Idora Park coasters demolished following years of dormancy

Everyone is always saying how brutal the Wildcat was, but I don't remember it being that bad. Granted it was about 18 years ago and I was a lot younger and could tolerate a lot more back then, but what I remember was a fun relentless ride that grabbed you didn't let you go until the end.

I grew up on these two fine coasters and they will be sorely missed but could be rebuilt as the blue prints for both are out there somewhere. There were actually rumors of Conneuat wanting to move the Jack Rabbit and having the Wildcat blue prints, but unfortunately, they just don't have the money.

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Christ how do you kids do it

This comes as no surprise to me. I live in the Youngstown area and was born right after the park went bankrupt.

There is only one reason these rides were torn down on such short notice. The Mount Calvary Pentacoastal Church has owned the land for quite some time. Several months ago the Historic ballroom burned to the ground mysteriously. Right after it happened the church announced that they'd be building there new church on the spot of the old balroom. I find this a bit odd that it happened to burn down, and the spot suited the plans for the new church.

They wanted theoe coasters out of there from the get go. Many groups offered to take the coasters elsewhere, but I never heard anything else about it. Does anyone know what happened to the offers to move the coasters?

"The ride was hazardous to tresspassers and neighborhood kids (tresspassers)."

I know that the rides were in disrepair and wouldn't have been able to operate anymore, however, I have NO pity if some tresspasser got injued while tresspassing. If there were adequate signs posted around (and you used your common sense), you would know not to climb around or on these coasters. For that to even be considered as a reason to tear down these rides is really pathetic.

But I do agree that they weren't able to be used again, thus making it senseless to keep them up.

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A New World. A New Technology. One Last Hope for Salvation. Neon Genesis Evangelion

The two coasters were SBNO for 17 years, that's longer then I have been alive.

R.I.P

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Current Favorite Coasters:
1)Raging Bull 2)Millennium Force 3)Medusa (SFMW) 4)Vertical Velocity (SFGAm) 5)Incredible Hulk, The

hmmmm, that sucks, and is it me or does this site got some HUGE print now....

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t h e r e s a monkey in my pocket and he stealing all my change, his stare is blank and glassy i suspect that hes diranged.....

It's really sad that they had to come down, both my parents spent their teenage years on those two coasters and have been telling me the stories for years, yea they were rotting away, but it would still be nice if an amusement park were to take the blue prints and rebuild them instead of building something thats "bigger faster better!!" One thing I like about Kennywood above all other parks, is the amount of classic rides, it really changes the whole amusment park experience
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Bugs hurt at 70 mph. *** This post was edited by ThrillSeeker on 7/27/2001. ***

WOW. I was just there 2 weeks ago. No one seemed to care.

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Thanks for riding Tidal Wave and enjoy your day here at Mariott's Great America!!
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A WORD:

I have read a good number of these and I can understand everyones sadness. I am too.

When the fire occured in 1984, even then they didn't have the funds to rebuild it, there was help, but not enough. They even ran the Jack Rabbit backwards and renamed it "Back Wabbit" to entice business, and even with donations from other parks, they were not able to succeed.
Since its been closed for so many years, the chances have been slim on re-opening, the ballroom fire only forwarded the destruction.

Also be aware that the park was never deemed an historic landmark, so there really was no reason to keep the park. Also, you could walk right in the back way, we did, so vandelism was purely simple. There was not a reason to keep it after it had been rotting so long, the coasters were on the verge of falling, so there was no point.....

I am surprised its been there till now....

So my coaster friends, dry your eyes and appreciate what we have, before its gone.
*** This post was edited by john peck on 7/27/2001. ***

The Jackrabbit was in good shape it looked bad beacuse the paint had peeled. Last year is when Conneuat was going to move it but ran into money problems. The wildcat was in bad shape. Two years ago at the top of the lift hill and turn around it collapsed under the weight of snow.

What a shame...........Even though these rides were closed before my time I still feel the loss!

All I have to say is that I'm always saddened to find things like this to happen, even though they can never be restored. It still is sad to demolish anything really old. I also understand the safety concerns. It's like when I got to see thunderbolt at coney 1 1/2 weeks before it was demolished with no announcement.

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ULTIMATECOASTER.com - In Search of the "Ultimate"
http://www.ultimatecoaster.com/ *** This post was edited by Coastin Carl on 7/27/2001. ***

This is truly sad news, why must people destroy some of the most historical coasters in the country? Hopefully the blueprints still exist so that newer versions can be made.

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Join CRAMB (Coaster Rider's Against Markey's Bill) today.

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Well, we'll never know if this could've been another Phoenix. Oh well. But if they were in such bad condition, then it probably wasn't worth the effort.

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Batwing-Bow Down

No There was absolutley NO WAY those coasters were ever going to run again without "completely" rebuilding them. The Big Dipper at Chippewa lake, though SBNO for even a longer time, has held up a little better being surrounded by trees.

Idora Park's land will make a beautiful site for the new Church.

Just to let it be known, there are blue prints out there for the Wildcat....

(hopefully some day....)

Here's hopin'.................but how about the new church AND a park!!!! I can see it now.......the "Holy Roller" Coaster! At least someone took the effort to create a beautiful model of the Wildcat (visit the Idora link above). Very nice!

For serious enthusiasts, I also suggest the book IDORA PARK - The Last Ride Of Summer.

Do you know if ANY of The Wildcat Coaster at Idora Park is still standing?? I just need a piece of it. I want to shoot pictures of it before it is completely gone! I live in Louisiana though, so I have no way of knowing if it's still there and I don't want to make an 18 hour drive for nothing. Do you have any idea if it is, or know anyone that might know?

Thank You!!