My Old Experiences as a constant visitor at Opryland........

I lived in Brentwood, Tennessee (about a half hour out of Nashville) for about five years, and about a year passed since the year Opryland U.S.A. closed. I loved this place, because there rarely was a huge crowd and the atmosphere was always of a friendly sort.

Of the roller coasters, I was always a huge fan of Chaos, the indoor roller coaster themed to an alien attack after a shuttle launch. The train was absurdly long and the lift was twisting its way up. When I was young, I was scared of the alien near the end of the ride. I loved this masterpiece and was sad to see it go.

http://rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/opryland-usa/chaos1.jpg

The biggest thing to really ever happen to the park was the addition of the biggest looping coaster in Tennessee, The Hangman. It was an SLC, one of the first. The lines were huge! We Tennesseans have never seen things hang from a track anywhere. It was awesome while it lasted, but it soon became too bumpy and it hurt like Hell. Oh well, for one to two years, it was fine.

http://rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/opryland-usa/hangman1.jpg

Those were the two standouts. The other looping coaster, the Wabash Cannonball, was a typical Arrow corkscrew. I stopped riding after it gave me one too many nosebleeds.

http://rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/opryland-usa/wabash-cannonball2.jpg

The Rockinrollercoaster was a fun little mine ride with a good helix at the end. I outgrew it though.

http://rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/opryland-usa/rock-n-roller-coaster1.jpg

The Screamin Delta Demon was a bumpy little bobsled ride, but it was so well hidden in the trees that it was tough to see what was coming next. Fun ride.

http://rcdb.com/pictures/picmax/opryland-usa/screamin-delta-demon1.jpg

What made the park so fun is the great shows and the energetic work by its staff and entertainers. It was literally the perfect family fun park, with a bit for everyone. The people around you were always in a good mood, so it only made my time a whole lot better.

Have you ever seen a man eat his own face?

Ok... None of the links want to work right for me, and secondly what's your point?

I've often wondered from time to time, how to write good poetry- and make it all... Work.

Thanks for sharing your memories. It's such a shame that the bastards of Gaylord Entertainment chose to tear Opryland USA down for a damn mall instead of adding new attractions to keep the park popular. 2004 would have been it's 33rd season. :(

At least Tennessee still has one of it's two unique parks, Dollywood.

*** Edited 7/21/2004 5:36:03 PM UTC by Dukeis#1***

MarimbaGuy87 said:
Ok... None of the links want to work right for me, and secondly what's your point?

To share my old experiences at Opryland U.S.A. Need it spelled out any clearer?

Have you ever seen a man eat his own face?

Let's all play nice now

518 coasters ridden but who's counting...............?

MarimbaGUy, that really wasn't called for.

Thanks for the memories Coastergoose...I loved Opryland! *** Edited 7/22/2004 12:20:27 AM UTC by Peabody***

Real Cbuzz quote of the day - "The classes i take in collage are so mor adcanced then u could imagen. Dont talk about my emglihs" - Adamforce

God, I loved Chaos. What a unique ride. Its still my favorite indoor rollercoaster, even to this day.

The Millenium Force ride Ops: Squishing you where it counts since 2000. Track Record: 89 coasters

Me too. I rode it opening year and it was amazing.

Real Cbuzz quote of the day - "The classes i take in collage are so mor adcanced then u could imagen. Dont talk about my emglihs" - Adamforce

Didn't you love the old Carousel On The Lake? That was truly an amazing piece of machinery.

I survived a Japanese typhoon and the Togo flat ride of death!!!!!!

I never made it to Opryland. I was supposed to stop there and at Dollywood on my way back to Ohio from Alabama in 1996, but it never happened.

It seems as though Chaos was the most nostalgically loved ride in the place. Shame I never got to ride it.

Theme Park Borchures has added a 1972 Opryland USA Brochure. 1972 was Opryland's opening season.

I have that brochure in my Opryland collection, but I wasn't sure it was from the opening season. Sweeeet.

I survived a Japanese typhoon and the Togo flat ride of death!!!!!!

Also, i never knew why Gaylord chose to build the mall where the park was. Theres A lot of land just down the street, still is! Every time i go to Crap Mills , I check out the Grizzley. I think Gaylord kept it there just to piss off everyone who loved Opryland! LoL ;)