Old Town in Kissimmee is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation as it celebrates 30 years in the amusement park industry.
“It’s the nostalgia of the property,” Thearon Scurlock said, when asked why the park seems to resonate with visitors.
“It was built as a town at the turn of the century in Florida,.” he said.
The old school feel has kept customers coming back, and Old Town is giving them more, including a dramatic new entrance shaped like a jukebox.
The iconic ferris wheel is also back and stands 85 feet tall.
“The signature of Old Town 30 years ago was the ferris wheel,” Scurlock said.
“Everyone looked for it, so the new owners wanted to bring that back. It’s a nostalgic piece.”
Scurlock is proud to show off what’s coming, with more parking, new stores, and an overhaul of Main street.
“We really wanted to make it more useful,” he said.
Main Street will have new seating, new landscaping and new outdoor shopping.
Old Town is on Route 192 in Kissimmee, just five miles from Walt Disney’s World’s main entrance.
The key to Old Town’s success has been researching tourists habits and offering a low cost alternative for the whole family, according to Scurlock.
“All of the tourists are coming here for one of the three theme parks, but they have days off,” he said.
“So they need something to do in those down
times, so we’re a great alternative for that.
There’s no cost to come here.”
Old Town is also sustained by the Osceola County community.
In addition to the 62 shops, restaurants and bars, the car cruise events, where people show off their classic and muscle cars on Friday and Saturday nights, have been popular for years.
“We’re also an open container property,” Scurlock said.
“So you can get a cocktail, and stroll through the streets, and watch the car show. We have a magic shop.
We have a haunted house. There’s just a lot to do.”
The next phase of the expansion will include 11,000 more square feet of space and will be complete by early 2018.
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