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.
 
I can't believe it...does Houston REALLY need another damn strip center?? The shopping mall and sports arena ideas I can live with. Everything else, forget it.
 
Jasonl:The "Knoebels" sounds like a good place for band organ fans.There is a person I know in the Wash DC area that has a collection of band organs and juke boxes-sold many of them off years ago-went thru his warehouse-asked him if some of his organs played-didn't say a thing-just turned it on and started it up-MUSIC.He also owned the carousel on the Mall in Wash DC-the one across from the Smithsonian.The programs are "loaded" into the organs-In American models such as Wurlitzer-they are on rolls much like a player piano.They play by vacuum.European instruments use a perforated "folding music book"-or card system reed like feelers sense the holes in the book card and then sound the corresponding instrument.-just like the Jacquard weaving loom.the cards for those are still used by some weaving companies today.Very durable and relaible system.Remember the harsh outdoor conditions band organs may be asked to operate in-damp or dry outdoors.also the book organs may use a "pressure" system-opposite of the USA organ or piano "Vacuum" system-a puff of air goes thru the book hole-causing an instrument to play.A pinch roller holds the book against the tracker bar.At Glen Echo-the organ operator there told me he got most of the 165 rolls from a local yard sale-the rolls were marked "Misc Piano" rolls-they were a roll library for a 165 organ-he bought them on sight-paid something like $10 for them.He also cuts rolls himself-he has "arranged" some interesting songs-like the "Candy Man".Once you know the tracker system of the organ and musically inclined-you can play the organ by "programming" it with your own cut rolls.Its a tedious process.He cuts them by hand.Roll makers cut them by machines.The machine may be programmed by a computer-Apple ones work good for the process."QRS" roll company still makes rolls for pianos and organs.The instrument you saw and heard that was a piano with percussion is an " Orchestron"Yes they were the precurser to the jukebox.They had either a piano or an organ as the foundation instrument.Many companies built them before the jukebox took over.There are many folks who collect and restore these devices.Still interesting today. In fact many young people when they seee and hear a band organ ask-"Where can I get one of these?Is this something new?"You then explain to them that the instrument playing could be almost 100 years old.
 
Rolling Green and Knoebels

I grew up about 50 miles north of Harrisburg PA and we had an Amusement Park within walking distance of our house and I spent a lot of time there. It was call Rolling Green Park. It wasn't a huge park, but big enough. It had all the classic rides, a rickety wooden roller coaster and a smaller metal one (that I think may be at Knoebels now). The place had a lake that you could take paddle boats on and a community swimming pool. It really was a great place. They also had a large roller skating rink that doubled for dance hall on the weekend evenings. Some legendary bands played there. Since the dance hall was on top of a hill we could hear the music very clearly from our house. We could hear the music they played during the day for the roller skaters as well. My favorite ride was the Devil's Den, their haunted house/roller coaster. Parts of the Devil's Den are now in the Knoebels Grove Haunted House. A developer bought the land the amusement park was on and tore down the amusement part and built a housing development. The street names are all park-related and that's the only clue that an amusement park ever stood there.

But only 20 minutes up the road was Knoebels Grove and I spent a lot of time there in my youth as well. Knoebels still has a band shell and in the summer time, rock bands would play and that was the place to be in the late '70s on a Friday or Saturday night. Knoebels is very much like it was 30 years ago. They have expanded a bit, added some more rides, but it's essentially the same place. I love going there. I went there a couple times this year. The last time I was there, I rode all the rides I wanted to ride, ate all I wanted to eat, went swimming and bought a pair of shoes. Price tag: 25 bucks. It's a beautiful place and I hope it never changes.

Currently, I live 10 minutes from Hershey Park and I despise the place. You have to fork out at least 35 bucks for parking and admission before you even get through the gates. And what do you get for that 35 bucks? You get the privilege to stand in line with hundreds of others for 45 minutes to get on a 60 second ride and pay 4 dollars for a coke. It's horrible. I hate the place.

At Knoebels, there is no parking fee. There is no admission fee. The rides can be pay as you go if you're not a big ride rider. You can get a hand stamp to ride all the rides if you chose to, but you have that choice. The food is awesome and the prices are totally reasonable if not ridiculously cheap. The place is never too crowded. It's a very leisurely, relaxing experience. And it's always comforting to see the same classic rides that were there 30, 40, and 50 years ago. I always thought of the place as being a secret retreat, so I was very surprised to see it mentioned here in this thread.
 
Oh so sorry to hear that Austin. I did not realize that once a real nice place such as Astroworld turned ghetto. The Texas Cyclone was a ride you would not forget. I rode it when I was about 22, the last time and now at 43, I can still remember the thrill and coming out of my seat.

Steve
 
The Old Sled Works

On a related note, not far from Harrisburg is a little town called Duncannon. In this sleepy little town was a factory that built all the Lightning Guider sleds. When I was growing up me and every other kid had our own Lightning Guiders but I always processed the name as "Lightning Glider" for some reason. That factory is defunct now but a guy named Jimmy bought the place and turned it into a Antiques co-op called the Old Sled Works. Years ago I could find some great stuff there but now it's pretty much crap and not worth the bother to even look through. And a large chunk of it has been turned into a "Crafts" co-op which is this perennial style that the women of central PA can not crawl out from under. It's hideous and if your home isn't decorated in Craft style, you are an outcast in this area.

Anyway, Jimmy retains a section of this old factory building for himself and runs an authentic old style soda fountain and vintage arcade. And as the co-op sinks deeper and deeper into irrelevance, his soda fountain/vintage arcade just gets better and better. The sofa fountain is an authentic soda fountain removed from a drug store or a Woolworth's or something, I forget. But it's fully functioning and authentic in every way.

He also is a vintage television collector and has just about every Predicta model ever made on display and working all over the place with a constant stream of Three Stooges shorts piped to all the TVs simultaneously. I stopped in yesterday and he added a vintage silver Jetstream travel trailer to the place and you can go up into it to eat your meal. It's absolutely wonderful. I was opening all the closets in the Jetstream and inspecting every inch of it while a family was eating at the table inside.

As I said, it's a working vintage arcade as well, with classic pinball machines, skeet-ball machine, you name it, it's there and ready for you to play. He even has some peep show machines that you can View vintage pin-up girls on. The one machine has pictures of the girls that you can hope to see when you plunk in your quarter and Bettie Page is one of the girls shown on the machine.

Aside from the vintage games, there is all kind of amusement park and carnival type memorabilia displayed about the place. Big Clown heads from fun houses, for instance. It really is a wonderful place and just gets better all the time. So, if you are in the area, it's a great place to stop by and wonder around it. Last year Jimmy sponsored a Vintage Game expo in Hershey. It was mostly vintage pinball machines and jukeboxes, but there were all kinds of things for you vintage basement playroom. That's where I purchased my Preditca barber pole television. The expo was so successful, that he is holding this year in the old Hershey arena so there's more space for stuff and space for more vendors.

Oh, and I forgot. There is a section of the Old Sled Works building that is a Lightning Guider museum of sorts that is great too with many vintage sleds on display and pictures of the old factory, etc.
 
Sorry

Sorry for the mini-rant on craft-style decorating, but as a straight man with a gay style gene, it just offends my sensibilities. I can't help it.
 
Link to old Sledworks

Here's a link to the old sledworks web page. If you go through the site thoroughly, you'll see pictures of the soda fountain, the vintage games and even the Jetstream that I was talking about.

http://www.sledworks.com/
 
Peony Park

There was a great old amusement park in Omaha called Peony Park. There weren't that many rides, but the ones they had were pretty fun. They also had a gorgeous (and massive) Art Deco Ballroom, an outdoor dance floor with cool Art Deco bandshell, and a huge outdoor swimming pool with a sandy beach. It's a supermarket or something now. This was not too far from the last surviving round Super-Cinerama theatre in the world, (the Indian Hills) which is now a parking garage.

Here in Seattle, we have the "Fun Forest" at the Seattle Center (formerly known as "The Gayway", but changed for some reason ;-) It's not much, especially after they tore down a lot of it for the somewhat lame "Experience Music Project" (which I think is becoming a science fiction museum?) but it is right downtown, so it's convenient.
 
Yes,I know about Seeburg automatic pianos,orchestrons,and organs.They and Wurlitzer were the largest builders of those instruments.Then--onto jukeboxes.It was sort of sad when the jukebox came about-some orchestron owners BURNED their old instruments to celebrate the arrival of their new jukeboxes.Others were dissasembled for scrap.After all-that iron piano string frame is worth something-esp in those old days.and not to mention the lead from the organ pipes and the lead air and vacuum tubing in the instrument.In restorations-the lead air pipes are removed and replaced with plastic ones.The old organ pipes are kept though.I have a book at home that outlines the history,builders and types of mechanical musical instruments that were made in the era before radios,record players,tape recorders and jukeboxes.I like jukeboxes too-they are fascinating devices.Just haven't gotten around to buy one.A collegue at work out here repairs and restores them along with older radios.The "sledworks" link is very interesting-sounds like a really good place to visit.
 

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