Flea World/Fun World Amusement Park Complements Fla. Flea Market

When tourists tire of the scale and expense of the central Florida mega-resorts, they can head to Flea World in Sanford, the world's largest flea market, which has an adjoining amusement park with 50 rides, games and attractions.

"They come into town for seven to 10 days and they get tired of doing the theme parks, Disney and Universal and all that, and it's a different day for them," said Dick Thatcher, advertising director for Flea World and Fun World park. "They get free parking, free admission and free entertainment."

The park and market are visited by three million tourists each year, Thatcher said. "They just come from all over the world," he said.

The flea market has three structures and the rest is open air. About 1,700 booths are set up on the 104-acre space. "The flea market is what keeps us going," said Phillis Ludwig, general manager of Fun World. "There's nowhere else around you can go and have free entertainment and let the kids do what they want to do."

The most popular attractions at Fun World are the go-karts, Thatcher said. "Go-karts outnumber everything." Fun World has three go-kart tracks, which cost $3 per ride, an 18-hole miniature golf course, bumper cars, bumper boats, a Himalayan ride, a Round-Up and Loop-O-Planes for adults. Kiddie rides include a merry-go-round, train, elephants, fire trucks, helicopters and boats. An arcade houses about 350 games and a prize redemption center.

Kiddie rides cost two tickets, while adult rides cost more. Tickets are 50 cents each, or a value pack of 25 for $10. Pay-one-price wristbands that include all rides and unlimited miniature golf and go-kart rides are $15 for adults and $6 for kids.

There is no gate between the two areas, so visitors can move back and forth between the market and park freely. The park has an in-house security staff.

Fun World also has a food court advertised as "Taste Treats from Around the World." Pizza is the most popular food, but the Polynesian stand, South Seas, Mama Mia's and Porky's Delicatessen also do well.

Flea World and Fun World are privately owned by Syd and Marianne Levy. Flea World has been operating since 1982 and Fun World has been open since 1990. "They just thought it was a natural thing because we had a lot of people coming in with small children," Thatcher said. The Levys got the idea for the attached amusement park from their travel to foreign countries, he said.

The general manager of the entire property is George Snipple.

new hours

Fun World operated seven days a week when it first opened, but has since started running only Friday-Sunday during the summer and Saturday-Sunday