Abandoned Theme Parks

[SunshineTom]

Six Flags New Orleans has always fascinated me. It's stunning on camera in a desolate/abandoned context. I'd love to shoot something there, a horror film or anything of that nature. It's the perfect setting.

[Tim Dasco]

@SunshineTom Jurassic World main street was filmed in SFNO (Six flags New Orleans) car park.

[SunshineTom]

19 hours ago, Tim Dasco said:

@SunshineTom Jurassic World main street was filmed in SFNO (Six flags New Orleans) car park.

Actually didnt know that, wow! 

[jake_hunt]

@SunshineTom Closest I can think of to an abandoned "theme park" in Aus is Atlantis Marine Park in Perth.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/western-australia/atlantis-marine-park-in-western-australia-lies-abandoned/news-story/36631b569356fe35cc83313a8f2ea8f5

Not really a theme park as such, but a marine park with animal displays etc. Think Sea World and aquarium have a baby with no rides and more animals.

[iwerks]

A local blogger did a bit of research on Atlantis here:

http://www.katierebekah.com.au/adventure/thereturntoatlantis/

I love the 1980s video of the park. Also of note is the report on what happened to the dolphins after the park closed - it's tragic, but fascinating reading.

But we didn't just have Atlantis. We also had Pioneer World, El Caballo, Dizzy Lamb Park, Bullens Lion Safari, It's a Small World and Elizabethan Village.

[SunshineTom]

On 12/5/2016 at 8:30 AM, jake_hunt said:

@SunshineTom Closest I can think of to an abandoned "theme park" in Aus is Atlantis Marine Park in Perth.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/western-australia/atlantis-marine-park-in-western-australia-lies-abandoned/news-story/36631b569356fe35cc83313a8f2ea8f5

Not really a theme park as such, but a marine park with animal displays etc. Think Sea World and aquarium have a baby with no rides and more animals.

 

I don't mind all-animal parks but i have to be in a different mind frame. Usually if i want to go to a theme park, Sea World is usually LAST on my agenda purely for the lack of rides/thrills. But if i am going with littlies, then i can change my frame of mind to better enjoy the experience. I try to avoid SW though anyway for reasons i won't list. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

*puts 2 and 2 together with current profile image of Sea Shepherd*

oh. you're one of those.

I must say @liz.wis's theory is looking more and more likely. i'd be interested in an admin checking the IP, although if it is, at least you've moderated your views somewhat to suit the community a little better.

Anyway.. good on you for not listing those reasons. experience suggests it opens a can of worms that nobody enjoys and nobody wins.

[SunshineTom]

2 minutes ago, AlexB said:

*puts 2 and 2 together with current profile image of Sea Shepherd*

oh. you're one of those.

I must say @liz.wis's theory is looking more and more likely. i'd be interested in an admin checking the IP, although if it is, at least you've moderated your views somewhat to suit the community a little better.

Anyway.. good on you for not listing those reasons. experience suggests it opens a can of worms that nobody enjoys and nobody wins.

 

Sea Shepherd is a great cause, you would be the first person i know who has a problem with it? If so that would be dissappointing. Yes, i'm "one of those", a defender of those who can't defend themselves from barbarians. But let's not get into one of "those discussions". If you are wondering if i am a previous member, then no i am not. Actually not even sure who you're referring to as i've lurked on here but no one springs to mind.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

The Sea Shepherd cause itself, I have no issue with.

However many followers of SS also fly the flag of other causes - like the blackfish believers who take out their misinformed ire on our Gold Coast Sea World who have done nothing to deserve such ire in recent memory.

So taking your SS image and your 'reasons I won't list' statement is what has led to me casting you into that category.

[jake_hunt]

SS drives me insane with its anti-Sea World crap. That's like an anti-drugs association attacking the DEA.

[iwerks]

I don't have a problem with SS, although Green Peace and the Australia government do.  My problem is with the 'empty the tanks' slogan.  It's fine when it's brought up in normal conversation, but when it's repeated just to drown everything out, it's so stupid.  It's like treating everyone else like they're two and that they don't know what's good for themselves.  

Most of us have looked into zoos and aquariums.  We've a fair idea what we're getting into.  Most of us have seen or read up on Blackfish.  We know whales are best viewed out on the ocean.  

More than any three word slogans, I think it was this research on the Atlantis' dolphins' release that is the most damning and yet the most fascinating.

http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/share/AquaticMammalsIssueArchives/1993/Aquatic_Mammals_19_2/19-02_Gales.pdf

Perhaps, the saddest part of all, is that the three dolphins who couldn't make it in the wild were brought to a pen in a marina, near present day AQWA, and were poisoned.

[jake_hunt]

Sad story that. That's what the risks are when animal parks are done wrong.

But, when done right, we get such wonderful conservation groups as SW, Currumbin, Fleay, Dolphin Marine Magic in Coffs, Australia Zoo etc etc etc the list goes on. Probably more parks do it right than wrong when all's said and done, which is encouraging.

[wipeout94]

More on Nara Dreamworld.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/world-travel/asia/inside-nara-dreamland-japans-creepy-abandoned-theme-park/news-story/d9f6c73ea413cd64fa3dd97638187aed

news.com.au

 

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  • Inside Nara Dreamland, Japan’s abandoned theme park

• JANUARY 10, 20177:05PM

Japan’s Nara Dreamland amusement park has been left abandoned and decaying for a decade. Picture: Romain Veillon

• Lauren McMah
• news.com.au

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IT WAS a bright, colourful place of fairytale castles and breathtaking roller-coasters, where holidaying families created happy memories — until they stopped. 

Then it became one of the creepiest abandoned parks in the world.

Nara Dreamland, Japan’s answer to Disneyland, has sat in ruin for a decade since dwindling visitor numbers forced it to shut its doors in 2006.

Now, demolition work is under way to remove all traces of the once-popular Nara Dreamland, which fell into such decay it resembled the stuff of nightmares.

French photographer Romain Veillon managed to capture haunting images of the abandoned park.

 

Inside creepy abandoned park

 

Inside the decaying site, he found eerily quiet walkways, rollercoaster tracks choked by wild overgrowth, paint peeling off shabby attractions and twisted, rusty metal where majestic water fountains once stood.

In another image, giant pastel-painted teacups — modelled on Disneyland’s famous spinning teacup ride — sit still and frozen in time.

The park, in Japan’s Nara Prefecture, was directly inspired by Disneyland. It was dreamt up by businessman Kunizu Matsuo, who visited the famous Anaheim site in the late 1950s and set about building a theme park as close to Disneyland as legally possible.

The Japanese park even had its own version of Disneyland’s famous Main Street USA. Picture: Romain VeillonSource:Supplied

Nara Dreamland opened in 1961 and was a hit, but struggled to maintain visitor number after the opening of Tokyo Disneyland in 1983.

The opening nearby of Universal Studios Japan and Tokyo DisneySea in 2001 were further nails in the coffin for ageing park, which began to see attractions fall into disrepair and park stores shut up shop.

Nara Dreamland officially shut down in 2006 and was left to rot.

These rides haven’t seen visitors since 2006. Picture: Romain VeillonSource:Supplied

After its owners struggled to keep up with tax payments, it was seized by the Nara City government.

In the years since, the decaying park has attracted daring photographers, maverick tourists and other trespassers, but no interest from buyers.

But in October last year, Japanese daily newspaper Mainichireported Osaka real estate company SK Housing had bought the site with plans to dismantle what remained of Nara Dreamland. The demolition project was expected to take just over a year.
 

[mission]

Nara Dreamland is worth a look on google maps as well.

[downunder]

You'll be able to add Space World in Japan to the defunct park list soon, whether it will be left idle remains to be seen.

There's some pretty good coasters there that might go for a steal.

[Aw hype]

3 hours ago, downunder said:

You'll be able to add Space World in Japan to the defunct park list soon, whether it will be left idle remains to be seen.

There's some pretty good coasters there that might go for a steal.

The only ride worth buying from there imo is the intamin accelerator

[Jessicajealousy]

23 hours ago, mission said:

Nara Dreamland is worth a look on google maps as well.

It was! It had good pictures going back to 2005 when it was still open as well. It was good to compare 2005 (open) - 2009 (closed for a while) - 2016 (closed for ages). Its so overgrown and its so sad!

 

The google street view was interesting as well!

[downunder]

21 hours ago, Aw hype said:

The only ride worth buying from there imo is the intamin accelerator

I guess this is a subjective assessment, but their best 3 coasters are preferable to anything that Dreamworld currently has. Trying to say that I'd settle for a coaster less crap than the one's DW currently has.