Roller coasters, vintage amusment rides

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jasonl

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How many here are into amusement park stuff such as coasters, rides, carousels, band organs, etc.?

I'm totally into it and my favorite park is Knoebels in Pennsylvania. Other great parks are Canobie Lake, Dorney, Kennywood, Lake Compounce.

My home park in New Orleans as a child was Pontchartrain Beach. They had the Zephyr roller coaster as well as the traditional park rides: Scrambler, Tilt-a-Whirl, Zipper, Ferris Wheel, Haunted House, Flying Scooters (Knoebels still has theirs)

So who else is with me on this? Rides? Coasters? Cotton Candy?
 
Elitch Gardens, Denver

Although a California native, spent some younger years (3-13) in Denver. Denver had two amusement parks, Lakeside (never went there) and Elitch Gardens.

Elitch's had started out as gardens and a playhouse way back at the beginning of the century. By the 60s and early 70s, they were very much a "traditional" amusement park. By traditional I mean not a "Six Flags" or some other chain of parks.

My memories were quite pleasant--the thrill of going there and anticipation of rides. My favorites were the haunted house (the good old fashioned kind, all mechanical and lights and fans blowing on you) the "bubble" ride that took you for a scenic ride over the park, and the fast bumper cars.

Years later, unbelievably, they moved from that location to right next to downtown! How many amusement parks move to a downtown area? Now it is very much compressed, with more thrill rides and to me it lost its charm. It's a Six Flags park, which to me always means more emphasis on fast coasters than on old fashioned amusement park fun.

How about these memories---taking a break from rides and going to the arcade. Skee-ball, and that western mechanical cowboy that would try to "outdraw" you (and never seemed to work right) and a hall of mirrors, pinball. Then over to get the best hot dogs you ever had, better than baseball hotdogs, and follow that up with lemonade and popcorn.

I hope we do not continue to lose these great vintage parks that we still do have left.
 
I love parks and riding rollercoasters. My favorites are in Walt Disney World. All the Mountains, Space, Thunder, Splash. Rock n Roll, Tower of Terror, I love Mission Space, and can't wait to Ride Mt Everest next summer.

Next to Disney Hershey is my second favorite. You can't beat eating chocolate and great rides in one place.

Jason, you mentioned Dorney, Kennywood, and Knoebles, Have you been to them. Dorney and Knoebles are close to me and Kennywood is out by my buddies house. I have lived near Dorney since 1965 and have gone to the park Roller skating in the late 70's early 80's but have only gone to the park for the first time this year. must have rode all the coasters about 4 times each and they have over 5 great ones. The new one Hydra is awesome.
 
PA parks

Oh yes, I've been to Dorney, Kwood, and Knoebels numerous times. Knoebels is the museum of vintage rides. All restored and ready to be enjoyed. What's my phavorite coaster? The Phoenix of course. gimme some airtime.

I want to go to Lakeside. Looks like an awesome old-time place.

Chees curds are the absolute bomb. And so are Knoebels Cheese on a stick and chicken fries. Burger King ain't got nuthin' on Knoebels food.
 
love old wooden roller coasters

Jason, I also went to Canobie Lake in Salem, NH (still open) many times as a kid, LOVED IT !!!, the old "Riverside" park in western MA is now a "SIX FLAGS" and is overcrowded and the lines are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy to long ......... but sad to say, good 'ole WHALOM PARK, for a "whale of a time" in central MA closed about five years ago. That is where my parents met and my grandparents met. It was a 100 yr old park just before closing due to insufficient funds to keep it alive ........... so , so sad, it really bothered me to see it close. You can still drive by and see most of the rides, paint peeling, grass and shrubery way overgrown .......... breaks my heart ..........
 
Back in the 60's we'd usually make a pilgrimage to Cedar Point at least once each summer, other than that it was just the travelling carnival that showed up and set up either on a shopping center parking lot or a bit of empty field somewhere and the same in Pt Huron during the Mackinaw races
I hated cotton candy and could just barely stomach the candy apples, though the mini-donuts I always like.
Those old rickety rides are best, like the Zipper and the Salt & Pepper. I've only been on a couple of the newer metal, upside down type rollercoasters and to me they weren't as fun as the woooden ones, too smooth and all those harnesses sort of take the thrill out of it.
 
Riverside (SFNE) is overcrowded. The Cyclone's still there but the lines are way long, slow operations, overcrowding, ghetto people, etc. Superman: Ride Of Steel is excellent though. As soon as it makes its first drop, it's a 2 minute orgasm.
 
Maybe when the Boston Convention takes place we'll all have to take a trip to Knoebel's Grove...looks like FUN! I saw the roller coaster segment on the Convention 2002 DVD, and the Phoenix looks like a blast to ride!
 
Knoebels

Knoebels is about 7 hours away from Boston, MA.

The Phoenix is the totally best coaster ever. One trip to Knoebels and you're hooked. It's that good.
 
I am into band organs and carousels. I have a large collection of band organ music-and also love to listen to them and "watch" them live.Thats part of the carousel ride. Used to ride the carousel at Glen Echo in Wash DC and the one on the mall.Both rides have Wurlitzer organs-the mall one has a #125,and the Glen Echo one-a 165.Both are magnificent.esp the crash symbol on the roof of the 165-love listening to the "Ben Her chariot Rac e" on it-that crash symbol gets a real workout!!Would love it if someone would make DVD video recorddings of the organs-esp the european models-you can watch the animated figures on them as the organ plays.Unfortunately there isn't any carousels that are convenient to me here.glad I have my cassettes and CD's of them-esp good to listen to in the car!
 
Knoebels has I think 4 different ones. The one housed in their carousel has the animated figures. The music is just overwhelming. The one on their kiddie carousel is a smaller unit but it has glass windows so you can watch it work. I loved its drum section. On the fast polkas, it was like BOOM-TISHHH BOOM-TIISSHHHH. The waltzes had that classic Oom-pah-pah sound. They have a Wurlitzer 165 sitting in a trailer right across from the Phoenix. Right after 911, they had all American patriotic songs loaded into it. Next time I go to Knoebels I can make video recordings of them.

In their museum, there's a coin-op player piano. It had a small snare drum and cymbal for backup. I guess that was like a precursor to a jukebox, which they also have.

Knoebels is a magical place!
 
We always loved Astroworld as kids. I wonder if it is still a nice park? Austin?

More recently now in Florida, we love Bush Gardens in Tampa! Had annual passes for years. Used to go every weekend. The Montu, Gwazi, Kumba, and now a new one, Sektra I think. Love the inverted rollers!

Steve
 
Hi Steve, Astroworld is no longer operating (closed for good a few weeks ago). Way too crowded and dirty in recent years, and I'm willing to bet they had some operating issues with the rides as well...I'm sure there are more reasons as to why Six Flags shut it down. Last time I was there was when I was 7 or 8, however, so I wasn't aware of any changes. Too bad, really, as the all-wood Texas Cyclone looked like fun and I was too short to ride it at the time.

Mom & my sister were there last year and didn't have much to say about it, was pretty much a ghetto place with a lot of trashy people hanging out there. Not to mention the extremely-inflated prices for getting in the door and in the rides...
 
I also forgot to mention, they're moving the coasters that can be disassembled and tearing down what's left. Not sure what will be put in its spot, as it's a very strategic location in Houston...
 
Goodbye Disastroworld!

I went there only twice. Once about 15 years ago (still in it's prime) and in 2001 (big mistake). The place was run down, very unfriendly ride-ops and unfriendly general public as well.

But I will miss the classics. Texas Cyclone, Greezed Lightning, etc.
 
Oh guess what they are putting in there!

You guys will be SO pleased I am sure!!! (source: Wikipedia)

# parking lot adjacent to Reliant Stadium, Reliant Astrodome, Reliant Arena, and Reliant Center. - most likely outcome
# A minor airport
# A hospital
# Condominiums
# A shopping mall (called George H.W Bush Mall)
# Another small privately-owned business (i.e car dealers, furniture stores, shopping strip center, grocery store, etc.)
# A Wal-Mart Supercenter
# A new sports arena (some speculate will be used if Houston gets picked for an NHL franchise).

Some stores, parking, condos, and a WalMart. Isn't progress fun?

/sarcasm off.
 

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