Old-Timey Amusement Rides

[Chupaca bruh]

The Turbo. One of the last wild carnival rides I rode before my affair with motion sickness began. It was awesome.

 

[RedAngie]

Marine Pier in Wildwood, NJ had a Caterpillar ride (pictured on left with canopy lowered.)



Then the Turbo replaced it in the exact same location.



That Turbo was a one-and-done for me.

 

[RedAngie]

The Turbo. One of the last wild carnival rides I rode before my affair with motion sickness began. It was awesome.View attachment 658254

You’re coming up with some really great obscure old rides. I’m quite impressed!!

 

[HopperFan]

This book, Angie? Great book. I have it also.

Riverview was amazing. Our family went there usually twice every year in the 50's. And then as a teen, went withthe guys a few times a year. And then it was gone.

https://www.amazon.com/Riverview-Gone-Forgotten-1904-1967/dp/0911694072

View attachment 657680

Riverview Trivia ~

They had a Toboggan 5 abreast Carousel there. It was their first ride there and the only ride that still exists. We have it here at Six Flags Over Georgia and it's beautiful.

Further trivia that 5 abreast are not common and I believe there are only THREE left in the world. Six Flags Over Georgia, Disney World Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Paris. My DS was quite pumped to say he'd been on all three.

 

[Dan Murphy]

They had a Toboggan 5 abreast Carousel there. It was their first ride there and the only ride that still exists. We have it here at Six Flags Over Georgia and it's beautiful.

I remember riding that many times as a kid here in Chicago. Whenever I see that it is still running, makes me happy that it is still around.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

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.

I think the correct word for the carny spinning the thing is sadist rather than masochists. but...

Cougars and zippers and Masochists OH MY!!!

 

[Mousemom234]

Canobie Lake was my local park growing up. Lived about 45 minutes away.

I went on 'end of school year' field trips there, weekend visits with friends and their family, and Wednesdays with my Dad (he worked Saturdays). After I was married, we bought a house - and I could walk to Canobie. Visited often for the next 30 years.
People used to stare when 'granny' walked down the exit ramps of Round-Up and the Turkish Twister
Then my DH passed, and I moved away from New England.
I miss watching the Friday Night Fireworks out my front door - and if the breeze was right, I could hear some of the rides.

 

[Alicefan]

\

Then there’s this one. Officially the Looper, but many people call it the hamster wheel. I’ve never been on it, too dizzying for me.

Oooh, just look at that little girls hair hanging out so much that it could get caught up in the track!!! I used to love that ride!

 

[AppleDumpling]

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

Nice photos. I was there once as a young child, only about 4 or 5, so I don’t remember much, but there’s a photo of me and my brother on that wall with Humpty Dumpty.

 

[RedAngie]

I don’t remember the Knotts Berry Farm version being motorcycles. It was Soap Box Derby Racers the first time I visited.



Then it was replaced by the Windjammer Surf Racers, a truly awful twin track coaster.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I don’t remember the Knotts Berry Farm version being motorcycles. It was Soap Box Derby Racers the first time I visited.

View attachment 658371

According to the Knott’s website, the Motorcycle Chase ran from 1976-1980, and the Wacky Soap Box Racers ran from 1980-1996. Apparently they had safety issues with the motorcycles, so changed to the lower, enclosed cars (on the same track) and also reduced the speed.

 

[Babs Johnson]

A nice ride the whole family could ride. Rocket Ships.




California Adventure at Disneyland brought this back.

 

[Babs Johnson]

A spinning carnival ride, The Tempest. One long arm, at each end another arm, each with two circular cars that seated 6 to 8 Each car spun, then each shorter arm rotated, then the whole thing rotated.




A similar stand up/lean back version was the Scat.





Many carnival rides could be operated attached to their travel trailers.




One time when I was about 10 my family passed a whole caravan of ride travel trailers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. There were two or three, then about 5 miles later a few more, and so on. Probably 15 or so overall. I'm still curious where they were heading for the next carnival.

 

[BrianL]

A nice ride the whole family could ride. Rocket Ships.

View attachment 658414


California Adventure at Disneyland brought this back.

View attachment 658415

I love the Golden Zephyr - It has such a cool, Buck Rogers style going on!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Oh look. It's a wannabe Dumbo.

The old double ferris wheel.



The Swooper Looks like a primitive version of the zipper.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Canobie Lake was my local park growing up. Lived about 45 minutes away.

I went on 'end of school year' field trips there, weekend visits with friends and their family, and Wednesdays with my Dad (he worked Saturdays). After I was married, we bought a house - and I could walk to Canobie. Visited often for the next 30 years.
People used to stare when 'granny' walked down the exit ramps of Round-Up and the Turkish Twister
Then my DH passed, and I moved away from New England.
I miss watching the Friday Night Fireworks out my front door - and if the breeze was right, I could hear some of the rides.

In the 70s, as teens, we used to drive up there, park, and stand out by the entrance for a little while. People leaving would give us their tickets! It became a stand-by for many Saturday nights! (Back before the lines got crazy!)

 

[Debbie Jean]

Has nobody from Boston mentioned Pleasure Island in Wakefield? Or am I just that old? LOL
Was broken hearted when it closed Just loved Moby Dick... it was the highlight of any visit!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Has nobody from Boston mentioned Pleasure Island in Wakefield? Or am I just that old? LOL
Was broken hearted when it closed Just loved Moby Dick... it was the highlight of any visit!

Someone did mention it a few pages back, but didn’t go into detail.

It was supposed to be ‘Disney-esque’, but was doomed from the start:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasure_Island_(Massachusetts_amusement_park)

This one’s interesting about the noise complaints from local residents:

https://patch.com/massachusetts/lynnfield/looking-back-to-the-pleasure-island-era

 

[Debbie Jean]

Someone did mention it a few pages back, but didn’t go into detail.

It was supposed to be ‘Disney-esque’, but was doomed from the start:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasure_Island_(Massachusetts_amusement_park)

This one’s interesting about the noise complaints from local residents:

https://patch.com/massachusetts/lynnfield/looking-back-to-the-pleasure-island-era

Thanks!

In going through the thread I missed it

Interesting links, too!