5 Awesome Vintage Amusement Parks to Visit on Memorial Day (that won't break the budget and aren't mega-sized).

You've got lots of options this summer for big fun.  Might I suggest the following?:

Visit a vintage amusement park!  Or two or three!  Heck, make a road trip out of it!!!

Yes, I'm talking to you.  I know you; you're cost-conscious, yet a thrill-seeker.  You want something unique and memorable to do with your family.  But sometimes when you think about amusement parks, what comes to mind are the super-duper megaparks, crawling with just too many people and not enough space to rest, to enjoy a meal, to breathe.  Well, I'm hear to tell you there are other parks out there, really great ones, some family-owned and operated, that are much more manageable in scope, but still packed with everything you could possibly need or want for a great, old-fashioned time.

Behold my top 5 parks from my book, "The Cotton Candy Road Trip" specifically picked for you if  you're fixing to have a great time, without losing the kids in a crowd (or your patience within the first five minutes).  They're all user-friendly in size, full of charm and history, and, for those adrenaline junkies out there, each has a very noteworthy roller coaster:

1.  Knoebels, Elysburg, PA: Plenty of trees to rest under, some of the best park food you'll ever taste, and an impressive parade of vintage rides that will please every age range.  What sets Knoebels apart is the way they keep up and constantly improve the collection of the vintage rides, sometimes rescuing rides from other parks (like the astounding Phoenix roller coaster).  They're actually working on a Flying Turns ride, patterned after an attraction from the fabeled past of Chicago's Riverview park.  Be sure to check out their on-premises carousel museum!

Knoebels' carousel

2.  Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, CA: Right on the Pacific Ocean, the park boasts an amazing arcade, scrumptious boardwalk food (yes, you will want the chocolate-covered bacon), an excellent haunted dark ride, the Big Dipper coaster, and a skyride, which allows you to take in the breathtaking ocean view.

Gargoyles guarding the haunted dark ride

3.  Lakeside Amusement Park, Denver, CO: At night, this park becomes an astounding jewel box of neon signage.  Antique ride signs have been lovingly preserved; you will not find such a collection at any other park.  Thrill as you ride the Vettel rollercoaster, one of only a few which still remain in operation.

Seriously.  It doesn't get better than this.



4.  Arnolds Park, Arnolds Park, IA: Ride the Legend rollercoaster, go for a picturesque boat ride on the lake, blow your wad shopping, visit the Rock and Roll museum, get lost in the mirror maze, go shopping again, take in the park's historical museum, then round out your visit with a Nutty Bar (trust me on this).  And there's a concert series to boot.  If you run out of things to do at Arnolds, you're just hopeless.

The Legend.  And it IS.

5.  Rye Playland, Rye, NY: With three dark rides, the iconic Dragon roller coaster, the historic Derby Racer, and a well-stocked kiddieland, there's more than enough delights for kids of all ages.  What's unique and wonderful about Rye Playland is that it still has the same layout it had on opening day back in 1928, when park planners thoughtfully plotted out green spaces and restful, tree-lined areas.  Rye Playland weathered Hurricane Sandy and is still standing.  This season, it needs your support and patronage so that it doesn't get severely "edited" by the powers that be who wish to wipe out about a third of the rides.  Don't let that happen.  Visit Rye Playland and visit often.

View of a portion of Playland from the park's Ferris wheel

  

Pack the sunscreen and get moving!  Summer hasn't even officially begun but it's already a'wastin'!

 

Listen to My Most Recent Radio Interview on WCNS THIS Saturday morning ONLINE!!!

The jaunty chef guy who oversees the making of the Potato Patch fries at Kennywood

Mike Krcil is a rock star (figuratively speaking), an award-winning broadcaster, and a really great guy.  What makes him a rock star is that he asked to interview me for my book, helping to get the word out about it in the Greater Pittsburgh area (where a chunk of the parks I visited reside) and hopefully getting folks interested in doing their own vintage amusement park road trips.

So make a nice latte, cozy up to your computer, and give the interview a listen THIS SATURDAY (that's tomorrow, May 18) at 9:30 Eastern.  You can do so by clicking on this link at the appropriate time:

http://1480wcns.com/talkblock.htm

It's part of the Saturday Talk Block on 1480 WCNS.  Mike and I chat about Western Pennsylvania parks like Kennywood and Idlewild, and I also give some hints about parks to visit in other regions of the U.S.  And at the very end of the 30-minute interview, I give out a holler about how YOU can help save a vintage park in peril, the awesomely historic Rye Playland.

Take some time and tune in tomorrow!!!  Your soul will smile.

Rye Playland Opening Day for 2013 is May 11! Special rates and a PARADE!!

Rye Playland is one of my favorite vintage parks, period.  If you're in the greater NYC area, DO plan on attending their 2013 season opening day on May 11!  It sure looks to be like a swell time!  There's a parade and entertainment and special rates!!

http://cortlandt.dailyvoice.com/news/rye-playland-opens-may-11-parade-and-entertainment

Here's a snap of yours truly with Ms. Zoltar, taken back in 2011 when Ben and I visited the park (and I fell completely in love with it):

Santa's Village Azoosment Park 2013 Opening Day is Mother's Day!!!

Part of my job as a Vintage Amusement Park Maven includes trolling around Facebook throughout the day, lurking to find exciting information for my fellow vintage amusement park enthusiasts.  Well, here's a doozy for Northern Illinois park fans!  Copied from their Facebook page, the great folks at Santa's Village Azoosment Park say:

"2013 Grand Opening on Mother's Day May 12th ... Mothers on that day will be admitted FREE when accompanied by 2 full paid admissions. Hope to see all you Mothers out at the park on May 12th for a fun filled day to kick off our 2013 Season! ~ Jason & Don"

Folks, get yourselves out to this super East Dundee park!  The owners have been hard at work, adding even more rides and attractions in the past few months.  You recall the park was closed for years and sat dormant.  If you've been paying attention in the slightest to my mad ramblings, you also know this park has "adopted" a few of the iconic Kiddieland rides after that park closed.  All in all, Jason and Don are creating vintage park magic: bring back the nostalgic past and enriching the experience with the fresh and new.

It's not every day that a park essentially left for dead rises up again and comes back better than ever.  Santa's Village Azoosment Park is a miracle, incorporating rides, shows, animals, and attractions in one fun place!!



santasvillagedundee.com

A link to an article from last year I was proud to have been a part of:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-santas-village-amusement-park-20120814-001,0,6030321.photo

Coney Island has great season opening after Hurricane Sandy!

And I, for one, must have a "Keep Calm, and Coney On" t-shirt!!

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130325/REAL_ESTATE/130329931

Bay Beach Park gets a new ride for the upcoming season!

http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20130306/FON0101/130306011/New-ride-coming-Bay-Beach-Amusement-Park

Kudos to Bay Beach Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin for continuing to grow its vintage park!! The Sea Dragon is a real crowd-pleaser; Kiddieland had a similar ride, and its a big draw in a variety of parks I visited for the book.

One of my very best friends lives up in Wisco; this was her park as a child.  At some point this summer, I do believe a girl trip is necessary!!

Save Rye Playland!

Back in 2011, while sweeping through the East Coast for my book, "The Cotton Candy Road Trip", I fell in love with Rye.  I hadn't known much about it prior to my visit, except that:

1.  It's government-owned.
2.  It had a "Mad Men" connection: Don Draper's ex, Betty, and her new husband, move the family to Rye.  They tell their daughter that she'll be near Rye Playland.

But when I toured the park, took in the incredibly rare rides, kicked back at the tiki bar, and tackled their classic spook houses with my eyes open (a first for me!), I became a Rye Playland fan for life.

So it greatly pains me to report that the park is in peril.  And, from what I'm reading and learning, it's all about money and land and politics. Nasty politics.  Add to that the fact that Hurricane Sandy ripped up its boardwalk (and the aforementioned tiki bar), and you've got a gorgeous vintage park whose future is a huge question mark.

I follow the news about this drama on the Facebook page, Save Rye Playland.  Plans are to open the park as usual in the Spring.  But, if you're a fan of Rye Playland, or are a champion of vintage parks and nostalgia in any sense, it's worth your while to visit the Facebook page and learn more, perhaps sign a petition to help keep the park a treasure (https://www.change.org/petitions/save-playland-amusment-park), or if you live in the region, get involved in-person:

Save Rye Playland Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtDecoPLAYLAND/

Rye Playland Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/ryeplayland?ref=ts&fref=ts

The day I became a Rye Playland fan for life.

  (You can read more about my adventure and eurekas in my book, of course: https://www.createspace.com/3840248)

My Etsy Treasury Tribute to Disneyland!

 

"Hey 'Cotton Candy Road Trip' Lady!  What will you be doing in about a week or so to celebrate your birthday?"

"I'll be going to Disneyland!  And to be the wheels of excitement in motion, how about this Treasury I created on Etsy to pay tribute to the awesomeness of vintage Disneyland?"

"Don't mind if I do!"

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTE0NjU5NjN8MjcyMTI5NTM3OQ/disneyland-the-mid-century-retro

My 2013 goals for "The Cotton Candy Road Trip"

I consider myself the luckiest kid on the coaster, having published “The Cotton Candy Road Trip”, having sold a number of copies (not a huge number – yet.  But not just a dozen or so to friends and family, either), and having gotten the word out about vintage parks.  But frankly, I know I’ve only scratched the surface of what can be done for the parks, the people who love them, and the ways I can market, promote, and build excitement for the book.  2012 gave me a good toe-hold into what can be done, but I also got sidetracked by theatre and life and, well, just being overwhelmed by the ebbs and flows of 2012, a year that rocked each and every person I know without exception.

So, without anymore ado, behold my goals for the book in 2013:

1.      Get “Cotton Candy” connected with every single form of social media imaginable.  A few weeks ago, I had a meeting with my social media guru.  Yes, I have one of those, a woman who knows her way around Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, HootSuite, Pinterest and God only knows what else with a facility of a teen-ager who knows all the ins and outs around arcade games, going home with seventeen extra-large stuffed toy hound dogs.  She is awesome, she is smart and creative.  And, the biggest plus, she believes in my project and it excited by the prospect of creating a huge social network footprint for it. #soexcitedicouldplotz.

2.      Contact more Chicago media outlets.  I’ve been interviewed by local papers, a local radio station, and was featured as part of an article in the Chicago Tribune.  That’s good.  But that’s not as far as I can go with this.  More popular radio shows and TV shows will be harder nuts to crack, but they aren’t insurmountable.

3.      More swag!  I’ll be posting more swag for people to buy on Zazzle – and an item I’ve been toying with will be sold on Etsy.  I’ve had the “ingredients” for the Etsy items for about a year; it’s time.

4.      Re-visit at least three parks.  Travel is not cheap, but it’s imperative that I re-visit at least a few of the parks to keep excitement about the book building – plus, I just miss them.  I’m looking at my calendar for 2013, going, “But when do I visit the Eastern Pennsylvania parks again?  When do I get to go to the Enchanted Forest in Oregon again?”  I miss them, I miss the people and the energy and the rides and the fried dough.  So I plan to visit at least a few parks – and the ones at the top of my list are the ones affected by Hurricane Sandy: Keansburg and Coney Island and Rye Playland.

5.      Explore avenues that will “get” and celebrate the spiritual side of my book.  Those folks who’ve really, really enjoyed my book have all mentioned that they were moved and inspired by the sense of the quest, the embracing of the spiritual side of my travels.  I need to share the book with more folks who have similar sensibilities, who believe in “the spirit of place” the way I do.

2013 feels like a celebration just waiting to happen, much like that moment before you enter an amusement park.  I aim to make this New Year the time that “The Cotton Candy Road Trip” becomes the catalyst for thousands of celebrations around the country, when people plan for park visits, schedule park road trips, and commit to making every visit to a vintage park a personal quest for that moment of joy frozen in time. Yeah, tall order, I know., but NOT insurmountable.  Just a steep hill for the coaster cars to tackle, that’s all.  And I happen to know something about that…

 

Coney Island's arcade games and rides in the "vintage amusement park ER"

Please read this fascinating article on how the folks from Deno's Wonder Wheel Park are working hard to salvage the rides and games that were ravaged by Hurricane Sandy.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323501404578165283531252180.html

Of particular interest to me is how dear the Grandma's Predictions fortuneteller is to the park; they consider it a good luck charm.  Here's a photo I took while Ben and I visited Coney:

The article relates that Grandma's been around since the 1920s.  She apparently made it through the flooding, although she's being taken care of at the "ER"; apparently the Zoltar machine in the background didn't fair as well.

Again, please give to the Red Cross and help the folks affected by Sandy. And consider donating to Coney Island USA, to help keep the history and spirit of this priceless place alive for future generations: http://shop.coneyisland.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?display=home

I found a new old park! Martin's Fantasy Island!!

http://www.martinsfantasyisland.com/index.html

 

Trust me - when I did my research for my Road Trips, I really did some fine-tooth combing.  So when a new-old park pops up that I didn't know about, I'm simultaneously humbled, intrigued, piqued at myself, and raring to figure out a way to visit it whenever a Road Trip II is in the works.

Take a peek at Martin's Fantasy Island!  It's near Buffalo, NY and has been around since 1961!  With the exception of the antique cars and tilt-a-whirl, it seems that most of the rides are newer, but still it maintains a definite vintage feel!

VIDEO: Mister Rogers Remixed - The Garden of Your Mind

Detail from Idlewild's Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzXaFbxDcM

Back toward the beginning of the Road Trip, I spent a magnificent day at Idlewild Park in western Pennsylvania.  One of the sweetest and most unique experiences was a visit to the Land of Make Believe - they have an actual trolley that whisks you through it and you get to meet all the fabled characters the wonderful Fred Rogers made famous.  I can tell you many tears were shed when the recorded voice of my beloved Mr. Rogers wafted through the speakers and took us along on a fairytale journey.

I counted.  It only took me 40 seconds to start crying while watching this fantastic video.

The tradition of the Conneaut Lake Park pony rides

 

http://www.goerie.com/article/20120603/NEWS02/306039870/Homestead-native-celebrates-60-years-of-horsing-around-at-Conneaut-Lake-Park

During our first visit to Conneaut Lake Park, I had the pleasure of interviewing a few of the folks who run the pony track.  The park had just re-opened after being closed for two years, and the ponies were back and ready to resume their duties as if nothing had happened.  The dedication and verve of folks like Don Weyel are remarkable and major reasons I wrote this book.  Please take some time today to read this article and support YOUR local vintage amusement park!!  Heck - take a road trip down to Conneaut Lake Park and experience the magic yourself!

Selling the book, the Facebook page, and some wonderful friends

So, yesterday was the big splash for the book, but really it was only the first part of the splash.  Like navigating through a waterpark.  Consider yesterday's splash like, oh, maybe taking your inner tube and coasting down the Lazy Rapids (or whatever else one might call that slow-moving river-like part of a typical waterpark).  What's left?  Oh, the rest of the Really Big Waterpark!  Like contacting everyone I have ever received an email from, everyone I have an email for who is connected to a park, all my agents and clients from my voice-over world, connecting with small bookstores in the region, and eventually, reminding all the PR folks from all the parks that the book actually exists and is ready to wield its magic.

Then there's setting up book signings.  I have some irons in the fire on that avenue.  Small bookstores, libraries, even the Oak Park Arms, where my Dad lives.  They've all expressed interest in one form or another.  And every stone must be turned in order to get the Cotton Candy message out to the masses.

But back to yesterday.  I splashed Facebook, launched my book's Facebook page:

(https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cotton-Candy-Roadtrip/204002577720)

... and told every person I know there, over 600 friends, about the page and to hopefully get it "liked".  Additionally, I took out a Facebook ad with a small budget, and am starting to get folks from all over the world interested in my project!  But the sweetest thing ...

was the outpouring of enthusiasm and love from my Facebook buddies. Their generosity of spirit moved me again and again throughout the day.  One friend purchased a copy of the book so quickly it made me dizzy, then went on to share the book's page link with her other friends.  A number of friends did that as well, shared the Facebook page link.  I blushed time after time at their words of encouragement, how they plugged the book sight unseen, just knowing it's a labor of love, that I poured my whole self into it.

Thank you friends.  Such generosity will be graciously returned.