Rick
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Crux
-
ℹ️ Heads up...
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American Adventure Park
- Thread starter BigT
- Start date
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
The year is 2020, and we’ve had Galactica and Derren Brown...
Great post though Rick. Looking over these early 90s leaflets really gives a sense of the level at which that park was operating at back then with it’s overall lineup. Such a waste to know that 10 years from then the park would be decaying and have just 24 months or so to go.
I notice they refer to the trommel on Nightmare Niagara in that leaflet. Does anyone remember at what point it was turned off/broke (I seem to remember hearing that it was disabled due to riders becoming disoriented and unable to prepare properly for the drop?)? I can’t remember ever seeing it moving on any of my visits or walks through Shipley Park overlooking it.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
Did anyone go on the dive bomber?
I remember going on a weekday in the Summer Hols of that year and waiting almost an hour for Nightmare Niagara several times. It was in a league way above anything else in the park, truly.
The second best ride was possibly the Rapids, but it had a long period where it was totally crap with no features. Then they invested a good amount in a new set of boats and fixed all the spray features and it was great but that was the final season. The Fort was my favourite theming of the whole park, it really was huge and chunky (and it had aged well).
The second best ride was possibly the Rapids, but it had a long period where it was totally crap with no features. Then they invested a good amount in a new set of boats and fixed all the spray features and it was great but that was the final season. The Fort was my favourite theming of the whole park, it really was huge and chunky (and it had aged well).
It was my favourite water ride anywhere full stop. And yes I've been on Ripsaw Falls.
Loggers Leap was less tall and had that wimpy bump in the middle of the drop. Nightmare Niagara was genuinely terrifying.
swalesuk01
TS Member
I remember going with school and we had a log to ourselves, that last bend before the drop was quite an unnerving experience with no weight at the front. It felt like it was just going to go straight on and over the edge of the trough until the last second when it would snap around the corner and down you went.
Then as we went back towards the station our tutor checked us off as we went past at lunch time.
I still miss either going on the 18 to Ilkeston to g catch the 20 in the week or looking forward to Sundays when the 20 would come around our area and we could bus it with our little cards giving entry for £4.99 upto six people they would send to our school.
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Then as we went back towards the station our tutor checked us off as we went past at lunch time.
I still miss either going on the 18 to Ilkeston to g catch the 20 in the week or looking forward to Sundays when the 20 would come around our area and we could bus it with our little cards giving entry for £4.99 upto six people they would send to our school.
Sent from my G3121 using Tapatalk
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
Nightmare, Rapids and Runaway Train will always be the highlights for me.
The most terrifying bit of NN for me was always the way the boats hit the run-off with such force that they felt as if they were bouncing and skimming along the water. Always remember them feeling like they might flip back over!
The most terrifying bit of NN for me was always the way the boats hit the run-off with such force that they felt as if they were bouncing and skimming along the water. Always remember them feeling like they might flip back over!
John
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I never visited AA - I grew up roughly half way between Towers and BPB so very rarely visited any parks further away. Nightmare Niagara was the only reason I'd even heard of the place, and I always thought it looked incredible. I still regret not getting to ride it.
Can't wait for the video but art thou sure on that date? I've got a video from 2005 showing Nightmare Niagara's large drop in a state you definitely wouldn't want to film a POV on...
Rick
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Crux
Ah yes... you're right old boy.
I have labelled it 2005, but it must be 2003, or perhaps 2002. Not sure when the JCB diggers opened, but they're in the video.
Still from said video... I want to edit my face out of it. Also, I might take the Gigolo Aunts soundtrack off it also.
AT86
TS Member
I’m pretty sure the mighty investment that was the JCB diggers was a 2003 addition.
Loving all this AA history by the way, keep them coming!
We also used to get those special offer vouchers for cheap entry handed out by teachers at school. Advertising directly to kids at school - interestingly I don’t recall any other companies ever doing that. It was an American Adventure exclusive marketing ploy!
Loving all this AA history by the way, keep them coming!
We also used to get those special offer vouchers for cheap entry handed out by teachers at school. Advertising directly to kids at school - interestingly I don’t recall any other companies ever doing that. It was an American Adventure exclusive marketing ploy!
Happened every year too. I'm not sure if the deal was that they bunged a load of free entry passes for the teachers or something?
I also recall one day everyone getting a carton of Chocolate SoGood milk, so I guess it wasn't only them doing such a thing.
Ah yes... you're right old boy.
I have labelled it 2005, but it must be 2003, or perhaps 2002. Not sure when the JCB diggers opened, but they're in the video.
Still from said video... I want to edit my face out of it. Also, I might take the Gigolo Aunts soundtrack off it also.
Ahhh man. What we have lost.
(The second drop was also terrifying with its head chopper half-way through was pretty scary too.)
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
Looking forward to seeing the footage! It’s a shame there aren’t more POVs around, but then again I guess the park did close at the point just before every man and his dog was carrying a video camera on their phone with them at all times.
There’s some great footage on YouTube from a few home movies that people have uploaded. This one from 1991 is particularly good quality
Does a good job of capturing some of the shows and entertainment, and some nice shots of Cherokee Falls a couple of years before being extended and becoming Nightmare Niagara. Nice shots of Canyon Trip as well (which some may know as The Rack at Camelot).
There’s some great footage on YouTube from a few home movies that people have uploaded. This one from 1991 is particularly good quality
Does a good job of capturing some of the shows and entertainment, and some nice shots of Cherokee Falls a couple of years before being extended and becoming Nightmare Niagara. Nice shots of Canyon Trip as well (which some may know as The Rack at Camelot).
djtruefitt
TS Team
I really did love American adventure m it was one of those parks like Alton where we went every year without fail, sometimes more than once if I had been with school.
The flog flume, rapids and mine train were highlights, I remember queuing ages for the log flume and getting soaked on the first drop way more than any of the others, plus there was that well themed (or what felt like fell themed) indoor section.
The mine train felt so fast as a child, and was a good decent lengths I always remember the bit just before the station felt really angled and felt like you were going to fall out.
Also I agree with someone about that the rapids and Canadian area was best themed area. As you entered the fort with its children restaurant, arcades and then rapids up he long winding ramp, across the bridge to the rapids.
Heres a few Photos of me at American Adventure as a child
And here’s some of the ORP sleeves
The flog flume, rapids and mine train were highlights, I remember queuing ages for the log flume and getting soaked on the first drop way more than any of the others, plus there was that well themed (or what felt like fell themed) indoor section.
The mine train felt so fast as a child, and was a good decent lengths I always remember the bit just before the station felt really angled and felt like you were going to fall out.
Also I agree with someone about that the rapids and Canadian area was best themed area. As you entered the fort with its children restaurant, arcades and then rapids up he long winding ramp, across the bridge to the rapids.
Heres a few Photos of me at American Adventure as a child
And here’s some of the ORP sleeves
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