Short lived rides of the 1960s.

It seems to me that many rides in the 1960s that didn't last long probably due to increasing park attendance. Do you ever remember riding some of these rides or at least maybe heard stories from relatives?

The Bubble Bounce is basically the same as "Tip Top" that you have probably rode at your local fair or carnival.

The Broadway Trip was brought in from the Seattle World's Fair. It was a dark ride coaster hybrid that later operated at Palisades Park among other places. It can be seen briefly in the Elvis movie "It happed at the World's Fair".

Zugspite was similar to the Super Himalaya.

French Frolics was described as more of an illusion than a ride by the history book, But I never really have found out exactly what the ride was about.

Flying Coaster was a staple at many parks in the 1960s and 1970s but the only remaining is "Kangaroo" at Kennywood.

Neither the Wild Mouse or the Scamper had very long lifespans I think the wild mouse was only there about 4 seasons and Scamper ran from 1962 to 1969.

I am sure there were many others.

Yes, there were some others. The Leaping Lena was an odd ride that had arms that undulated like an octopus ride but the seats were forward facing bench style seats, similar to those on the Flying Coaster. There was a small funhouse of some kind near the spot where the Pagoda is now. There was a Gyro Copter that I think ran for only 1 season. Of course the Twister ran throught the sixties into the early seventies and had several locations.

Remember, during this period CP was expanding and rebuilding into a quality park, but still had a number of ride and concession spaces that were leased by outside vendors. The rides we remember as short lived may have been just that- brought in for a mere season or two then moved on to another park or boardwalk.

I rode the Broadway Trip. It was a fun little ride,but I remember the interior portion being a little disappointing. The walls were canvas and let in quite a bit of light and the track was a series of of mouse style switchbacks with no more hills. The picture of this ride in the Town Hall Museum is the actual ride but taken at the worlds fair, not at CP. I believe it sat along the spot that eventually became home to the Sky Slide. I hear this very ride continued to operate under a different name and theme until just recently somewhere along the Jersey Shore.

The French Frolic sat between the old Rotor and the original Calypso when it was new. It was simply a haunted swing attraction, and the curious thing was that those outside had no clue what the ride did- all that was visible to the midway was the French Quarter style facade and behind it a large grey box that turned over and over once the doors were shut. I was talked into it by a friend (isn't that always how it happens?) and was petrified- certain that this contraption would either toss us about unmercifully, or worse yet turn us completely upside down. Instead we found 2 long benches facing each other suspended from the center of the room, and an illusion ride experience that to this day I find hard to beat.

The Wild Mouse went away when the Mill Race was built. The Scamper was the better of the two rides. We were all very excited for the 1970 centennial season and the addition of 10 new rides, but I was crushed when I turned the corner to find the Scamper had gone the way of the sixties.

One very short lived ride was the electric go-karts, where the Aquatic Stadium is now.

Pete, I'd forgotten all about those. It was an Indy 500 portable go kart. A similar ride operated at Americana.

Remember these?

trabant, sky wheel, upside down funhouse, chute the chutes, earthquake, tiki twirl, bayern curve, pirat ride, jumbo jet, sky jets, kid arthers court, and mill race.

These were all fun rides I miss a lot.

Weren't most of those 80's and nineties. Even the early nineties are before my time.

The Sky Wheel, Upside Down Funhouse, Shoot the Rapids, S.F. Earthquake, Pirate Ride, Sattelite Jets, and Mill Race were definitely 60's. The Trabant may have made it's first appearance in the 60's but was replaced by a newer model at the same location in the 70's. The original Calypso started by the front gate then moved to the spot where Oceana is now. Tiki Twirl was a re-theme of that old Calypso and was placed where the Matterhorn is now. (probably to tie in with nearby Jungle Larry's) That's when the new Calypso (that we still know today) was introduced in it's spot by the Silver Dollar. I thought it was strange that C. P. would have essentially two of the same ride types operating at the same time. (Calypso and Tiki Twirl, Trabant and Schwabinchen, Dodgems 1 & 2, Antique cars and Cadillacs) Who knows what the thought process was there.

Kid Arthurs Court replaced the Funhouse when it was razed, I'm guessing early 70's.

Yeah, you're right. I was thinking of when they closed.

I love threads like this! I was born in 1970, so I don't remember all of the "short-lived" rides of the sixties. But, I've been going to CP for as long as I can remember. A lot of these later rides being mentioned I do remember. The upside-down funhouse, rotor, pirate ride and S.F. earthquake, in particular. I know of a lot of great sites to find ride histories. What I would like to find, if anyone can help me, is brochures and/or park maps for the past 35 years. I love talking to my family and friends about the rides that have gone away and how the park has changed. Of the 16 coasters, only blue streak, wildcat and CCMR were standing in my earliest memories.

I remember Wildcat when it was on the Oceana side of the park, and Jumbo Jet. The Rotor I remember was the second version. And the Sky Slide...I rarely rode that without ending up with friction burns on my arms.

I recall the Scamper, but I never rode it. In fact, I didn't ride Blue Streak until 1970, but I loved the CCMR when it opened.

I also remember the Western Cruise (Coasters is now where the station used to be), and the Frontier Lift.

Something else no on seems to mention are the trams that used to take people from the parking lot to the entrance.

The parking lot trams! Geez yes! They used to have a sizable fleet of the Chance Sunliners. I've never heard a satisfactory answer as to why they were discontinued. I've heard insurance problems, changes in the law (drivers had to have the same license as a bus driver), the impending changes due to the ADA, and the fleet was worn out (ADA complient replacemements were really expensive).

Would ADA really come into play? I do recall that the handicap spots at the front of the lot weren't nearly as large in number back then.

I do remember the long line of trees right up the middle of the lot, and a watch tower about half-way out. It certainly looked nicer at the time, for a parking lot anyway.

Could you tell me when the trams were pulled from service? If it was before the passing of the ADA, it would be more than likely that it was operating expenses(especially if it was approx. the same time as ferry service ceased). I have noticed that a number of parks that I've been to that used to have trams no longer offer this service.

This 50 year old brain has a hard time remembering some things, but it seems to me the trams were pulled in the mid 1970's??

I too, recall the trees and the covered walkway down the length of the parking lot. It's where you could catch a tram.

It would be neat to go back to the CP I recall from 1970.

They were still running in 74 when I left. If it was in the mid to late 70's they would have been during the Munger era when a lot of things got cut from the budgets.

I always thought I had dreamt up those electric go karts, glad to see they were actually there. I have a pretty extensive map and brochure collection but I have never seen them on a map. I do remember them being in Oceana.