Your old amusement park haunts ...

[MRP]

Growing up it was mostly carnivals or fairs for amusement park type rides, but for birthday I often go to go and bring a friend to Riverside Park in Agawam, MA. Though I think my favorite thing was going to the demolition derby at the racetrack attached to the part (Riverside Speedway). It became Six Flags over New England some time ago and I haven't been in probably 20-25 years, but I had a lot of fun memories there. I do remember going to Santa's Village in New Hampshire a couple of times when I was very young, and visiting Hershey on our 8th grade class trip, but most of the time it was going to Riverside or fairs like the Big E (Eastern States Exposition) to do rides and such. I've done a few others as an adult (Six Flags in New Jersey, Busch Gardens in Virginia, Disneyland in Anaheim, Sea World in SD, etc.) but not so much in the last couple of decades.



-M

(note just noticed this is my 42nd post, so it must contain the answers to life, the universe and everything somewhere within it)

[Apjac Corny]

I fondly remember Dorney Park but the coolest one was just outside of Philadelphia called Six Gun Territory. It was a Wild West themed amusement park that grew out of the last gasps of the famous Willow Grove Park. It closed in 1976 but I have vivid memories of the shootouts, people falling off horses & roofs. It was like my TV had come to life.

[Hector]

Great America, Marine World Africa USA, and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

[YoungOnce]

Mostly Kings Island in Mason, OH (near Cincinnati). Went there multiple times through my youth. They had Hanna-Barbera Land! It was actually where the amusement park scenes in The Banana Splits was filmed.

Also somewhere in nearby Middleton, Ohio was a smaller park called Americana. Went on a few church youth group trips there. Not as big, but less busy, and easier to get on rides. They had the biggest log flume ride I ever rode in my life. HUGE drop on that one, as I recall.

Kentucky Kingdom opened in Louisville in the late 80s/early 90s, and then eventually was bought by Six Flags. I remember both versions. Six Flags pulled out several years back, but the original part of the park reopened last year,.

Chris

Oh yeah.. Being from central KY, we'd travel up one day every summer to Kings Island. To save money, mom would pack a cooler with bologna sandwiches and we'd eat lunch in the parking lot before going in. We were so anxious to get in the park, we'd wolf down our food. It was killing us to watch the other folks parked around us walking toward the park.

Don't forget that episode of The Brady Bunch when they went to Kings Island. I remember those canoes where Jan left Mike's blueprints!

[thunderbolt]

Six Flags in St. Louis, Great America, Old Chicago. Nowadays its Disney, tried Universal and that place just stinks now. Horrible security to get in, no fastpasses included with the annual pass and lots of construction.

[Mikey]

I fondly remember Dorney Park but the coolest one was just outside of Philadelphia called Six Gun Territory. It was a Wild West themed amusement park that grew out of the last gasps of the famous Willow Grove Park. It closed in 1976 but I have vivid memories of the shootouts, people falling off horses & roofs. It was like my TV had come to life.

Back in the 70's I remember having Six Gun Territory viewmaster reels.

Up hear in Northern NJ we had Wild West City

[Earth 2 Chris]

Oh yeah.. Being from central KY, we'd travel up one day every summer to Kings Island. To save money, mom would pack a cooler with bologna sandwiches and we'd eat lunch in the parking lot before going in. We were so anxious to get in the park, we'd wolf down our food. It was killing us to watch the other folks parked around us walking toward the park.

Don't forget that episode of The Brady Bunch when they went to Kings Island. I remember those canoes where Jan left Mike's blueprints!

I'm not sure I knew that before! I remember that episode, but I didn't recall it being at Kings Island. I'll have to check that out!

Last summer we went back to Kings Island for the first time in many years. Still a lot of fun, and now the Peanuts are the kids characters there, following the HB crew and then the Nickelodeon characters when Paramount owned the park.

Chris

[HardyGirl]

Great America, Marine World Africa USA, and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Oh yeah, I forgot Marriot's Great America! And Magic Mountain when the mascot was the troll!

[Vermillion-Windmere]

Kings Dominion - Still Open
Hershey Park - Still Open
Busch Gardens Williamsburg - Still Open

[ScottA]

Went to Disneyland when I was 6 - still open
Went to Family Kingdom in Myrtle Beach, SC when I was 10-11 - open
Went to Six Flags Over Georgia for the first time when I was about 12-13 - open
Went to Miracle Strip in Panama City Beach, FL when I was about 20 - closed