Real estate in the bustling tourist mecca of Orlando, Florida is a hot commodity so it is rare for any unused space to be left abandoned, but the old Splendid China theme park has been rotting away since its closure in 2003.
Originally opened in 1993 as a stateside replica of Splendid China, Shenzen (which is still in operation) the China-centric theme park featured over 60 miniature replicas of famous Chinese locations. This included 1/10 scale models of such grand monuments as the Great Wall of China, the Terra Cotta Warriors of Xi'an, and even a four-story version of the towering Leshan Buddha. The attention to detail in the miniature scenes was astounding with the Great Wall being built brick-by-tiny-brick and even a little imperial wedding party taking place in the Forbidden City diorama. In contrast to the other bright, loud wonderlands crowded into Orlando, Splendid China was a quiet display recalling China's majesty.
This graceful quality was the main attraction for some and the biggest issue for others. Splendid China was actually owned by an agency of the Chinese government, which led many local Floridians to decry the displays in the park as nothing more than propaganda, especially in regard to its depiction of many Tibetan and Mongolian structures. While the park was in operation it saw repeated protests and even a campaign to disallow school field trips to the park.
When the park closed in 2003, it was blamed on a decline in tourism, but there may have been more political reasons. After the abrupt closure, the thieves and vandals swooped in, taking most of what wasn't nailed down and spray-painting what was. Today many of the miniatures, damaged and desecrated, still remain, but plans are finally underway to begin dismantling the park. Splendid China was a grand experiment in building a different kind of park, but now it is just a grand location for urban exploration.
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