How many people have ever gone to an SBNO park like Idora or Chippewa and walked around? I've never done it myself, but I always find it fascinating when someone does come back and give a description of the current state of the parks. How do you get permission to go onto the land? It's always been a dream of mine to go look at the remains of Idora, especially after I read Charles Jacques' new book.
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Phantom's Revenge:
The Legend Lives On
I have done a few. Western PA and Ohio had a lot of defunct but still standing parks untill fairly recently. They would shutter the park and sell off what iron rides they could and leave the buildings and high rides to rot untill they could find a buyer for the land.By the way I did this with the owners permission. NEVER trespass in a SBNO. It can be far more dangerous than you think.
I walked around Doodlebug Park a few years ago. It was a tiny park (only kiddie rides) about 15 miles from Knoebels. The park closed in the late 70's and we were there in the mid 90's. All the rides were gone. The buildings were still there restrooms, food stands with peeling paint. I don't know if anything is there yet or not. No coasters or anything cool just the old decaying buildings.
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Parks Hit For 2000! PKD, BGW,DP,HP,PKI,HW,SFKK,SFA,GAdv,SFNE,LC,GE,QP,CDP,LP,KG,SFO,WG,GE,KW,IW,WL,
I live about 10 minutes away from Chippewa Lake and i've never been there. My friend has, you just have to go under the fence and if you get caught run away.
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Disaster Transport is exactly that - a disaster of a ride. - KMAN
I made a visit to Chippewa Lake. Lots of No Tresspassing signs but there were quite a few people in there, mostly young teens but I did see a few older people in the back fishing in the lake. I didn't stay too long because I was nervous about getting caught and The skeeters were really bad around the Coaster. Pretty interesting place and very sad to see a park in that condition. I've also been to the amusement section of Nay Aug Park in Scranton PA. It is a city park that is still open but the rides closed down a while ago. I used to go when about half the rides were open and the other half covered in weeds, awaiting whatever fate is coming. I also often drove by Bertrand Island Park in New Jersey. Used to visit it frequently when it was open, then drove around it a lot after it closed, witnessed the demolition of the Wildcat Coaster, very sad experience for me. I never tresspassed in there though, was able to see everything from the road - very long and skinny park on the lakeshore.
Speaking of SBNO. The Big Dipper at SFO looks strikingly similar to the Coaster at Chippewa Lake (what I could see of that). Same designer/company/time period?
They're approxamatly the same time period. The Big Dipper at SFO is a John Miller coaster while the one at Chippewa Lake Park is attributed to the Pearce family.
