After a nearly year‐long refurbishment, the Hemisphere Dancer, Jimmy Buffett’s legendary seaplane, returned to Margaritaville’s Lone Palm Airport Bar at Universal CityWalk.
To celebrate its return, Margaritaville held a “Homecoming Celebration” to rechristen the plane.
Guests and Parrotheads joined Margaritaville President Dan Leonard and Savannah Buffett, Buffett’s Daughter, who spoke before officially welcoming the plane home.
The Hemisphere Dancer is a U.S. Navy Grumman Albatross, initially used for search-and-rescue missions. In 1995, Buffett purchased and restored the plane, giving it its now-famous monicker. The plane infamously became a part of Parrothead lore when, in 1996, it survived Jamaican police gunfire – an incident immortalized in Buffett’s song “Jamaica Mistaica”.
“Come back, come back, back to JamaicaDon’t you know we made a big mistake-a?We’d be so sad if you told us goodbyeAnd we promise not to shoot you out of the sky”
In 2003, the Hemisphere Dancer made its home at CityWalk Orlando under Buffett’s stipulation that the plane remain airworthy. Last year, after more than 20 years in the Florida sun, storms & hurricanes, and wear and tear, a full restoration was required.
“It’s clear she’s back where she belongs for now at Universal CityWalk,” said Savannah Buffett, before raising a giant Margarita to toast the plane’s homecoming.
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