Old School Orlando: Fort Liberty

Orlando, Florida is obviously known for it's world class theme parks like Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World. Surrounding these vacation destinations are hundreds and hundreds of smaller tourist attractions looking to get a piece of every families vacation dollar. One of the more popular types of attractions are dinner shows. These shows all follow a similar format, some kind of big themed tournament style show along with a meal also themed to the show. You've got your Medieval Times with it's knights, horses and jousting and then a king's feast of dry chicken and Little Debbie snack cakes. There's also Arabian Nights with more people jumping around on horses while you eat....Arabian food???. Dolly Parton even got into the act with Dixie Stampede where you watch coyboys ride around on horses while you eat dry chicken and drink Diet Mountain Dew out of a jar. There's also Pirates, Sleuths, and Capone's (I doubt they involve horses but probably dry chicken.) Even the theme parks have gotten into the act, a few years ago we went to Mickey's Backyard BBQ where we paid $50 bucks to line dance with Mickey and Minnie Mouse in 138 degree heat while getting drunk on all-you-can-drink beer and wine.
As with Orlando attractions of any type, there are bound to be some casualties. Fort Liberty was another dinner show themed to the ol' Wild Wild West. Guests entered an old Civil War for and enjoyed a performance of cavalry riding horses and shooting muskets at each other. While civil war broke out vacationers enjoyed dry chicken and New Coke. Actually, the menu looks pretty good with sliced smoked pork, fried chicken, baked potato, beans and corn on the cob. And don't forget for dessert: Liberty Apple Pie (that's a special kind of apple pie!)

The Fort didn't last too long, and before long it closed it's doors to horse seeking visitors. Some of the horses now probably work at the newer Dixie Stampede. Disney has their own wildly popular western themed dinner and show called the Hoopty Doo Musical Review which has been running at least twice a night since the mid 70's. I guess that town wasn't big enough for the two of them! What's funny about Fort Liberty is that the building still stands today and is used as a normal ol' shopping center for locals. Imagine getting your videos or dry cleaning at a unauthentic civil war fort! There's also a Subway sub shop in the Fort. I stopped there once with a buddy of mine that lives down there, I asked for Old Bay on my sub and the "sandwich artist" looked at me like I was crazy. See, they don't have Old Bay down there...I probably could have asked for "GatorSpice" or something like that. Crazy Floridians!