Shane's Amusement Attic

Love your attic Shane!

I know your attic is way better than mine!

Especially with the dead bodies and such in mine. >_>

Love your attic Shane!

I know your attic is way better than mine!

Especially with the dead bodies and such in mine. >_>

I keep my dead bodies in the basement and of course there are plenty of "skeletons in the closet"

We are just days away from the debut of Season 2! A new feature of the attic will be "Shane's Retro VCR" Here's a teaser...

I am going thru the files now and gathering interesting stuff to post. Now is the time to give me your ideas, suggestions and resquests, and if I have it I will make sure I get it on here.

So let me know what you want to see. (remember my files do not extend beyond 1978, I am not that old)

-Shane

Can you please post a POV of Dexter Freebish/Excalibur that was at SFAW? That'll make a bunch of people happy!

-Tatum

^Yes I do have that (Excalibur)

Shane I have a better version of the King Kobra from Kings Dominion if you like let me know.

I took my kids to Magic Mountain last week for their first time. We rode X2, Tatsu (which I lost my camera on...ugh!) Riddler, Batman, Goliath and all the others (except Superman & Deja Vu). Out of all those huge rides at Magic Mountain their favorite ride was the Revolution. And to this day if I were given the choice to ride some of the new rides or Montezooma's Revenge I would chose the simple shuttle loop (El Toro is the one exception)

 

His rides are not only thrilling, sleek and smooth, they are great looking too. Here are a few more of Anton's great creations from the German Fair circuit.

I went in 2003, and again this year August 2. My 10 year old cousin was scared to ride any of the big rides, but she was excited about one: Revolution. She went on it with a smile and exited with a huge smile, saying that this was the greatest ride. I admit, this ride is my favorite at Magic Mountain, along with Riddler. At night, both rides are amazing. Riddler had the roar and the feeling of the wind. Revolution swerves around in a forest, and it feels like there's alot of speed. The loop is really dramatic, considering there's a long ramp leading to it, it's really the star of the ride. And then the ride continues even after that! My cousin said she felt like Superwoman, flying in the sky, and through that loop (her first inversion on a roller coaster). Considering how awesome the ride is now, I can only imagine how great it was when it opened! Now why can't more parks build rides like this, instead of launching them or giving them vertical lift hills and what not; I don't think they need to spend 20 million dollars on a ride where the steel is used more to make a fat spine instead of more of a track layout, when they could spend half that on a great ride like Revolution, with money to spare!

After riding Viper, well...I never thought SLC's were rough, but Viper was honestly the worst p.o.s. ride I've ever been on! I felt like Revolution put to shame many rides that were built years later, considering that time is supposed to lead manufacturers to perfect their rides (excluding Intamin and B&M, who did improve their rides, possibly due to Stengel's input). Arrow, apparently, didn't learn when they build Viper, but they've finally learned their lesson nowadays and I hope their new S&S rides are built more.

That's a really great video. It's amazing seeing all that wonderful old 70's/80's park footage. Love the new logo too Shane. Looks awesome! Woohoo I'm looking forward to October 1!

Shane I have a better version of the King Kobra from Kings Dominion if you like let me know.

I would love to see your version of King Kobra. Post the link here.

That short video clip I made 20 years ago when I was in college. I had just learned how to use a video editing bay when I put that together.

We are just days away from the debut of Season 2! A new feature of the attic will be "Shane's Retro VCR"

-Shane

I am moist with anticipation!

^corn starch will help dry up any unpleasant moistness.

Shane, I can think of one thing I would love to see in your retro vids collection, and that's the tv commercial SFOG did when Mind Bender opened back in '78. I remember the ad featuring a knight in armor riding it. Yes y'all SF used to make commercials which were actually related to individual parks...amazing I know right? Anyway, I've not found it online anywhere so just thought by chance you might have it fom your IAAPA days.

OK, now I have one more to add to my list of addictions for the Fall season!

-Sordid Lives

-Big Bang Theory

-Kamikaze shots (Deeeee-licious!)

-Shane's Attic!

My little phone is just filling up with things to do! Who says the off-season sucks?

Shane, I can think of one thing I would love to see in your retro vids collection, and that's the tv commercial SFOG did when Mind Bender opened back in '78. I remember the ad featuring a knight in armor riding it. Yes y'all SF used to make commercials which were actually related to individual parks...amazing I know right? Anyway, I've not found it online anywhere so just thought by chance you might have it fom your IAAPA days.

Sorry Mark, I don't have that one. Wouldn't it great if the marketing people from parks read this thread and went back into their archives and pulled out some of the great old ads to post here... hint hint

OK, now I have one more to add to my list of addictions for the Fall season!

-Sordid Lives

-Big Bang Theory

-Kamikaze shots (Deeeee-licious!)

-Shane's Attic!

 

My little phone is just filling up with things to do! Who says the off-season sucks?

 

Thanks DenDen for the great compliment. I have tried to love Sordid Lives but it just isn't the same without Delta!

Thanks DenDen for the great compliment. I have tried to love Sordid Lives but it just isn't the same without Delta!

I personally think they picked great actresses to replace the 2 that left the movie, and are out-doing the movie itself. We go out every thursday to watch it at the bar and make an evening out of it. Makes it a totally different experience. (Especially after a couple drinks. LOL) I just love Sissy!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, back on topic...

this is probably my favorite thread on here because everything you share is from the era when I was most into theme parks, just brings back good memories!

Thanks DenDen for the great compliment. I have tried to love Sordid Lives but it just isn't the same without Delta!

 

I personally think they picked great actresses to replace the 2 that left the movie, and are out-doing the movie itself. We go out every thursday to watch it at the bar and make an evening out of it. Makes it a totally different experience. (Especially after a couple drinks. LOL) I just love Sissy!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyway, back on topic...

this is probably my favorite thread on here because everything you share is from the era when I was most into theme parks, just brings back good memories!

FYI -- Like The Attic, Scott's Amusement Closet is ramping up for Season II as well. Since Shane does such a fab job with covering the parks and such, I think I will re-tool The Closet to be geared more toward classic roller coasters (wood & steel). I sort of do that anyway. but I'm just sayin' ...

Oh, and I LOVE the new Sordid Lives. Though I like DB, I think Caroline Rhea does a great job. ... especially when she's frantically looking for her "oven mitt"

"Would you like a Valium?"

-S

Happy Birthday Shane!

And looking forward to The New Season in The Attic.

Sorry Shane but the video I had of the King Kobra was corrupt. When I get time away from my job some time after Christmas I will record it.

"New Season, New Posts, New Logo...OLD STUFF!"

Well it is time to start another season of Shane’s Amusement Attic. I had a great time going through my old park files and posting them here for all to enjoy last year and I am looking forward to even more great posts and your comments and discussion.

This season I have gone through my old video collection and transferred much of it to digital, so along with some great retro looks at park brochures, souvenir books, photographs, press releases and manufacturers catalogs I will be adding a new feature I call Shane’s Retro VCR. This will include rare POV’s I shot in super 8, newscasts and programs that all featured parks or coasters.

If you missed any of the first season you can go back to page one of this post and check out the index and links to all the posts, there is also a brief list of some of the future posts I will be doing. Enjoy and as always thanks to Robb for supporting this post and to all those that post their thoughts, comments and memories.

-Shane

ps- I love this new thread Marks Postcard Paradise

HERSHEYPARK 1980

So to start things off I have decided to look back at a park that I have recently grown to love. Hersheypark. This is a park with some great history and unlike some other theme parks that have lost much of their charm, Hersheypark seems to be getting better each year and with each new addition. This post takes us back to 1981, a time when the themed areas had different names (Odyssey Alley) Chocolate World had a completely different look and the SooperDooperLooper was ranked one of the top 4 coasters in the country.

The Comet

SooperDooperLooper

So that is the end of the first post of Season 2. In this case, too much Chocolate has been a good thing!

notice the Chance Toboggan in the background.

Chocolate Town look a lot different today.

This is a souvenir book from the park and the Hershey area

This is a strange name for a themed area.

and now a look at the parks layout and the themed areas of the time

still a great coaster today!

It seems most theme parks had some kind of cheesie costumed animal characters but I think a pink skunk takes the cake.

both of these Intamin rides are both gone today. It is a shame they couldn't keep the Giant Wheel.

this ride looks pretty much the same today as it did back then.

you don't see any one of these three attractions in to many parks these days.

Dolphin shows were big in the early 80's

I think this "Krackle" character has been killed off and replaced with a walking "Kit Kat" bar

the Coal Cracker, Arrow's first Hyrdo flume

here are some postcards from around the park

the park guide book

1981 Hersheypark celebrated it's 75th anniversary

Marketing profile and interesting facts of the park

Here is a list of rides and attractions at that time

1980 new attractions where an enterprise and pirate.

and the Schwarzkopf "SooperDooperLooper"

The Arrow "Trail Blazer" mine train...

The Comet

at the time Hersheypark coaster count was 3. Which was a large number for parks in that time.

Ah Hersheypark and chocolate are both "sweet"

Wow, this Shanes Amusement Attic is a LOCK to get a front page link EVERY time you post an update! LOL

How am I ever going to get up to 17th place on the ALL TIME thread list??

You do a really fantastic job on this thread Shane, my hat goes off to you and your dedication!

Have a wonderful season #2!

Peace, Big Mike

Amazing Job! I am thinking of starting my own bok because of you! You ROCK!

I'm so happy that season 2 has started! This thread is one of the most interesting things on the net for me... thanks!

Mike

I love the update! Brings back alot of memories. Hersheypark I think will always be my overall favorite amusement park!

Thank you so much for this, Shane! Hersheypark is one of my favorite parks, so this update made my day. In my opinion, Hershey's one of those parks that still has some character to it.

Thanks again!