Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've been to several so its a tough one, some have made major improvements over the years so they are much nicer now but really blew in the past.
Silver Springs, we went to check it out in the 80's, Johnny Weissmuller filmed a Tarzan movie there at one time and some statues are at the bottom of the springs from the movie, glass bottom boat rides, crystal clear water. When we went the boats had so much algae on the bottom you couldn't see anything, we looked over the sides and it was still bad. I guess our admission fee went towards the major renovation they have done since then.
St Augustine's The Fountain Of Youth, not really a Theme Park but wow did I get taken. Again I went in the 80's, plywood signs hand painted, waited in line with the other morons for a dixie cup of water from a rusty pipe. I can only hope its improved.
Ghost Town In The Sky in Maggie Valley NC. I first thought it was funny that it had a western theme, this is the oldest theme park in the US now. This park had closed last year to add new rides and is in operation now with several of the older rides still not in operation, I guess they ran out of funds. Prior to the closing of the park the real thrill was not getting killed on the rusty rides.
I forget which one of these parks I was at when I got on the funhouse ride with my wife and her sister. I got in the seat to the left with wife in the middle, as we rounded the track to the right a prop jumps out to scare us with the strobe lights flashing in the dark and it clocks me in the skull so I saw stars for the remainder of the ride. My wife and her sister were in hysterics, tears streaming down their faces. After so many fun house rides at other parks you quit bracing yourself for the skeleton.
I can't really recall ever being at a lame park. Maybe because the ones I went to growing up were in NY and NJ and were "big name" and properly managed.
Not really a park, but when I spent some time in central Florida I hooked up with a traveling carnival as a freelance photographer. My job was to take both formal and informal shots of all the workers, the rides, the customers, etc. for use in advertising.
Well, it started off great but soon turned ugly. A lot of the midway guys threatened to kill me if I took their picture. Didn't matter that the boss said OK. One of their GFs took a shine to me and that only made things worse. Some of the rides I simply couldn't get a picture of without including rust or missing bolts . The food stands? I had to edit out the flies in the darkroom. The customers were the easiest by far to photograph.
Sounds like an adventure Phil , I only remember these ones so well because of Palisades, Disneyland, Disney World, Knots Berry Farm, Pirates World and Silver Dollar City before Dollywood took it over. I use to sign along with Palisades commercials as a kid....come on over...lol
Last edited by Rcm58; 07-09-2008 at 11:28 AM..
Reason: typo, more info...I have my reasons....lol
An amusement park...well, more like a theme park...built on a SWAMP in NY (da Bronx). Parts of it were always sinking...mosquitoes were bloodthirsty...they had 10 people injured with one of their Wild West shows when the wagon crashed...the main office was robbed and the guys got away in a BOAT...
It was only open from 1960 - 1964 when they went bankrupt, but it had a fascinating history. Designed by a former planning guy for Disneyland...the park was shaped like the US and had themes in each section reflecting US history...they were plagued with fires...
...but as a 5-year old, it was magical. At least, until the World's Fair came in 1965...
Wow!, I was in NY then, wonder why I don't remember it....I'll check out your link....more like quest for freedom right?....lol...Go on take the money and run.
I don't like the overhyped, overcrowded, and overhuge amusement parks. For that reason, I hate Kings Island. You spend more time standing in line than you do on the rides.
I'm not sure if Sea World in San Diego is considered a "Theme Park".. I just go there to check out some fishy stuff, and some whales, and a lot of sharks... and no I'm not talking about gals I dated in the past!
Other than Sea World, I've never really gone to any of those big theme parks. I've gone to the State Fair.. that's probably about as lame as you can get when it omes to theme parks!
We had a small theme park here in Phoenix called Legend City, but it closed down sometime in the 1980's.
St Augustine's The Fountain Of Youth, not really a Theme Park but wow did I get taken. Again I went in the 80's, plywood signs hand painted, waited in line with the other morons for a dixie cup of water from a rusty pipe. I can only hope its improved.
LOL
Yeah, it was pretty lame and also gets my vote as well. We made it worthwhile and went into the prison that was right over there, that was semi-decent at best. And the cups they gave us at the FOY were actually plastic with whats-his-name on it (that Spanish conquistador).
Ponce de Leon? Was that his name?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. The food stands? I had to edit out the flies in the darkroom. The customers were the easiest by far to photograph.
, I only remember these ones so well because of Palisades, Disneyland, Disney World, Knots Berry Farm, Pirates World and Silver Dollar City before Dollywood took it over. I use to sign along with Palisades commercials as a kid....come on over...lol
