simon8899 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Looking great in 1986! So what rides are still around from that time? I can only name the Enterprise as it was in the Smiler promotion game... Will take a look for myself this summer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie200330 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Looking great in 1986! Everything looked great in the 80's.....LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 About that one photo and caption.... "visiting attractions"? Hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StealthFan Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Love the Alton Towers sugar! The fact that packet has survived is AMAZING. So great to look back at a park thats so familiar to me now and to see hits history. Thanks for posting this! -Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 ^You're welcome Craig. When did you start visiting the park? No one has confirmed I'm crazy (just yet anyway) about that flume jump ramp ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 Jumping back across the Atlantic and twenty years forward, here's a small defunct park, American Adventures in Atlanta circa 2006. It was located next to Six Flags White Water and died when the economy crashed a few years ago. Anyone know if all of the rides are still sitting there? Indeed! The Atlanta Ocean...LOL. The park was rather woodsey if I remember correctly, and Ridgeline Racer was a zippy little powered steel coaster which RCDB says is SBNO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 I've heard a few mythical tales about Screechin' Eagle. I personally never got to ride it or visit Americana. Does anything remain at the old site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie200330 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=39.443600~-84.434105&style=h&lvl=17&sp=aN.39.443600_-84.434105_LeSourdsville+Lake+Amusement+Park&encType=1 It's funny when you switch from aerial to birds eye......rides appear and disappear....Magic!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 ^^I've never even heard of this place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Great post about "LeSourdsville Lake" queencitydiscovery.blogspot.com/2007/10/lesourdsville-lakeamericana-revisited_29.html Photo from 2009 The coaster and log flume were later removed in 2010 or 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 The history of this park is pretty fascinating. Thanks for sharing ^ and ^^ (sorry we both missed it Chuck). That giant slide disappearing act kinda makes me wish more cities would do like NYC during the Super Bowl and set them up downtown instead of those giant wheels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djcoastermark Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I had many good times at Americana/LeSourdesville. A few rides that stood out for me were, Screaching Eagle, The Whip and the flume. Eagle has been described by some as a "barnstormer" coaster. Nice dips with airtime giving a barnstorming plane feeling. The odd concrete trough for the flume and strange cars on the whip, which they ran at in insanely fast speed unlike any I have ever been on. It was also my first Gay Days event back in 1980, and go to park for my partner and I with our 5! kids. Hey, it was the most affordable park to go to with that many kids. Too bad its gone, but I guess they couldn't compete with Kings Island so close by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djcoastermark Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Found a picture of the Whip at Americana. photo from neg-g.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 ^Those Whip vehicles look cool. No one has ever heard of this next place... I've never been to this park. I wonder where Avatar Land will be built. Something's missing here There is a not-so-hidden Mickey on this page, but who can find it first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert425 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I've never been to this park. I wonder where Avatar Land will be built. isn't it going where Camp Minnie/Mickey was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 ^ Yes, Pandora (the planet, from the film) is going where Camp Minnie/Mickey used to be. Construction walls are already up, I believe, if you check the DAK thread... Here's a current fave postcard I picked up at Rusutsu Resort, during the TPR Japan Tour last summer. I was amazed how many coaster (8, I believe) were packed into that multi-leveled amusement park. Hope to go back there, in a future Japan Tour,. EDIT to add: I also want to add this was The Only Park, where I rode classic coasters {SLC, Corkscrew, UltraTwister...) that did not beat me up! And it made me realize, that this park really takes care of it's rides and coasters. Bravo! How many coasters can you see in this postcard? (o; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Ahh thanks guys for the info on where Avatar Land is going. Only 4 more years to go! ^ Bill, I see the Ultra Twister up there in the back on the hill. Looks like a fairly compact fun park (except for the SLC). What is the red SFOT oil derrick looking tower on top of the hill...is it an observation tower? I must get back to Japan...hint hint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 ^ That red 'tower' is actually one of the classic freefall towers in existence. It wasn't operating when we were there, sadly. Here's that freefall tower from another angle, and a bit closer. And all - those - trees! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share Posted February 23, 2014 As previously hinted, my update this week features a Tokyo "park" called Aqua Stadium, home of Galaxy Express 999. It's part of the Shinagawa Prince Hotel complex where we stayed on the 2007 TPR Japan trip. It was a great place to kick off the tour thanks to Robb & Elissa! I want to go back! Experience Dolphin Skinship! Port of Pirates has the most extravagant swinging ship ride I've ever seen...and there's Galaxy Express 999 too! It's like an enclosed mini-Sea World where you can spend the night and bowl too! The Dolphin Party carousel is stunningly gorgeous. This gives you an idea how close Aqua Stadium and the Prince Hotel are to the train station. An historic day to ride my first enclosed Japanese coaster...I quite liked it! This hotel pretty much has everything you need in order to survive the zombie apocalypse. I wish I had checked out the view from the lounge. Did someone mention sushi?! You can get married here too! Here you see the station for Galaxy Express 999. It's a fun ride! Dear Opryland Hotel, take note! This will help you get there. It's really not as complicated as it looks. Shinagawa station circled in lime green is where you want to get off the subway. The Prince Hotel and Aqua Stadium (in blue) are just across the busy street as you exit the train station. Fascinating place (as is all of Japan)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Here is a look back at Coney Island's Astroland before the recent Zamperla/Luna Park makeover + bonus postcards from TPR buddies Ryan and Ivan! Thanks guys! I love this postcard! Sounds like a fun time in NYC...mmm Nathan's! Hi guys! This is a great card too! Thanks Ryan! Ryan is right...no park ever needs a Zamperla Volare. No Sleep Till Brooklyn Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee The Astrotower is completely gone now right? The original Cyclone! We see you trying to photobomb, Wonder Wheel. No, no I did not choose to participate in this motorcycle zip-line attraction during my visit. Rugrats and clowns...why did it have to be Rugrats and clowns?! After all these years, it's great to see Coney Island getting revitalized and going strong. I can't wait to go back someday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Bakken...this is a really fun park in Denmark I visited on a slightly semi-rainy day during the TPR 2009 Scandi trip. The park provided an amazing and awesome brunch for us (thank you Bakken!), and I really loved Rutschebanen on this trip though I missed Robb's brakeman ride (glad all survived!). My rides on this coaster were still amazing, but I think they have replaced the trains now with non-brakeman KumBak trains. Hope it didn't affect the ride too much! Thank you Robb & Elissa for taking me to Bakken! Enjoy! Rutschebanen, shot tower, and Enterprise...is this a Skylab since I don't remember riding it? Deciphered translation = SCANDINAVIAN FUN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted March 16, 2014 Author Share Posted March 16, 2014 Did you know that Beech Bend began in the 1800's and was once owned by country singer and musician, Ronnie Milsap, in the early 1980's? True story. The current owners bought the park in the later 1980's and have completely turned it around for the better ever since. If anyone wants to help me thin out my collection, I have a few extra copies of these brochures available for FREE, so send me a PM. I have extras of years 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2010. On with the show... 2002 2004 2005 2007 Kentucky Rumbler! 2009 2010 saw a nice big water park expansion 2011 Sea Dragon came from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch park. 2013 brought one of my favorite kind of flat rides...Vortex! I believe this map is from 2004 or 2005 before Rumbler was built. This map is after the 2006 season when the park added Kentucky Rumbler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon8899 Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Always when I read "Looping Star" and see one more of these horrible Zyklon coasters... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 ^Well thankfully Looping Star is no longer at Beech Bend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted March 23, 2014 Author Share Posted March 23, 2014 Benson's Wild Animal Park is little discussed on TPR as the park went belly up in the late '80's when it was known as New England's Playworld. However, it sounds like the city of Hudson, NH has recently reopened it as a public park with trails and some remnants of the amusement park. It would be interesting to check out! Please don't eat the carousel! Colossus the Gorilla! 1980 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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