What was/is your favorite amusement park/ or county fair ride? Mine was the bumper cars. How

[debm55]

Last edited Tue Jun 20, 2023, 04:52 PM - Edit history (5)

about you? Mine was at Kennywood Park, West Mifflin, PA near Pittsburgh.
Edited to add--loved the Rotor spinning and sticking to the wall as the floor dropped. Raging Rapids, Log Jammer. The Swings, The Whip

[FalloutShelter]

1. The Wild Mouse.

Seaside Heights, NJ

[ProfessorGAC]

30. There Was One At Beech Bend Park

In Bowling Green. We took a mini-vacation there the first year my cousins came to live with us.
My mom & dad rented a travel trailer to see if that would work, now that there were 5 kids.
I was 14.
My girl cousin (10 at the time) was a shrieking mess the whole ride. We couldn't have been off the ride for 30 seconds when she said to my dad, "Can we go on it again?"
Guess it was fun after all.
Oh, and by next summer we had our own 27' travel trail.

[FalloutShelter]

32. I was around the same age

When I first rode the mouse. The ride in Seaside was located at the very end of the amusement pier and when the cars made turns on the rails it looked like you would shoot right off into the ocean.
It was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy and thee is an iconic picture from that storm of the coaster half submerged in the ocean.

[ProfessorGAC]

40. Yep!

Had the same sensation. That's what freaked my cousin, too.
It wasn't the speed, it was the suddenness of the turns.
I checked and Beech Bend is still in operation. 53 years later! And, they still have the Wild Mouse.
https://beechbend.com/amusement-park/rides-attractions/thrill-rides/

[yellowdogintexas]

55. Cool! I was wondering if it was still there.

It doesn't look a thing like it did back in the 1960s ! There was the inhumane "zoo" for one thing.

The pool looks amazing!!! I'd like to go play in that thing all day

[yellowdogintexas]

54. when I saw Wild Mouse, I figured it was Beech Bend!

Been there many times. (I grew up about40 miles from Bowling Green) It was a favorite for end of year class trips, church picnics and so forth.

However the swimming pool was my favorite; it had this amazing slide.

Lots of good memories there

[ProfessorGAC]

56. Was Only There Once

But, I have vivid memories because it was the first vacation after we went from 2 kids to five, in one fell swoop. Also, first trip ever in a trailer.

[debm55]

37. The Wild Mouse was so scary that it was fun. I remember at certain spots, it felt like the cart was

going to go over the edge, but it didn't. It was a rush.

[Stuart G]

2. A place in Chicago called "Riverview." It was one of the finest amusement parks in the country.

Read more about ...be sure to link upon ....Riverview Park - Chicago, former Illinois Amusement Park:..at link below:
I remember going there. It was enormous fun!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverview_Park_(Chicago)

[murielm99]

8. I used to go there, too.

The minute I saw this thread, the word "Riverview" popped into my head.

[ProfessorGAC]

31. Me, Too!

It closed before I turned 11, (1967), so there were rides I never got to go on.
But, it was the first thing I thought of, too.

[brush]

3. The roller coaster and the octopus.

[debm55]

15. Liked the octopus--not too wild but not to mild.

[applegrove]

4. Candy floss.

[debm55]

38. What is Candy Floss, I am unfamiliar with the ride. thanks

[applegrove]

39. I was always on the hunt for candy as my mom didn't allow much

in the way of sweets in the house and I had a sweet tooth. I did like the Swiss Family Robinson tree house in Disney, Florida.

[Walleye]

5. Bumper cars. Funland Rehoboth Beach,DE.65 years ago

[debm55]

10. I hate to say this but I loved bumping the cars into other cars.

[we can do it]

26. They are still here!

[Walleye]

27. Cool

[doc03]

6. The roller-coaster would be my favorite but I am scared of a

ferris-wheel.

[debm55]

13. I hate Ferriis wheels when they get stopped on the top,

[yellowdogintexas]

57. I hate them too! My folks made me ride it with my younger sister

and I was petrified the whole time. She on the other hand was just fine. I think it was the swinging of the little gondolas combined with the height.
Whatever, i still wouldn't ride one.

[debm55]

19. I like the old wooden coasters.

[Cartoonist]

7. Miniature trains

Seems like every park had one. Not much for thrills, but I like trains.

[debm55]

12. We had one at Kennywood that looked out over the Youghageny River. Braddock and his troops fought

battles on the hillside.

[Chainfire]

9. As a kid, I experienced most of the rides, but I never really liked any of them.

It was more about proving that I wasn't scared of them. (I was) My manhood may be in jeopardy when I admit that I have never been a big risk taker. It probably comes from a feeling that I am not particularly "lucky." It may be why I survived when a lot of my school mates did not.

[GPV]

11. Mine

[debm55]

14. Thanks, I have never seen a ride like that. It looks scarey.

[Haggard Celine]

16. I remember that ride! I rode it a couple times.

I was indestructible back then, but there's no way I'd be able to ride it today. Vomit would be flying everywhere!

The rides were great, but what I liked best were the freak shows. I had to sneak off away from my parents to see them. They hated that I liked that shit!

[debm55]

18. Me too about the vomit.

[debm55]

17. Did anyone else like the Rotor?

[jmowreader]

20. The beer tent, of course

[yorkster]

21. The tiny little kid boats..

Never got to ride one, then I was too big and it was time for the Ferris wheel. Only did a roller coaster once. Made me long for the Merry Go Round...

[debm55]

22. The thing about the Merry Go Round was the our outside horses were stable--didn't go up and down. It

was boring at school picnics to be stuck on those types of horses.

[yorkster]

24. I had forgotten about those horses. Kinda boring.

Maybe they were for little ones who had to be helped by a parent. ..

I can remember running to find a free horse before the go round started up. Ah, the joys of kidhood.

[Harker]

23. I was a Tilt-a-Whirl kid.

I rode the Salt 'n' Pepper Shaker once. My little buddy laughed so hard he peed his pants, but I was too petrified even to scream.

It was only a couple of minutes, but it seemed interminable.

[gratuitous]

33. Yep, Tilt-A-Whirl

It helps if you have a co-passenger who's as into making the big spin as you are. You can pack some serious g-force into the ride.

I like the bumper cars as they used to be, a free-for-all where you could t-bone your brother and not get in trouble. But anymore, everyone has to go in a circle in the same direction, no bumping. Might as well ride the merry-go-round.

[debm55]

34. Oh you have to go in circles now---boring. I can remember kids going constantly in circles and

getting banged or kids driving in the opposite direction.

[Harker]

50. That's right.

Cooperation was the key to maximize fun.

[Aristus]

36. Me too. Tilt-A-Whirl was the best.

[Harker]

51. I'm getting on the next one I see.

🤡

[yellowdogintexas]

59. same here. I would ride it as many times as possible.

I think we had the Octopus, which I also liked.

I HATE the ones which turn you upside down. Terrifying.

I used to love roller coasters, but for about 20 years I had lower back issues which did not respond well to sudden moves. Not a good fit for roller coasters.

[Paladin]

48. As was I. (nt)

[Harker]

49. We're coming up on its centennial year.

Invented in 1926.

That's a lot of tilting and whirling!

[Paladin]

52. The ones I rode in the 1950's were already well-used, rough looking.

Hard to beat that feeling of your eyeballs trying to exit through the back of your skull. That's entertainment...

[Harker]

53. If I could only get my comfy rocker to do that in the living room... n/t

[debm55]

61. Hahaha.....

[3catwoman3]

25. Space Mountain...

…at Disney World.

[debm55]

41. We went on that, Really liked it.

[3catwoman3]

43. I've been on it twice. Th first time, I was wearing glasses...

…and was going to ignore the warning to take them off (can’t see more than about 2 feet in front of me without them). It took about 1 second after the ride started moving to change my mind and take them off.

The second time, I wore contacts.

[debm55]

44. Good idea.

[keithbvadu2]

28. Rides with height

Bungee jump. Go forward, not backwards.
-----------------------------

The Towers, 200 plus ft up and then DOWN.

You think you're ready... and you're not. It gets you.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Top Thrill Dragster Front Seat P.O.V... Cedar Point. OH.

45 minutes in line for an 18 second ride and worth it. 426 ft high, I think.

&feature=related

[debm55]

35. We would go to Cedarpoint after they closed Geauga Lake. I didn't go on any of the coaster, but I

watch them. Went most for the Water Park there.

[Archae]

29. Bumper cars.

Still love those.

I hated the puke-inducing rides.

[debm55]

42. Me too

[red dog 1]

45. Bumper Cars

[Niagara]

46. The Tilt-A-Whirl and the Scrambler.

Sometimes different companies rename the rides, so I'll share videos of my favorites.



It's so much fun when one is with people that know how to lean in and get the most spins. Although in my older age, I feel like I need a neck brace for support while on said ride.

&t=85s




The Scrambler. In this video a company renamed it "Sizzler".

&t=29s

[debm55]

47. we had those rides also at Kennywood Park. You are right , they co by different names at different

parks. they the park the park in two. One part is called old Kennywood (it has older rides, like the Whip and Bumper cars) and the other had the has the more modern rides.

[Captain Zero]

58. The Whirl-Away...maybe that was a Tilt-a-Whirl

Back in the day.

[yellowdogintexas]

60. Once I experienced a water park, I never wanted a regular amusement park again

I could live the rest of my life without an amusement park, but if I had a chance to go to the big water park across from Six Flags, that would be a whole other thing

I love those big slides and tube rides
A

[debm55]

62. KennyWood has a water park. We used to go all the time. Now I would like the Lazy River. The thing I

didn't like is that the park had lightning detectors. When lightning was detected, it was everyone out of the water. Same with the rides. You would get in line for the tubes and if the siren went off and you were in line, you weren't allowed on any of the rides. Had to wait for second siren to let workers know all was clear. I get it, but it was pain waiting in line.

[malthaussen]

63. Yep, bumper cars.

Liked them so much I couldn't wait to do it with a real car.

-- Mal