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Words by Mez Photos Dugan & Mez
TBT / ESM Archive Dive: Before Kelly Slater’s Wave Ranch and a myriad of other modern man made tanks began popping up like mushrooms on a Florida cattle ranch, Walt Disney’s Worlds central Florida located “Typhoon Lagoon” was, at one time, the best in wave pool technology. And one of the only ones in existence. But, before the water park officially opened on June 1’st 1989 – or a little over 36 years ago – to the general public, they did a full on wet run with the full Typhoon work staff ( including lifeguards all over the place ) along with various food and beverage vendors kiosk’s all open for business and serving. Also in attendance was a special A- List of top east coast surfers to test the waters ( pun fully intended ) and to see how rippable the man made waves would be. In a nutshell, it was not Wave Ranch or modern wave tub quality but it was / still is fun as shit on a flat day and still operating tho’ mostly a water park tourist trap not really taken very seriously by today’s local surfers. Here are two photos taken during that historic dry run including one of the very first waves they cranked out for our crew of frothing surfing guinea pigs to see. Can you name all the pro surfers holding Minnie Mouse aloft ? Hints : all but two are in the East Coast Surfing Hall Of Fame and one of them is a ECSHOF shoo in and a wave pool empresario himself. Photos by Dugan ( wave ) @tomduganphiotos and Mez @mezapixels #typhoonlagoon @eastcoastsurfinghof #waltdisneyworld #waltdisneyworldresort #wavepool #wavepools #chlorinedreams #surfing #surfingphotography #minniemouse
Who Da Crew ? ( scroll to bottom of feature to find out ). Photo: Mez @mezapixels.
Typhoon Lagoon, creating the Chlorine Dream since 1989. Photo: Tom Dugan @tomduganphotos
Surfers with Minnie Mouse from left to right are : Jesse Fernandez, Danny Melhado, Todd Holland, Shea Lopez, Bill Hartley, Chad Hopkins, Matt Kechele, Kelly Slater and Bruce Walker in the back. Photo : Mez @mezapixels
