SILVER SPRINGS (2/4/05)

[ORLANDO_MAGIC]

Below are a few photo's i took on my first trip to Silver Springs on Saturday 2nd of April 2005.
I have reduced the size and quality to be able to upload them here and a few are taken from behind glass,but hopefully you will still get an idea of what Silver Springs has to offer.


http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411195634_WATER.jpg
This photo was taken from inside one of the glass bottom boats that take you on a very pleasant ride around the spring waters.



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A couple of the glass bottom boats which leave regulary and number around 6.



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Some of the nice scenery you see as you walk around the park.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/200541120421_BAMBI.jpg
It took me about 10 minutes to get a clear pic of this shy but cute deer.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/200541120543_GIRAFFE1.jpg
Cheeky Giraffe pulling his tongue out when i asked him/her to smile.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/200541120735_GIRAFFE2.jpg
Another of the curious Giraffe.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411201042_BEAR.jpg
Bear playing on his logs,but he must be hot in that fur coat specially as it was about 80*.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411201214_CHEETAS.jpg
These couple of Cheetas were just chilling in the mid-day sun.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411201444_FLAMINGOS.jpg
Flamingos playing see who can stand on one leg the longest.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411201616_CROWNS.jpg
A pair of Golden Crown birds.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411201936_WHITE.jpg
A beautiful white bird.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411202037_PARROT.jpg
Who's a pretty boy.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411202158_PARROTS.jpg
Birds of a feather.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411202312_LIZARD.jpg
Lizard.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411202433_SNAKE1.jpg
Snake.

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411202524_SNAKE2.jpg
Another one for you snake lovers.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411202843_ME.jpg
NO,not another snake,just me.



Silver Springs has a great collection of Alligators as you can see from just a few pics i took of them below.

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411202922_GATOR1.jpg
Long nosed Gator.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411203240_GATOR2.jpg
Smaller Gator.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/200541120342_GATOR4.jpg
Gator Buddies.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411203534_GATOR3.jpg
This is as close as i could get without losing my camera...or hand.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411203623_GATOR5.jpg
Gators Galore.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411203728_WINDMILL.jpg
This is the newish ride called 'Lighthouse' that revolves and rises slowly until it reaches its maximum height of 85 feet where it then keeps revolving slowly a few times before returning back down to the ground.
A nice gentle ride for those of you who dont like the bigger thrill rides.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411204026_WINDMILLVIEW.jpg
A view from the top of the Lighthouse.



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/ORLANDO_MAGIC/2005411204115_FOUNTAINS1.jpg
Another newish attractio

[chrizzy100]

I just love Silver Springs......I wish I could work there but its to far from Orlando.......great pictures.....[msnsmile2]

[E. Cosgrove]

Great pictures John and the weather looks lovely[8D]

[Lynnes]

Hi
We haven't been to silver springs but after seeing these we will deffo make a visit.
Thanks

[KarenScott]

We are off there next week, hope we get the lovely weather that you had in your photos. It looks a lovely park. Your photos give it a real taster of what it is like. Did you go into the water park too?
[:I]

[LiesaAnna]

lovely photos john!!! looks another lovely place to be in florida!!
thanx for sharing them with us!

[Ray&Sarah]

Fantastic photos John, we went to Silver Springs during the christmas festivities to see the lights there. Will have to go back and see it during the summer.[msnsmile2]

[julieanne]

Great pics John - thanks :)

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Fabulous photos - we too love Silver Springs. It's so different than the normal theme park thing people do when going to Florida and is a very relaxing day out. Well worth the drive from Orlando.

[LiesaAnna]

is it far from orlando? i am bored with the parks! altho we will go to one or two would like to do something different!

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

It's up near Ocala and is about a 1.5 hour drive if I remember correctly.

Tip: do not go on highway 27 as it is really slow once you get up into north Lake County and Marion Country. We found using the Turnpike and then heading up on the 30 (I think) the quickest way.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
is it far from orlando? i am bored with the parks! altho we will go to one or two would like to do something different!
[/quote]

[DisneyDreamer]

I have a huge list building of places to visit on the next trip....here's another!

It looks absolutely gorgeous there [msnsmile]

[chunkichik]

Thanks John!! It does look a lovely place to take a break from the hectic theme parks, I will definately check this out on a return visit[msnsmile2]

[LiesaAnna]

same here Anita! maybe we can go together? looks so beautiful!

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

If oneone is into film trivia it's where they have filmed lots of things including the gator farm scene from James Bond's Live And Let Die, scenes from Moonraker and also parts of Creature From The Black Lagoon at Silver Springs. Lots of other ones too - the names of which escape me at the moment. There is a display with lots of photos in one of the buildings just inside the gates of Silver Springs.

Pick a nice warm, balmy Florida day for the trip and it's just perfect [msnsmile]

[Curly Wurly]

it looks beautiful, think I might have to re-arrange our itenary for august....

[Epic]

looks like a brill day out

[Carla]

The fish and other creatures that you see from the glass bottom boat are wonderful. The pilot stops whenever you're above a beautiful display and you just never know what you're going to see, so you have to do this trip every time. We've got to wait until December to go again, when we'll be out with friends.

We always use the turnpike too, John. It's well worth the toll and saves loads of time.

[chrizzy100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
If oneone is into film trivia it's where they have filmed lots of things including the gator farm scene from James Bond's Live And Let Die, scenes from Moonraker and also parts of Creature From The Black Lagoon at Silver Springs. Lots of other ones too - the names of which escape me at the moment. There is a display with lots of photos in one of the buildings just inside the gates of Silver Springs.

Pick a nice warm, balmy Florida day for the trip and it's just perfect [msnsmile]
[/quote]

six original "Tarzan" movies.... starring Johnny Weissmuller.... shot in the 1930s and 1940s..... Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' "The Yearling," starring Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman in 1946.... more than 100 episodes of the famous television series "Sea Hunt," starring Lloyd Bridges ......a few more John.....[msnsmile2]

[Madabouttigger]

Another place for us to go visit - looks wonderful - thanks John

Diane [msnsmile]

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Yep - there is a jeep and trailer ride you can go on through the woods where they show you exactly where Tarzan was filmed - fascinating as I used to love these movies as a boy :)

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
If oneone is into film trivia it's where they have filmed lots of things including the gator farm scene from James Bond's Live And Let Die, scenes from Moonraker and also parts of Creature From The Black Lagoon at Silver Springs. Lots of other ones too - the names of which escape me at the moment. There is a display with lots of photos in one of the buildings just inside the gates of Silver Springs.

Pick a nice warm, balmy Florida day for the trip and it's just perfect [msnsmile]
[/quote]

six original "Tarzan" movies.... starring Johnny Weissmuller.... shot in the 1930s and 1940s..... Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' "The Yearling," starring Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman in 1946.... more than 100 episodes of the famous television series "Sea Hunt," starring Lloyd Bridges ......a few more John.....[msnsmile2]
[/quote][msnsmile]

[ORLANDO_MAGIC]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Marthas Harbour
We are off there next week, hope we get the lovely weather that you had in your photos. It looks a lovely park. Your photos give it a real taster of what it is like. Did you go into the water park too?
[:I]
[/quote]

No i did not go to the Water park which is right next door,but you could easily do both parks in a day because SS is small compared to the major parks and in fact despite it being a beautiful day with the temp being around 80* the park was very quite with probably less than a couple of thousand people there.

One thing to take in consideration though after talking to a couple of people who work there,is that when there is a concert taking place in the park it gets packed so if your looking for a nice relaxing day with smallish crowds be sure to check their website out for the concert dates.

For example this Saturday(16th ap) the Osmonds are playing here so i imagine it will be a large crowd and worth choosing another day unless you want to see the consert.

John.

[Magical Dreams]

These are just stunning!!

Great close ups of the wildlife!!

[Sue and Jere]

Lovely photo's John, looks like another great place for us to visit[msncool]

Thanks