Old-Timey Amusement Rides

[fly girl]

I’ve heard of Boblo but never visited. I understand it technically was on a Canadian island. But US citizens didn’t need any papers as long as they returned on the boat to Detroit.

Yes, it was on the Canadian side of the Detroit River. No papers were needed.

There are some interesting videos with people going back to abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park. The island itself actually has some lovely homes on it!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Has anyone mentioned Lake Compounce (in Bristol, CT) yet?

It claims to be the oldest: Web site

And the Boulder Dash coaster is one of my favorites anywhere!

 

[BrianL]

And this one! My best friend and I are 50 Years old and on our way to Disney last year, we passed that Tanger Outlet that has the fair every once in a while. We both yelled, "Look! A Zipper!!" Next thing you know, we're exiting off the freeway and strapped in to a bad idea. It does not feel the same at 50 as it does at 15. Let me just tell ya. Everyone kept laughing at us and their first thought was, "So you were on your way to DISNEY, but you stopped at the fair to ride a ride?" Yes...yes we did. lolView attachment 657745

I absolutely HATE The Zipper! My sister used to get me to ride it. I was a bit small and would bang around against the bar. I am not a fan.

 

[RedAngie]

View attachment 657658

The Zipper.

View attachment 657662

The Hammer

Two of the worst rides ever!!! I was terrified of the Zipper and never liked that style of a looping capsule ride.

 

[RedAngie]

Has anyone mentioned Lake Compounce (in Bristol, CT) yet?

It claims to be the oldest: Web site

And the Boulder Dash coaster is one of my favorites anywhere!

I hear on other sites that Boulder Dash is awesome. It’s still on my bucket list.

Maybe we can combine it with a trip to 6F New England. I was there before it was a 6F park. Pethaps Riverside or Riverview?

 

[Hiitsme]

I remember so many of these from New England. Lincoln Park was often a school field trip destination and I remember going there with my grandparents a lot.

There was Rocky Point in RI, which was one of the last parks I got to spend time with my grandfather with before he died of brain cancer. Even though he hated rides, he went on them with his granddaughters because he knew time was short. We didn't know it at the time (as kids), it was something my grandmother revealed when we were adults.

Paragon Park is one I've seen from pictures that my parents took me to when I was very young.

I remember also going to other places like Whalom Park and Benson's Wild Animal Farm, both long gone as well.

Fortunately not all things have gone from years gone by. I was able to take my daughter to Story Land and Santas Village, both I went to as a kid and she liked them a lot.

Benson's Wild Animal Park is now a regular park. https://www.hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark/page/history-bensons-wild-animal-farm .During the summer, Storyland hosts a retro night a couple times a year. It's for adults only and they even sell liquor. https://www.storylandnh.com/plan-your-visit/experiences/nostalgia-nights. Anyone remember Six Gun City? That park was just down route2 in Jefferson NH from Santa's Village. Was Whalom Park the one in RI? That was a fun trip too. Maybe my parent's couldn't get us to Disney, but they still made sure we had fun vacations.

 

[RogueX]

Benson's Wild Animal Park is now a regular park. https://www.hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark/page/history-bensons-wild-animal-farm .During the summer, Storyland hosts a retro night a couple times a year. It's for adults only and they even sell liquor. https://www.storylandnh.com/plan-your-visit/experiences/nostalgia-nights. Anyone remember Six Gun City? That park was just down route2 in Jefferson NH from Santa's Village. Was Whalom Park the one in RI? That was a fun trip too. Maybe my parent's couldn't get us to Disney, but they still made sure we had fun vacations.

Whalom Park was in Lunenburg. Interesting to know about Benson's.

Rocky Point was in RI. I believe it was open after Lincoln Park closed, though I may be wrong.

Story Land and liquor....that could get really interesting...ha, ha.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Two of the worst rides ever!!! I was terrified of the Zipper and never liked that style of a looping capsule ride.

Here's one you'll hate. Orleans Orbit.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I talked about this thread to my family, and it turned into a great reminiscence of the last time we went to Knoebel's, which was years ago. Now we're in the early stages of planning a trip to take my young cousin there. He'll be four by the time we go, and I know he'll really love it.

 

[Hiitsme]

Whalom Park was in Lunenburg. Interesting to know about Benson's.

Rocky Point was in RI. I believe it was open after Lincoln Park closed, though I may be wrong.

Story Land and liquor....that could get really interesting...ha, ha.

Thanks RogueX. Now I have the Rocky Point radio jingle ear worm. Lol

 

[RedAngie]

Here's one you'll hate. Orleans Orbit.

Au contraire, my Allium friend. I’ve enjoyed “The Enterprise” or whatever it’s called since I first rode one circa 1976. I’m a bit of a connoisseur, in fact. I prefer the variety where one enters the ride vehicle by sliding open the side panel gate, instead of where the top tilts open.

I’ve seen an oddball version or two over the years, including this one with separate front and back seats within each longer vehicle.

 

[Babs Johnson]

Meteor. I rode this one at the Seattle Worlds Fair. They were super fun.View attachment 657619

We have the winner here!!! That contraption hasn't been seen since the late 60s. It was a blast!!

 

[Babs Johnson]

I never did ride the Pair-O-Chutes or the Bobs, too scared. But I did hear that the ride operators would sometimes make the 'ride vehicle' (for lack of a better term), 'get stuck' on the way up for some couples. And the Tunnel of Love boat ride was also a favorite of couples. But the rumor then was that the tunnels were infested with rats,.

I heard about the Coney Island Pair-O-Chutes that if you slipped the operator a buck (or maybe only a quarter way back when), he'd stop the ride on top so you can have some scary quality time with your lady friend.

 

[legler2250]

Pirates Cove at Waldameer in Erie PA. An old dark walk through ride. Not sure if it's still in existence though.

 

[Babs Johnson]

The Caterpillar. Like a Himalaya ride that goes in a circle with a few gentle hills, but a canopy covers the cars about halfway through. A good place for a teen boy to take his date.






Derby Races-I've only ever seen two of these, Cedar Point and Playland in Rye, NY. In the 30s and 40s there were many others. Like a much faster merry-go-round, but the 4 horses across moved forward and backward simulating a horse race.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I hear on other sites that Boulder Dash is awesome. It’s still on my bucket list.

Maybe we can combine it with a trip to 6F New England. I was there before it was a 6F park. Pethaps Riverside or Riverview?

Yes, I'm pretty sure it used to be called Riverside.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Au contraire, my Allium friend. I’ve enjoyed “The Enterprise” or whatever it’s called since I first rode one circa 1976. I’m a bit of a connoisseur, in fact. I prefer the variety where one enters the ride vehicle by sliding open the side panel gate, instead of where the top tilts open.

I’ve seen an oddball version or two over the years, including this one with separate front and back seats within each longer vehicle.

View attachment 658205

You can easily handle the zipper, unless you're riding with a Walla Walla that likes to spin the car. The worst it gets is about as bad as one of those when you're coming around the end. The thing about the zipper though is they're carnival rides and well those are hit and miss as far as state inspections go. I've seen em in decent shape and I've seen em with secondary safety things missing.

 

[RedAngie]

You can easily handle the zipper, unless you're riding with a Walla Walla that likes to spin the car. The worst it gets is about as bad as one of those when you're coming around the end. The thing about the zipper though is they're carnival rides and well those are hit and miss as far as state inspections go. I've seen em in decent shape and I've seen em with secondary safety things missing.

Some carnies were masochists and would spin the cars manually half a dozen times before even starting the ride, especially if there were cute teen girls inside.

Some extreme newish spinning rides I can handle with no problems, yet sometimes a Scramber leaves me discombobulated. And forget about the Crazy Tea Cups.

I’m sure I COULD survive the Zipper, but I prefer to maintain my virginity on that one.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Derby Races-I've only ever seen two of these, Cedar Point and Playland in Rye, NY. In the 30s and 40s there were many others. Like a much faster merry-go-round, but the 4 horses across moved forward and backward simulating a horse race.

That’s cool. Reminds me of the famous old Steeplechase ride that used to be at Coney Island (Brooklyn, NY). Before my time, but my parents and grandparents went there. The horses were on tracks, almost like a tame roller coaster.






As a kid in the 70’s, first trip to California, I went on a similar ride at Knott’s Berry Farm, except it was a motorcycle race instead of horses. Really fun.

 

[AndreaA]

The Caterpillar. Like a Himalaya ride that goes in a circle with a few gentle hills, but a canopy covers the cars about halfway through. A good place for a teen boy to take his date.

View attachment 658217




Derby Races-I've only ever seen two of these, Cedar Point and Playland in Rye, NY. In the 30s and 40s there were many others. Like a much faster merry-go-round, but the 4 horses across moved forward and backward simulating a horse race.

Canobie Lake Park! Ahh, memories.

I prefer Storyland up in the White Mountains, where we took our boys every year from age 2-12.