I couldn't get away with blogging about Florida without mentioning Disney. Disney and Florida have been intertwined for over 50 years, and my theme, after all, is "Florida Outside the Theme Parks".
Today, I will bring you a part of Disney you may never have heard of.
Did you know Disney once tried to create a planned community just a few miles from Disney World?
It is called Celebration, and it still exists today.
You can't call it "old Florida" but, as far as I'm concerned, it is still a bit off the beaten path of the Disney theme parks.
Here are some pictures of the planned community of Celebration, Florida - population approximately 7,500. I must point out calling it "Disney" is not accurate - Disney no longer owns this series of planned villages to the south of Orlando. But Celebration started as a Disney idea.
So what is it like today?
There's a lot written online about Celebration - because I didn't spend more than an hour or so exploring the part of one of the villages that was open to the general public, I don't feel qualified to blog about what it is like to live there.
But here are some pictures of the public areas of Celebration.
Celebration "towers".
I couldn't travel much further - signs in the park indicated I was reaching the end of the public area.
I could never afford to live there. But it is worth a brief visit just to check it out. That part is free.
And now, a celebration of a different sort, in my home community.
Today is the 9th anniversary of the mass shooting at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New York, which took place on April 3, 2009. Today, we in Binghamton mourn the 13 innocent dead taken from us that day.
Our community was injured but not broken.
May they forever rest in peace.
Day three of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost .
"C" Day in the #AtoZChallenge. My theme is "Florida - Outside the theme parks" and tomorrow, I will bring you to a community in Central Florida.
I didn't even know Celebration existed - it'd be kind of nice living in your own little slice of Disneyland. And an interesting contrast to remembering such a terrible act of violence - The US is certainly a land of extremes!
ReplyDeleteLeanne | www.crestingthehill.com.au
C for Consider Every Angle
I have fond memories as a child on a holiday visit. Would I go back as an adult? I think I'd prefer lazing on a Florida beach!
ReplyDeletehttps://iainkellywriting.com/2018/04/03/c-is-for-cork-republic-of-ireland/
What an interesting community. I had no idea Disney had started such a thing. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThat village was to incorporate water reuse and a slew of other ecological imperatives. Only some of which came to be. It faltered because Walt was no longer around to champion it.
ReplyDeleteAs a WDW fanatic, I knew about Celebration. The architecture there is very “Disney”
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous community! Like you, I could only visit . . .
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it's already 9 years since that horrific event. It totally changed my thinking. Since then when I enter my church, I wonder . . .
Love the pics. Never been there, not sure if I will in the future either. :) So it's good to travel virtually.
ReplyDeleteKind of looks like something out of "The Prisoner"...
ReplyDeleteYou are right, never heard of 'Celebration' as a community. Interesting architecture in the public area. Makes you wonder what the homes/housing are like. Guess it is a gated community.
ReplyDeleteSue at CollectInTexas Gal
Sad that on the anniversary of a mass shooting, there is another mass shooting. I'm sorry for your community, and for that of YouTube.
ReplyDeleteI love the palm trees too...and the beach!
ReplyDeleteI'll mourn with you. In memory for those that lost their lives and their family and friends. May they be at peace.
Elsie
I think a vaguely remember reading something about Disney's planned communities. It does have a Disney look--a little too perfect!
ReplyDeleteAh, planned communities... I worry about planned communities. I guess if they plan them right...
ReplyDeleteAlana,
ReplyDeleteI'd say living in Florida is rather expensive no matter where you want to reside, am I right? It seems many of the towns have a similar architecture and layout. Sunny skies, palm trees, and water. All so fantasy like, huh? :)
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