chadster Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I hear Bells has a Wacky Shack for sale..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 ^"Grateful Dead: The Ride" would be the scariest thing ever. My god! It's the ghost of Jerry Garcia! And he's playing an endless guitar solo! The horror! The horror! Then again, I've never been a fan of the Dead. Same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewhoutx Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 This sounds awesome! So would this maybe be happening in CT, since the guy is wearing a Sanitrol Septic Services shirt and they service New Haven county CT and the surrounding areas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 This sounds awesome! So would this maybe be happening in CT, since the guy is wearing a Sanitrol Septic Services shirt and they service New Haven county CT and the surrounding areas? I purposely did not make an effort to block out the company on the back of that shirt. Whether that is a clue to the location or just a red herring will be revealed in due time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCo Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 This has become perhaps my favorite thread ever on this site. Chuck, thanks so much for posting that VR vid of "...Inner Space." Brought a virtual tear to my eye. I don't care where this place is, I'm there ASAP. (And if it is the East Coast, mega-bonus. I've already got a trip to NY planned next year. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillFCody Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Mornin', this is one heck of a treasure hunt. I can't wait to see who finds this location first. We'll be waiting with open arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillFCody Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 That is a fantastic map of the property, but there is one small issue. Its just a little too small. That open field to the left is also our land, which gives us a total of about 40 available acres to potentially have for all sorts of rides. And not to mention the game trailers which we possess. Ring toss, a wheel of fortune, tests of strenght units with hammers, ball toss games with weighted and unweighted bottles. All sorts of nostalgic carnival attractions. Lots of original banners and showman props. We just also aquirred an original lion cage and a couple of tiger cages on wheels. We may have some visions of grandeur, but we have the DREAM. Dreams that we will eventually make reality. Sorry for the ranting, but all this really gets me excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCo Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 ^"Tantalize: to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach" You're doing it right. (I'm trying to imagine 40 acres of NOTHING BUT dark rides... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 (edited) And that my friends is WBZ's son, WillFCody. I know this sounds odd but his first posts here are actually my first contact with the family. But as you can see we are dealing with an extraordinary character, and that is meant in a good way. The TPR screen name and my reference to him as WBZ are actually a clue to his identity the patriarch's identity. Edited November 23, 2011 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megamatt Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Isn't the Erieview Frightzone for sale as well? I know some of the cars from Le Cachot were saved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 (edited) And that my friends is WBZ's son, WillFCody. I know this sounds odd but his first posts here are actually my first contact with the family. But as you can see we are dealing with an extraordinary character, and that is meant in a good way. The TPR screen name and my reference to him as WBZ are actually a clue to his identity the patriarch's identity. And so the plot thickens . . . Edited November 23, 2011 by cfc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 The photo above with the team was taken in West Haven CT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted November 24, 2011 Author Share Posted November 24, 2011 (edited) Chris - I have to hand it to you. You get an A for Effort, but the answer is NO. The picture was not taken in Connecticut but at least you got the right time zone. Here is a more accurate picture of the property (I think). I'm from New York, I have no idea how big 40 acres is. Do you get a mule with that? Another picture of the existing store. Some neighbors wrongly think the building is a "head" shop. Edited November 24, 2011 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted November 24, 2011 Author Share Posted November 24, 2011 Within 48 hours I will be visting this place and hopefully returning with first hand information. Yes, that's WBZ again welcoming you to his establishment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 (edited) At this point I'll just show my cards.. Over the past few days I've learned the complete history of dark rides. I now know about the Pretzel Company, Bill Cassidy, and even the defunct Staten Island Fun House that was purchased by a private collector (who plans to reopen it at the location above).. Here's what I've got... The murals you've posted scream New Jersey Piers to me . The satellite images look to be from an area north of Virginia (most likely PA or NJ).. I've searched high and low. How about at least sharing the state you are traveling to? Edited November 25, 2011 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Definitely looking forward to Larry's next post in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 (edited) ^^Chris - I'll tell that it is not in any state you referenced in your post. So you know the location is in the Eastern Time Zone and not in NJ, PA or VA? Nor was the picture you reference taken in New Jersey. Edited November 25, 2011 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megamatt Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 I don't know.. Is it in New England? It sorta looks like MA... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 (edited) ^Why, yes it is in New England, but what exactly makes you think it is in Massachussetts? But then again, this is not a guessing game, it is a edutainment thread. So let me get back to the educational aspect. Since starting this thread I've tried to bone up on my knowledge of classic dark rides. I figured I better learn the history, acronyms and abbreviations so I don't come off like an idiot. So below is an Idiot's Guide to what I have learned. A brief history of the US companies that built the classics that run on rails. It is generally accpeted that the the single-rail dark ride was invented in 1928. Leon Cassidy and Marvin Rempfer had recently purchased Tumbling Dam Amusement Park in Bridgeton, New Jersey. In making upgrades to their new park they wanted to add an Old Mill (floating boats in a channel). An Old mill was not economically feasible. Park engineers modified a spare Dodgem car to run a on single electrified track and the first ride opened in 1928. The ride was name "Pretzel" as an ode to the twisting track. The park owners, Cassidy and Rempfer, started a company to manufacture and market the Pretzel ride. Heavy pretzel shaped ornaments were added to the side of the front of the car. The heavy ornaments helped keep the nose of the car and front wheel from jumping the track. The cars were styled to resemble touring pushcarts common on the Coney Island and Atlantic City boardwalks. This car would remain a company staple for almost 10 years. Original Pretzel car Pretzel Rides became very popular and were the most profitable rides at most parks and nearly every US park (and many International parks)wanted one. In 1929 the standard 350 foot long Pretzel ride in 1929 had five cars, and lasted 90 seconds. All for a price of $1,200. With 2 riders per car the ride had a capacity of 300 riders per hour. At 5 cents a ride it would take 80 operating hours to recuperate the $1,200 cost. Pretzel cars from the Spook House in Keansburg. This may be the oldest running Pretzel ride but the cars do not have that ornate logo. For the first 20 years, all Pretzel stunts including sounds were tripped by the car. In 1930, Harry Traver was already well established in the industry for his coasters but wanted a piece of the dark ride market and began creating dark rides under the “Laff In The Dark” name. Traver’s version was cheaper with wooden cars and aimed at budget-minded parks. The avoid patents issue his version had dual trackwheels with a "hot rail" on the floor aside the main steering track. Leon Cassidy wanted to sue, but considered the Traver product inferior and not a threat versus the cost of lawyers. Traver's rides were not a huge fiscal success and he was forced to sell his part of the company to his chief engineer Ralph Chambers. Since neither Traver nor Chambers obtained a trademark on the Laff In The Dark name, a number of Pretzel dark rides were named "Laff in the Dark." It is believed that Zombie Castle at Rye Playland is the last operating Traver dark ride. Many companies suspended operation during World War II, the Pretzel Amusement Ride Company was no different but resumed operation after the war under Leon Cassidy's son, William. The next innovation in Pretzel's dark rides came in 1953 when they launched the spinning dark ride car. The cars were shaped differently (oval shape versus pushcart), riders faced outward versus forward and each car had a high backed seat. Inside the building riders would spin in a controlled fashion to view stunts. Spinning Pretzel cars for Spook-a-Rama at Demo Wonder Wheel Park Later in the 1950s Pretzel manufactured, a two-level ride which a chain lift. The two remaining ones are at Camden Park and Conneaut Lake Park. In 1979, Pretzel ceased building rides. Seeing an opportunity Animated Display Creators (ADC) started creating stunts and backdrops in the 1950s. This allowed park operators to have an alternate option to update their rides. ADC never created their own dark ride. Bill Tracy entered the picture in the 1960's. Besides having has hand in walk-throughs, Bill Tracy both designed new dark rides as well as reinvigorating Pretzel rides. Tracy original cars were called "Hush Puppies," but sometime the cars were subcontracted to Alan Herschell Company. Tracy’s upped the ante with more shocking stunts than his predecessors. Bill Tracy's Whacky Shack at Waldameer Edited April 9, 2015 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megamatt Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 This place, Wild Bill's Nostalgia in Middletown, CT? I think I got it, with a little help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathbydinn Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Looking at their website and Facebook it's definitely Wild Bills. The only thing I'm finding about dark rides though is this snippet from an interview. "We have several fun houses we are going to be putting together. I've been picking up some kiddie's rides from the 40s. Small things for small people. Let them have fun. Link So could they have more than dark rides up their sleeve? Interesting.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 I will be providing more information about Wild Bill's Nostalgia Center, the business partners and their plans after I visit Saturday. WBZ = Wild Bill Ziegler, owner of the property. The other business partner is Chuck Burnham, who appenticed under Peter Rasulo at Lake Compounce. The location is within an hours drive from Lake Compounce's Boulder Dash and SFNE's Bizarro. Limited information is out there on the web, but I'll be bringing up-to-date info from the source so stay tuned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekRx Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Later in the 1950s Pretzel manufactured, a two-level ride which a chain lift. The two remaining ones are at Camden Park and Conneaut Lake Park. A third one does still exist, or at least did as of 2008. The people who run Shocktoberfest in Sinking Spring, PA had found one and set it up for their 2008 Halloween season. Still fully operational with plenty of working props. I only rode Devil's Den at Conneaut Lake once, but as soon as I got on this I recalled the very similar layout and the "riding in a shopping cart" feel. I don't know how many years they kept it or what became of it since, but I don't believe they used it this year. A ride through the Warehouse of Horror was the reward for making it through one of the mazes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megamatt Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 I know a pretzel was for sale on usedrides.com for a few years, it had a western theme. It might be that one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Very interesting thread, Larry! Loved the history section. Can't wait to see what Wild Bill's is planning exactly. After the refurb of Beech Bend's Spook House this year, I wonder where their replaced Pretzel cars were sent or if they kept them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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