Splendid China

The Splendid China theme park in Florida was open from 1993 to 2003, located just a few miles from Disney World. Details from SFGate.com:



Critics mocked it as a "propaganda theme park". And eventually it was revealed to have been owned by the Chinese government, which was the only reason it managed to stay open as long as it did.

Posted By: Alex - Tue Jan 02, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, 1990s, Asia

“Fighting the Flames” at Dreamland

The Dreamland amusement park had a spectacle that consisted of a street scene of building facades which would erupt in flames, allowing a mock rescue by fireman-actors. Ironically, the whole park died in a giant inferno.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Sep 25, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Firefighting, Arson, Wildfires, Infernos and Other Conflagrations, Simulations, Make-Believe, Cosplay and other Pretend Situations, 1900s, 1910s

Corky and Corkette, the Cypress Gardens Clowns

Wikipedia page for Cypress Gardens.

Videos below the snapshot.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 14, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Clowns, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1960s

Desert Christ Park

Their homepage.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 09, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Eccentrics, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Religion, 1950s

Safety Village, USA

A huge number of photos and some good text here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Feb 18, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Education, Enlargements, Miniatures, and Other Matters of Scale, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, PSA’s, Regionalism, Children, Cars

Moon Mice at the World’s Fair

Read it here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 27, 2021 - Comments (1)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Comics, 1960s

Artificial Girls of 1940

Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 28, 2021 - Comments (2)
Category: Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Puppets and Automatons, 1940s, Women

Crocodile Teasing at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo

The head in mouth bit comes after the four-minute mark.



The Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 26, 2021 - Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Death, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Asia

The Golden Gate Bridge Bolt

In 1937, the city of San Francisco was busy preparing for the upcoming 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition when it was was approached by an engineer from Connecticut, Joseph Bazzeghin, who had an unusual proposal. He wanted to use the recently completed Golden Gate Bridge as a structure upon which to build the ultimate roller coaster, which he would call the Golden Gate Bridge Bolt. He envisioned this coaster being the centerpiece of the exposition, in the same way that the Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece of the 1900 Paris Exposition.

Image source: CA State Archives Newsletter

His plan involved attaching tracks to the cables of the bridge. These tracks would rise 300 feet above the first tower, and then drop 750 feet to the deck level of the center span — during which plunge the coaster would reach a speed of 190 mph. But then it would rise up again, 300 feet over the second tower, only to plunge 1000 feet toward the water and speed through a viaduct into Marin County.

During the second plunge riders would reach 220 mph, at which speed the force of the wind would make it impossible for them to breathe. So Bazzeghin planned to provide them with paper masks to protect their eyes, nose, and mouth.

His scheme was rejected, partially because the city was worried about drivers on the bridge being distracted by the sight of the roller coaster. But also because it would have been incredibly expensive, and possibly impossible, to build.

More info: CBS SF BayArea, SF Chronicle

Posted By: Alex - Tue May 18, 2021 - Comments (3)
Category: Architecture, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, 1930s

Jody Sten, “Smiling Teddy Bear”

Posted By: Paul - Sat May 15, 2021 - Comments (0)
Category: Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Music, Toys, 1960s