IcarusLives

I remember my dad saying there was a part of Enchanted Voyage that was very similar to Disney's It's a Small World and that Disney threated to take legal action if it wasn't changed. He said it was when the ride first opened (1972). I remember when HB Land was first remodeled (1983 or some year). Before that my favorite ride was what I called the Kangaroo ride. It got switched to the Flintstone Flyers (not sure what they're called now or if they're still there.) I just remember running to the ride, all eager to ride in my yellow kanaroo and then seeing it was changed to helicoptors. God, I was so disappointed.

Thanks. I knew something was done to it at some point.

Allright, this has been racking my brain for some time. Does anyone know if The Beast was built in two seperate parts? I could have sworn I saw commercials about how The Beast has gotten bigger about two years after it's initial opening (meaning the second lift was added). I could be just imagining things so if I am wrong, please let me have it. But it anybody has any info on a "staggered" opening of The Beast, let me know. Or if anybody remembers the commercial of The Beast(which was like a sketchy drawing animation style), let me know if there was anything in the commercial that might make me think this.

The Bobsled ride (matterhorn, or Bayern Kurve) was technically in Oktoberfest. It was a ride with a train in a circle. The cars were individual bobsleds from different countries. The train just traveled in a circle but half of circle was elevated and banked. So when you went up the curve you kind of looked down in to the pit that was in the center. There was a tower in the center of the pit to "watch" the sleds. I think they used to have a mannequin in a parka up in the tower (but that could have been CP). There was a backdrop of a snow covered European villiage. It was kind of a fun ride. It was taken out when construction of King Cobra started. As for Enchanted voyage, we always called that the TV ride since the outside looked like a giant TV. We always said hi to the snail as we entered and exited. The scary part was the worst. I rember they had scooby in a barrel with sign saying Go Back! Always freaked me out. The best part was going up the small hill (same one on the Smurf's ride) at the end. It looked like you were going into a giant clown's mouth and the gate that closed down looked like teeth. It was fun.

King Cobra was fun but I remember riding Bavarian Beetle (we also called it Minnie Mouse) and I was scared to death. Yeah, I was a kid but it was still scary (in a fun way). Bring back the Beetle or some other type of wild mouse ride.

Although I think it's a decent coaster, I would get rid of Vortex. Every park has this type of Arrow looper. It's a bit dated. I would replace it with Raging Bull from SFGam. That is the only coaster that has impressed me everytime I've ridden it. And as for those people suggesting the removal of SOB...What is wrong with you? Not only is it the tallest and only looping woodie in the world, what other coaster hits you with a little thrill right out of the station before you even start up the lift hill? Yeah, it can be a little rough and shake you up sometimes, but any coaster can do that. It's a visually stunning coaster that delivers a good ride.

I totally forgot about Gullivers. Didn't you just float through and look at scenes? I don't remember any movement. The skyride was cool but I remember when it was struck by lighting and people got stuck. I think the big HB gift shop used to be one of the boarding stations for the skyride. There used to be a line of flat rides as you walked to Coney Island from the Safari part. The Rotor, bobsleds, Skyride, Flying Dutchman (the shoes), Tumblebug and then Racer. Gosh, now that I think about it, they have taken a lot of rides out.

I don't recall anybody every dying on skylab. It had maintanence problems but never any deaths.

Yeah, I remember it. I think it was called Zodiac. I rode it a few times. It took you up pretty high. And it was cool because you could spin the cage using a wheel in the center. You didn't spin very fast. Whenever I was there, they only used one side of the ride. It seems they got rid of all the rides that had a spinning wheel in the center. The Kegs and the witch's cauldron had were the other rides you could spin. Witch's was fun because often the ride ops would get you spinning before the ride started (if you asked them to). We did one time and got my sister sick. My parents then banned us forever from the ride.

1. SOB 2. Beast 3. Drop Zone 4. TRTR 5. Racer

There was an additional charge for the monorail. I remember we used to ride because it was one of the few places with air conditioning. I remember the slide too. I think it originally stood where Zephyer is now (or in the same general area). When it was moved to HB Land it was at least half as tall it used to be. I still want to see the return of Skylab and the House of Cards. It had the slanted room that people would always step into and then slam against the wall.

The ride was boring. The ride had cockpits that were attached to metal arms that hung from the center ring. The ring just rose up and moved in a circle..pretty slowly too. Each cockpit had two seats and you sat with your legs straight out. You had a shoulder harness and lap bar. It was uncomfortable. The whole point was that you controled your own plane. You could swing out and do barrel rolls. All of this was done electronically (not like the Eagles where you're on cables). The commercial showed a big joystick between the two riders that controlled your plane. But actually it was a little knob that was really hard to work. The ride was not that great. All you saw was the car in front of you and you did not go that fast. You didn't swing out that much and the controls were slow to respond. I'm pretty sure it opened in '90. The ride was infamous because a woman did die on it in '91. She was intoxicated, passed out, slipped out from the restraints and fell. I think it operated for a few more seasons after that.

It was to the left of the platform (if you're facing where the ride was). The tunnel that sloped down under under the ride was between the entry and the ride.

I think the original platform for ride is still there. It's where the trampolines are now. The que entry was even with the midway. Once in the que lines, a tunnel went down under the ride. There were monitors along the tunnel instructing you on how to "fly" your plane. You then had to go up a spiral staircase. When you reached the top you were in a big round cage with the ride operating above you. There were numbered gates and a ride op assigned you a gate. Once the ride ended, it would lower back down. You were still inside the cage and underneth the ride. Once the previous riders got out of their "cockpit", your gate would open and you would step outside the cage and get in your cockpit. It was pretty involved. The tunnel was just concrete. Nothing special. If the bungee trampolines are still there (they were last year) they sit where you waited in the cage. The tunnel is directly under them and the staircase is in the middle of the platform.

Isn't there an Alexander the Great movie coming out soon? This could be an ad for that.

You're wrong about the HB characters. Jan bought a poster of Yogi Bear and mentioned his name. And Greg wears an outfit from a character from the Hair Bear Bunch which was a HB show in the late 60's and early '70s.

The Wheel of Fortune ride was removed to make way for the entrance to WWC. What I think is funny in the Brady Bunch episode is when they are running to the yellow tube to the front of the park, they double back so many times. Jan and Marcia find it in the canoes (where The Beast stands now) and then you see them make a criss-cross pattern across the park as they hand it off to other family members. They give it to Alice by the Taxis, who then hands off to Peter and Greg by The Racer, who then hand off to cindy and Bobby who are standing where Vortex is now. Not the most direct route.

Five is right. The tower death was during a grad night in '84. The guy climbed the tower, somehow got in the middle, and was killed by the elevator and the cables. The flight commander and the two deaths in the lake happened on the same day in '91. The lady was drunk and passed out on Flight Commander and slipped out from the restraints. The lake deaths happened when one guy fell in and another jumped in to save him. Both were electrocuted from a faulty motor in the lake that "recirculated" the water so it wouldn't be stagnant. The lion death occured in the Wild Animal Safari (which is now the land where SOB and Top Gun are). Nobody ever died on The Bat. No one got their heads chopped off from the first tunnel on The Beast. That one was always a favorite growing up. And the death on the stand up coaster. was at PKD.