OT - Fantasy Island is permanently closed

[FogBat]

Per WBEN: https://wben.radio.com/articles/fantasy-island-in-grand-island-announces-it-is-closed

[...]

That's prime space for a Walmart. 

[Indabuff]

Another terrible Botts decision!  FIRE HIM ALREADY!

Whoops...wrong thread

[Stoner]

Damn it. I thought this was going to be Terry's sales announcement.

[Indabuff]

I bet we could get a decent goalie for Devil's Hole. 

[FogBat]

4 minutes ago, Indabuff said:

I bet we could get a decent goalie for Devil's Hole. 

Please bring me up to speed. I never went to FI.

[Indabuff]

1 minute ago, Crosschecking said:

Please bring me up to speed. I never went to FI.

Local amusement park on Grand Island.  Kind of falls on the scale between a county fair and Six Flags.  Mostly geared toward budget parents with younger children or for those who are looking to spend less than a full day at an amusement park.  For a lot of locals it's likely an iconic place full of nostalgia.  I'm actually disappointed by the closing and will try to connect the dots back to Botts somehow.             

[sabills]

Man, I was thinking about going back this summer for old time's sake. My Grampa lived on Grand Island when I was a kid, so we'd go a few times a year on a weekend and then have dinner with him after, or he'd come with us.

Strongest memories for me are

- The wild west shootouts

- The old timey cars you could drive on the rail. They went about 2 miles an hour, but I could drive when I was like, 8!

- Riding on the kiddy roller coaster with my sister a million times because she was too little to ride anything else.

[shrader]

15 minutes ago, Crosschecking said:

Please bring me up to speed. I never went to FI.

 

That was one of the rides.  It spins fast, the floor drops out, but you stick to the wall.

[...]

I loved the slow, no mess, olde skool vibe of the place. Simple fair, a not-expensive destination for an evening. 

I think they completely messed it up trying, even remotely, to compete with Darien Lake, and instead missed maximizing the leverage they did have: location and nostalgia.  They should have went all-in on the nostalgia aspect and made it a complete experience. 

Now it'll be sold and the homogenization of the Western world will take another step forward.

 

[Indabuff]

10 minutes ago, sabills said:

Man, I was thinking about going back this summer for old time's sake. My Grampa lived on Grand Island when I was a kid, so we'd go a few times a year on a weekend and then have dinner with him after, or he'd come with us.

Strongest memories for me are

- The wild west shootouts

- The old timey cars you could drive on the rail. They went about 2 miles an hour, but I could drive when I was like, 8!

- Riding on the kiddy roller coaster with my sister a million times because she was too little to ride anything else.

Yes those shootouts were the best!  I remember dudes on the roofs getting "shot" and falling off! 

[Doohicksie]

17 minutes ago, ... said:

I loved the slow, no mess, olde skool vibe of the place. Simple fair, a not-expensive destination for an evening. 

I think they completely messed it up trying, even remotely, to compete with Darien Lake, and instead missed maximizing the leverage they did have: location and nostalgia.  They should have went all-in on the nostalgia aspect and made it a complete experience. 

Now it'll be sold and the homogenization of the Western world will take another step forward.

I vaguely remember the wild west shows at FI. 

My wife worked at a similar place near Albany called Hoffman's Playland.  It was closed down 5 years ago and all the rides sold to "Huck Finn", an unfinnished furniture store (I think) and they set most of the rides up adjacent to their warehouse a few miles away.  We went to Hoffman's in September 2014 a few weeks before they closed.  It was bittersweet.  It was also a small scale amusement park, cheap, mostly for little kids, and full of nostalgia.  Along with the park there was a driving range, mini golf and a large gift shop, and I think a restaurant.

Since the FI closing was unannounced people didn't get a chance to make a "last visit" which is kind of sad.

 

[matter2003]

About time...that place should have closed 20 years ago

[Claude Balls]

Never knew it was even still open. Was always closed the many times I've been by it.

[Eleven]

6 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

About time...that place should have closed 20 years ago

I think it DID close around 20 years ago--this is another operator.

[Wyldnwoody44]

It reminds me of kennywood in Pittsburgh, old school nostalgia, but that place is still rocking with business 

[Zamboni]

I think JB says this under his breath every morning before his feet hit the floor.

[gilbert11]

Fun?!! Wow!!!    ?

[Weave]

I'm surprised it took this long.  Long live the memories.

[FogBat]

8 hours ago, Indabuff said:

Local amusement park on Grand Island.  Kind of falls on the scale between a county fair and Six Flags.  Mostly geared toward budget parents with younger children or for those who are looking to spend less than a full day at an amusement park.  For a lot of locals it's likely an iconic place full of nostalgia.  I'm actually disappointed by the closing and will try to connect the dots back to Botts somehow.             

I knew what it was. I just never had the chance to go there. Oddly enough, I managed to go to Crystal Beach twice and having to get Canadian currency at the bank before going on an organized summer field trip.

8 hours ago, shrader said:

 

That was one of the rides.  It spins fast, the floor drops out, but you stick to the wall.

Sounds like I really missed out on something really fun back in the day.

[MattPie]

If anyone is passing through Central PA, stop at Knoebels. It's a small amusement part on the scale of FI, but:

• No admission; rides are X tickets ($1-3) or all-day pass
• Free parking
• They don't care what you bring in for food

It's the best rest stop in the world for people travelling with a small child.

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

Fantasy Island has been rebuilt and reopened complements of PSE:

The address?

1 Seymour H Knox III Plaza where there is an ongoing fantasy world where you think you can win NHL games with below average goaltending and no C depth.

[pastajoe]

Another of my 60’s childhood memories gone, along with Glen Park in Williamsville, and Crystal Beach.

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

1 hour ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

Fantasy Island has been rebuilt and reopened complements of PSE:

The address?

1 Seymour H Knox III Plaza where there is an ongoing fantasy world where you think you can win NHL games with below average goaltending and no C depth.

Can we at least bring back the western shootouts now that Lehner's gone? Just to have a game get that far would be nice.

[Neo]

On 2/19/2020 at 1:42 PM, ... said:

I loved the slow, no mess, olde skool vibe of the place. Simple fair, a not-expensive destination for an evening. 

I think they completely messed it up trying, even remotely, to compete with Darien Lake, and instead missed maximizing the leverage they did have: location and nostalgia.  They should have went all-in on the nostalgia aspect and made it a complete experience. 

Now it'll be sold and the homogenization of the Western world will take another step forward.

 

I may have your last sentence tattooed onto my chest ....  sublime.

21 hours ago, Zamboni said:

I think JB says this under his breath every morning before his feet hit the floor.

Good ...  Clean ... Fun.