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Amusement accident related newscasts.

MINDBENDER - Galaxyland

[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=galaxyland_7r09[/coastertube]

 

ENTERPRISE - Fairground

[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=AccidentEnterprise_olnl[/coastertube]

AIR RACE - Six Flags over Georgia

[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=AccidentAirRace_pwk4[/coastertube]

 

RAIL BLAZER - Six Flags over Mid-America

 

LIGHTNING LOOPS

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1980 Park Brochures

 

As the 2009 season grows closer I thought March would be a great time to look back at the 1980 season. 1980 was an exciting season especially for AstroWorld, they premiered the FIRST whitewater rafting ride that is now a staple attraction at theme parks around the world. New coaster attractions were the Laser Loop at Kennywood the Carolina Cyclone, and the conversions of the two Turn of the Centuries into the Demon. At that time they held the record for the most inversion on a coaster - 4.

 

1980 was also the year of the Buccaneer swing ships for the Six Flags Park and the first year that Magic Mountain became part of the Six Flags family.

 

Make sure you check in everyday this month to see your favorite parks brochure and relive that great 1980 season.

 

AstroWorld

Busch Gardens "The Dark Continent"

Busch Gardens "The Old Country"

Carowinds

Cedar Point

Elitch Gardens

Hersheypark

Kennywood

Kings Dominion

Kings Island

Libertyland

Marriott's Great America - CA

Marriott's Great America - IL

Opryland U.S.A

Riverside

Six Flags Great Adventure

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Six Flags over Georgia

Six Flags over Mid-America

Six Flags over Texas

Valleyfair!

Worlds of Fun

 

*BONUS POSTS*

Carowinds 1977

Six Flags over Georgia 1976

Six Flags over Georgia 1978

Six Flags over Mid-America 1977

Six Flags over Mid-America 1978

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AstroWorld

 

It is sad to start this look back with AstroWorld. It is a park that I miss with every new season. 1980 was a huge year for this park as they introduced a ride almost as popular as the roller coaster. Thunder River debuted to much fan fair and also many problems. As a member of the opening crew I remember all the problems the ride experienced its opening year. Boat jams, sinking boats, conveyor belt problems and all the rest. Over the years they have worked out all the problems and we now see these rides everywhere.

 

AstroWorld is sorely missed as well as all it's great attractions. RIP Marvel Mc Fey!!!

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THUNDER RIVER!

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AstroWorld really was a gem of a park back in the 80's. I'm glad I got to visit it (1982ish) and again on the final closing weekend. I will never understand Six Flags' (i.e. Kieran Burke) rationale for pulling out of the 4th biggest market in the US. I think Shapiro would have given it more of a chance of survival.

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AstroWorld

 

It is sad to start this look back with AstroWorld. It is a park that I miss with every new season. 1980 was a huge year for this park as they introduced a ride almost as popular as the roller coaster. Thunder River debuted to much fan fair and also many problems. As a member of the opening crew I remember all the problems the ride experienced its opening year. Boat jams, sinking boats, conveyor belt problems and all the rest. Over the years they have worked out all the problems and we now see these rides everywhere.

 

AstroWorld is sorely missed as well as all it's great attractions. RIP Marvel Mc Fey!!!

Shane, you gotta tell me these stories sometime.

 

- Sid

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Busch Gardens "The Dark Continent"

 

The 80's saw both of the Busch park grow into the power house parks they are today. Timbuktu themed land and several new rides including the Schwarzkopf "Scorpion" coaster were great additions to this park in 1980. The park also opened their water park "Adventure Island" this year.

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Busch Gardens "The Old Country"

 

Leave it to Busch to not just add a simple ride...but an entire new theme area. The country of Italy was a huge part of the parks expansion during the 80's. The first section of the country was added in 1980.

 

I hope we will see a new land added to this park in the near future.

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Such a GREAT park even back in 1980. This park has not lost an ounce of its charm IMO

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"now that's Italian"

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Carowinds

 

Big shout out for Carowinds my FAVORITE park!!! 1980 was a big year for "this little park that could" with the introduction of the worlds first quad-loop coaster, the Carolina Cyclone!

 

I was creative director for this park for several of the Paramount years and a lot of my heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears went into this park. One of my first jobs at the park was the changing of the drab green and burnt orange color scheme of the Carolina Cyclone.

 

Carowinds is still closed on Fridays, I never understood this policy

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still closed on Fridays...wtf???

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White Lightnin, Kenny & Dolly...some of the great attractions that are no more : (

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not actually the Carolina Cyclone but a Cedar Point interpretation of it

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I love that Kenny Rogers makes an appearance in the brochure. Your park isn't brimming with entertainment unless you've got The Gambler on the concert schedule.

 

All right... someone needs to tell me where White Lightnin' used to be situated in the park.

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are there any Showbiz Pizzas still around? They may have just borrowed a picture just like they did for the Carolina Cyclone

 

I don't think so, but the Rockafire Explosion lives on. If you want to catch up on it, there's a thread in Random, Random, Random...

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=44499&highlight=showbiz

 

Apparently some people have whole R.E. set up in basements, bars & restaurants. Chuck E Cheese is just nowhere near as cool as Showbiz was, but that was at a time when Arcades were hot.

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Carowinds 1977

 

While we are on the subject of Carowinds, my favorite park, I thought I would stray a bit from the 1980 format and jump back in time to 1977 (I feel like I am on Lost with these time skips)

 

This is one of my favorite brochures in all of my collection. The trains of Thunder Road look so cool and If I didn't know any better I would swear that White Lightnin was the Revolution!!!!

 

This is pure Carowinds goodness. Oh Closed Mondays!

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So in the early days the park was closed on Mondays...

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Introducing the awesome "White Lightnin'"

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The monorail and some sort of Hillbilly Scooby-Doo

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what ever happened to the Balloon girls?

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The Eastern Airlines Skytower, Captain & Tennille and Hong Kong Phooey. It could only be the 70's

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What a GREAT brochure cover. Thunder & Lightnin'

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Carowinds 1977

 

Well while we are on the subject of Carowinds, my favorite park, I thought I would stray a bit from the 1980 format and jump back in time to 1977 (I feel like I am on Lost with these time skips)

 

Well this is one of my favorite brochures in all of my collection. The trains of Thunder Road look so cool and If I didn't know any better I would swear that White Lightnin was the Revolution!!!!

 

This is pure Carowinds goodness. Oh Closed Mondays!

 

I have that same brochure and it's also one of my favs. Those Riverview trains look sweet though I prefer the big 'Vs' to those auto fronts.

 

Oh, were you serious about that ride being Revolution? It looks like the Rev because it IS! Carowinds' train was orange and it never had tracers on the loop structure. If you look at the base of the pilot car, you can see where they blacked out 'Magic Mountain.'

 

If you were joking, then, well ... nevermind.

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Cedar Point 1980

 

No new coasters for Cedar Point this year, they had not begun their quest to be "Americans Roller Coast" yet. But they did have quite a big expansion with the Oceana complex. 1980 was the first year I visited Cedar Point and it only cost $9.95 to get in!

 

So you want more retro Cedar Point??? Check these out:

 

Cedar Point 1969

 

Cedar Point 1978

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The midway looks almost naked without all the new coasters

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ELITCH GARDENS

 

This is OLD Elitch Garens. Home of the Wild Cat and Mister Twister. Also one of the most beautiful parks I had ever visited. If this park was still open today I am sure it would give Busch Gardens Williamsburg a run for their money for the "Best Landscaping"

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Sometimes "progress" sucks!

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I remember went to Elitch Gardens when i was ten year old in 1991 where my uncle lived Denver, Colorado. Only i remember to rode the Mr. Twister, Sidewinder, Wildcat, Wild Mouse, Log Flume, Sea Dragon, Spider, Tilt-A-Whirl, Rotor, Paratrooper, Casino, Sky Diver and i forget what name of other rides but when i grown up and come back in 1997 to visit my uncle house about drive in 2 miles to Elitch Gardens but all rides are moved to new Elitch Gardens area by the railroad tracks. So my uncle let me to look through chainlink fence at the old elitch gardens an abandoned amusement park but i seen Wildcat and Mr. Twister are still stand along with Log Flume. But wood roller coasters are demolished in January 1999 well also Log Flume is scrapped.

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Geauga Lake

 

Sadly we go from one defunct amusement park to another. Elitch Gardens lives on in a new location in Denver and I guess Geauga Lake kind of lives on at Kings Dominion, Carowinds and Michigan's Adventure. Neither are the same as the original parks.

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