I'm not exactly sure what year we're looking at here (early 70's possibly?) but the focus during this magical era of Magic World seems to be hooked on martians and dinosaurs, just like every kid on Planet Earth at any given time in modern history. Perfect!
The fold-out brochure map (click to enlarge) is a tantalizing treat of everything the park contained at the time: a giant pirate ship, miniature golf, an underwater world aquarium, The Earth Auger, a "dragon" train that circles the entire park, plus various fictional and factual dangers along the railway: ghosts, abominable snowmen, giant snakes, invisible men, cavemen, "beautiful" man eating plants, volcanos, flying saucers, and of course it all ends with a souvenir gift shop. Whoever designed this park totally knew what kids liked! I, for one, would've been in heaven!
Magic World folded in 1994, but it lives on of course in many places around the world wide web. People who loved (and hated) it have shared their memories and even photos on various blogs and chat boards, so if you're keen on learning more just surf around a little.
It's also interesting to see how this park developed in the years after this brochure, with the addition of larger thrill rides, haunted houses, and fuzzier theme park mascots... it's a shame it had to close. Have you ever been to Magic World? Tell us about it! And see other fun Magic World brochures HERE and HERE!
11 comments:
Magic World looks way better than other theme parks to my imagination. It would be cool if some of these rides and/or sculptures turned up on that History Channel show 'American Pickers'. Anything with life-size UFOs is just bad-ass !
I think it's funny that even the guy drawing the map couldn't summon up the optimism to fill the parking lot with cars.
This could not have been too far away from Dollywood, huh? I was born not far from here (in Sylva, NC), and while I tragically never made it to Magic World, I did visit several of the nearby great Smokey Mountain theme parks and tourist meccas: Gatlinburg, Cherokee, Blowing Rock, Tweetsy Railroad, Rock City, and the Land of Oz.
Wow, that's a lot. Was it something in the water? Or did the relatively protected economic environment in the southeastern mountains of the US just harbor fifties roadside culture longer than the rest of America?
>Anything with life-size UFOs is just bad-ass !
I agree Dex, astronautically!
>This could not have been too far away from Dollywood, huh?
One thing I read online while researching for this post Mr. C was mention that once Dollywood opened, it was practically the death stroke for Magic World. I guess you simply can't compete with Dolly and her enormous um, talents.
beautiful man-eating plants! nothin' prettier! wish i still had my map of Astroworld...
Looks like it was a fun place, a sort of low grade Disneyland for monster kids.
Low grade yes, but 100% inspired it seems too.
UP NEXT: Cats in Love!
Good stuff, more pictures of Magic World can be seen at my site:
www.oldgatlinburg.net
i loved magic world. it was everything that a young country boys imagination could every create. no long lines and something for everyone. dollywood at the time was gold rush junction/ silver dollar city and magic world competed well. it was the influx of cash that was thrown into the park when it became dollywood that spelled doom for magic world. they just couldnt keep up with the larger coasters and shows that dollywood added in the next few years. there was also a very successful water park near magic world, called ogles that dollys splash country ran into closing. its a shame. there was so much more character to these old resorts that the mega crowded dollywood
just cant seem to capture.
Yep, I visited Magic World when it was just like this brochure. I think at the time it was a theme park ahead of its time. It had the minigolf course, the ride through the caves and canyons, and the auger ride for it day in time when I was there about 1973 was pretty cool, If you have ridden the Mummy Attraction at Disneyworld where the tram goes into the cave you will get the same effect. The flying saucer theater was really pretty nice as it was a for runner of the Imax theaters projecting a view taken from a helicopter across the Smokey Mountains. A few years after I went there it upgraded and became filled with the kids rids and became known as Magic Mountain Kids Park. This was located next or very near the Hillbilly Village. I think there is a Howard Johnson Motel just behind the lot where it used to be. Oh yeah, before Magic World was built there the property was home to Fort Weare which was a stockade looking fort and on the inside were animals sort of a zoo so to speak. by the way the guy that built Magic World was the guy that created the Dinosaurs and got the idea to use them on a mini golf course from a fellow down in Florida. Soon after he was mas producing his Dinosaurs and selling the all over the country to mini golf courses.
Interesting! I appreciate these additional posts from people who actually visited the park... thank you!
I went there every summer until it closed. It had real creepy and old animatronic (sp) characters on many of the rides. I used to love the dragon roller coaster (not on your brochure)...it really was for younger kids..
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