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Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicDid you know that there was an abandoned theme park down the road from Walt Disney World for years, and virtually nobody knew it existed?
Orlando is home to some of the most dense tourist areas and spots for guests to enjoy. Of course, it is home to Walt Disney World Resort, a theme park mogul city which brings in millions of guests each year. Additionally, just down the road we also have Universal Orlando Resort, which also welcomes millions each year. On top of that, Orlando is flooded with hotels, resorts, eateries, massive outlet malls, SeaWorld Orlando, Fun Spot, Old Town, and more.
Whether you feel like going to a mini putt golf course, watching a murder mystery over dinner, experiencing a pirate-themed dinner show, or meet Mickey Mouse, all of that and more is available within a few miles of wherever you are staying. Orlando’s tourism demand makes it a hot spot for those looking to open business in the tourism space, as the clientele is already there, you just have to get them to know about you. While there have been many successful business ventures, others have failed.
One theme park many already know of is Holy Land, a Christian-themed theme park that shut down in 2021 during the pandemic. While the concept for this park seemed strange, there was another park developed by China just minutes from Disney that was confirmed to have a bare 12 visitors each day, but somehow lasted for years without detection by the tens of millions of tourists looking for unique things to do.
In December 1993, Splendid China opened to the public.
SF Gate spoke to the marketing team who originated the park, “The average tourist does expect a fantasy world, flashing lights and glitz. This park is not that.” In fact, Splendid China did not even have a marketing budget, which is why no tourists ever found out it existed.
The publication wrote, “Splendid China was, America soon found out, a tangle of Chinese politics, controversy and even defectors — culminating in the tumultuous downfall of one of the strangest theme parks ever attempted in the United States.”
The park was initially heavily criticized for its “nebulous connections to the government of China”.
According to records, the park was under the ownership of China Travel Services, a major travel agency in Hong Kong, and for a brief period, a Los Angeles-based company named American Eastern International. The only connection to China was the government’s licensing of the company to manage a park near Hong Kong, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel in 1993.
So, what was in this theme park?
Since it was China-themed, Splendid China would house over 60 miniature Chinese landmarks which included “a small Forbidden City, a not-so-Great Wall of China, dozens of terra cotta warriors and a recreation of a street in Suzhou during the 1300s. More than 100 artisans were flown in from China to craft the replicas, and eight chefs were tasked with creating authentic regional cuisine to serve in the park.”
Comparing these miniature replicas to what guests visiting EPCOT’s World Showcase, which also had large-scale replicas of Chinese landmarks in the China Pavilion, on top of all of the rest of the country offerings was certainly set up to be a let-down to guests, and it was. One theme park consultant said, “”I don’t think Americans will be satisfied looking simply at miniatures. They’re going to have to diversify their project.”
In an attempt to correct this, the park added a “1,000-seat amphitheater for Mongolian wrestling and kung fu demonstrations, as well as traditional Chinese dance.”
While tickets were $10 less than Disney in 1993 at $24, the park was still not worth it for guests due to the lack of attractions. Many compared the theme park to a museum.
Related: The Abandoned Theme Park Seven Minutes Away From Disneyland
Shortly following the inauguration of Splendid China, American Eastern International divested its entire stake in the venture. This decision was influenced, in part, by China Travel Services’ reluctance to engage in extensive advertising efforts. The head of American Eastern explained that such large-scale marketing, akin to Disney or Universal, was viewed unfavorably in China and considered in bad taste. But with that mindset, came a severe lack of visitors.
Then came the scrutiny.
Workers on visas fled the theme park after being overworked and were confirmed “missing”. Two dancers from Turkestan told the outlet they had “fled the theme park after seven months because they were overworked and their religious beliefs were ridiculed.” Controversial landmarks like the Potala Palace were celebrated when in reality, that was a location stolen by the Chinese from the Dali Lama.
SF Gate noted, “Critics called Splendid China a “propaganda theme park,” and protests outside its gates were a regular occurrence.”
In the end, the theme park finally shut down 10 years later, which meant only 40 employees were let go, as the park did not need any more than that to run, shockingly, 20 of them were performers, meaning only 20 were needed operationally. Considering Disney and Universal employ thousands to keep the park functioning, it truly speaks to the lack of guests that Splendid China brought in.
Sadly, the theme park, which cost $100 million to build, ended up being worth only $13 million. The land ended up being abandoned for quite some time, and break-ins and police having to navigate the area until construction began for Margaritaville, which occupies the land now!
If you want to see Splendid China, and explore the abandoned history further, Bright Sun Films has created an in depth look at the strange park.
Did you know that Splendid China existed? Would you have gone to the theme park?