Storybook Amusement

Storybook Amusement Stepping into the pages of theme park history one YouTube video at a time 📚

08/31/2026

Dollywood will always be special because of the superstar who made it that way: Dolly Parton.

The park is like a scrapbook of her life story and personality, and that's because she cared.

She was more than just a name on the sign, and her sparkle still shines around the park.

08/09/2026

Inside the never-opened Sylvester McMonkey McBean's Very Unusual Driving Machines ⭐

I always wondered what a ride on the Very Unusual Driving Machines would have been like, but honestly, it didn't seem too different than what exists today.

Many of the never-opened ride's props are used today, and the layout is essentially the same as it was in 1999 when the ride was closed to guests.

Here's a quick look at some old photos and footage to see how the canceled ride compares to the current version.

08/05/2026

The never-opened Dr. Seuss ride was basically supposed to be bumper cars in the sky.

Was it going to be as dangerous as that sounds? Let's find out.

To learn more, head over to the Storybook Amusement channel and check out my latest full-length video! It's an interesting bit of theme park history.

08/02/2026

Did you know Universal Islands of Adventure had an unopened Dr. Seuss ride?

The ride stood over the pathways for many years until being redesigned. Let's take a look at what the original version of the ride was supposed to be and what went wrong.

New long-form video on the Storybook Amusement YouTube channel!

Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/

07/15/2026

Why was Kumba so legendary? A historical tribute. 🐾

07/05/2026

Dueling Dragons was an incredible pair of inverted coasters, but its queue was just as impressive.

Unfortunately, that part of the ride has been somewhat lost over time as not many clear photos or videos of the queue exist. It was a dimly lit building in a time when disposable cameras and grainy VHS camcorders were popular.

Let's go through some old footage and find out why the Dueling Dragons queue had fantastic storytelling.

Find out more here: https://youtu.be/6GEbQVUo0Dc

06/17/2026

This park's oldest ride opened in 1927, and you can still ride it today.

Lake Winnepesaukah is almost like a museum of classic amusement park history, having a nearly 100-year-old water ride, Georgia's oldest roller coaster, a vintage carousel, a Bill Tracy dark ride, and (most importantly!) clown head garbage cans.

06/02/2026

What went wrong with The World of Sid and Marty Krofft? What happened after it closed?

Here's what Marty Krofft had to say about it: “The park was the eighth wonder of the world, but we were at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people.”

And Sid Krofft's thoughts: “People were frightened to go downtown.”

I've sifted through hundreds (not an exaggeration) of newspaper articles and similar sources about this park, and here's my take on what happened.

There's so much more to the story than what could fit in this video, so head over to my YouTube channel to find out more!
Watch now: https://youtu.be/-NCJEHiKAqo

I made an in-depth, nearly hour-long video about this topic last year. I even arranged an original soundtrack to accompany it. I think it's worth your time, but I'm biased. 😁 But thanks for checking it out!

05/26/2026

On this day in 1976: The World of Sid and Marty Krofft opens to the public.

Learn more about this bizarre, short-lived theme park here: youtu.be/-NCJEHiKAqo

05/22/2026

Epic Universe officially opened to the public on this day in 2025. 🥳

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