Amusement parks when you were a kid

We still have our local amusement park and water park combined that has been here for ages. They have one of the only wooden coasters left. We also had another small park located near the amusement park when I was a kid that had one of those huge slides you went down on a carpet. I almost fell off the top of it as my father saved me by grabbing my long hair as I dangled hundreds of feet above the pavement! Needless to say, I never went back again and now hate any type of big slides! LOL

Well, the Six Flags in Colorado is probably not worth your time or money. The parking is more expensive than even Disney parks, the cost of food is atrocious, the rides sub par and the park as a whole is lacking of any special or even mediocre experiences, in my opinion. I grew up in Denver and there is a diverse mutlitude of attractions, shows, shopping and historical landmarks that are much more satisfying. (Six Flags Eltich's Garden (Denver) may be closing soon as well. ) Disneyland is the absolute best. If you go to a Disney park you will be astounded by the attention to detail, the cleanliness (especially at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim), and the helpfulness and good spirit of the cast members. There is an unbelievable amount of magic to experience. It can change your life, as it did mine. Use your imagination and set yourself free. Faith, hope and love are alive and well at Disneyland. That is why it is not just my favorite amusement park, but my favorite place on earth.

In the 70's when I was a young teenager, I used to go with my friends to a place called BB Park where there were food stalls and a stage where you can watch budding singers sing, talentime contests, for 50 cents (in the 70's), you can go up on stage (if you dare! we were scared to go!) and ask one of the ladies seated to dance with you to loud blaring music. We usually go there just to hang out and relish the hawker fare with wide varieties of food and tidbits.

Around my area there weren't small parks. We just have fairs that come throughout the summer. We have some really big fairs in the area. But we always used to go to places like Cedar Point in Sandusky, Kennywood in Pittsburgh, Geauga Lake, Sea World. But now Geauga Lake and Sea World turned into a Six Flags and most of the animals were shipped to other Sea Worlds.

When I was a child my grandparents would take us (2 at a time- there were 16 grandchildren) to a amusement park called Long Point. Long Point was on Conesus Lake, NY. Our kids wouldn't consider Long Point an amusement park because compared to 6 flags and Disney- it was tiny. But to us as kids it was the Best! It didn't have any big roller coasters.. They had 1 roller coaster for kids-- called the Little Dipper-- I rode this thousands of times growing up... I can remember it like yesterday-- It went around twice and had 2 hills-- a small hill and a big hill.. It was perfect for our size... and I can honestly say the Little Dipper was what started my love for Roller Coasters... My grandma would sit and play the ball rolling game-- roll the ball and try to get 3 in a row.. (I don't remember the name) while us kids rode the rides... There was a swing, ferris wheel, and tons more- Long Point burned down when I was in my teens-- It was a great place- thanks for bringing back memories!

Hi ... oh my god ... I rode that coaster at Crystal Beach ... scared the he** out of me ... smilin ... I was maybe 16 yrs old, at the time ...it was the largest wooden coaster in n.america at the time ... No, honestly the first amusement park i went to when i was a kid was a fair in the fall ... my mother put me on a ride called the rocket .... its spun around and around really fast ... they had put me in a seat where there was no seat ... and as the ride was going around the force made me feel like it was trying to throw me out and I had to hang on for dear life ... when i got off the ride, which felt like an eternity .... i was pale and sick looking ... my mother even commented on my greenish completion ... well, since that time i'm not a big amusement park person so i dont know what possessed me to get on that ride 8 years later at Crystal Beach .... but .. i just wanted to stop by and tell ya that i been there too ... and it just brought back some memories for me ...thanks ...smilin

I do remember the days when there were amusement parks that did not have all the rides that the parks have now. Of course, I use to love the ferris wheel and being able to look down from above and seeing all the people walking around. Cotton candy was my favorite snack while at the park. I did not like roller coasters when I was a kid as they made me sick but now I love going on them.

When i was little there was Roseland Park. It was closed for many many years and now i think that it is back new and maybe improved.

In those days, there were two amusement parks in the city where I lived, and we could do a school field trip there in the spring. None of these "educational" field trips that "meet the objectives". However, my mom was scared of everything, so I often would be restricted as to what I could ride. I am glad I am not so afraid of things as she was. I do not like to ride roller coasters, though, as they make me feel out of control. I do like, or did like, the octopus. Lots of spinning, and up and down and spinning some more while going around and around and up and down. When I was in High school, we would do things like that in church youth group, and that was much more fun ( and less restricted). Our little town has a carnival come by every year in May. Nothing really dramatic, but the kids have lots of fun.

I see someone else was talking about Roseland. I remember lots about that place. My mom's place of employment always had their family picnic there. I loved it. I mostly remember the teacups. They were one of my favorite rides. I also liked that ride that went out over the lake. Although I never did it, I enjoyed watching the people go out in those paddle boats. I think its a water park now. I'm not sure as I haven't been there in many years. Its really weird...I can remember the rides but I can't really remember anything else. I guess maybe because I was just a kid and at that point rides were the only important thing.lol

I'm not a kid, and I still go to our local amusement park here in Missouri, Worlds of Fun, all the time when it's open. Not so much for the rides, but the live entertainment shows, which I dearly love. But I have great memories of going with friends when I was younger, too. funnily enough, one of my favorite memories is of feeding the birds french fries when I and my ex-boyfriend used to go all the time and buy fries almost every time that we were there. It was so much fun to watch the birds swoop down and pick up the fries and fly off, lol. Not that the rides and games weren't fun, but for some reason that memory really sticks out to me. Also walking around the park with my best friend from childhood, just making up silly songs and goofing around. I loved being there with her, because we both loved the shows and we also went around to all of the rides once the shows were done for the day.

I was to Cedar Point once with my Uncle years ago. I cant remember much about it though. I have never been to Disney or 6 Flags though. I would love to go to Disney some day.

We have an amusement park here in Portland. It's called oaks amusement park. It's right by the river so you can go and enjoy the rides, eat cotton candy and popcorn, feed the ducks and have a picnic. I love going there on a warm summers day. Thanks for sharing your memories. I'm sure the amusement parks of today are nothing like the ones you are describing.

I loved going to the circus when I was a kid, it was great because my family could afford it because of the free child passes, me and my freinds would rip out about 10 each year it came and gave it to other kids we knew. It was so funny when your a child, I cant wait to see my child be amazed by what people in the circus can do. It will be great = ) Your freind, M0thakap0p

When I was a kid in the 50's there was this little amusement park in Cleveland that was such a thrill to go to. My favorite ride there was the Wild Mouse. It zipped and zoomed around this old track at almost 45 degree angles and scared the whup out of you, lol. Then they had this giant airplane thing that you got into and it went around tethered to a big pole. It's been closed for years now, but boy, just thinking about it brings back the memories of a carefree childhood.

I love going to my friends sites here reading their previous discussions they started just for the purpose of finding one like this. I didn't read others responses due to my hopping from page to page at this time. But as a kid in Suburban Detroit there was a place called Boblo Island. There were ports in a few spots to cath a boat there. They even had evening cruises to Boblo that had dinner & dancing. Boblo is an Island in the Detroit River just outside of Wynadotte Michigan. I even lived in Wyandotte as an adult & could walk to the port for Boblo Island. I used to love this amusement park as I went there every chance I had cash. I can't recall all the rides but this is the place I rode a Wild Mouse the first time. It's been closed for years now. I don't recall what they did to it as far as usage now. Ahhhh the memories. Thanks for this memory recalling discussion. Yeee Haaaaa! happy postings from Grandpa Bob

I am in my late 20's so I was only going to real amusement parks growing up. I recall things though. I loved the kiddie parts of all the parks but I loved the roller coasters best. I was a big thrill seeker. I rode my first REAL one when I was just 7 yrs old. I rode "Monazoomas Revenge" (sp?) at Knotts Berry Farm. I closed my eyes, but it was FUN! I loved it. I was HOOKED! Loved coasters ever since. I recall when Space Mountain at Disneyland wasnt so roller coaster like. :) And when i was younger a trip to Magic Mountain with my dad was TOO much fun! My dad cant reall do those kinda rides anymore but still its good memories!

Hey that's where I grew up. Every year we went to crystal beach for the end of the school feild trip in elementary. I remember the year i was finnaly tall enough to go on the comet. I loved it! Then what about the ride that went over the water, you sat in like a chair lift. oh that was the scariest ride i have ever been on. My friends kept rocking the chair. ahhh i still remember the feeling.

I always remember the trip to Alton Towers in the UK that the company my Dad worked for organised every year for their employees and employees families. We were all supposed to go the first year they did it, but unfortunately, my sister came down with chicken Pox two days before and so mom agreed to stay home with her and my dad took me. There were so many huge rides that I'd never seen before and I remember wanting to ride them all and then throwing a real temper tantrum when I was told I wasn't tall enough. Dad however was very kind and didn't shout at me once all day lol. In fact, he spoiled me rotten. I came home laden down with stuffed toys that he'd won for me. I'd eaten enough candy and drunk enough soda to rot my teeth. I slept like a log all the way home. When we got home, mom told me that my sister had been crying all day because she wanted to go so bad. I gave her one of the stuffed toys Dad had won for me to cheer her up. We went to Alton Towers so many times over the years. The last time I went it had changed a lot - I just didn't find it as interesting anymore, and when you consider that it costs what amounts to almost $60 per person to enter, it isn't really worth it.

going to theme parks when i was a kid are some of my most vivid memories, i mean i can remember climbing the fake eiffel tower at king's island in cinncinnati when i was like 11 and thinking that must be the highests place in whole world. Amusement parks are just such magical places when you are a kid really.