Spark
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
31 years ago today. What a lineup...
... not even the good Minogue!
Defo the fitter one though lol
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American Adventure Park
- Thread starter BigT
- Start date
Defo the fitter one though lol
Spark
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Some pictures here that I’ve never seen before. The star website is horrible but worth the view
AA construction pics
AA construction pics
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
Can’t believe they tried to buy Drayton Manor and Thorpe Park.
The most interesting bit that the runaway mine train, Log flume and Rapids were made by local workmen who used to work in the mines.
The most interesting bit that the runaway mine train, Log flume and Rapids were made by local workmen who used to work in the mines.
djtruefitt
TS Team
So whilst in the area today I randomly visited the site, especially now a few homes have opened you can wonder round quite a bit of the area and lake.
It was quite weird, as aspects feel the same as I remember, but other bits are totally different. The island has gone, and the shape of the lake has definitely been changed as well. The side of the park where the rapids and Missile used to be are now really high up compared to the lake, so I feel they’re definitely added a lot of soil there to make that end of the lake high up.
In terms of the park there’s not really much evidence at all, the old original car park is still there and is currently where the site office, etc is stored. There were also plenty of piles of concrete and stuff which I assume is old AA foundations. Over towards the rapids site there was also a few piles of wood which looked to be like it was old queue line fencing, or from buildings in that area.
Anyway here’s a few photos, the left hand side of this would be where the log flume and mine train was, across the lake would be the top end of the park. I was probably stood roughly where the rapids was. You can see how much higher this end of the park seems now than I remember it being.
This is looking towards the parks entrance with the twin looper on your left. I think this is kind of where the island would have been:
In front of you would be the Wild West show, and then the log flume towards the left, the island on the right I’m thinking was there back in the day.
Finally here’s the pile of wood which I’m guessing is from AA, this was towards the rapids site of the park.
It was quite weird, as aspects feel the same as I remember, but other bits are totally different. The island has gone, and the shape of the lake has definitely been changed as well. The side of the park where the rapids and Missile used to be are now really high up compared to the lake, so I feel they’re definitely added a lot of soil there to make that end of the lake high up.
In terms of the park there’s not really much evidence at all, the old original car park is still there and is currently where the site office, etc is stored. There were also plenty of piles of concrete and stuff which I assume is old AA foundations. Over towards the rapids site there was also a few piles of wood which looked to be like it was old queue line fencing, or from buildings in that area.
Anyway here’s a few photos, the left hand side of this would be where the log flume and mine train was, across the lake would be the top end of the park. I was probably stood roughly where the rapids was. You can see how much higher this end of the park seems now than I remember it being.
This is looking towards the parks entrance with the twin looper on your left. I think this is kind of where the island would have been:
In front of you would be the Wild West show, and then the log flume towards the left, the island on the right I’m thinking was there back in the day.
Finally here’s the pile of wood which I’m guessing is from AA, this was towards the rapids site of the park.
Sazzle
TS Administrator
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Great pictures Mike! Very sad to see it, as always.
The wood looks like it's from the Fort St Lawrence shopping areas where you used to join the entrance for the rapids.
(Image from American Adventure by theoss, on Flickr, found on https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/threads/american-adventure-various-visits.16774/ )
The wood looks like it's from the Fort St Lawrence shopping areas where you used to join the entrance for the rapids.
(Image from American Adventure by theoss, on Flickr, found on https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/threads/american-adventure-various-visits.16774/ )
I think it's from the fencing around the queue and station:Great pictures Mike! Very sad to see it, as always.
The wood looks like it's from the Fort St Lawrence shopping areas where you used to join the entrance for the rapids.
(Image from American Adventure by theoss, on Flickr, found on https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/threads/american-adventure-various-visits.16774/ )
Weird to think that wood has been sat around for 17.5 years since closure in 2006; almost as long as the ride's entire 18 year operating life.
Any views at all of Flying Island in action are so rare. It was a great ride which had an enormous presence - the interview shot with John Broome really amplifies that. Amazing how fresh and looked after Nightmare Niagara looks still at that point (presuming it wasn't archive footage inserted in to the report, it doesn't appear to be). It really detiriorated quite quickly after this.
It was such an exciting time for the park, shame the dream was over so quickly.
It was such an exciting time for the park, shame the dream was over so quickly.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
I registered but it won’t let me watch the video
Try watching from a proper computer, the site doesn't seem to work nicely on mobiles for some reason. Registration isn't neccessary.
djtruefitt
TS Team
Not sure if this has been posted before, but I’ll post it again. My dad found this old booklet advertising the park, I’m assuming from the opening year or two.
djtruefitt
TS Team
Here’s the rest of the booklet, as forum has limit of images in one post:
It's from 1993/4, the same brochure was issued both years with slight tweaks. I think yours is the 1993 one since it still has Pioneer Playland.
Other signs it's not from the very beginning are the logo (which replaced the original one in 1991/2) and the tagline 'Born to be Wild'.
It's a lovely bit of merchandise tho, well worth a spot on any fan's shelf. I'd say this era was the park in its absolute prime still, with all the original Rigby-delivered attractions still in place, plus some of the lower quality but still good Granada stuff before the money completely dried up.
Other signs it's not from the very beginning are the logo (which replaced the original one in 1991/2) and the tagline 'Born to be Wild'.
It's a lovely bit of merchandise tho, well worth a spot on any fan's shelf. I'd say this era was the park in its absolute prime still, with all the original Rigby-delivered attractions still in place, plus some of the lower quality but still good Granada stuff before the money completely dried up.
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djtruefitt
TS Team
And one final bit of AA goodness for today, a park map! I only took a photo of the front but I can get some more of the inside of people want to see it. 