Florida's Pirates World and it's Rock and Roll Downfall

In the late 1960s, years before Disney would make its way to Florida, Pirates World would open in the city of Dania. It was a promising park that borrowed from the ideals of Disneyland,. However, a Rock and Roll turn would ultimately spell its downfall.
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[@Asterra2]

Thanks for doing what Defunctland refused to. Kind of surprised there was no mention of Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny, as most people who know about Pirates World today learned of it through said movie (almost entirely thanks to Rifftrax).

[@JLCL01]

Why did Defunctland refused? Was it just something that didn't interest him?

[@Asterra2]

@@JLCL01 I used the word by implication as opposed to absolute. Nobody has the kind of access to Defunctland to ask them directly to cover X and expect an answer. I did ask, many times, in various talkbacks, but there's certainly no guarantee those requests were noted. It's more a case of Pirates World being such an obvious target for his channel (easily top 5 legendary defunct amusement parks), yet after all this time, nothing. Thanks to this video, I don't even have to occasionally check in any longer. I got my fill.

[@StorytimewithMayLynn]

No mention of the ice cream bunny??? (throws chair)

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

As a Florida native, I find this kind of history coverage fascinating. It's interesting to know that something like this existed, even if it is now long gone.

[@billygarcia9885]

It’s a Sodasopa now. Swear to god.

[@JasonRBeing]

@@billygarcia9885 A condo complex is on the property too, I live in Hollywood, FL, right down the street from where Pirates World used to be.

[@darrelldurley9204]

I remember going there in 1969 the madhouse ride was cool. And they had live rock bands that played music.

[@melasn9836]

Always wanted to know more about this park. Also, get ready for a truckload of Rifftrax references.

[@royspeedyharper]

Thats why I'm here.... *insert ice cream bunny laugh here*

[@memphisgarageband]

As someone who grew up attending Pirates World in its original glory days, as well as some of the concerts (many of which were fantastic -- Johnny Winter's blistering live album was recorded there), let me say thank you for this fascinating video! Well done!

[@roadkingryder6685]

Saw a lot of the great Classic Rock Bands there between 71 and 73. Great Times! Rode the Steeplechase many times. That one and the Mouse roller coaster were my favorites.

[@teetosh]

Saw Rod and the Faces, with Deep Purple as the 2nd band and Matthews Southern Comfort opening.

[@roadkingryder6685]

@@teetosh I was there.

[@BobSchusterMusiccom]

@@roadkingryder6685 The Faces were a little bit drunk a bit of a let down after Purple's fiery show. I arrived late and didn't get to hear Ian Matthew sing his hit version of Woodstock.

[@jennycraigadventures3314]

Good job telling a fascinating story. When it was initially successful, it’s too bad Milnick didn’t stick around to keep plussing it up to a real immersive “land”. Since WDW had no PotC when it opened they might’ve been able to corner the market on all things pirate. Also, as man, you couldn’t pay me enough to get on that “Steeplechase” ride. That’d be nuts.

[@ernestinemaloy8680]

I rode the steeplechase at pirates world at 4 years old....my uncle Jr. Went on it with me an I sat in front and he was behind me making sure I didn't fall off....he's like pirates world theme park is now...long gone...rip to uncle Jr and pirates world....

[@zazaaziella16]

@@ernestinemaloy8680 I rode the steeplechase ride!!

[@JoeHusosky]

Wow talk about coincidence today I went to visit a customer and her condo is on the old pirates world property. I went once is a little child in the early seventies.

[@JasonRBeing]

I live in Hollywood, FL, right down the street from condo complex.

[@JoeHusosky]

@@JasonRBeing That's cool, I retired from the city of Dania Beach after 16 years last year. Lot of residents I met used to talk about pirates. None of the old timers ever had anything good to say about it. But then again they had never had anything good to say about anything I would ever consider fun.

[@rayrifice2595]

I went there many times and not only rode the rides but also saw concerts including Led Zeppelin and David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust). I rode the Steeplechase horses in Coney Island as a kid and rode it at Pirates World.

[@stifledvoice]

I bugged my parents to take me there in 1968 or 1969 when I was 8 or 9. Took an hour to gt there from West Palm Beach. Old mom and dad freaked out at the loud rock concert and hippies, so we left before even getting in the gate. Total bummer for me. Every kid I knew in my neighborhood said they had been there! Looking back however, it doesn't look like I missed much.

[@jennycraigadventures3314]

“...it doesn’t look like I missed much.” That’s where you aaarrrggghhh wrong.

[@Hochh13]

You missed a lot from the few concerts that they mentioned... Like Led Zeppelin

[@gustavoo.gandiarivera54]

@@jennycraigadventures3314 zzz

[@crankychris2]

Actually, you did. I hope he rest of your life wasn't as sucky, it was THE place to be in a very boring town. It was a chick magnet! Today it would be conidered tame. --A 70 year old Miami Native.

[@dennisud]

Went there when I was a kid and that steeplechase scared the HECK out of me! as for the concerts... it was a crazy time!

[@memphisgarageband]

Same here! That thing was dangerous, a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[@suz567]

Led Zepellin 1969. $5 tickets, as I recall. We sat on the ground outside, like the clip shown at 13:45 but it was at night.

[@valoriel4464]

Yay! I was there for led Zeppelin too. Damn, amazing 1st concert!!

[@jessallen7756]

Considered one of Led Zeppelins worst concerts ever played...

[@PShawtx]

All the theme parks that I know of that closed one thing in common. They closed because of mismanagement.

[@jennycraigadventures3314]

Katrina wiped out Six Flags New Orleans and the Chernobyl disaster doomed their park, but yeah mismanagement is usually the case. It seems like the biggest mistake is usually treating it like a cash cow that will go on forever without re-investing in upgrades.

[@PShawtx]

I forgot about six flags new orleans and katrina when I replied.

[@mgsbigdog9079]

So, I've been here in Orlando on vacation and keep driving by the "Holy Land Experience" and I kinda feel like I need Rob in here to tell me what the heck this thing is.

[@teddyfurstman1997]

Holy Land Experience needs a Video!

[@bigjohnsbreakfastlog5819]

I think if anyone knows about this park, it's probably because of "Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny", where the park was used front and center for both filming and also advertising with its movie-within-a-movie versions.

[@capnstevoanythinggoes]

I lived in Hollywood, Florida at the time and enjoyed more than several concerts at Pirates World, including Joe Walsh and the James Gang, Humble Pie and Ten Years After, Johnny Winter, ( which part of the Johnny Winter And Live album was recorded), and had a ticket to Blood Rock and Grand Funk Railroad, (which I had to sell due to an unplanned trip to Atlanta, Ga.). We used to get in for 5.00 if you just wanted to ride the rides all day, and it was 8.00 for the day of rides and access to the concert that evening. Pirates World had its place in Rock and Roll history for Southeast Florida, at least for the people that lived and visited there. It was part of my guitar playing, (started playing in the summer of '69), beginning, of which I still enjoy guitar playing and singing today.

[@ChucksterOcean11]

Now cover Santa Claus and the Ice Cream Bunny.

[@maggiec9932]

Jason, that was wonderful!! I lived in Fort Lauderdale back then and I went to Pirates World my first time in the summer of 1969.(I was in my mid teens at the time). I either saw the Guess Who or the Bob Seger System. (I saw both bands there, I just don't remember which one was when). :) I don't know how many times up until 1971 or 1972 that I went there but I know that I saw a few different bands there. There was a band called, 'Frigid Pink,' that I had never heard of but my boyfriend at the time wanted to see them, so we did. I also saw 3 Dog Night, Guess Who, (two times); I didn't see any of the bands that were mentioned in the video. Pirates World is to me a very happy and fun memory. Thank you so much for putting up this super enjoyable video. Well done! :)

[@geraldgaryyoung6344]

When you see the big Pirate Ship in the lagoon, I was the first Pirate Captain at 17 who ran the ship. It was not on runners or a track but I had to steer it.

[@stephenparham2168]

Yep. As a 10 year old, living in Plantation, went to Pirates World in 1970...Steeplechase, was a heck of an adrenaline rush. Safety was not a priority.

[@seanramsdell4117]

RiffTrax and the Ice Cream Bunny lead me here

[@SANDRALEE212]

As former Florida resident, this kid grew enjoying the rides in the daytime and seeing them in this video brings back a lot of fun memories. The log flume, the cable car ride across the park was a thrill being so high up and overlooking the park, the horse race ride...I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else since that at PW. I never attended the rock concerts nor did my parents, but I can remember the rock groups and hearing the promo ads on the radio...AM was the channel back then and I did listen to the songs a lot. Thank God for my parents understanding my luv for the music (heavy guitar and heavy drum playing and dam good lyrics) which is why I was more than elated to get a part-time job working at the now defunct Hollywood Sportatorium. That arena was located wayyyy out of the residential neighborhoods, but STILL could be heard close to the outskirts edge. Thank you so much breakdown of it's closure and for highlighting how Dania was steadily on the map in the 70's.

[@brianc1701]

I vaguely remember going to this park as a kid and almost falling off the steeplechase ride!

[@tommym.6495]

Same here‼️👍🏼

[@rosskrattermusic]

The history of this place is truly fascinating. Thanks for covering it, Rob!

[@youtubetube9723]

I used to live in the apartment complex they built on pirates world old property

[@chilltownguy]

I'm from Dania and was 10 when it closed down, so i didn't know the history. very interesting and you did a great job. I used to roam the property after it was demolished looking for the wild monkeys and snake hunting, so my most vivid memories are from what was left.

[@crankychris2]

Sadly, by 1971 when Disney World opened, PW was a decrepid run down park with only a few hundred visitors per day. The rock concerts were a HUGE financial success with more people attending one concert than went to the park in an entire month. RCA paid off city officials to stay open. Very few families would pay $3.50 each to attend. Do the math, $10 a pop with 10,000 people attending. We didn't care that most of the rides were broken, RCA knew their second rate park was doomed and they didn't put a dime into it. They took the money and ran. Did you know thst RCA changed their name 14 times during it's 7 year existance? They were a shell company who was constantly facing criminal investigation by the State Attorney's office, but nobody was ever prosecuted.

[@garyhouck837]

That was a piece of Rock and roll heaven . The bands usually played Friday and Saturday night imagine two nights Steve Miller Zeppelin Allman Brothers Johnny Winter and anybody that was popular back then. That was always lots of people there and lots of drugs. If you didn't have enough money you sit in the parking lot and you could hear the music really good. One thing for sure a lot of people had good times there . always something to do on a Friday and Saturday nothing like that now days about 99% of the time the bands were great headliners. If they were on the radio they were at pirates world need something like that today

[@kodyeldridge5847]

In the words of My Chemical Romance "...Teenagers scare the living shit out of me..."

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

The Ice Cream Bunny approves this video. Hrr hrr hrr! 🐰

[@sunnohh]

Some rando on the internet approves your avator pic

[@Clay3613]

I'm surprised he left out that infamous tidbit.

[@cfruge444]

@@Clay3613 Of course, that was after Pirates World turned into a festering cesspool after being abandoned.

[@spinlok3943]

Ice Cream Bunny, that Ice Cream Bunny, he's made of ice cream and he's a bunny!

[@dynabeen2]

I only watched this due to the Ice Cream Bunny. Interesting info on the park in this video though.

[@longliverock7985]

I was just tall enough to ride The Steeplechase Ride. I was on the horse holding on for dear life to my dad’s waist. My memory says that there was no safety belt or anything securing you. I was scared to death. It seemed as if we were quite high off the ground and moving very fast. A very old memory that still brings back fear.

[@cyanmanta]

As much as I oppose the war on drugs, I feel like this is one of those broken clock situations where the old squares were (eventually) in the right.

[@Clay3613]

Being close to the cost/Miami meant easier access to smuggled contraband.

[@Clay3613]

What's with Floridians sabotaging their own interests?

[@timholder6461]

Mostly the Yankees moving down from the North

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@timholder6461 I can understand that. Some things should remain south, though it was nice Ohio had Sea World once.

[@sweetiehogg7249]

They were transplants. Not Floridians..

[@CAPHOTO1961]

I was there when it first opened and rode the steeplechase. I was on the back of the metal horse holding on to my mom for dear life. No safety restraints at all, you loose your grip you fall off onto the concrete.

[@DuchessRococoPuff]

Oh, this was a fun one! I’d love to see what it would look like if they really stuck to that pirate-y theming instead of going all rock n roll. Thanks Rob!

[@rickenbacker12]

I always wanted to go there but my dad forbid it, but I did go to WKID (channel 51) and got to be on TV with my 4th grade class on The Captain Kid Show. Best of all we each got a crate of "Golden Age" soda for stopping by.

[@billbazner5643]

WoW ... had googled Pirates World some years back & nothing. Your video is fantastic & fills in so many memory gaps. To this day groups like Grand Funk Railroad , Iron Butterfly, Lee Michaels, Vanilla Fudge etc and of course my first concert Led Zeppelin, their music is etched in my brain.

[@seandine5953]

Absolutely love your videos, I really enjoy learning all this history & odd them park stories. Please keep it up!

[@MikeDAcunti]

We used to go all the time when we were kids...a total blast!

[@L8RG8R2U]

Makes you wonder what would happen if Disney suddenly started hosting Rock and Roll concerts at Disney Springs

[@Clay3613]

They had nightclubs, plus all of the parks have fireworks every night.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

LOL! Pirates VS. the HOA. And then there's spite! Spite (the most petty yet hilarious forms of retaliation) Seemed like a good park starting out. Great video! Thanks Rob.

[@MzelleRI64]

Awesome job I really enjoyed this video!

[@daveharbour-animatornics-s6308]

I went as a kid while growing up in Ft. Lauderdale. Yes, I rode the Steeple Chase ride!!! 😊

[@SaturnCanuck]

A great expose. Thanks

[@chetciciotti]

Extremely well done and informative!

[@scrapplejacks8780]

Yarrrrgggg .... Good episode. Love the depth and interesting subject. Love your channel!

[@TheLordUrban]

What about the Ice Cream Bunny?

[@Djxander23]

A sad story on yet another project that could’ve brought so much entertainment and joy to south Florida if only it had played out positively. Now, South Florida is left with endless replicated strip malls and apartment buildings adding nothing new to a seemingly boring city with little to offer for entertainment outside of expensive bowling alleys and expensive movie theaters.

[@wcharliewilson7004]

Grand Funk was a regular at Pirates World. In fact, Grand Funk Live (1970) was mostly recorded there. Best live album ever...

[@fishfanmiami]

Saw Grand Funk Railroad there in 71'

[@stillbuyvhs]

You forgot about the kiddie matinee films they made!

[@MrRufusRToyota]

They bought rides from Coney Island. And then the place turned into Coney Island.

[@SteveCarras]

The 1969 WB-7 Artsa cartoon release, after they'd closed their cartoon studio, "Santa and the Three Bears", independtly produced by Hanna-Barbera Studio's Tony Benedict's own studio, had a version set there, with few credits (I [refer the other one..))...was long gone when I visited Florida 25 years ago..guess which theme park I visited, well, wasn't Pirates world but Disney Wpr;ld. Fascinating story.

[@mro4ts457]

Loved this video m8!

[@hollyheidt6841]

Loved pirates world so many urban legends ( maybe legends?) snakes living in the steeple chase horses yet I still rode them!!!

[@veryinterested2382]

I'm with you. Use to go there for our birthday presents. Me and a couple of friends. Was real expensive like $9. Kept hearing on the news about people getting bit by rattle snakes on the steeple chase. Hell we didn't care they were great fun.

[@jessallen7756]

Some descendents of Pirates Worlds monkeys freed themselves and still live on the area...

[@TheSoldierFamilyNetwork]

I had no idea this park existed!! I am even more excited now. what an amazing presentation

[@Stoneth]

I would have liked to have known at what point the Pirates World films like Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny came into play.

[@mstrmren]

Wow Never heard about this

[@kevinramsey417]

So where was the attraction where some voice over a speaker drones at you about the story of Thumbelina?

[@MyWestiesTV]

Rob another great video!

[@LazyIguana]

Grew up around Ft. Lauderdale and Dania Beach yet I never knew about Pirate's World. Passed by it so many times on my way to kayak at West Lake. I wonder when we'll have a video like this covering the old Boomers arcade and go kart track.

[@JacobHillSBD]

Really cool to hear about something that existed right in my own backyard.

[@eefneleman9564]

Well I'm here because of Jason Brant's review of Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny... Which apparently was partly filmed at Pirates World. Too bad this theme park went under, they would have been able to make a ton of money off of Disney's Pirates franchise.

[@stillbuyvhs]

Ooo... I’ve wanted to learn more about Pirate’s World...

[@graytshirtproblem1177]

Interesting. Florida native here. I was always told that Disney was what killed pirates world. It’s cool to learn the actual story.

[@marsco25177]

The Log Ride, Wildcat Coaster, and many gondolas from the Sky Ride was sold to Bell's Amusement Park in Tulsa Oklahoma in 1975. The Wildcat was dismantled in 1997 when a car came loose on the chain hill allowing it to roll back into another car ejecting a number of riders and killing one teenage boy. The Log Flume was dismantled in 2006 after the Tulsa Fairgrounds suddenly and without warning evicted the 50 year old park bankrupting the family and causing massive political fallout in upcoming local elections. The Log Ride is still in storage today waiting for Bell's to reopen one day. as for the Sky Ride Gondolas? it is still on site today however last month the Fairgrounds was secretly going to demolish this last ride on site without notifying the taxpayers who own the 1960s historical ride. there is an effort to save the ride and its a developing situation. I'm covering all this in a documentary of Bell's I'm currently editing.

[@merrivideo]

Great job, Rob. It succeeded my expectations and I totally loved how you mixed the music at the end. It totally built up the conclusion of the story.

[@edvaira6891]

Pity! Seemed like a pretty cool place! Had never heard of this before this video!

[@robertmckinnon7003]

That's so sad.

[@davidratcliffe1]

I believe the riot was at the Grand Funk Railroad concert

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Nice!

[@craigmartin1270]

That was very informative, cool history.

[@MarcWilsonActual]

Great job; had no idea about the political struggle behind the scenes. I miss this park so much! Loved the slanted room where balls seemingly rolled uphill!

[@larrylaffer3246]

Sounds like an park where I'd have an experience I'd never forget.

[@billkasperdotcom]

Looked up Pirates (sic) World after seeing Santa Thumbleena Riffrax episode, lol

[@wcharliewilson7004]

Enjoy! kzbin.info/www/bejne/i57Iq6FvqKllmbs

[@davidv.3135]

Used to go there as a kid. Loved it!

[@marcvonarx3507]

That was great. Can you take a look at The Hollywood Sportatorium, another popoular concert venue in the greater Miami area?

[@SomeOrangeCat]

Maybe they had to pave it all over, to end the curse of The Ice Cream Bunny once and for all!

[@valoriel4464]

Led Zeppelin concert there in 69 was so fantastic 😍

[@brandonthetoyandgamecollector]

The only reason I’ve even heard of this park is because of that Santa and the ice cream bunny movie. Ok I never saw that I saw a review of it, and it showed the park in it

[@HeatherLandon227]

ok- was the Roto-Jets in the background of that one video bought by Knoebels? Because it looks very familiar.

[@vgiard]

Great Informative video! Thank you for this. I've always been intrigued over the history of this park and I've Always wanted to know more about it. One bit of information, that still eludes me, is the exact address where Pirates world was. If anyone knows, I'd greatly appreciate the info.

[@MegaHowser]

I believe the address was 605 East Sheridan Street Dania Florida.Not 100% certain though.

[@jessallen7756]

I don't know the address, but I can tell you right where it was......Northside of Sheridan St between US1 and A1A.....In Dania / Hollywood Florida

[@TheCarsGarage]

I wonder where the Ice Cream Bunny costume is now??

[@kenpalmer985]

Sad it's gone

[@DarthDaddy-cg6ro]

Thanks.

[@sunnohh]

Hell yeah grateful dead shows up in one of these videos

[@danjapan]

Does anyone remember a building that had what looked like a ghost head on top of it? I think it may have been the slanted house which may have been called Jean Lafitte's Hideaway.

[@WDI2008]

You should do a video about Splendid China Florida!

[@justint8851]

do you think you'll ever cover Evermore?

[@rmannayr2129]

ROCK N ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jwrush]

Incredible story.

[@katherinealvarez9216]

8:31 I can answer this! Sir, the reason why is because it’s theirs. It’s their trash and you cannot take from them. They will be buried with it. Edit: 8:51 Holy S-- seriously!? JfC, do you know who you had there!? These are the legends!

[@Estabonbon]

what about the ride.... "The Mouse"

[@mikeq5587]

What is there now on the former Pirates World? Trying to locate on Google Earth

[@snarkus63]

Funny....this place was one of the reasons why WDW didn't have a Pirates Of The Caribbean ride when it first opened in '71.

[@brentparker7359]

It's funny to me that this is a video talking about Disney theme parks in Orange County and a competing park near Hollywood...and the setting is FLORIDA.

[@UmmYeahOk]

Hey Rob, have you considered doing a video of Six Flags Over Texas yet? The parks founder visited Disneyland, and decided that we needed something similar in Texas, which explains why he hired that guy. Opening in 1961, it had a “pay one price,” admission, allowing for unlimited rides and attractions. It also claims to have the first log flume ride ever created, which opened in 1963, and is still in operation today. I think it would be fun to see how much 1950s Disneyland inspired the park, as well as various ownerships and theming. It even was the set of many episodes of the Banana Splits show, as well as the intro to that bizarre Lidsville show, and the park used in Spy Kids 2. Interesting history is Sid and Marty Kroff (tv puppeteers), and in the 90s, with WB theming, made it appear like a cheap version of a WB knock off of Disneyland. It also had its share of controversies. Six Flags OVER Texas, because “Texas ain’t under nothing!” Each flag representing a nation that controlled parts of Texas. That includes the Confederacy. In the 60s there were some confederate army marches, and the infamous rebel flag, but since I was alive (1982), that section was always the “Old South” and flew the non controversial confederate flag (there were several different ones, not just the rebel flag.) A few years ago, they finally replaced all six flags with US ones, since they feared backlash from the lesser known confederate one, which was even used in 1960s logos. There was also a brief part in their early history where they had a Native American section, as a way of telling people that they should be represented too even if they had no flag, because this was their land before the 6 other nations took over, but if you could imagine the representation they got in Disney’s Frontierland, it would be considered very controversial by today’s standards, as way 1960s Mexico.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

I'm with you buddy. SFoTexas is a great park. That one + Georgia are independent of the rest. They are both owned by multiple investors. There were a lot of "animal powered" attractions in the early days too. BTW R. Duell designed our now defunct AstroWorld (Houston, TX)

[@tgproductions97]

The Grateful Dead crowd sizes in 1969 comparatively to what they’d be not even 5 years later is a HUGE difference, this place should’ve considered themselves lucky, the GD probably wouldn’t pull that huge of a crowd in Florida around that time. That being said, Deadheads are actually some of the best crowds you could have, we’re happy, we’re polite, and typically speaking, we leave the place in as good a shape as we found it. Now Zeppelin fans? They’re an entirely different breed.

[@Estabonbon]

I was 10 and we were suppose to go to Ike and Tina Turner.. but my dad heard them somehow and said.. oh Heck No! hahahahaha

[@Estabonbon]

and now Tina is gone

[@rmannayr2129]

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PIRATES!

[@starsINSPACE]

They really didn't have a Vikings part of the park? 🤔