|
Post by Robert on Jan 3, 2009 13:40:28 GMT -5
Does anyone agree that Dorney Park and Wildwood had some of the best Bill Tracy dark rides? And they're all gone now. Very little of Bill's work remains at these locations, except for the few props that were saved. Those were my childhood places. I still live with my mom 2 miles west of Dorney Park. Dorney Park still has a skeleton horse that is displayed during Haunt in October that probably was in the Gold Mine walkthrough that was torn down fall 2005 when the arcade in the old house was torn down, the Gold Mine was in the basement and closed about 1984 or 1985. It was one of Bill's projects at Dorney Park. I remember it. It had caves, bloody hand on cave wall, figures behind plexiglass, rope bridge, bridge through rotating tunnel, strobe light jail room. The former owner of Dorney Park from 1967-May 1985, Bob F. Ott passed away Mar 2007 and I met him a few years ago at the park for a book signing. He met Bill Tracy to have work done for the park, dark ride renovations like Journey to the Center of the Earth in 1960, Pirate's Cove pretzel dark ride in 1962 (became Bucket O' Blood 1974 burned Sept. 28, 1983), new attractions like Whacky Shack (burned Dec 1973) and Gold Mine, and Alfundo. I also remember going through Crazy House on Fun Pier and seeing Hunt's Whacky Shack at night from the outside, between 1980-1983, colored whacky shack letters rocking back and forth, carts disappearing into the unknown.
|
|
|
Post by mikebiggs on Jan 12, 2009 18:24:02 GMT -5
Robert, thanks for all the great memories! I've never had the pleasure to grace Wildwood or Dorney myself, but can only imagine how great and majestic that must have been, with all those classic Tracy rides in full swing at one spot. The one way I look at it is, everyone has to try to be grateful for being able to experience that stuff in their lifetime, unlike the future generations. When they're older, these kinds of places and attractions will most likely be completely extinct forever. And I know those aren't very comforting words when thoughts of old and fun nostalgic memories start popping into our minds. It saddens me greatly whenever I'm in ocean city and start thinking about how the old morbid manor on the pier, the ghost hole on the boards, ocean playland, and the very obscure and short-lived haunted house walk through at Jolly roger are all gone forever. All I know is none of us will ever forget them as long as we live! Please feel free to share any pics of these classics you may have!
|
|