Florida Mermaid Water Park – Live Ballet Underwater Show

By Hully
After Disney’s animated film “The Little Mermaid” was released in 1989, the innocent Ariel became the classic image of a mermaid. However, many people don’t know that as early as 1946, there was already an amusement park in Florida, USA, called “Weeki Wachee Springs,” where you can see real-life “mermaids” gracefully swimming underwater and performing synchronized water ballet. The spectacular shows fulfilled the public’s desire to see mermaids in person and created a huge sensation at the time.

▲ Weeki Wachee Springs park releases a “Mermaid Calendar” every year. The image above is the 2014 version, which can be ordered from theofficial website.(Image from theWeeki Wachee Facebook fan page,the same applies to the following images)

Weeki Wachee Springs was built by diving instructor Newton Perry, who discovered clear springs at the site. After renovating the area, he created a small underwater theater and recruited beautiful young women to train them in diving techniques so they could laugh, dance, and sing underwater. The first mermaid show debuted in 1947 and stunned the nation. Over time, the scale and themes grew more elaborate, and the performances were often sold out.

▲ The mermaids, trained in diving, elegantly perform synchronized water ballet using air hoses and don’t need to carry oxygen tanks.

Later, with the opening of Orlando Disney World, tourist traffic shifted eastward, and Weeki Wachee Springs lost its former glory, changing ownership several times. In November last year, it was purchased and taken over by the Florida Park Service, which expanded the park facilities. In addition to watching the mermaid shows, visitors can now also go diving, canoeing, enjoy water slides, and watch animal performances, adding an educational aspect to the mermaid-themed park.

▲ Weeki Wachee park has added new water slides and canoeing facilities for even more fun.