Mark's Postcard Paradise

[thrillerman1]

Here's the last bit of archive material I have for Cedar Point...2013 when Gatekeeper was the new hotness:

More coupons for your pleasure!

[eddie200330]

I just got an update in my email that there was a new response to this thread.......gmail blocked it as a suspicious threat? I have never seen that before and when I came into the thread there has been no new update. It said likely cause was that the senders email was hacked or someone was using said post for phishing?? None of the other thread updates looked like that or had that message......just an FYI.

[thrillerman1]

December kick-off with a British park of which I really know very little about, Chessington World of Adventures. 2010 brochure provided courtesy of TPR member and master artist, Netdvn...thank you!

[Nrthwnd]

Chessington is a really great park. It also had one of the best spinner coasters, Dragon's Fury.

And the invert, Vampire, was great too, rushing through the woods and over the crowd on the paths.

And Hocus Pocus Hall was a great walk-through, too.

 

Definitely one of my fave UK parks. You should try and get there in the future, Mark.

[thrillerman1]

^Bill, was it on the 2010 TPR UK trip I missed? I would definitely love to get there with TPR someday!

[Nrthwnd]

^ Actually it was on both the original 2006 UK Tour and the 2010 Tour, Mark.

And I do remember it being a favourite amongst a lot of us touring, both years.

Especially that Dragon's Fury coaster. Definitely a highlight for many.

[thrillerman1]

Clearly, I really need to get back to the UK. It's been way too long!

[Nrthwnd]

..And everybody loved Vampire's queue and station, too. It was

almost like the organ player had been copied (spirited away?)

from DL's Haunted Mansion!

 

 

EDIT to Add the ONLY 2 photos I ever took in Chessington, both tours!

2006 - A not-so-exciting shot of Dragon's Fury, from the park's ferris wheel.

2010 - Our Bubble Works Backstage Tour, near it's end. With empty tubs and the water archway working great!

[thrillerman1]

Thanks for the Chessington photos, Bill. Wish I had been there to experience the park with you and TPR!

 

And...unfortunately, I never got to visit Florida's defunct Circus World or its later incarnation as Boardwalk & Baseball (R.I.P), but here's a 36 year look back to 1978 from the Paradise archives...

Classic line-up of thrills!

[cfc]

I never got to experience this park in either of its incarnations--thanks for posting the brochure.

 

There was some park called Pirates World in Dania Beach back in the 1960s and '70s. It figured prominently in a really bad "movie" (of sorts)--Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny. The only way you can sit through this one is by watching the Rifftrax version of it, where they really rip it to shreds. The whole flick was probably just an advertisement for the park that they could show at Christmas kiddie matinees back then.

[djcoastermark]

Sadly the site of the park is now just a typical strip shopping center with a Target, JC Penny, Staples and other such bland box stores.

[thrillerman1]

^ Oh, "progress". Do the Ringlings still call the Orlando area their Winter home?

[thrillerman1]

Here's more from Circus World circa 1981. I can only imagine what their Halloween event would be like if the park was still around. One word...CLOWNS. Noooooo!!!!!

Hey Ron Toomer.

[Geauga Dog]

I really enjoyed viewing your Circus World brochures. Pretty sad that it and it's later incarnation as Boardwalk and Baseball didn't pan out in the end. I wonder what the feasibility studies said the park would draw prior to opening. Since it looks like it was just south of WDW there was really no reason for anyone to venture beyond the mouse.

 

Hope you have something with the infamous Weiner Looping when it was at Circus World. That ride really intrigued me back in the day.

[thrillerman1]

No, unfortunately I don't have any of the Circus World Wiener Looping material, but it's here courtesy of Restoca in the TPR park index if you haven't seen it yet. CW Wisconsin up next...what?

[larrygator]

Hey Mark, just getting caught up on all your updates and submission for the Park Index (except for Cedar Point). Loved reliving my visits to Circus World through your brochures.

Edited December 31, 2014 by larrygator

[thrillerman1]

Thanks Larry!

[edgeboy]

I actually got to ride Weiner Looping at Circus World/Baseball & Boardwalk. I was quite young at the time, but was amazed to see that the train was already twisted at the boarding platform... the front half of the train inclined a bit to one side, and the rear of the train, the other way. It was wild. Also at the time, there was a lap bar as well as a three point harness for each seat. I felt like a test pilot. Which should have probably scared me a bit on reflection. Although I remember the ride being rough, it was oddly enjoyable to my much younger self. Perhaps I'd have a different reaction if I rode it today, though.

[thrillerman1]

^ That sounds really awesome! I wish I could have experienced the Schwarzkopfian goodness.

 

Happy 2015 to Robb, Elissa, Kristen, and all of my TPR readers!!

[thrillerman1]

Wisconsin has their own Circus World too...

[thrillerman1]

I've never visited City Park in New Orleans, but it certainly looks like a relaxing and lush environment...plus they have a few rides. By the looks of things on RCDB, it sounds like they're getting an updated family coaster opening in March of this year.

[Nrthwnd]

I visited the south end of City Park, where the Museum of Art was, as they had this amazing tour of

Faberge' Eggs on display at the time (1994)! The carousel area of it was pretty small and not

much of anything to make it a rides park. But the landscaping and greenery was everywhere and so

lush, it didn't matter. Didn't tour the north end of the park, as it was pretty much all golf courses, lol.

 

A family coaster added to the area will definitely improve it, especially for the kids.

[thrillerman1]

Thanks for the pic from City Park, Jake. I had no idea the coaster spot was barren.

 

Here's Clementon Amusement Park in 2004-05. There's only 4 of these S&S Woodies in the world, right?

Chaos!

[thrillerman1]

This week we move on to Coney Island, Cincinnati in 2006 and 2011 with some historic postcards thrown in. This park could definitely use a new upscaled coaster from the Python, but it's a fun little place for a few hours.

2006

2011

[thrillerman1]

DelGrosso's sure has an interesting history from its early 1900's humble beginnings with the creation of the now famous Italian pasta sauce. I would definitely like to check out this place someday and the sauce too!

Mmmm Spaghetti Wednesday