Six Flags Atlanta

I have two brochures for Six Flags Atlanta (now called Six Flags Over Georgia) from 1978 and 1979 to share today.  I've never been to "Six Flags Atlanta," but for those who have here's a little nostalgic look back to a time when The MindBender was the big new ride...

Geauga Lake

I haven't posted a brochure in a long while, so let's take a look at this 1978 brochure for the now defunct Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio...

 As you can see 1978 was the first year for the Corkscrew.  The Internet tells me the Corkscrew lasted from 1978 to 1995.  The roller coaster now resides in India at an amusement park called MGM Dizzee World where it's reportedly been re-named "Roller Coaster."

 

Admission in 1978 was $6.50, and adjusted for inflation that's only $23.15 in 2013 dollars.  How many amusement parks in North America have an admission of less than $25 today?   

Return to Prehistoric Forest

Back in 2010 I did a little post on Prehistoric Forest in Irish Hills, Michigan...

I only had one color photo to share back then, but as luck would have it I just turned up two more...

Above is the fiberglass mountain Prehistoric Forest entrance.  Back in 2010 I wrote, "...at least when I visited everything was well maintained and freshly painted," but looking at this photo now I have my doubts.  Are those yellow areas on the mountain where the grey paint has pealed away?  Although the two-tone color scheme kinda breaks up the monotony of solid grey.  That large white figure on the left is the "Giant Ground Sloth" as seem on the B&W brochure...

Here's the Prehistoric Forest Tyrannosaurus photo-op.  Midway thru your tram ride in the forest passengers were allowed to walk around a small photo-op area with about a half dozen dinos.  There's some kid in what looks like a red hoodie on the lower left.

Here's some great 60's home movie footage from Prehistoric Forest I found on YouTube...



Lastly here's nice little look at how Prehistoric Forest looks today by someone who has obviously visited my blog before...

Kings Island Postcards

Last month was my Kings Island 40th anniversary palooza, and here's something that I never got around to posting until now - it's a Kings Island postcards book from the late 1970's...

Here's a great closeup of the Turnpike Ride above...

It looks to me like you needed to show your AARP card in order to drive.  Sorry Junior I know this looks like a kiddie ride, but you're gonna have to let Grandma drive.

Kings Island Brochure 1979

Since I recently posted the 1979 Kings Island souvenir booklet, here's the 1979 Kings Island brochure. Unfortunately I think this brochure was damaged in a coffee spill so it's a little less than mint condition...  

1979 was the year the giant wooden coaster "The Beast" debuted at Kings Island.  Today The Beast is renowned as one of the greatest roller coasters ever built, but totally lost in the mists of time is the "New in '79 Hanna-Barbera's Yabba Dabba Doo Caperoo Show."  Hopefully one day some YouTuber will post this forgotten show.

The brochure folds out into this huge thing. Click to see how big it gets...

Kings Island 1975

Kings Island celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.   I wish I had a Kings Island brochure from 1972 to share (the year it opened), but the oldest brochure I've got is from 1975...

I thought I'd point out that the International Restaurant mentioned above with its "splendid cuisine" is no longer operating and is basically closed to the public. The space is now used for employee training and other boring stuff.

This is a shame.  My first memory from our first visit to Kings Island is when my family took refuge from the rain by having lunch at the restaurant when we arrived at the park. Those large picture windows offed a great view.  Well I guess they have their reasons for closing the restaurant.  Maybe middle-aged business men aren't having swanky suit-and-tie dinners at amusement parks like they use too. 

Lastly here's some old timey home movies of Kings Island taken around 1975 that I found on ye olde YouTube...

Ghost Town in the Sky

Continuing with the western theme for this month here's a brochure from 1979 for Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. This park has been in bankruptcy for the last few years, and if you care about such matters you can read about the whole mess here.




If you want to see what Ghost Town in the Sky looked like in 2007 (which I think was the last year the park was open) here's a link to a pictorial "TPS Report."

Stagecoach Stop USA

Hope this isn't too much of a disappointment for anyone, but I'm taking a little break from the Western River Expedition animation this week.

But in keeping with the western theme this month here's a brochure from the now defunct Stagecoach Stop USA in Irish Hills Michigan...




It's sad that this roadside attraction closed back in 2009. It was a fun place for a family to visit on a quick day trip. Along with the Prehistoric Forest this is another Irish Hills attraction that's a victim of the recent "economic downturn."