Mark's Postcard Paradise

Here's Wild One at its original home, Paragon Park, in Hull Massachusetts, where it operated as Giant Coaster for nearly 70 years.

Here is a fun postcard. It is from the year that Park Asterix opened in France. While I think it is an amazingly well done park, comparing it to the Eiffel Tower is a bit of a stretch.

^Nice Park Asterix card. Did you ever tell us the answer to your Canada's Wonderland riddle?

 

OK, same coaster, another twenty years in the past. This one is from 1941 and shows some of the same flats in the foreground as on the card from the 60s.

postmark June 26, 1941

Continuing with my unofficial winter weather theme, this week the forecast is calling for 100% frozen precipitation! Here's one I think TheRapidsNerd will enjoy...

Nice Dejavu card. This SFOG version is the only one I ever saw that wasn't down, but I didn't ride.

 

Here's one for Ghost.

 

Sorry for late reaction. Nice card. Seen many Disney postcards before (and own a lot of them too) but this one I see for the first time. Nice...

Here is a unique postcard from Nagashima Spa Land. I bought this on my wonderful Japan TPR trip. I can't wait to go back

I might as well post these other ones at the same time. They are also from Nagashima Spa Land

I don't think I picked up any postcards from NSL on our rockin' 2007 TPR Japan tour, so this is awesome Shane. Arigato!

A postcard from the beloved Six Flags Elitch Gardens. The relocated Sidewinder from the original Elitch Gardens. Originally relocated from Magic Springs where it was known as the Roaring Tornado.

 

This is the only Arrow Shuttle Loop with the simple loop supports rather than the typical lattice structure.

Punxsutawney Phil says "6 more weeks of winter", and in honor of Phil's home state of Pennsylvania, here's a shadow-y postcard of one of the greatest woodies EVER - Phoenix!

It's true.

REPREZENT!

^I have that same Phoenix post card

Anyone here ridden a Fly-O-Plane? Seems the only known model in operation is at Lake Winnepesaukah (Rossville, GA). I watched that one with fascination a couple of years ago, but didn't give it a go. I have a couple of old post cards where the Fly-O-Plane is part of the usual landscape. This one features the Long Beach amusement zones. Photo probably early '60s?

I've ridden the Fly-O-Plane at Lake Winnie. And I can see why they're now scarce. It's not very comfortable, and rather difficult to control. My experience was: do nothing and be stuck almost upsidedown, or try to right yourself and end up completely upsidedown.

 

/Maybe I'm just retarded.

The Toboggan of flat rides.

... It's not very comfortable, and rather difficult to control...

 

Yeah, that's exactly what I had heard about them prior to my LW visit. Given another ten minutes or so of observation I probably would have tried it, but the rest of my party didn't have the patience/interest to indulge me. I really love the Chattanooga area and would like to return sometime soon, so maybe I'll have the opportunity to take a spin myself this year.

My first go on LW's planes back in 2004 was fairly unsuccessful. I found it really hard to control the plane and spent most of the ride upsidedown. Then I went back in 2007 and had an awesome ride. It seems like I remember LW refurbishing them that prior winter so maybe that helped. Anyway, this time around I caught on to the technique of shifting my body weight to get my plane spinning really fast. It can be an insane ride once you get the hang of it!

They used to also have one of these at World of Fun in the Aerodrome section. I think it was called Wing Ding

Gerstlauer has developed a new "spin" on the Fly-O-Plane. Their Sky Roller was mentioned in a TPR thread a few months ago.

 

Here's another card that pictures a Fly-O-Plane among lots of other flat rides common in the 1960s.

Well I never knew state fairs had postcards. Cool! I remember being a little kid and riding that circular jumping ride in the foreground. It was one of my first flat rides, and I absolutely hated it! I pitched a fit and made the ride op let me off of it lol. Maybe I just rode a lemon of that ride, but it would jump the ramp and then slam really violently into the ground!

Mark they have one of those at Kennywood. It is one of the best flats around!!! major air

^ I wonder if I would like it now since my tastes in flat rides have changed drastically from when I was a crispy tyke. I've not been to KW since about 1980, so hopefully I can give it a go one day and find out if I like it as an adult. Are there anymore of these flats at any other parks?

Mark, I've recently seen a ride that seems to be inspired by the old Jumper ride, called Techno Jump, made by Italian ride manufacturer Sartori. Here it is in

. It's probably one of those rides that is more fun to watch than ride, but it's quite impressive (and more so at night, I'm sure).

 

And now for something completely different, an old Cedar Point card.

postmark August 26, 1937

Does Breakers still look like this? Not much else does.

God how old are you Restoca???? 98?

God how old are you Restoca???? 98?

 

Well, some days I feel like it, but no.

Techno Jump looks like a sick ride. I wonder how the hairtime is on it.

Here's another one from Six Flags Elitch Gardens. I never understood the addition of this coaster. To have an Arrow Shuttle Loop and Vekoma Boomerang in the same park seems a little redundant.

just simply Boomerang

at least they didn't give this coaster the horrific name of Boomerang: Coast to Coaster.