Orlando Auto Museum at Dezerland Park, Orlando, FL

[George Cole]

Here’s a link to their website.

 

http://dezerlandpark.com/orlando/the-auto-experience/

 

This is the personal collection of Mr. Dezer, which moved from Miami a couple of years ago and is now finally open to the public.  It is a part of Dezerland Park, which is housed in what appears to be a renovated shopping mall.  Although OAM is a major part of the indoor park, the overall tourist attraction includes a separate bowling alley, cart racing track, arcade, axe throwing area, miniature golf, theater, bouncing room, several small themed stores, fast-food style restaurant (burgers & sandwiches), and more, all under one (leaky) roof (which they were working on in the rain at the time).   

 

Many of the vehicles are displayed in individually themed rooms set off a main corridor.  I was told by a tour guide there are approximately 2000 vehicles on display.  Probably almost half of them are 2-wheelers (motorcycles and scooters).  Not a whole lot of brass era cars, but some nickel, and 30s and 40s CCCA-recognized full classics.  There were Packards, Cadillacs, LaSalles, Rolls, Bentleys, Chryslers, Lincolns, and a Duesenberg (plus a couple of Duesenberg 2s.  There were many other non-full classics from the 30s and 40s.  Lots of 50s, but hardly any 60s or street rods.  There were movie cars.  One entire room was full of cars from The Great Gatsby.  There were rooms full of military vehicles, Batman vehicles, cars from France, Israel, Europe, England, and more.  There were separate rooms for Vespa scooters, Cushman scooters, and Harleys.  It could easily have taken more than a full day to look at everything although we were only there about 4 hours.  The huge James Bond collection of cars, planes, etc., was not yet open to the public, but I was escorted in by Lana Vegosen, the OAM event coordinator.  She said they plan to have it open within 30 days.  The Bond room was laid out in chronological order of the 007 movies.  

 

There were several drawbacks, including:

 

• With the exception of OAM, the remainder of Dezerland Park was definitely focused on attracting a much younger generation.  
• There was extremely loud music in the non-OAM areas. 
• Most of the display cars didn’t have identification placards.  Instead there were directions to download their APP and then scan a code on a placard near most of the displays.  Sorry, but when I’m looking at the cars, I don’t want to be fiddling with my phone, waiting for things to download (or not), and reading from it’s tiny screen…but maybe that’s just me. ☹
• They don’t open until noon, but stay open until midnight or later on weekends.  Those hours are not directed toward the generation(s) of individuals who have an appreciation for the cars displayed. 

 

It appears everything there is for sale.  There is a link to for sale cars on the above website, although no prices are listed.  I consider this is a drawback as if he’s willing to sell everything piece-meal, he must have a minimal emotional attachment to any of it. 

 

Anyone planning a trip to or through Orlando should try to spend a few hours here.  It is well worth the $16. admission.  And if you're dragging teens, pre-teens, or perhaps a disinterested spouse along, there's activities for them to do (cart racing, bowling, theater, etc.,) while you are looking at the cars.   George

 

[Billy Kingsley]

The wax figures in the car are a little creepy. Unusual to see the airplanes in the building. Looks like fun. 

[George Cole]

2 minutes ago, Billy Kingsley said:

The wax figures in the car are a little creepy. Unusual to see the airplanes in the building. Looks like fun. 

Most of the figures appeared to be store mannequins, although I guess some could have been wax figures.

 

There were several planes in the James Bond room, including one which had to be cut into 7 pieces to get through the door, then reassembled.

[George Cole]

3 hours ago, Billy Kingsley said:

The wax figures in the car are a little creepy. Unusual to see the airplanes in the building. Looks like fun. 

Billy, I think you'd really like this one. 

[Billy Kingsley]

I'm sure I would! I love museums and car museums are the best.

[TAKerry]

Looks like a good place to spend the day. I was gonna comment that the must have found a lot of mannequins leftover from when the mall was closed! LOL.

[George Cole]

1 minute ago, TAKerry said:

Looks like a good place to spend the day. I was gonna comment that the must have found a lot of mannequins leftover from when the mall was closed! LOL.

I was thinking the same thing.  I'll try to remember to ask when I see Lana again.  I am a co-coordinator for the November FL Region CCCA meeting/mini-tour, and the OAM is a very strong contender for one of the venues.  Now, having said that, there is a very good looking (and scantily clad,) blonde mannequin in my living room, which will eventually be used as a passenger in my 100 year-anniversary Harley sidecar.   I'm thinking about how I can motorize her so her head will turn and her and arms will move. (I wanted to go with a huge gorilla, but got out-voted by the wife, so we settled on the easy-on-the-eyes mannequin.)  

 

Billy, just think how the museum displays would look if all the mannequins/wax figures were replaced with gorillas.

[alextheantiqueautoguy]

If I never see another mannequin in an auto museum, it will be a good thing. I see from the other comments, I am not alone in this.

[George Cole]

Zoning officials have flexed their muscles and thumped their chests once again.  This time they forced the removal of vintage display cars which were used to attract attention and advertise the Orlando Dezerland Action Park and Auto Museum.  The cars lined the entrance driveway as shown below.  The Gestapo demanded they be removed as even though they were clearly part of the overall display, they were inoperative and unlicensed.  Those cars have now been removed and put into storage and the spaces they occupied sits bare.  Sad and disappointing.  

 

[trimacar]

On 5/24/2021 at 3:25 PM, alextheantiqueautoguy said:

If I never see another mannequin in an auto museum, it will be a good thing. I see from the other comments, I am not alone in this.

Can we add fake sub machine guns and those bumper stuffed kids to the list?