bgwfreak Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 Edit: Just posted my review for TN...check it out here: http://www.thrillnetwork.com/stories_view.php/1984/thrillnetwork_tours_ghost_town_sky.html Hey guys and gals. Last Thursday, the 12th I had the opportunity to take a construction tour of Ghost Town in the Sky, Maggie Valley, North Carolina. It was on my way to Dollywood so I asked them if I could stop by. Ghost Town in the Sky is a small park that was started back in 1961 during the whole huge Gunsmoke, High Noon, general Wild West popularity of the times. To make a long story short, it closed in 2002 and will reopen with new owners May 25 of this year! For those that knew the previous owner, David at the park said that he and his wife (depending on their health) will try and make it back on the 25th for the grand reopening. It's located on top of a mountain in Maggie Valley and the Ghost Town section of the park is themed to a 1880 wild west town. I'll be writing up a more detailed review for www.thrillnetwork.com , but for now enjoy the pics! Also if you'd like full resoluation (3.1 mp) then click here: http://travel.webshots.com/album/558698799EZkqKI Joey moved to NC? Huh? That's about it folks. Again, check out my full res versions if you'd like to. The mountain shots are great in full resolution! Almost done...but not before my red Beetle would attack me! When getting back in the car the wind caught it and slammed it on my leg! Ouch! Trying to be all artsy with the new walkway bridge. An overview of the front of the park entrance and the mountain/hill where the Incline Railroad and Chairlifts will go up the mountain. You can check out the new logo of the park here... this is NOT product placement either. I did NOT get paid $50 by this guy to put his phone number on the internet. Schwarzkopf coaster! Where? Seems to remind me of a Spielbergh movie for some reason (Close Encounters). The whole gift shop has that retro 70s look to it...except it was probably BUILT in the 70s! In the gift shop (if you hadn't figured it out yet)...do I hear $200 for this lovely "slightly" used chair lift seat? I'm hoping they decide to put this back on the scrambler before starting it up in May. Grrrr! I thought I told you to get off my mountain! Alright already. I'm going! If you look really hard you can see the new drop tower going here. Gunslinger (Chance Yo Yo) waits to be put back together. Being flung over the mountain's edge is going to be fun! Children (and Dan) close your eyes! Now now. George Bush this is not appropriate immigration enforcement. For shame. This is David King from the park. Great guy to take me around. The worker dude looks like I just shot him! Even more townage. A long shot towards Lake Junaluska. Maggie Valley is down below. It was a gorgeous day. Great for pics. Lake Junaluska (sp?) is off in the distance (a great place to visit too). Inside the church it looks like it's brand new again. The Frontier Church. They will actually have services here on Sunday. This is the only park I know of besides Dollywood that will have a working church. I think this will be a western wear shop. So you too can look as goofy as John Travolta did in the 70s. Hit me up with a sasperilla (sp?) will ya? The Silver Dollar Saloon will be back open for business soon. Looking in the shops and such...Somehow reminds of a 1940s shop in one of those old TCM movies. Doesn't this just look like something straight out of High Noon? I almost expect to see Gary Cooper come walking out. More townage. The little kiddie coaster waits for a new station. Sorry coaster whores, I think this one is going to be too smal for ya. Oh wait, I forgot which site I was on! They've really been busy cleaning and painting and restoring all the old buildings. Some of them look brand new now! The little train that could (and will) run again. Tommy this guy was asking about you. Care to explain? Oh wait...nevermind. Time to head into town. Ghost Town (the park) is split up into several sections, all on different levels of the mountain. *snickers* Custard's Last (Ice cream) Stand (and porta potty). If you saw Tommy & James' report a couple years ago, you might remember the washed out section. It's not anymore! New retaining wall and all. Glad to see men and cowboys can both use the Coke machine. Helix next to the restaurant sporting the new colors. A new restaurant will provide great views of the mountains and the coaster right next to it. And another shot shows how low down on the hillside/mountainside it really is. Here's an angle of the loop I've never seen. You can see how close to the ground you get. The new colors are: track- yellow / trains -red / station - blue. They will all kinda match the new logo for the park. Grrrr! I'm the angry coaster on the mountain named Red Devil! Oh wait, I'm what is it...Cliff Hanger. Grrr...gimme some candy! The incline at the top. The incline reaches inclines up to 77 degrees! Almost Millenium Force! David King (who took me around) trys to jump out of my shot of the chairlift footers at the top. Ha! Gotcha David! The incline is either the steepest or close to the steepest in the USA. On the road to the top. Scary is not even the word! This was a very steep road up and down! The park said that the Incline Railroad cars/trains will look less like cages when they are done with them. This is their original look. Hmmm... What would this be? I decided it had been far too long since I sat in Charlotte traffic. But instead I drove the other direction. Ha! Suckers! What good PTR on TPR wouldn't start out at Elissa's favorite place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennywood!007 Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 Wow, it's actually on a mountain. I never really looked into this park, but it looks like a very unique experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterdude5 Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 The park seems to be making great progress! I've been trying to follow it closely over the last few months. I'm not too sure about the new color of the coaster, but it will probably look better when it's completed. Thanks for posting the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niiicolaaah Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 Very cool. Thanks for sharing your pics! I'm a bit disappointed they re-named and re-color-schemed Red Devil. I thought it was cool as it was! (well, with a fresh coat of paint.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrillrider15 Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 What a great ride it would be if the incline train malfunctioned, and started racing down the hill. Great trip report. I never knew how much terrain the place had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Thrill Dragster Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 The park looks great! Knotts used to have a working church, but they moved it out of the park for Silver Bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xme3 Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 thatparkactually looks like it would be a nice little place to visit after they finish re-modeling. Or maybe I am just excited because I have a thing for uirky little parks in the middle of nowhere...either way, this place looks like a lot of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete4winds Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 Awesome TR! All that park needs is a "Mule" hovercraft and you have pretty much every Firefly episode all in one place! Oh, and THIS guy below looks like my paternal great-grandmother! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnome Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 The park looks great! Knotts used to have a working church, but they moved it out of the park for Silver Bullet. It's still on property, it's just not in the actual park anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 i have been there in its heyday in the lat 80s it was fun i got pictures and postcards and even a map too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hectordelbano Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 It's sarsaparilla, in case you wanted to know. Cool park, can't wait to visit. Not like I've ever been to North Carolina, but now there's a reason! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTre Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 What a great ride it would be if the incline train malfunctioned, and started racing down the hill. I just thought of that! I figure, just to be on the safe side, they should, you know, put something on the cars and tracks to keep the trains from rolling down the hill at 1000 m.p.h. and into the parking lot?!?! Otherwise, that looks like a REALLY cool place. Something for everyone in my family. I would love to go on Red Cliffhanger. It looks SWEET! (the tram does not!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 yea thats pretty cool cool to see a park kind of in the mountains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuggles Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 So the inclined railway thing is actually steeper than el toro's first drop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knutsack387 Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 This park has a lot of potential... I really hope the new owners do well with it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterman7 Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 Great TR! Good to see this park is going to be back up and running. Can't wait to visit it and see it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airtime&Gravity Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 It is great to see the new owners putting so much money and capital into the park. I really hope that it is a success, as this looks like it will be a great family park when it is finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonecrzyNSC Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 I hope they kept the scrambler inside the building. That thing was awesome with the black lights and the AC/DC music they used to blast while you were riding. I'm glad to see the park is opening back up. DisneyWorld it's not, but it was still fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastercrazed49 Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 Wow that park looks awesome. It looks so cool just being set in the mountains. And the coaster looks great on the side of the cliff. Who designed it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacemountainfreeek Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Hey great TR. Looks like it is going to be a great park when it opens! They should have put in a drop coaster off the edge of the mountain along with the other two coasters. ( three if you include the kiddie coaster) >>Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woah_killa Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 I used to go to Lake Junaluska a lot, and I had no idea it was that close to Ghost Town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boy_who_luvs_coasters Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 wow. this is intersting. im disapointed that there wasnt much about coasters/parks. just a few pics about the coaster and one about the "invisable/coming" drop tower. well anway, looks like the PARK will be good when its finished a mountian-side park. cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazydaveh Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 I'm glad to see that the park is on it's way back. It was a fun place to visit back in the days. The "Red Devil" was a fun coaster, short, but fun. Did I see that they've built a walkway to the top? If so, that's one heck of a walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoosh Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Silver Dollar City also has a working church in the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuggles Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 When I saw this PTR, I instantly thought of "ghost riders in the sky" Great pictures and PTR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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