Opryland USA

I live in Memphis, TN and besides the crappy Libertyland, Opryland was my best bet. It wasn't the best park in the world but it wasn't the worst. I recently read that Nashville just noticing that it wasn't the best idea to tear down the park and put a CRAPPY mall on top of it.

Nashville is the largest market in the country without a large themepark. I've heard a couple rumors of a new park but nothing else. What I think they should do is have like a Dollywood II there even though they're so close. I think it'd really help them. I miss OPRYLAND.

So what's your opinion?

I loved Opryland. Beautiful park (Old Mill Scream, and the Barnstormer on the lake). Most of my first rides are there (looping -Wabash, White Water - Grizzly River Rampage, Bobsled - Delta Demon). The park had tons of charm, and was typically really busy. When we took trips up there we usually had two day passes at the park. We stayed in the Opryland hotel more than once just to patronize the park. I haven't been in Nashville overnight more than one time since the park closed, and my brother lives up there! Of course you can't forget about Chaos. The music, 3d glasses, and the queue tunnel made for an incredible experience when you're 8. It's a shame that park is gone.

You're right the park was awesome. My favorite was definately Chaos. It was my first big coaster. I loved it.

You can check out a dedication to the park at Thrillhunter.com

Never made it to Opryland, although have been several times to it's littler sister park, Fiesta Texas before the Six Flags buyout. I'm sure Opryland was wonderful, it's a shame they built a mall over it .. didn't seem like it was hurting in attendance or anything, or maybe it was just Gaylord Entertainment and USAA that cause the closure, since they sold out to Six Flags in 1996 with Fiesta Texas.

I miss it. I really had a good time when I went to that park. That was the site of my roller coastering break through. I finally ventured on to my first looping coaster there (Hangman). I'm not sure how much of a bad business decision it was though. I'm sure they are bringing in some nice cash with that mall (which is pretty cool if I may say), but I'm an enthusiast, so of course I wish the park was still there.

I found it interesting when I was there in March 2004, the trench for the rapids ride could still be seen.

Yeah seems like malls haunt old Orpyland park sites. They are building a huge mall on the cliff near Fiesta Texas .. which made Fiesta have to re-review thier fireworks and laser show ... which is stupid if I may say so since they have clearance from the city after complaints from neighbors at La Cantera housing, that stated the park was there before the housing so therefore they can continue the nightly shows ... I guess the mall parking is too close to the launch site.

Hopefully next time I pass through Nashville, we can stop by the old site .. if we have time and I haven't been to Nashville since 1991 ... so yeah, don't get there very much.

I never went to Opryland, but I still think it's a shame that place got torn down.

I used to go to this website dedicated to the CHAOS coaster. unfortunately it went off a few years ago. You could download the music that played inside of the ride (It was "Bones on The Beach" by Michael Hoenig I believe).

The first incarnation of the ride, where you wore the 3-D glasses sounded very impressive, but according to the website, too many people were bringing objects onto the ride with them and dropping them on the screens.

I guess the closest thing to Chaos now is the Revolution at Belgium's Bobbejaanland park.

Many of the ride peices are sitting in Old Indiana, the park that Six Flags bought and then went bankrupt(what a surprise).

As a person who has made his living in theme park entertainment (5 years at Cedar Point, 4 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, 3 at Universal Orlando, 1 at Universal Japan, 1 at Sea World and 6 and counting at Walt Disney World), Opryland was considered the premier theme park for entertainment, and it has yet to be matched anywhere. They spared no expense with their shows, often employing live bands of 6-12 members, an unheard of amount of musicians in today's world.

I visited it twice and truly miss the last place you could see live music wherever you turn!

And CHAOS was awesome its first year of operation!

Fiesta Texas is still pumping the Opryland spirit along .. one of the very very few Six Flags parks where very very little of the shows are pre-recorded.

Many of the ride peices are sitting in Old Indiana, the park that Six Flags bought and then went bankrupt(what a surprise).

This is no longer true. The property was bought by a private owner and is being developed into a nature preserve. Last I heard (from a friend of the new owner), all the remaining rides have been removed or scrapped. The ride pieces used to be visible from the Interstate, but the last several times I've driven by, I've seen nothing. Does anybody have any other information on this?