Mark's Postcard Paradise

by **simon8899** » Fri May 04, 2012 9:02 pm

Even if most indoor parks cant compete in size I think that a hall like this should be part of any major park. Especially in areas were it rains often. That way you could visit a park nicely on a showery day. Of course its all in the numbers: Will the additional cost of a huge hall be payed off be additional visitors during rainy days? As there so little of these around I guess not...

by **KCForce** » Fri May 04, 2012 11:44 pm

thrillerman1 wrote:Can't say I ever rode it, but does Canyon Blaster at Adventuredome in Las Vegas count? Though it wasn't the classic drop, turn, cork, brakes layout, it was an enclosed Arrow cork right? And...Wow I miss Wabash Cannonball...kinda. I didn't realize Old Chicago's Cork was the same coaster moved to B'ham's fairgrounds, so I need to dig up my photos and post them from way back when too. Maybe that'll be the next update along with some Visionland junk.

Argh, and to think I rode the Canyon Blaster back in March. Yes I would count it as Arrow Corkscrew coaster. I was thinking along the lines of Arrow's Standard Corkscrew design that this coaster is, but an Arrow Corkscrew coaster also means any of the Arrows with inversions...it was the model name, for example the Orient Express at WOF was an Arrow Corkscrew coaster - according to an advertisment from Arrow talking about the Orient Express, but I digress.

I have never seen any pics of this coaster at the AL Fairgrounds, so I hope you will share.

by **chadster** » Sun May 06, 2012 6:32 pm

Thanks for the postcard update! Old Chicago looked like a really cool place!

by **montezooma** » Mon May 07, 2012 6:14 am

I love that old Busch Gardens logo! Great update. I can never get enough of that funky Old Chicago park.

by **Thri!!er** » Wed May 16, 2012 6:15 am

It's truly a Postcard Paradise, Marc - thank you very much for your big collection, you are sharing with us:).

Some of these are very familiar to me, like the "original postcards" (by the ticket office) from the (former) portable carnival coasters and loopcoasters...

by **thrillerman1** » Fri May 18, 2012 7:32 am

KCForce wrote:I have never seen any pics of this coaster at the AL Fairgrounds, so I hope you will share.

Here are my pictures of the Magic City Express in its lovely setting at the Birmingham, AL Fairgrounds circa 1986. I feel like this coaster has found a much better home in New England.

by **thrillerman1** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:32 pm

Continuing in the Birmingham area (not England mind you but props to the Brit Crew), this update features a park that seems to have fallen on hard times. For 2012, Visionland (aka Alabama Adventure) has closed the rides side of the park and is now operating only as a waterpark. Boo. We'll see how long that lasts, but based on the many harsh and negative comments from the GP on the park's Facebook page, I would be very surprised to see the park make it to a 2013 season. Anyway, I digress, and I really should mention I only visited the park once in 2003 during their Halloween event. I found the park to not be nearly as bad as I'd heard (some people love their cheese and whine) and actually enjoyed my visit. Rampage, of course, was a good coaster in the day, but at night was just ballistic insaneness. LOVED IT. Too bad this park's days are really numbered in my opinion, but I hope I'm proven wrong. It certainly won't be the first time it has been saved...if it is saved again.

by **thrillerman1** » Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:23 pm

Comic Con 2012...is it already that time of year again?! SERIOUSLY??? Each year I usually try to do a little tie-in with arguably the world's most epic comic convention. So in the spirit of all things comic as well as the new Dark Knight Rises flick, here's an oldie...no I mean an OLDIE. It's AstroWorld's Batman The Escape along with the 1983 park brochure...