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REMARKS   22 Total remarks on this post. Add your own remarks below

• March 17th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
  Nancy Sanders

  Question: For those of us who have been holding Annual Passes, will we receive a three-month pass to both parks since our passes were for the entire park previusly?

• March 17th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
  Dave

  Can’t wait to hit the water park! Will parking be included with the annual passes?

• March 17th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
  Jon

  $69.95? Isn’t that what we paid when it included rides and the concerts? I thought they were going to have a lower price.

• March 18th, 2009 at 7:02 am
  Jeff

  This is great news! The Garden is a strong anchor for Winter Haven and such a beautiful place. Glad to see the reopen. I’ll be there for the next visit to my favorite town! Good luck. Please book some great concerts. How about having the Raspberries from Cleveland Ohio play there? There are a lot of past residents from Ohio in Winter Haven. If interested contact me and I’ll get you the contact name.

• March 18th, 2009 at 8:46 am
  Bob Gernert

  As reported in this morning’s News Chief there will not be a separate price for parking.

  As for the question Jon asked about pricing … here’s some perspective:

  Wet n’ Wild Annual Pass: $80

  Busch Gardens/Adventure Island Annual Pass: $159

  Disney Water Parks: We could not locate an annual pass for their water parks on their Web site however, an annual pass that includes the water parks is $130 more that the annual pass that is only good at the four theme parks ($599 vs $469)

  Silver Springs Annual Pass: $59 includes admission to Wild Waters

  But perhaps the best comparision was the annual pass price for Cypress Gardens in 2002: $74.95 (and there was only a toddler’s water park).

  From a purely personal perspective I believe that Cypress Gardens is extremely important to our community and area. I also believe that the history made at the park is among the most important Florida success stories.

  The Chamber has traditionally provided our volunteers and staff members with an annual pass. When they go on sale we will purchase them as our way of showing support for the park. An annual pass to both parks costs approximately .21 cents per day on an annual basis.

• March 18th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
  BK

  I am thrilled to hear about the separate admissions and park passes for the two parks. I look forward to continuing to roam the Gardens in the style to which I was accustomed years ago.

  Let’s all buy annual passes to we may show Cypress Gardens owners that we truly care about OUR Gardens!

• March 18th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
  Jeff Stevens

  We also purchase park tickets and use them as incentives for stays in our seasonal condo rentals. Now that the Indians are gone it is even more important to support Cypress Garden. Then again its important for the park to provide the best experience for its guests at a reasonable price as well. Go Gardens!

• March 19th, 2009 at 9:46 am
  Stephanie l. Campbell

  I am personally excited, that the park is re-opening, and yes i plan to purchase two annual passes. Cypress Gardens was my first job when I was 15 years old, and I have always appreciated that beginning. Having those memories is something to be desired that I will share with my grandchildren. Welcome back Cypress Gardens, you are here to stay.

• March 20th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
  Barbara Stock

  We are sooo happy to hear of the re-opening, when will there be a full web site where we can get a schedule of shows and concerts? So far, I have had to go through the Chamber of Commerce to get information on the park. Barb Stock, Brandon Fl.

• March 25th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
  dot

  In response to Bob Gernert price comparisons. Cypress gardens water park is small. It has 5 water attractions. It is opening with the same 5 water attractions it had last year. We were promised a bigger park when it reopened but now they are saying next season, which is when? spring 2010?? One of the reasons they closed for 3 and 1/2 months was to enlarge the water park. They made a new parking lot and planted flowers. Big deal. And now they want to charge 69.95 for a season pass for both. Last year I paid 49.95 for passport 08. This included water park and rides etc.
  The parks you compared cypress gardens to are bigger and better. I for one won’t buy another season pass unless they give me my moneys worth.

• March 25th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
  Bob Gernert

  Dot,

  Getting your money’s worth is certainly a matter of perspective. However, it is good to note that with a $49.95 passport, the park was unable to sustain itself (with rides, concerts, water park, ski show and all that goes with that). As I noted earlier, the park had a $74.95 annual pass before it had either rides or Splash Island. Certainly, having separate annual passes for each piece of the park is also a better option for those who may not enjoy the water park or on the other hand the botanical gardens and its amenities.

  Each of us will need to decide just what “getting your money’s worth” at Cypress Gardens will entail. But remember this, if the park disappears, be sure to add in the mileage and parking costs to travel to those “bigger and better” parks.

• March 27th, 2009 at 11:08 am
  Jean Reed

  Here is their website:
  http://www.cypressgardens.com

• March 27th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
  Bob

  At what age does the senior discount begin? (Ed. Note: According to the price breakdowns listed the senior discount begins at 60 years of age.)

• March 28th, 2009 at 9:43 am
  George Smith

  I plan to come over April 5th for the day. I’m I to understand that there are no longer rides?

• March 28th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
  Bob Gernert

  George,

  You are correct. The rides are being removed from the park. The park will operate as a botanical gardens and a water park.

• April 7th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
  Lindsay Wilkinson

  I am a season pass holder and lost the last few months of last year. Are we going to be given three months of entrance this year to make up the difference? The park has stated that your annual pass will be honored for a specific length of time past its original expiration date. Since passes were issued with varying dates of expiration based on the date of purchase, you will need to contact or visit the park to determine the actual length of time your pass will be honored. In any case the park is committed to seeing that those with annual passes get a total of 12 months of accessibility.

• April 15th, 2009 at 10:42 am
  Penny Abbott

  I recently visited Cypress Gardens and was extremely disappointed to the point of talking with the manager at the guest services office. He was very nice and assured me I would receive a full refund. The clerk printed me a refund slip and I thought all was taken care of. I did fill out a comment sheet and mailed it to the park but never received a reply. Yesterday I received my bank statement and noted Cypress Gardens had not refunded the money as promised. I e-mailed the park and have received no reply. This is certainly no way to run a business. I have told everyone not to waste their time traveling to Cypress Gardens-there is no ski show, no boat ride, no concerts, and the gardens are in poor condition. I will certainly not return myself.

• April 15th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
  Bob Gernert

  Penny,

  In all fairness you are a victim of outdated printed materials (not your fault) and a park that is not quite ready for the white glove test. The park closed in November and announced it would not have rides in the future. Advance publicity prior to the March reopening noted that the ski show might not be performed on a regular basis and that concerts and boat rides would be introduced in the future.

  The fact that your expectations were based on out-of-date information is not your fault and I’m certain the park will make this right. I believe that a year from now the Gardens will be back better than ever. In the meantime I also believe they will put systems in place to resolve disappointments such as you have suffered.

• May 31st, 2009 at 12:48 pm
  PATTY

  So with the new parking lot, we’ll be able to just get into the water park instead of having to go in through the other front entrance and walk all that way around to the water park? If that is the case, then how much will parking be to just go to the water park? I only want to come to the water park with my family without the extra long walk I had to take before of walking through the park to get to the water area.

• May 31st, 2009 at 12:53 pm
  PATTY

  I like the new pricing, it’s alot more accomodating. The prices before were just too high especially during this recession. I believe you had the same principle. Lower pricing, more customers, growing business.

• May 31st, 2009 at 1:57 pm
  Bob Gernert

  When the new parking area opens it will be convenient to both the entrance of the Gardens and the water park. It will be located in the vicinity of the large circular area where the large ferris wheel was located. This was the traditional parking for the Gardens before 2004. The management has said there will not be a charge for parking at the present time.

• June 18th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
  Nancy Creech

  My grandson gave my husband & myself annual passes in 2007. The park was closed for awhile during the next year, so the tickets were stamped valid through December 2008.
  However, when the park closed in November, we lost out on the rest of the year. We would like to buy annual passes again. My question is does any of our unused time in ‘08 count towards our new ‘09 prices?
  Even if we don’t get any credit for our passes, it will not stop us from coming to see what you have done with the park. We have been coming for years and we liked it the way it used to be, especially at Christmas time. It is great that someone thought enough of the park to save it.
  Thank you in advance for any help you give.
  Nancy Creech – Dade City, FL

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