At the risk of beating an internet meme to death, “Hey, Dad, what were Orlando theme parks and attractions like in the ‘90s?”
I’m going to say fun and influential. Consider this: One-half of our theme parks, if you fudge the timeline a bit, debuted in a 10-year period. That probably messed up our mindset and sparked a broader demand for new attractions. So when Epic Universe theme park opened last year, it felt like da bomb, if you will.
Orlando had community-driven buzz at the time. Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway pushed Orlando Magic far into the playoffs. City Hall was outfitted with giant goggles to emulate popular player Horace Grant. The domed structure also got a soccer-ball makeover during the World Cup. The town was crawling with boy band members, Mickey Mouse Clubbers and future Disney Channel stars.
And Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner ushered in the “Disney Decade.” But the ‘90s had tourism appeal beyond Lake Buena Vista. Enter our flashback machine set for the (gulp) 1900s.
Doubled-up Disney
Disney-MGM Studios — now called Hollywood Studios — debuted in May 1989, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened in 1998. The Studios featured now-gone attractions such as the Great Movie Ride, SuperStar Television, Monster Sound Show, the Backstage Studio Tour with trams and there was a peek at real, live animators at work.
Later, the Sunset Boulevard area opened, eventually featuring Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, “Beauty and the Beast — Live” and “Fantasmic,” all of which remain in the lineup.
Blizzard Beach splashed down in 1995, joining Typhoon Lagoon and River Country, so, for a couple of years, Disney World operated three water parks.
In the early ‘90s, Magic Kingdom still had both Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and the neighboring 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attractions.
The grand opening of Universal Studios Florida theme park was held on June 7, 1990. (Orlando Sentinel file)
Universal arrives
Somehow, the early days of Universal Studios Florida, which opened in 1990, included both Jaws and Jessica Fletcher, the lead character of “Murder, She Wrote.” The park had a bunch of faded-memory attractions, including “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle Show,” Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (a motion simulator ride), “Ghostbusters Spooktacular,” “The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show” and the Bates Motel set.
It also featured a Hard Rock Cafe that, from the sky, looked like a guitar. The neck of it was an elevated walkway to the parking lot.
Then came Islands of Adventure, Universal CityWalk (with a NASCAR Cafe) and a pair of mega-garages in 1999.
No Potter to be found, of course. The first book of the series — “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” — was published in the United Kingdom in 1997.
George Skene, Orlando Sentinel
The distinctive entrance of Skull Kingdom, which opened in 1997, was a draw for tourists near I-Drive. (Orlando Sentinel file)
Things get scary
One can argue that the roots of Orlando’s Halloween mania are found in the ‘90s. Halloween Horror Nights debuted at Universal in 1991, though it was originally called Fright Nights. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party launched at Magic Kingdom in 1995.
Terror on Church Street, a year-round haunt, operated in downtown Orlando from 1991 to 1999. Skull Kingdom opened near International Drive in 1996.
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINEL
Journey to Atlantis was an early dip into the thrill ride industry for SeaWorld Orlando. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Thrill seeking
SeaWorld Orlando rolled out its first thrill ride — Journey to Atlantis, a flume experience with a roller coaster stretch — in 1999. More coasters have followed.
The park also introduced Mission: Bermuda Triangle, a simulator, in 1992. It was replaced by Wild Arctic in 1995, which last year became Expedition Odyssey, a flying-theater ride.
Up and down I-Drive
In addition to Skull Kingdom, International Drive had several enduring attractions come to life in the ‘90s. Fun Spot landed there with go-karts and more in 1997.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not opened its odditorium in 1992. It’s the building designed to look like it’s going down into a sinkhole. WonderWorks opened in 1998. It’s the building designed to look upside-down.
Out of the box
Speaking of believe it or not, there were attractions (and attempted attractions) that were … unusual … concepts. Here’s a foursome from Osceola County.
• Famed magician Doug Henning wanted to build a park based on transcendental meditation called Veda Land. It didn’t happen.
• Florida Splendid China, a downscaled model of the Great Wall, opens in 1993 and lasts about a decade. (Margaritaville Orlando resort now stands there.)
• American Gladiators Orlando Live, a dinner show based on the athletic competition TV show, served up entertainment from 1995 to 1997.
• Capone’s Dinner & Show, a gangster-speakeasy experience, opened in Kissimmee in 1998. Last year, it moved to Dezerland Park on Orlando’s International Drive.
’90s odds and ends
Orlando Science Center moved into its new/current location in 1997. … Gatorland already marked its 50th year of operation in 1999 … For its 25th anniversary, Disney World turned its Cinderella Castle into a big pink cake. … “La Nouba” was presented by Cirque du Soleil at Downtown Disney for the first time in 1998. … Holy Land Experience was announced in 1999 but did not open until 2001.
Sure, there were very ‘90s things to worry about, like Y2K. But then we fretted about global computer meltdown more than artificial intelligence taking our jobs. Shoot, Epcot threw the turn of the century a parade and a nighttime spectacular.
Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.