Post #484162 by Davie Ono on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 7:36 PM

Mahalo. I was the eldest child of the owner of the Volcano Restaurant and Lounge in Winter Haven, Florida. I worked in the restaurant at a variety of jobs, whatever had to be done. One of them, was to go out to the Volcano and actually pull a switch -at a specified time- which made it erupt with fire. Sometimes it was made to erupt for a special birthday or similar event or timed with a signature song by the Buddy Canova Group- "Tiny Bubbles" was one of them. The lagoons also had fire coming out of the water-but only at night. Dad was classmate of Dick Pope Jr whose father opened Cypress Gardens. The lagoons had either natural gas or propane coming out of a pipe under the water and lit on top of the water. There were tiki torches as well, that I sometimes lit. The restaurant had valet parking in the evenings. The building that stands on the property now, was not part of the Volcano. It only had the 2 high roof buildings. One building was the restaurant and the other was the lounge. After the restaurant closed. The property remained vacant for a year or so. Then that building opened where the parking lot was. The parking lot was down the hill and a valet was needed to get your car. Initially, there was a small parking lot and it had to expand. The Volcano was a very busy restaurant at the time. Dad was an entertaining personality himself. He often wore brightly designed Polynesian fine silk jackets-specially made, one of a kinds while in the restaurant. He would visit each table and made sure you were taken care of. Even of the simplest of needs. There were warm moist towels at your table after your dinner. He had ice creams that were specially made for him-pink champagne,grasshopper,pink squirrel, and Irish coffee. Imagine just how it was. Disney World opened and its Polynesian Resort restaurant was nothing like his service. However, some of his dining guests were spy imagination people and they borrowed some of his ideas. Why did it close? I personally don't know... but believe it grew too fast too soon. The draw to Hawai'i is always there. What is it with its people, their customs, their favor to visitors? It is the only State that I have yet to visit. What a shame. My Polynesian name is "Kavika". In one of the pictures my sister posted... the chef...Joe was probably making "Cha Sui". Above the kitchen were rooms and offices. Joe stayed there getting only a few hours sleep and back to work in the kitchen. However, there were days that he didn't get up until early afternoon. Dad tried to be as authentic as possible. When you entered the restaurant via a board walkway over the lagoons you'd go through a cave entrance with water fall sides. It opened up to a presentation room. The Bora Bora statue was there. Turning to the right was small lounge, that served liquor and pu-pu's, the left would be the main dining room. It also featured water falls. My father was full of showmanship,trusted God, worked to please people. I would like to see the Volcano idea again. One can't pass up the charm of the Polynesian peoples. One is comfortable there. Wouldn't you agree?