Coney Shoots for the Moon

By the turn of the 20th century, themed immersive attractions were actually a thing already, believe it or not. In addition to the regular collection of thrill rides, freak shows, and so forth, creativity and imagination (and a love for money) drove a few individuals to push the envelope, to harness illusion, technology, and storytelling. The results were astounding for their time, and so let’s take a quick detour in the transition from Disneyland to the regional theme parks and look back at some of the intriguing experiences that served to propel ideas forward that would become center stage in Walt’s mind.

America’s Disneylands is produced by Rivershore Creative. Find out more about regional park history at americasdisneylands.com, and find great books at rivershorepress.com. For the complete history of America’s regional theme parks, grab a copy of Imagineering an American Dreamscape, available everywhere. Thanks for listening!

© Barry R. Hill