traincrossin Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 (edited) Kiddieland, for those who don't know, was a very nice family amusement park in Illinois. Due to family disputes and land lease issues, it is now closed for good. I was lucky enough to be able to go down and get to the park before they closed and I must say that I loved the place. There was so much family charm and it seemed like every family generation was there ranging from kids to grandparents. Now that Kiddieland is closed, the only major park in Illinois is Six Flags Great America. So here it is, pictures from the now closed Kiddieland. I do have quite a few videos as well including raw footage of Little Dipper, the train, the antique cars, log jammer, and a music video. I'll be uploading and posting them when I get the chance. Please excuse blurry pictures, my camera is not the best. All POV footage and pictures were taken with permission from the park. I also do have larger and higher quality copies of all the pictures if anyone would want one. I was finally able to upload all of my Kiddieland videos! -Kiddieland 9-26-09 -Auto Cars -Little Dipper -Log Jammer -Train pt. 1 -Train pt. 2 And I will end this report with one of my favorite pictures. Thanks for reading! Night shots Scooters Tilt-A-Whirl signage A couple more Little Dipper pics. It's time to ride the train! Um, no comment. NERD!!!!! Scrambler Artsy The ferris wheel I did not ride it. Pipeline Tornado Back to Log Jammer Cars I think the cow wanted to "pound" it Little Dipper Station Classic handbrakes. LOTS of skeeball! And they have skeeball! OMG GALAGA!!! I loved their arcade full of retro games. This reminds me of someone's avatar... Polyp! Park map Log Jammer signage H20 or water as it is more commonly known as. SKLOOSH!!! Almost there... Wait for it... The log flume was also very nice. This was one of the nicest car rides i've been on. Now time for the antique cars full of hilly terrain and trees! Galleon signage Galleon The ferris wheel Scrambler POV! Tilty and whirly "Scooters" or bumper cars as they're commonly known as. The train with buzz bars! Lift hill Little Dipper! CLOWN!!! Kiddieland The train. Kiddieland. It was cloudy when we got there but it cleared up later. Edited March 6, 2010 by traincrossin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traincrossin Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 Here are the two videos i've upploaded so far. Auto Cars[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Auto_Cars_mno0[/coastertube] Log Jammer[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Log_Jammer_025k[/coastertube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airtime&Gravity Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Such a nice park, I just wish I could have gone there more than once. There are some good rides there, so I hope some other park picks them up, I really hope some park saves the log flume, and it wouldn't surprise me if Grizzly Jacks (a park looking to expand in Utica) or some park in the Dells buys some of the rides. I would just hate to see so many historic rides, mainly the carousels, be sold for scrap or parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueerRudie Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Terribly terribly sad- but a great TR. It reminds me of a small park that used to be in everybody's neighbourhood back decades ago- and so very sad to see another gem go the way of the Dodo. Sigh. Where's my winning lottery ticket when I need it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traincrossin Posted January 3, 2010 Author Share Posted January 3, 2010 Alright, it's been awhile but I was finally able to upload my Kiddieland music video to CoasterTube. Still to come (eventually) is raw footage of Little Dipper and the train. Enjoy the video! [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Kiddieland_mfw7[/coastertube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathbydinn Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Great pictures and video, the song fits the park very nicely. Im a little sad that I never got to go to Kiddieland, but atleast I'll still be able to get the credit when it opens at Great America. This park reminds me alot of Little Amerricka. Small but a place everyone enjoys. They have a few of the same rides and basically the same coaster just mirror images of each other. I hope L.A. doesnt have the same fate as Kiddieland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedten Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Fantastic coverage! It's such a shame this place is gone. I never got to visit kiddieland. I'm glad SFGAm is rebuilding the little dipper but that doesn't make up for loosing kiddieland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbinbop20 Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 This place was so fantastic, It's a shame it couldn't last. I love Dipper Great PTR by the way, you got lots of nice pictures! Good Job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pufferfish Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Great TR and videos. It looked like such a nice park, it's always a shame to see places like this have to close. Does anyone have any idea what has become of, or is going to happen to, the log flume? Is it getting moved anywhere or is it yet another great flume that is gone forever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traincrossin Posted January 21, 2010 Author Share Posted January 21, 2010 ^I believe that Little Amerricka near the Dells bought the log flume at the Kiddieland auction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pufferfish Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 ^That's great to hear. Something like this would fit in great at LA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traincrossin Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 (edited) I was finally able to upload the rest of my Kiddieland videos! Here's RAW footage of Little Dipper and the train. Here's a list of all of my Kiddieland videos. -Kiddieland 9-26-09 -Auto Cars -Little Dipper -Log Jammer -Train pt. 1 -Train pt. 2 Little Dipper [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Little_Dipper_0nty[/coastertube] Train pt. 1 [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=TrainPt1_qkm6[/coastertube] Train pt. 2 [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=TrainPt2_1bpp[/coastertube] Edited March 6, 2010 by traincrossin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownStreak Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 That park sign in the first of your pictures...PLEASE tell me that has been preserved! It is such a classic- I LOVE it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coasterfrk49 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Great videos. Its sad that the place didn't make it. Looks like it was a great first amusement park for parents to take their kids to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traincrossin Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 That park sign in the first of your pictures...PLEASE tell me that has been preserved! It is such a classic- I LOVE it! I believe someone bought it at the Kiddieland auction and tried to resell it on eBay for double what they bought it for. No one bought it from eBay so I don't know what's happened to it. Thank you Robb for posting my trip report on the front page of TPR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G$ Kurt Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 So i need some TPR member help. I'm a senior studying television and right now im working on my final documentary project, focusing on small parks in the U.S. in particular telling the story of Kiddieland. Anyone who has any special memories from this wonderful little park and is willing to share them with me, please reply to this thread or pm message me! Thanks! On a related note, I'm very happy to see progress being made to the little dipper over at great america. Its so wonderful this great ride will live on. Oh, and it seems that Lake Winnie will be opening two rides from Kiddieland, "Sea Warriors" and "Silly Saucers" this season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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