To accompany my USA Today article about operating the Phoenix roller coaster at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, my son (ahem, make that my Emmy Award-winning son) shot a video chronicling the experience. As you…
Read MoreCategory: Classic Parks
If I ran the coaster
My passion for parks and attractions began when I was but a wee lad at Revere Beach, the first public beach in the U.S. and the Boston area’s answer to Coney Island. I was enthralled…
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Amusement parks embody the American story
I love theme parks and amusement parks. If you are reading this, chances are that you do as well. But what is behind this love affair? And what impact have parks had on American culture–and…
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Take a ride back in time on National Roller Coaster Day
This Roller Coaster Day, consider riding the rails of some of the oldest thrill machines still operating in the U.S. There are 14 vintage rides which date back to the 1920s or earlier. And lest…
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Get your scream on aboard these 10 not-to-miss NYC-area coasters
Folks living in and near the Big Apple have plenty of roller coasters to experience. Now that it’s time to hit the road and visit parks once again, which midways boast the best scream machines?…
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Disneyland for wimps
It might be known as “The Happiest Place on Earth,” but for a subsection of folks–and you know who you are–Disneyland can be a terrifying place. The coasters! The (literally) gut-wrenching drops on Guardians of…
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The world’s oldest amusement park
Want to take a deep dive and learn about Bakken, the world’s oldest, still-operating amusement park? How old? The beloved Danish park dates back to 1583! It is charming, somewhat understated, and offers lots to…
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These are among the best theme parks in the world
There are many wonderful theme parks across the globe. How might one approach the daunting task of narrowing the list down to the ten best? One way would be to use the Liseberg Applause Award…
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New roller coasters will be roaring in 2021
2020 has sure been a strange year. And 2021–at least the first few months of it–will likely continue to be strange. But at some point, this cursed pandemic is going to start dissipating. And when…
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Creepy, yet compelling abandoned parks
Natural disasters, business failures, and other factors have caused amusement parks and theme parks to close. Perhaps time has simply passed them by. Whatever the reason, there are parks that have been abandoned, yet remain…
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