tempura-style dishes. There were also a number of souvenir ships which sold a variety of Japanese-themed items. A year's admission to the park cost $2 for adults and $1 for childen until April 1, 1971 when the cost for adults would be raised to $2.50. The park opened to considerable fanfare but was never profitable. The Climatron was never built, however other lands which Marco Polo would have visited were added until in 1975, the park closed after two fires ravaged the property just 8 days apart. After repairs, the park briefly re-opened again that year having been renamed Passport to Fun World, keeping the same world travel theme and eventually closed for good in 1976. The remaining equipment was finally sold off at auction on March 14, 1978. No structures from the former park remain.
[edit] Lands and rides
An overhead suspended gondola system linked various parts of the park together.
[edit] Venice
The ticket booths and entrance into the park was through an elaborate Venitian-style entrance arch.
Steam Engine Train Station - a steam train with two passenger cabs ran around the perimeter of the park.
Automobile Ride - replica Model T's on a guided track through the woods.
[edit] Turkey
Flying Chairs Ride
Twin Bumper Cars Rides 1 Adult-1 Kids
[edit] India
Log Flume Ride
Flying Elephant Ride
[edit] China
Spinning Tea Cup Ride
[edit] Japan
[edit] References
1. "Daytona Beach Plans a 'Tivoli Gardens' of Its Own," The New York Times, February 5, 1967
