Hemisphere Dancer Seaplane at Margaritaville Orlando crowd gathers - image by Dani Meyering

Hemisphere Dancer Returns to Margaritaville Orlando as Savannah Buffett Honors Her Father

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Jimmy Buffett left behind more than beachy tunes and frozen concoctions; he left a legacy of storytelling, community, and family. That legacy lives on through his children, including his eldest daughter, Savannah Buffett, who continues to share and shape her father’s joyful, adventurous world. This week, that legacy came home to Orlando in a special way.

The Story of the Hemisphere Dancer: Jimmy Buffett’s Icon in the Sky

Visiting Universal CityWalk with kids is one of the joys of Orlando, especially with a real seaplane perched in the heart of it all.

More than just a backdrop, the Hemisphere Dancer is a true piece of Jimmy Buffett’s story. Originally built in 1955 as a long-range amphibious aircraft for the U.S. Navy, the Grumman Albatross was eventually retired from military service and left to sit in storage until Jimmy Buffett discovered it in the mid-1980s.

He bought the plane, restored it, and turned it into a flying home base for adventures across the Caribbean and beyond. When it arrived at Universal CityWalk as part of the Margaritaville Café’s opening in Orlando, Buffett made just one request: that it remain fly-worthy.

Hemisphere Dancer Seaplane rededication homecoming celebration at Margaritaville Orlando Dan Leonard on stage speech - image by Dani Meyering
Dan Leonard on stage at Hemisphere Dancer ceremony – image by Dani Meyering

“For 20 years, we did just that,” said Dan Leonard, President of the Margaritaville Hospitality Group. “There was a maintenance team out here. Those engines had their oils changed. It was remarkable.” But two decades of Florida sun, hurricanes, and even a few would-be pirates took their toll.

Eventually, the team realized it was time for a full restoration. Taking the plane apart, transporting it off-site, and reassembling it wasn’t easy. “It’s an incredible feat,” Leonard said, thanking partners like Big Sky Aviation, Universal Orlando’s facilities team, and Jimmy Buffett’s longtime collaborator David Crabtree for helping preserve the integrity and authenticity of the aircraft. One team member even lived on-site during the refurbishment process to make sure every detail remained true to Buffett’s vision.

Before passing, Jimmy Buffett gave the team one final assignment: “Keep the party going.” And as Leonard concluded his speech, he turned the moment over to someone uniquely suited to carry on her father’s legacy—not just with music and memories, but with heart and presence: Savannah Buffett.

A Daughter’s Tribute: Savannah Buffett Honors Her Father’s Spirit

Savannah Buffett stood on the stage steps from her father’s beloved seaplane, the Hemisphere Dancer, and gently reminded us of the heart behind the icon. “Little Miss Magic’s all grown up,” she said with a smile, a reference to the song Jimmy Buffett wrote for her when she was a child.

Hemisphere Dancer Seaplane rededication homecoming celebration at Margaritaville Orlando Savannah Buffett on stage toast - image by Dani Meyering
Hemisphere Dancer Seaplane homecoming celebration at Margaritaville Orlando – image by Dani Meyering

She spoke of family, memory, and legacy—not just the public one, but the private world of road trips, concerts, and long drives down A1A, now renamed the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.

“I know he would just love all this,” she said. “And I just have this one thing that keeps repeating in my head: Wow, Dad, look what you did.”

Savannah reminded everyone that the Hemisphere Dancer had lived “so many lives,” but had found its rightful home again at Universal CityWalk. And while the celebration was about the plane’s return, she shifted the spotlight to its captain, her father.

“It never ceases to amaze me what a man’s art, life, and imagination can inspire,” she said, “and the joy it can continue to bring to so many people, even though he has flown off behind the horizon to his next great adventure.”

Perhaps the most touching moment came when she thanked those who had supported Jimmy throughout his journey, not just as a star, but as a person. “He always understood and respected what an honor it was to lead the amazing crew he assembled during his life,” she said. “To make the myth of Margaritaville a reality.”

It was clear that Savannah wasn’t just preserving her father’s legacy; she was living it.

The Plane That Became a Family Member

For Savannah Buffett, the Hemisphere Dancer wasn’t just part of a brand; it was part of her childhood. “She even acted as a school bus at times,” Savannah recalled during the celebration. “Shuttling me back to boarding school in the Northeast one fall… that’s a fun one to explain to your classmates.”

Jimmy Buffett’s love of flying, sailing, and chasing adventure wasn’t just for show. Savannah described him as someone who delighted in using his success to buy “the coolest toys,” and the Hemisphere Dancer was the crown jewel. “It was love at first sight,” she said of the moment her dad found the retired Navy plane. “A flying boat that could take him to remote fishing and surfing spots… and fit all of his expedition gear.” With a bunk for napping, a fly rod cast from her wing, and even a near-miss with a Jamaican SWAT team, the plane lived out wild stories worthy of any Buffett lyric.

Savannah gave the plane its due respect, calling it her father’s “armada” alongside a fleet of uniquely named vessels like Strange Bird, Lady of the Waters, The Last Mango, and The Continental Drifter. But it was the Dancer who became a symbol.

“Her likeness hangs from ceilings all over the globe,” she said, “and in a sense, she’s still in flight.”

Hemisphere Dancer Seaplane at Universal Orlando with Islands of Adventure in the background at sunset - image by Dani Meyering
Hemisphere Dancer at Universal Orlando near Islands of Adventure – image by Dani Meyering

A Shining Beacon of Fun

Today, the freshly refurbished Hemisphere Dancer sits at Lone Palm Airport Bar, restored to its glory and gleaming in the Florida sun. “She looks pretty good for 75, doesn’t she?” Savannah joked. “Out of the spa and sparkling.”

But her words turned from playful to poignant when she described what the plane and this whole moment represent. “She’s become a shining beacon of fun here on CityWalk for so many visitors from all around the world,” she said. “And that’s what my dad would have wanted, for everyone to have fun. Because he had the most fun of all. And I try to live by that every day.”

Savannah’s final tribute was not just to her father’s accomplishments but to his joy—the legacy he left behind in the form of laughter, imagination, and a good sunset toast. “As the song says,” she smiled, “it turned out to be a beautiful day, the kind you’d like to toast.”

And with that, she raised a glass with the crowd, under the wings of the Dancer, celebrating not just a plane’s return, but the joyful life of the man who flew it, and the daughter who now carries that joy forward.

Hemisphere Dancer Seaplane rededication homecoming celebration at Margaritaville Orlando Savannah Buffett on stage confetti - image by Dani Meyering
Margaritaville Orlando Savannah Buffett on stage – image by Dani Meyering

Full Circle, Under the Wing of the Dancer

As a longtime Jimmy Buffett fan, this day was deeply personal. For me, it all started right here at Margaritaville Orlando. This was the place that turned me into a Parrothead. I fell in love with the restaurant’s playful spirit first, and only then truly discovered the depth and heart in Jimmy’s music.

Twelve years ago, I sat under the wing of the Hemisphere Dancer as I interviewed JD Spradlin of Radio Margaritaville. That interview turned into a decade-long friendship, and JD was the one who encouraged me to claim myself as a writer, not just someone who dabbled. Yesterday, seeing him broadcast live alongside Savannah Buffett brought it all full circle.

Editor Dani Meyering poses with Savannah Buffett at Lone Palm Airport Bar for homecoming ceremony of hemisphere dancer july 13, 2025 - image from Dani Meyering
Editor Dani Meyering poses with Savannah Buffett – image from Dani Meyering

To be there with my husband and our son, sharing that moment is one of the joys of parenting. If we’re lucky enough, we get to share traditions and values we cherish with our children. We’re raising our son to hopefully live with the same sense of adventure Jimmy did: to chase sunsets, to laugh loudly, and to find joy wherever he can.

This shimmering seaplane perched in the heart of Orlando is a symbol of the spirit that Jimmy Buffett continues to teach us how to live fully and keep the party going.