hosscat Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Alright folks, I need some help on a mystery I'm trying to solve. I was at a friend's house who loaned me a cassette of the Wurlitzer 157 recorded in 1984 which was apparently the year it was restored by Don Stinson, (and is due for another soon, but that's a topic for another day) but on the other side of the cassette was of a nickelodeon from a restaurant that the park had. It had an accordion, percussion, a piano with exposed keys, and like the band organ played itself. Not only was this instrument in the park though, there was ANOTHER which apparently was just on display and didn't play a note. Later, the first nickelodeon from the restaurant was supposedly used as a prop in the Phantom Theater and didn't play. A few years ago before the band organ was put back into commission, someone who claimed to have worked for the park (I don't know if it's true) also mentioned the nickelodeon although I didn't think any of it then. He said it was thrown away and sat in the employee parking lot before then. I really don't think the park would throw away something like this unless they had no idea what it actually was. It was a modern non-antique machine that may have been made specifically for the park, so even if it was 'trashed', it wouldn't be a tragety. I have no idea what the other one was that didn't play in 1984. Regardless, I'd like to solve this mystery. The park themselves probably has more answers, at least to the one that was used as a prop in 'Phantom', but I thought I'd ask here as well. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 If memory serves me, there was a nickelodeon in Rivertown... but I think it moved around a bit. I seem to remember it at Columbia Palace. But I also seem to remember one in the Coney Mall arcade. I also recall you had to pay to hear it play. That's not to be confused with the piano player at the train station... yep, a real-live person used to play all day at the station of the KI & MVRR 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosscat Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Okay, I found something... which probably means it's ruined. The nickelodeon from the restaurant which went to Phantom Theater sat out during the Halloween Haunt display in 2008 at the front entrance with other characters from Phantom Theater... It certainly rained on the instrument and... sigh... At least it wasn't an antique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 For clarification... the nickelodeon in Phantom Theater was NOT the organ the Maestro sat at in the queue or in the Peppers Ghost scene... those were just painted boxes. It was located behind Maestro figure #4 (the one where music sheets were swirling above his head) following the peppers ghost scene but prior to the mummy (ooooooooooooohhhhhhh!) and prop room scene. I do not believe it was the functioning nickelodeon that played in the actual park at one time. Could be wrong - but the one in PT was synched to the ride soundtrack to "play." That tells me, it was a "prop" possibly made for the attraction. For Fearfest, the figures popped up - complete with the nickelodeon (as you said) on the International Street Bandstand. I found this youtube video that shows the Nickelodeon prop from PT on display at halloween as described. For an up-close view, jump to: 3:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosscat Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 4 hours ago, Shaggy said: For clarification... the nickelodeon in Phantom Theater was NOT the organ the Maestro sat at in the queue or in the Peppers Ghost scene... those were just painted boxes. It was located behind Maestro figure #4 (the one where music sheets were swirling above his head) following the peppers ghost scene but prior to the mummy (ooooooooooooohhhhhhh!) and prop room scene. I do not believe it was the functioning nickelodeon that played in the actual park at one time. Could be wrong - but the one in PT was synched to the ride soundtrack to "play." That tells me, it was a "prop" possibly made for the attraction. For Fearfest, the figures popped up - complete with the nickelodeon (as you said) on the International Street Bandstand. I found this youtube video that shows the Nickelodeon prop from PT on display at halloween as described. For an up-close view, jump to: 3:35 It was a functioning machine, likely built by Allan Stafford who built and still builds similar instruments out of regular pianos. It's beyond me WHY they left it outside, but I can't exactly do anything about it. If it's still in storage, I don't know, but I'd like to know about the other instrument.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TombraiderTy Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Bumping this a little... but here's a picture of the machine from Haunt 2008. And to anyone curious, you can vaguely see it on-ride here, at about 13:03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iARdKCqpyAU 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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