Florida Festival at Sea World (1979-1985)

A Strange Place, Under-documented

There are a few unique things about which I have memories, real experiences and specific information that are also of any interest to others and previously not in a free online record. Among those things is Florida Festival, the daytime/nighttime shopping, dining and entertainment complex under one (odd) roof owned by, and operated just across the street from, Sea World from 1979 to 1985.

Florida Festival was Sea World's attempt, partially successful, to emulate Walt Disney World's Shopping Village (later Downtown Disney and Disney Springs) and Bob Snow's Church Street Station in downtown Orlando in terms of drawing visitors who were done with their day in a park to something where they might spend just as much money as they had before sunset in a new spot that also carried a theme or brand along with it. Other than just being, for example, a restaurant with a theme like Steak & Ale or Sweden House.

From what I've seen in online posts by others, Florida Festival was primarily the idea of William Jovanovich (1920-2001), the director of publishing company Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich (HBJ). At the time of Florida Festival's operation, HBJ was the owner of the Sea World parks. Jovanovich was a creative-minded person who, beyond running a publishing company that also held theme parks, was the author of several fiction books. In addition to overseeing the Florida Festival era of Sea World, Jovanovich was apparently the person who decided that San Antonio, Texas needed its own Sea World park. It got one in 1988. Unlike Florida Festival, Sea World of Texas is still operating and has been profitable for the majority of its timespan.

I'm starting this post with some scans and intend to come back to add more information over time. Maybe.

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

Florida Festival Brochure 1980 Scan 1

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

Florida Festival Brochure 1980 Scan 2

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

Florida Festival Brochure 1980 Scan 3

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

Orlando, Florida 1930s - 1990s Various Images

I was born in Orlando in 1969 and lived within fifteen miles of downtown Orlando from then until 2025. The Orlando I knew as a kid was in the first phase of being transformed from a small city (just one building above fifteen stories,1971's 19-story CNA Tower) to a mid-size city adjoining one of the world's five busiest tourist regions that would reflect character and influences from nearly everywhere.

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

Bill Baer Television Store on Mills Avenue c. 1966
Image source: Orange County Regional History Center

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

Bill Baer Record Store Ad c. 1970
Image source: Orange County Regional History Center

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

Intersection of Interstate 4 and International Drive c. 1979
Image source: Bill Cotter

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

A "different" Beefy King location on South Orange Blossom Trail
c. 1968, with the original location still on Bumby Avenue as of 2025
Image source: Orange County Regional History Center

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w

w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w y w