Cedar Point has just been dumping high fidelity, old photos en masse as part of their 150th anniversary this year. It's been phenomenal, and actually answers a lot of "I wonder what [x] looked like" or "where was [y] located?" questions. A couple top hits:
Gemini Construction
Front Main Midway (Demon Drop, now where Ocean Motions sits)
Pirate Ride, removed by Blue Streak
A lot less roller coasters
Original location of Ferris Wheel
Space Spiral, now where Gatekeeper stands
Earthquake Ride, now Snoopy Boutique
Roughly where Gatekeeper and Windseeker now sit
Have never seen a good shot of the Double Wheel! (at front of park)
Mill Race, where Raptor now stands
A VERY long line for Magnum
Aquarium (where Wicked Twister now stands) with the first Wildcat Schwarzkopf seen behind
Schwabinchen's original location, across from Iron Dragon's location
This Trabant has not been very documented, but stood where Matterhorn now stands for a time (unsure where this shot is)
Western Cruise, which used the Coasters restaurant as a station
A very forested Jr. Gemini (now Wilderness Run)
The "lost" coaster of Cedar Point (eventually found at a park in Mexico), a Jumbo Jet that stood where Gatekeeper now stands
Front Main Midway (Demon Drop, now where Ocean Motions sits)
Pirate Ride, removed by Blue Streak
A lot less roller coasters
Original location of Ferris Wheel
Space Spiral, now where Gatekeeper stands
Earthquake Ride, now Snoopy Boutique
Roughly where Gatekeeper and Windseeker now sit
Have never seen a good shot of the Double Wheel! (at front of park)
Mill Race, where Raptor now stands
A VERY long line for Magnum
Aquarium (where Wicked Twister now stands) with the first Wildcat Schwarzkopf seen behind
Schwabinchen's original location, across from Iron Dragon's location
This Trabant has not been very documented, but stood where Matterhorn now stands for a time (unsure where this shot is)
Western Cruise, which used the Coasters restaurant as a station
A very forested Jr. Gemini (now Wilderness Run)
The "lost" coaster of Cedar Point (eventually found at a park in Mexico), a Jumbo Jet that stood where Gatekeeper now stands
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
Heres an interesting video of an old side friction style ride running at Hidro Park in Kiev, Ukraine. This 3 track ride ran right up until 1990 before being dismantled.
Whether or not its a coaster is perhaps up for debate but it just about ticks the boxes for me. And it does actually appear on the RCDB
Whether or not its a coaster is perhaps up for debate but it just about ticks the boxes for me. And it does actually appear on the RCDB
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
This isnt a coaster but its one hell of a picture
It is from Bertram Mills Circus in Olympia, London during the early part of the 20th Century.
When it seems they let an actual real life bear on the dodgems (or similar ride).
How times (And Health And Safety, And Animal Rights) have changed
The image is from this great set of pictures from the Standard. Which includes some really good shots of the 1924/5 British Empire Exhibition and the Grand National roller coaster (https://rcdb.com/16131.htm). A ride which i have researched extensively for the RCDB and have a bit of a love for.
I highly recommend a flick through these pictures. If not just to feel how underdressed we are when we goto parks these days.
www.standard.co.uk
It is from Bertram Mills Circus in Olympia, London during the early part of the 20th Century.
When it seems they let an actual real life bear on the dodgems (or similar ride).
How times (And Health And Safety, And Animal Rights) have changed
The image is from this great set of pictures from the Standard. Which includes some really good shots of the 1924/5 British Empire Exhibition and the Grand National roller coaster (https://rcdb.com/16131.htm). A ride which i have researched extensively for the RCDB and have a bit of a love for.
I highly recommend a flick through these pictures. If not just to feel how underdressed we are when we goto parks these days.
Stunning photographs show London’s fairgrounds through the years
Take a step back in time with this brilliant glimpse into life at the fun fair
www.standard.co.uk
Cedar Point is continuing their amazing church of high-res archive photos - many of which have never really seen circulation, and help answer a number of layout questions for us "younger folk" who weren't around to experience Cedar Point pre-1985. Some cool tidbits that have been posted, with commentary:
Photo of Thunder Canyon in Frontier Town right at opening. Log flume seen in foreground is White Water Landing, which was subsequently removed for Maverick. The former WWL station is the building used for Maverick's queue now.
Cedar Point has owned two 65M Schwarzkopf "Wildcats" throughout history, one running from 1970-1978, and sent to Valleyfair upon that park's purchase by Cedar Point to open as Rails. CP's second Wildcat opened in 1979, the same that ran until closing in 2011. The photo below show the second Wildcat (and Matterhorn) in their original location, before being moved towards the Main Midway to make room for Avalanche Run (subsequently Disaster Transport). You can also notice, Wildcat was totally a parking lot coaster.
Super cool shot of Corkscrew during construction. Also interesting to note that track/supports appear to not have been painted until they were on-site.
OG Cedar Crek Mine Train art work
OG Magnum XL-200 art work
OG Disaster Transport art work
Mean Streak pre-RMC
Map of the Frontier Trail addition to Cedar Point in 1971, connecting the Frontier Town to the rest of the park via walking path. Before, only ways of getting to the back of the park were by train and the Frontier Lift, a back-half park gondola ride.
This is a super cool view of the park, where MF, Valravn, Wicked Twister, and Windseeker now respectively stand. The Ferris Wheel originally stood where MF's final turn is. Of more interest is the clear view of the Frontier Lift's front station, later converted to Iron Dragon's main station. You can also see paddlewheel boats for the Western Cruise ride. Also, if you look all the way in the back of the photo, you can see the original Wildcat roller coaster (again, moved to Valleyfair in 1979), standing where Windseeker now sits.
Another shot from the same era, showing the Western Cruise paddleboats and Frontier Lift. This view would now be occupied by Rougarou's first drop and loop.
lulz
More to come, and already have had a bunch of "where did this ride stand?" questions answered as CP's been rolling out these shots.
Photo of Thunder Canyon in Frontier Town right at opening. Log flume seen in foreground is White Water Landing, which was subsequently removed for Maverick. The former WWL station is the building used for Maverick's queue now.
Cedar Point has owned two 65M Schwarzkopf "Wildcats" throughout history, one running from 1970-1978, and sent to Valleyfair upon that park's purchase by Cedar Point to open as Rails. CP's second Wildcat opened in 1979, the same that ran until closing in 2011. The photo below show the second Wildcat (and Matterhorn) in their original location, before being moved towards the Main Midway to make room for Avalanche Run (subsequently Disaster Transport). You can also notice, Wildcat was totally a parking lot coaster.
Super cool shot of Corkscrew during construction. Also interesting to note that track/supports appear to not have been painted until they were on-site.
OG Cedar Crek Mine Train art work
OG Magnum XL-200 art work
OG Disaster Transport art work
Mean Streak pre-RMC
Map of the Frontier Trail addition to Cedar Point in 1971, connecting the Frontier Town to the rest of the park via walking path. Before, only ways of getting to the back of the park were by train and the Frontier Lift, a back-half park gondola ride.
This is a super cool view of the park, where MF, Valravn, Wicked Twister, and Windseeker now respectively stand. The Ferris Wheel originally stood where MF's final turn is. Of more interest is the clear view of the Frontier Lift's front station, later converted to Iron Dragon's main station. You can also see paddlewheel boats for the Western Cruise ride. Also, if you look all the way in the back of the photo, you can see the original Wildcat roller coaster (again, moved to Valleyfair in 1979), standing where Windseeker now sits.
Another shot from the same era, showing the Western Cruise paddleboats and Frontier Lift. This view would now be occupied by Rougarou's first drop and loop.
lulz
More to come, and already have had a bunch of "where did this ride stand?" questions answered as CP's been rolling out these shots.
Unsure if this has been posted before, but fantastic footage of the "Over the Top" Virginia Reel at Coney Island (ask to join Defunct Wooden Roller Coaster Archives - DWRCA):
Also found this amazing photo of an early looping coaster at Revere Beach, MA... with track traveling through the middle of the loop!? (also from Defunct Wooden Roller Coaster Archives - DWRCA)
Also found this amazing photo of an early looping coaster at Revere Beach, MA... with track traveling through the middle of the loop!? (also from Defunct Wooden Roller Coaster Archives - DWRCA)
CanobieFan
Strata Poster
Revere always make me sad. My parents have some of those credits... Cyclone, Reel, a mouse.... All long gone before I came around. I actually came across old historical satellite images of the area and you can make Cyclone out in a few, same for the reel.
Just a few miles from where I grew up...
Just a few miles from where I grew up...
davidm
Strata Poster
Some olde coaster (and fairground) stuff in this random thing on the BBC site;
Also John Noakes, and if that isn;t a reason to watch it, I don;t know what is.
The history of the funfair
From candy floss to dodgems - buckle up for a rollercoaster ride through the history of the fair.
www.bbc.co.uk
Also John Noakes, and if that isn;t a reason to watch it, I don;t know what is.
JamesB
Mega Poster
Was browsing Atlas Obscura and they have this fantastic old map of Playland, NY:
Source, with zoomable map: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/maps-to-get-lost-in
Source, with zoomable map: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/maps-to-get-lost-in
chainedbanana
Hyper Poster
Brought to my attention my British theme park archive:- GREAT footage of Chessington from 1991 - great nostalgia trip.
davidm
Strata Poster
Not sure whether this belongs in this thread or the LOL thread or the music thread...
But Planty's twitter account (for some unknown reason) just tweeted a link to an old video (~1990) of his, the location of which some might find amusing (as did I!)
Pre Big-One action there.
But Planty's twitter account (for some unknown reason) just tweeted a link to an old video (~1990) of his, the location of which some might find amusing (as did I!)
Pre Big-One action there.
CanobieFan
Strata Poster
White Water Landing was the jaammm back in the day. Probably my my favorite not-really themed flumes. But I'd still take Mav over WWL.
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
A rarity here. The only (as far as I know) Bobsled/Flying Turns coaster to open in South America which opened at Parque Shanghai some time in the 1950s. Dates are a bit unclear but theres some excellent images in this video which I've included for ease.
Theres lots of other great pictures of old Brazilian rides in this video if you have time to scroll through it
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
Finally got round to scanning this in. One of the latest additions to my collection.
This is a shot of the infamous Schwarzkopf Thriller but unsually it shows the ride in 1996 during its one and only season at Grona Lund in Sweden.
This is a shot of the infamous Schwarzkopf Thriller but unsually it shows the ride in 1996 during its one and only season at Grona Lund in Sweden.