Defunct places...

Freakylick: I forgot all about Benson's. I remember going there on a school field trip- as for rides I remember the bumper cars, the round-up, and a ferris wheel. I thihk that was about it??

I think my father told me that they had a lot of mechanical problems and that is why they went out for a while. I had not seen one until Hershey added their Wild Mouse a few years ago. I do remember the seating style that you mentioned. For some reason, that is one of the only details I remember, other than the fact it scared the heck out of me, like I have mentioned I think. But, when you are 3 years old and have no idea what you are doing, you are bound to be scared.

Belomont Park in Montreal. I remember going on my first roller coaster. I had no idea what it was called. Some quick research on the net and I found out it was the Cyclone, but I never found a pic. Until today (it's an out&back of all things!). I work at a newspaper and hit the archives and finally found 2 pics. They have tons of photos of other rides but only 2 of the Cyclone and none of the Wild Mouse they apparently had. If I was taking pics it would have been all coasters.

Anyway, my advice, hit the achives of the paper from the town in question. We've got all types of stuff. I even found a pic of the building of Willard's Wizzer from the AP.

*** This post was edited by Mtl_Shag on 7/31/2002. ***

Marshal Scotty's in El Cajon, California (right outside San Diego) I think thats the name of it. I used to live right across from it. Thats were I became addicted to roller coasters. They had a small kiddie type coaster. That was fun. Does anyone know this park? I cant seem to find it in the park list of coasterbuzz.

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Rob

"Some people spend an entire LIFETIME wondering if they made a DIFFERENCE. The MARINES don't have that problem." -President Reagan 1985

Yes: Long Beach's Pike and Oxnard's Wagon Wheel Park.

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"Outside of a dog, a man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog its too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

I'm with jimvid. Enchanted Forest was an early playground for me, shortly followed by a long devotion to Marriott's Great America (which might as well be defunct). And though I've never been to the original Elitch's, my parents rode Mr. Twister on their honeymoon! That had to be the start of my obsession!
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Brad Sherman
BuzzCon Frequent Flyer, responsible for guests fleeing the queue in horror!
Model coasters and rides

I remember my first coasters at Circus World in Orlando, Fla. I gathered up the nerve to ride both of them(I was about 10) and liked them very much. I have loved coasters ever since.

Opryland. That was my alternate summer home.

Boblo Island

Well, not a park I've ever been to, but I've been researching a defunct park where I'm currently living. Eldridge Park in Elmira, NY had a small out-and-back coaster called Speedway (I believe). There were quite a few other rides there, too. I'm going to be spending some time in the local library/historical society just out of curiousity.

Anybody ever been there before they tore down the coaster?

Long Point Park in Conesus, NY. It was a very small park with a tilt-a-whirl, scrambler, mini-ferris wheel, mini-golf, Skee-ball, and a rickity old kiddie coaster called Little Dipper. That was officially my *first* coaster. I used to go there every weekend in the summer when I was a little kid to ride the rides and swim at the beach (it was on Conesus Lake). I think they closed it for good about ten years ago or so. Too bad really. They really let it go way down hill it's last few years. My very first, gone.

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Enjoy yourself. These are the good old days you're going to miss in the years ahead.

Circus World/Boardwalk & Baseball, which was accutally an hour away from both Tampa and Orlando, but not in either of them.

My 2 frist coaster were that, back in 1985 I was 12, they were Zoomerang and the Florida Huricane. (Ironicly these also were my wife's frist coasters).

But behold, both of the Classic southern coasters are still in operation today. Zoomerang as Afterburner at Fun Spot, in Angolia Indiana.

http://www.rcdb.com/installationdetail332.htm

and the Florida Huricane as the Arkansaw Twister, at Magic Springs and Crystal Falls in Hot Springs Arkansaw.

http://www.rcdb.com/installationdetail418.htm

Enjoy these classic rides.

Enchanted Forest that used to be here in Chesterton, IN. I worked there from 77 til 87 doing all kinds of things ranging from being a sweeper to mechanic to working in foods to being a ride op. Hell, Arrow Guy and Jim vid, we probably crossed paths a few times there..lol. I ran the Mad Mouse ( my baby,) and the Hurricane and the Surf when I was in rides. I really had fun back then.

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Beer, my soon to be wife, coasters, and the FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Is this a great country or what!!
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Hanna Barberra land in kings dominion. It was really magical for a little kid.

I'd go with Enchanted Forest in Chesterton too. I remember they had the best go-carts. That is where Splash Down Dunes is now, correct? Does anybody have any pics of EF?

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Vertigo Shots 3.
Life-Long CP fan.

*** This post was edited by gecko on 8/1/2002. ***

Well there used to be an amusement park in my area called Suburban Park but it closed like 30 years ago. I really wish it was still in business.

Walled Lake Amusement Park (Michigan) where I had my first ever roller coaster ride. Mostly old flats (tilt-a-whirl, scrambler, etc). My parents used to go on dates at this park. Closed in the 60's and condos are in the spot now.

Edgewater Park (Michigan) I avoided the two coasters in my early trips, but trips between 1969-1971 I rode both. Saw Bobby Sherman and David Cassidy in the "band shell". This park lost it's appeal due to rough clientele and I prefered CP.

Boblo Island was an annual summer event, riding the Boblo Boats down the Detroit River and spending the day at the park. Didn't ride the old Thunder Bolt woodie, but went the year after Sky Streak opened (mid 70's). The park had lost some of it's charm by then, especially compared to CP.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

In respnse to the Playland Park in OC, Maryland, It was located between 63rd and 64th Streets and was located on the Bay side of Coastal Hywy. It closed in the late 1970's and sat SBNO for a few years before the property was redeveloped. I believe there is a medical center located there along with some retail stores.

*** This post was edited by Rescue131 on 8/1/2002. ***

The second park I ever visited was the now-defunct Hammel's Park in Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana. It was a small park... I remember it as a "Permanent Carnival." I seem to recall a Spider flat ride, a Flume (that appeared in all of its commercials), and a Zyklon roller coaster (which was moved to Branson USA). I can always remember driving up and seing all the lights on the rides... as well as getting a large wad of gum stuck on my shoe in the station of Zyklon!

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Marshall Scotty's was sold a few years ago shortly after the Huish family opened the relocated Family Fun Center in El Cajon. It was renamed Frasiers Frontier, and the new owners started an advertising campaign. However I don't think they could compete with the nearby FFC. The last time I went by there it looked shuttered.