Aero World aviation theme park

[Meyers]

I was pleased to see an old press release (1980) on proposed Aero World. I was a partner and designer of the park slated for northern San Diego in the western Mira Mesa area. We had 342 acres under option in 1976 while we gained all government approvals which took 4 long years.

 

Unfortunately, the park was never built basically because there was a severe recession in 1980 - 1982 and we couldn't find the funding. Interest rates were at 20% and it was difficult to get an outhouse financed, let alone a major theme park budgeted at $85 million, substantial cost at that time.

 

Although several national chains were solicited, none were interested enough in being partners. San Diego was considered a great location for a new theme park. Although options were extended into 1982, we finally had to abandon the theme park idea and instead allow other partners to develop a large industrial/business park which is what is located there today.

 

If anyone has questions, I'll be glad to answer them - I can comment on park concept/origin, initial rides, potential partners, Legoland connection/Snoopy connection, competing parks in same time period, what the park might be today after 28 years since opening in 1983, attractions planned but used in other parks, what might have been done to save the project with the advantage now of hindsight and changes since 1982 park plans if operating in 2011.

 

I have always regretted that Aero World and its unique concept did not become a reality. It was "a bridge too far" in its timeframe. A few years later, we might have succeeded and San Diego would have a major ride park complimenting the Zoo and Sea World.

[montezooma]

Did you work with Bill Lee on the project? I would love to see you post some of the press releases or renderings of the park. I used to have all that stuff but I can't locate it. As a resident of San Diego while growing up I was extremely familiar with the project, and yes I agree it was a total shame this park never became a reality. I think it would have been a HUGE success.

[stricklandCC]

Welcome! This sounds interesting. Snoopy and Lego? Instead of playing the 20,000 questions game, post the interesting, or most pertinent images or information that you have. No offense, I feel like saying: "So I know some stuff, if you have any questions"

 

You eluded to some of the attractions this park may have had, I am curious about it!,

[hydra]

Would love to know what attractions were planned and then used elsewhere.

[montezooma]

The coasters that I remember were planned for the park were an Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop called the Catapult and there was an Arrow Mine Train called the Cargo Coaster (or was it Flying Tiger???)

 

Below is a picture I took of the park logo.

[samisthabomb]

Wow, what a neat concept. Too bad it never came to be.

[thrillerman1]

I was pleased to be contacted by Meyers earlier in the week and glad to see he posted here about Aero World. In case anyone missed it, here's the Aero World press release (scroll about half way down the page): http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=924884#p924884 .

[Meyers]

Did you work with Bill Lee on the project? I would love to see you post some of the press releases or renderings of the park. I used to have all that stuff but I can't locate it. As a resident of San Diego while growing up I was extremely familiar with the project, and yes I agree it was a total shame this park never became a reality. I think it would have been a HUGE success.

 

Thanks for comments - Yes, Bill Lee and I were partners eventually adding Dennis Huska and Frank Tallman who would have relocated his planes from "Movieland of the Air" air museum at Santa Ana airport. Unfortunately, Tallman was killed in a plane crash in 1978 while scouting movie locations. Frank Pine, also a movie stunt pilot and Tallman's partner, became a new partner in the Aero World project bringing the plane collection with him.

 

Bill Lee passed away in 1996 and Frank Pine is also deceased. I don't know the whereabouts of Huska now - he was the youngest partner.

 

I have no other press releases, but will try to have some photos scanned from an old brochure, the only one I have left.

[Meyers]

Welcome! This sounds interesting. Snoopy and Lego? Instead of playing the 20,000 questions game, post the interesting, or most pertinent images or information that you have. No offense, I feel like saying: "So I know some stuff, if you have any questions"

 

You eluded to some of the attractions this park may have had, I am curious about it!,

 

Thanks for your comments too. No offense taken. I didn't want to post a book on development of the project, so I listed topics to see what interested people the most. TPR has posted a press release elsewhere which gives considerable details.

 

I didn't want to be repetitious. I'll answer the attractions questions in another related post below.

 

Since you did mention Snoopy and Lego, I'll briefly remark on them - Snoopy and the Peanuts characters where wanted for the park since Snoopy was a natural tie-in with the aviation theme (Curse you Red Baron!) No park had the Peanuts gang then. We also had an idea for a children's area called "Snoopy's Playland." Rides were similar to what was built at Knotts Berry Farm in 1983, years later.

 

Charles Schultz, Snoopy's creator passed on our proposal.

 

Lego in Denmark was solicited in 1980 to be a partner providing financial weight. We touted San Diego being ripe for a new theme park, but Lego wasn't interested in expanding at that time. Somewhat ironic since they eventually opened Legoland California, in 1998 I believe.

 

Aero World/Legoland would have been just ten miles from Sea World.

 

Sorry to get too windy.

[Meyers]

Would love to know what attractions were planned and then used elsewhere.

 

Thanks, nice question. I already mentioned the Snoopy's Playground children's area being very similar to Knott's Camp Snoopy. At least it did get built and Snoopy found a theme park home, I think there also was a Snoopy park in Mall of America. I thought both were well done.

 

Logo balloon, planned as a focal point in the European Village section, was really a 25' tall structure lit like a Christmas ornament at night. It was to have a themed gift shop inside. It did become a reality of sorts when I saw it at the entrance to Paris hotel & casino in Las Vegas. Looked great.

 

Howard Hughes Flying Boat - Spruce Goose. Available to be relocated from Long Beach harbor in 1980, we bid unsuccessfully to exhibit the famed airplane in large building as part of the theme park. We thought it would have been seen by more people than its present location in McMinnville, Oregon and had a better chance being part of a park than standing on its own, as the case in Long Beach. We also thought its aquisition might help interest potential partners.

Not meant to be.

 

Wright Brothers bicycle shop - a replica of the shop was to be the entrance to an original first flight exhibit and show.

When I visited Disneyland Paris, there just off the Main Street entrance area, was a Disney version of the shop, not quite as authentic as ours, but more fun with the Disney touch.

 

Air Show - we planned to have a couple theatrical air shows with vintage aircraft and ultralights. When I visited EPCOT Center some years later, there over the World Lagoon were a number of ultralights trailing color smoke, not unlike we might have had in the 1980's.

 

Probably the best example I can mention was the attraction using an IMAX projection system in a simulated dirigible theatre. The seats were to be on a platform suspended raised up near a curved dome screen. Not too different from Disney's Soarin' without the mechanical seat loading.

 

Of course, if designers are working on same themes, the idea of similar ideas can easily happen.

[stricklandCC]

Wow!, Thank you. It sounds like you guys had a lot figured out. I love the concept, as I have always been enthralled by the evolution of manned flight of any kind. The Spruce-Goose!? That would have been amazing if you were able to get that masterpiece(?) on site! It seems though it may have been very disappointing to see all of your seemingly original ideas come to fruition by someone else. I'm sorry the economical times and a "messed up deck of cards" prevented this. The "airshow" that was planned however, sounds very ambitious, not saying you guys couldn't have pulled it off, but the cost involved, pilots, fuel, planes, etc...may have been very difficult to get off the ground (pun intended).

Regardless though, great effort! If Theme park/ Amusement park entrepreneurs had this level of detail, or focus of attention on their ideas today, I feel we would see more original parks. Hard-Rock/Freestyle, that funny mars place proposed a few years back, and the silly thrill park trying to be built in Orlando come to mind.

[Meyers]

The coasters that I remember were planned for the park were an Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop called the Catapult and there was an Arrow Mine Train called the Cargo Coaster (or was it Flying Tiger???)

 

Below is a picture I took of the park logo.

 

You've got a good memory. The Shuttle Loop was a fairly new ride at the time. We named it Jet Launcher and was to be themed to the Navy's Blue Angels. I think Kings Dominion eventually did something similar using Top Gun film.

 

The Arrow Mine Train an early Six Flags staple, was similar to one that opened Magic Mountain in 197l. It was to be boarded in one of the 1930's aircraft hangers in the Old Lindbergh Field section. However, we changed the name from Cargo Coaster, sounding a little dull, to Flying Tiger which became a cargo carrier after its World War II fame in China.

 

As for other coasters and rides, proposed opening in 1983, were a log flume just off the German Beer Garden, skyride since the park was rather strung out due to boarding the private airstrip, a carousel, bumper cars, Monster, Enterprise, a wooden coaster in the Barnstormers Fair section, parachute drop tower, and the Meteor a large steel coaster with several loops and budgeted then at $2 million dollars in the Aerospace Plaza section. The daily 25 minute air show, 1,200 seat musical theatre, laserium, country stage, IMAX dirigible theatre, and childrens ride section rounded out the main attractions plus five major state-of-the-art aviation exhibits and over 30 vintage aircraft on display in appropriate themed areas.

 

I appreciate the opportunity to document some of Aero World's history and tell amusement park fans about the project.

 

Who knows, maybe Disney will build a similar park in Florida as the 5th gate someday??? Guess I can dream!

[montezooma]

Meyers-

 

Thanks for posting all this information on the park. I grew up in San Diego and was very much aware of the park and anxiously awaited its opening. Actually I visitited the office as a child and met with you and Bill on a couple of occasions. I became very familiar with the plans and did some reports on the park for school projects.

 

I really enjoy hearing your descriptions of the park and would like to hear more about how the project came together and what side tracked it.

 

Looking forward to hearing more on what would have truely been an original and great theme park!

 

Shane

[coaster-crazy]

Wow, great stuff! Thanks for posting this info. Looking forward to the pics of the brochure that you have.

 

~Nicholas

[hillflyer]

On 1/20/2011 at 3:58 PM, thrillerman1 said:

I was pleased to be contacted by Meyers earlier in the week and glad to see he posted here about Aero World. In case anyone missed it, here's the Aero World press release (scroll about half way down the page): http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=924884#p924884 .

I remember this place.  Meyers Jacobson proposed moving the Belmont Park roller coaster there, or building a larger version of it.