Experience the electrifying, never-before-told true story of amusement parks, from the middle ages to present day, and meet the colorful (and sometimes criminal) characters who are responsible for their enchanting charms. Step right up! The Amusement Park is a rich, anecdotal history that begins nine centuries ago with the "pleasure gardens" of Europe and England and ends with the most elaborate modern parks in the world. It's a history told largely through the stories of the colorful, sometimes hedonistic characters who built them, including: Showmen like Joseph and Nicholas Schenck and Marcus Loew Railroad barons Andrew Mellon and Henry E. Huntington The men who ultimately destroyed the parks, including Robert Moses and Fred Trump Gifted artisans and craft-people who brought the parks to life An amazing cast of supporting players, from Al Capone to Annie Oakley And, of course, this is a full-throttle celebration of the rides, those marvels of engineering and heart-stopping thrills from an author, Stephen Silverman, whose life-long passion for his subject shines through. The parks and fairs featured include the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Coney Island, Steeplechase Park, Dreamland, Euclid Beach Park, Cedar Point, Palisades Park, Ferrari World, Dollywood, Sea World, Six Flags Great Adventure, Universal Studios, Disney World and Disneyland, and many more.

A photographic retrospective covers more than 100 years of images from the history of the American amusement park.

"Citizen Kane does Adventureland." —The Washington Post The outlandish, hilarious, terrifying, and almost impossible-to-believe story of the legendary, dangerous amusement park where millions were entertained and almost as many bruises were sustained, told through the eyes of the founder's son. Often called "Accident Park," "Class Action Park," or "Traction Park," Action Park was an American icon. Entertaining more than a million people a year in the 1980s, the New Jersey-based amusement playland placed no limits on danger or fun, a monument to the anything-goes spirit of the era that left guests in control of their own adventures--sometimes with tragic results. Though it closed its doors in 1996 after nearly twenty years, it has remained a subject of constant fascination ever since, an establishment completely anathema to our modern culture of rules and safety. Action Park is the first-ever unvarnished look at the history of this DIY Disneyland, as seen through the eyes of Andy Mulvihill, the son of the park's idiosyncratic founder, Gene Mulvihill. From his early days testing precarious rides to working his way up to chief lifeguard of the infamous Wave Pool to later helping run the whole park, Andy's story is equal parts hilarious and moving, chronicling the life and death of a uniquely American attraction, a wet and wild 1980s adolescence, and a son's struggle to understand his father's quixotic quest to become the Walt Disney of New Jersey. Packing in all of the excitement of a day at Action Park, this is destined to be one of the most unforgettable memoirs of the year.

Conclusion: A Century of Fun at Lakeside Amusement Park -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index

George and the man in the yellow hat have fun when they visit the amusement park.

With its two hundred pages and a foreword by the legendary Cousin Bruce Morrow, this oversized coffee table book captures every fond memory of the famous New Jersey fun spot: the vinegar-soaked french fries, the Tunnel of Love, the world's largest outdoor salt water pool, and so much more. This newly revised edition includes an all new Photo Scrapbook with over 100 new photographs. In the foreword of the book, Cousin Brucie recalls, "Palisades was an integral part of our lives. Anybody who has played, visited, or been touched by this magical kingdom retains the glow from a very special relationship." For those who ever visited Palisades Amusement Park, this book is sure to bring back those cherished remembrances. And for those never lucky enough to have entered its colorful gates, Palisades Amusement Park: A Century of Fond Memories will recreate the thrills, laughter and joy that was Palisades.

Open every summer from 1904 to 1967, tells the story of the the world's largest amusement park and how it grew from twenty-two acres and three rides to 140 acres and more than one hunred attractions.

OBriens multi-book series pays homage to the greatest of the great--those who made the amusement parks, theme parks, and waterparks what they are today.

Jason Wood is Director of Heritage Consultancy Services, Lancaster, UK, and former Professor of Cultural Heritage at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK.