# Amusement park rides



## NancyNGA (Apr 5, 2018)

Most of the old rides look so tame compared to those now.

Lakeside Park, Denver, CO (1908-1920)  
Looks like a giant pinball machine


----------



## fmdog44 (Apr 5, 2018)

Todays rides are crazy and some are still built from wood. No thanks.


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 5, 2018)

_The Swooper  
_Chain of Rocks amusement park, St. Louis, Missouri, 1927-1978
Riders were moved backwards, swooping up, then forward...directly towards the Mississippi River 250 feet below.  An oval shaped ferris wheel?


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 5, 2018)

Abandoned ferris wheel in Germany spinning in the wind :eewwk:
(click "watch this video on YouTube")


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 7, 2018)




----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 7, 2018)

NancyNGA said:


> Abandoned ferris wheel in Germany spinning in the wind :eewwk:
> (click "watch this video on YouTube")



That's eerie!


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 7, 2018)

SifuPhil said:


> That's eerie!


Reminds me of the other thread on dangerous things we've done as kids.  I wonder how many kids would love to climb up on that thing. Maybe that would stop it from spinning.  LOL


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 7, 2018)

NancyNGA said:


> Reminds me of the other thread on dangerous things we've done as kids.  I wonder how many kids would love to climb up on that thing. Maybe that would stop it from spinning.  LOL



YouTube has a video of some guy that did just that - went for a ride on that ferris wheel, powered only by the wind. 

The park itself, Spreepark in Berlin, has quite an interesting history. If you're ever bored, check out the Wikipedia entry for it.


----------



## Pappy (Apr 7, 2018)

Sylvan Beach, where we spend our summers, still has one of these Dive Bombers. I prefer the car ride myself.


----------



## Mizzkitt (Apr 7, 2018)

One of my fave rides was at Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio. It was called the Runaway Mine Car. I would not go on any of the high rides so that one suited me just fine.


----------



## moviequeen1 (Apr 7, 2018)

Years ago during summer vacations,the highlight was going with friends  to Crystal Beach,Ont to ride the wooden rollercoaster called "The Comet'. The only way getting there was taking the Peace Bridge which connects Buffalo to Ft.Erie,Ont.
I think I was 10 when I first went on the ride,it was scary.I never went on a roller coaster again Sue


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 7, 2018)

Mizzkitt said:


> One of my fave rides was at Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio. It was called the Runaway Mine Car. I would not go on any of the high rides so that one suited me just fine.


If this is it, it looks about my speed also, Mizzkit.


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 7, 2018)




----------



## Aunt Bea (Apr 7, 2018)

In our area most of the old amusement parks were owned by the local trolley companies. They built them to increase ridership on weekends and holidays.

I was terrified of this old wooden roller coaster when I was a kid, so terrified that after a minute or two I was right back in line!!!

The park opened in 1898, the Comet opened in 1925, the park closed in 1973.

They had a promotion where if you presented six Canada Dry bottle caps and 99 cents you could ride the various rides all day!


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 8, 2018)

Aunt Bea, I consider myself a bit of an amusement park devotee, but you've stumped me. 

The only park I know of that opened in 1898 and closed in the early '70's is Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey, but they had a Cyclone, not a Comet. 

I'm assuming the park you're referring to is down south?

The bottle cap promo was cool!


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 8, 2018)

Action Park in New Jersey was probably one of the most dangerous parks ever conceived. 

[video]http://dai.ly/x13qzyv[/video]


----------



## Aunt Bea (Apr 8, 2018)

SifuPhil said:


> Aunt Bea, I consider myself a bit of an amusement park devotee, but you've stumped me.
> 
> The only park I know of that opened in 1898 and closed in the early '70's is Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey, but they had a Cyclone, not a Comet.
> 
> ...



Suburban Park was outside Syracuse NY in a town called Manlius. 

I've often wondered about the Comet. 

I'm curious to know if that was just a popular name for wooden roller coasters or if it was some sort of patented design.


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 8, 2018)

Ah, I was way off - thanks!

The Comet was first built in 1927 for Crystal Beach Amusement Park in Ontario (and was initially named the Cyclone). There's some confusion, though, as Coney Island had a Cyclone that is often hailed as the first one in 1926. Not sure if they're the same design.

As for patents - I know there were quite a few issued in the late 1800's. I would think that the patenting process has only expanded since then.  

Sadly, it seems that Suburban Park is now Suburban Park Apartments, with 1- and 2-bedroom models renting for $1,000-$1,300/mn.


----------



## jujube (Apr 8, 2018)

We had a "Comet" at our local amusement park. We always called it the "vomit comet", for very good reasons. My first (blind) date with my late husband was at the amusement park. I loved the thrill rides and he went on all of them with me. Later I found out he was terrified. He'd never go on one again.


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 8, 2018)

Small roller coaster on top of the Stratosphere Tower, Las Vegas 
_"Dismantled in 2005. ...  Although there were never any serious incidents or injuries on the High Roller, the ride was well known for its frequent break-downs, and ... would frequently shut down temporarily due to high winds."_


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 8, 2018)

That's just insane. Wonder why they closed it down?


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 8, 2018)

SifuPhil said:


> That's just insane. Wonder why they closed it down?


From what I read, there was very little interest in it.   Maybe the clientele in Vegas is too old...  More into gambling, drinking, and nightclubbing.


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 8, 2018)

NancyNGA said:


> From what I read, there was very little interest in it.   Maybe the clientele in Vegas is too old...  More into gambling, drinking, and nightclubbing.



Yeah, that makes sense.


----------



## MarkinPhx (Apr 8, 2018)

NancyNGA said:


> From what I read, there was very little interest in it.   Maybe the clientele in Vegas is too old...  More into gambling, drinking, and nightclubbing.



First time I saw it I thought "no way". I think most had that feeling !


----------



## MarkinPhx (Apr 8, 2018)

When I was a kid, this was one my favorite rides at Disneyland. It's not as old as others listed here. Opened in 1967 and shut down in 1985.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Apr 8, 2018)




----------



## jujube (Apr 9, 2018)

NancyNGA said:


> Small roller coaster on top of the Stratosphere Tower, Las Vegas
> _"Dismantled in 2005. ...  Although there were never any serious incidents or injuries on the High Roller, the ride was well known for its frequent break-downs, and ... would frequently shut down temporarily due to high winds."_



I have ridden the "roller coaster" on top of the Stratosphere (once) and the vertical accelerator on top (several times).  The roller coaster isn't anything exciting except for when you look over the side, you're looking a loooong way down.  The accelerator makes you think it's not going to stop and you're just going to keep on going until you hit the moon.  Now THAT'S exciting.  They also have (or had....) a ride up there that I just couldn't try.  It was an "arm" that reached over the side with a car like a roller coaster car.  The "arm" tilted out into space and the car rolled down a track on the arm until it hit the end with a jerk.  At least, you _hoped_ it would stop when it got to the end.  I couldn't do it......you have to draw the line _somewhere_....  A few years back, the car got stuck at the end and those poor people were out there for a couple of hours (in the cold) until they could get it pulled back.  

Originally, the Stratosphere planned to have a King Kong ride that had a huge Kong "climbing" up the tower on a track with people riding along (on it's back? in its fist? I don't know the particulars....)  That fell through early in the planning.  Pity.  They had a "free fall" experience for a while where you jumped off the top, tethered to a pulley and would fall almost at full speed until gently coming to a stop at the bottom.  I was tempted but it was pretty expensive.  

I bid my rollercoaster-riding days goodbye with a last big bang when I was 65 by riding every rollercoaster in the Worlds of Fun park in Kansas City at least once, some twice, one three times.  After that, the ophthalmologist said I had a choice.....rollercoasters or working retinas, but not both.  Sigh.


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 9, 2018)

jujube said:


> ...  After that, the ophthalmologist said I had a choice.....rollercoasters or working retinas, but not both.  Sigh.



I never would have made that connection. Is it because of the pressure that is placed on the retinas during the rides? Leading to retinal detachment?


----------



## jujube (Apr 9, 2018)

SifuPhil said:


> I never would have made that connection. Is it because of the pressure that is placed on the retinas during the rides? Leading to retinal detachment?



It's mostly those roller coasters that loop you over and over at great G-force.  You know...the fun ones.  There's a lot of pressure on the eyeballs and it can cause detachment or tears.  One of my retinas isn't in good shape, so I don't need to make it (or the other one) any worse.  

It's a pity, 'cause in my younger days...like 65.....I was a real adrenalin junkie.  I really, really liked the thrill rides.  As long as the ride didn't go around in circles; can't do circles.  I get seasick on a carousel.  The worse rollercoaster I ever went on was a rather mild one; unfortunately the cars also spun around as they went on the track.  What a bad combination.


----------



## NancyNGA (Apr 11, 2018)

Steeple Chase ride, Steeple Chase Park, Coney Island (~1909)

If riding fake horses in a circle makes one queasy, this ride might have been just the ticket.


----------



## SifuPhil (Apr 12, 2018)

Unfortunately the original Steeplechase Park burned to the ground in 1907, but was rebuilt. 

That actually looks like a dangerous ride.


----------



## Radrook (Apr 20, 2018)

The Coney Island roller coaster ride back during the 1959's almost cost us our lives when we were beginning it without having deployed the hand bar. It was everything but tame.


----------



## rkunsaw (May 3, 2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK8JRA5OMpE


----------



## Victor (May 3, 2018)

Chicago is famous for the legendary RIVERVIEW Park on the north side of the city, closed around 1968 or so
because Mayor Richard Daley made a deal to tear it down and build a shopping strip!
The roller coaster was most popular.

Chicagoans of a certain age miss the passing of this great park--and nothing ever replaced it--
except six flags which is in a northern suburb.


----------



## NancyNGA (May 3, 2018)

rkunsaw said:


>



rkunsaw, I would be so sick because of the spinning. Yikes!!!:eeew:


----------



## NancyNGA (May 3, 2018)

Radrook said:


> The Coney Island roller coaster ride back during the 1959's almost cost us our lives when we were beginning it without having deployed the hand bar. It was everything but tame.


Radrook, was it this one?


----------



## Meanderer (May 4, 2018)




----------



## Meanderer (May 8, 2018)




----------

