However, that didnt keep father and son from getting together at the Danbury Fair after it had closed, for the grounds to become a mall to rescue hundreds of statues and decorations. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. The Gillettes bought so many items from the Danbury grounds, in fact, that at one point they were cut off. The magic finally ran out last year when longtime owner Jack Gillette sold the park to a local contractor, Ruben Ellsworth. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. Copyright 2023 Family Vacation Critic All Rights Reserved. Magic Forest Almost all of the quirky attractions of Magic Forest described below -- including the diving horse, the gigantic Uncle Sam, and the Muffler Men -- have been removed. WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. This is by far the greatest place whether you are old or young. WebStatues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. WebMagic Forest 3.5 461 #10 of 27 things to do in Lake George Amusement & Theme Parks Closed now 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Visit website Call Write a review About A family fun park, in the Adirondacks, that features 25 amusement rides, including the Safari Ride, plus live animal performances, magic shows and the ever-popular "Rex the Diving Horse." It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. 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Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. So many rides. It still happens, but I feel that awareness is growing about the importance of saving and restoring these piecesI like to think that today it is more about relocating Americana rather than disappearing Americana.. Gillettes over 700 nostalgic lots are all up for the bidding now, and can be seen in-person by appointment. WebLake George (0.7 miles from Magic Forest) Situated off Interstate 87 and set in the heart of the Adirondack Park Preserve, this Holiday Inn Resort Lake George offers indoor and outdoor pools and an on-site restaurant and lounge. $$ Photos See all photos Connect with Magic Forest on Facebook Log In or Create new account Magic Forests rides and layout will mostly remain the same, except for the removal of Uncle Sam and a few other fixtures, including animal statues; 23 of the 25 rides will remain in operation. The park is almost completed shaded. tourist attractions and odd sights in New York, World's Highest and Longest Pedestrian Bridge. Jack Gillette, the longtime owner of Magic Forest, initially purchased Uncle Sam (and other pieces) at auction from the Danbury Fair decades ago when the fair closed its doors in 1981. Water available for sale all throughout. I didnt want to go to six flags or another big park that would take the entire day waiting in lines. Magic Forest (Gone We have an awkward moment -- not uncommon for us -- when we ask a passing manager why the grimacing, Amishized Alfred E. Neuman holds an ax. Definitely recommend for little kids. WebMagic Forest - Lake George Expedition Park FUN TO MAKE YOU SOAR Enter a world of nostalgia and wonder Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! After 2 hours our son asked if we could leave & never come back. Maybe what we actually saw was the ghost of Rex, the parks original equine entertainer and Lightnings fatheror perhaps it was all an elaborate magic trick performed by the resident magician, Jimmy Brown (who also doubledor rather, tripledas the parks lone emcee and balloon animal artist). All rights reserved. Then there are the fairy tale worlds blessed with good fortune, as if every child who ever visited used up a secret wish on its behalf. The creepy part is the statues. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. Magic Forest Get a piece of your childhood now! The food was not too expensive. Prices range from a few hundred dollars into the tens of thousands. The kids thought the place was greatmy husband and I thought it could be better. Yes, it is small and management is aware it needs work. Try My Sights, Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. His father and uncle started a carnival together. The Magic Forest, a storybook amusement park located in Lake George, New York, looked abandoned for years before it officially closed. Enjoy the 20 minute train ride to watch the life-size animal statues with kids. We spot their blistered, sagging entry gates on lonely back roads, or squeezed between the Amusements of the Month in some overdeveloped Mecca. For Everything Lake George, It's On LakeGeorge.com, LakeGeorge.com All Rights Reserved 2023, Uncle Sam is Out & Dinosaurs are In at the Magic Forest, Find more amusement parks and attractions in Lake George >>. But some of the once-over 700 sculptures that once called the park home are just now resurfacing. Explore the unknown as you traverse the Dino Nest and uncover the world sleeping beneath our feet as you excavate colossal dinosaurs in the Fossil Dig Site. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. WebMagic Forest - Lake George Expedition Park FUN TO MAKE YOU SOAR Enter a world of nostalgia and wonder Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! Embark on a ride that will take you sky high or take the scenic route through the forest on our park train. Soon we will require you to update your account to a Roadpass account as it will be the only way to log in to Roadtrippers. Web1912 State Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 Visit Site Adirondacks Region Details Since 1963, Magic Forest has entertained young park goers and their families, creating memories for all. Magic Forest WebExperience a journey through time. One, a giant clown, has to be the most remodeled MM in the world. 10am5pm | 7 Days a Week Magic Forest Copyright 1996-2023 Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, Mike Wilkins. The train ride was a Diesel engine that kept throwing black smoke in our faces, and at the end of it the animation & recording say that they are going to blow the train up, which really scared our 5 year old son. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. The people who worked there were either teenagers from Europe or seniors. June 27 - Sept. 5 Is there a picnic area and can you bring a cooler? Sometimes I wonder if we really saw Lightning, the last remaining diving horse in the country, take his famous (and some may say inhumane) dive twice the day we visited, or if it was all a mirage. $$ - $$$ American Steakhouse Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ Italian Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$ - $$$ American Bar Vegetarian Friendly, $ American Diner Vegetarian Friendly, $ American Cafe Vegetarian Friendly, Points of Interest & Landmarks Civic Centres. At Dino Roar Valley, find adventure, make discoveries, and be transported to other places through hands-on experiences. Learn more about Roadpass accounts here. Magic Forest Jimmy Brown the magician is fantastic and I love that they have Santa there. But then there is a whole dinosaur park with animatronic dinosaurs throughout the forest. Theyve added Dino valley and are working on updates around magic forest. This is a must see. 7.1/10 Lake George Expedition Its a miracle that the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, outlived its expiration date by several yearsmaybe even decadesbut nothing lasts forever. Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! Read on to find out the details. Muffler Men and fiberglass figures are notorious for moving around the country. The Dinosaur park is amazing!! More, National Cryptologic Museum, Annapolis Junction, Maryland (Feb 27-Mar 5, 2023). The majority of the items have now sold and most of the well-known, larger items are gonelike the big animals and Muffler Menbut there are still plenty of items online for those that are interested.. Probably nowhere else is the disturbing world of children's' fairy tales brought to life more vividly. Are rides being disinfected after each use? Reddit Our son loved it and so did we, will definitely be back! Jimmy Brown's magic show was great. The admission cost is super reasonable and their snack bar has normal food prices. Reddit Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. Longtime residents and visitors of Lake George will undoubtedly be sad when they realize the beloved Uncle Sam statue that was such a significant fixture of Magic Forest is gone. this was our first year visiting but well be back for sure next year! 100% of travelers recommend this experience. Lake George Expedition Park - Magic Forest The Muffler Mena Paul Bunyan, a Mortimer Snerd, a clown, and Pecos Billwere among the first items to sell. Unfortunately, for each figure whose origins are known, anothers backstory has been lost over time. The Magic Forest, a storybook amusement park located in Lake George, New York, looked abandoned for years before it officially closed. Not for family but for the individual. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. This was our first time. Get a piece of your childhood now! 51. Magic Forest (Gone It wasn't the least bit crowded and they would run the rides for just our two granddaughters. Magic Forest Posted by 3 years ago. For other uses, see, "Dinosaurs coming to Lake George this summer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_George_Expedition_Park&oldid=1074053798, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2022, at 04:51. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. Get a piece of your childhood now! These are rides that we as children went on growing up and rides we brought our children to go on when they were little but at different amusement parks. Two Muffler Men are particularly disturbing. The train ride was quite fun. WebExperience a journey through time. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. Kids enjoyed it a lot. We took our almost 3 year old and she loved it. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. Park is small enough to walk and not get too tired out. Magic Forest ClickSwipe through our gallery for a preview of everything there is to explore when you visit Magic Forest. Yes. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. Since 1963, Magic Forest has entertained young park goers and their families, creating memories for all. Lake George "His head is the way we got him. Love the nostalgia of Magic Forest and really like the new Dino Roar Valley addition. Follow, like and subscribe to LakeGeorge.com on social media. Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. Most fairy tale theme parks eventually suffer the fate of a fabled cursed kingdom. 10am5pm | Sat & Sun Only For as long as I live, I wont forget how it felt to teeter on the brink of death, slowly ascending on a rickety Ferris wheel that appeared to have been built from the mismatched pieces of a garage sale Erector set. Gillette sold Magic Forest in Lake George in 2019 and retired. [1] Magic Forest also has a small petting zoo where children can feed the animals. Jack Gillette, the longtime owner of Magic Forest, initially purchased Uncle Sam (and other pieces) at auction from the Danbury Fair decades ago when the fair closed its doors in 1981. I have no place to store it, he said. Jack Collins is slated to be the General Manager and COO of the new park; he brings experience working as the General Manager of the Great Escape and has also consulted with Santas Workshop in Wilmington. Take your kids to the Magic Forest to let them have a perfect time in this retro themed amusement park filled with around 25 fun rides including the kiddie rides that are perfect for both the toddlers and the older kids. Its a good mix of things to do. When the Fair went out of business, Jack Gillette bought him in April 1982 (along with dozens of other statues) and stood him in the Magic Forest parking lot. Fun Park Posted by 3 years ago. Magic Forest Staff throughout park are great with the kids and very friendly! RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I didnt want to go to six flags or another big park that would take the entire day waiting in lines. Then there are the fairy tale worlds blessed with good fortune, as if every child who ever visited used up a secret wish on its behalf. Magic Forest There are also a petting zoo, magic shows, and stunt shows with the last remaining diving horse, Lightning. Transferring the giant statue from Lake George to Danbury, roughly a three hour ride, was reportedly difficult. The magic show by Jimmy Brown was incredible, full of laughs, both of my girls got to go on stage and participate. Luckily, anyone with the money and means to drive to Lake George can still own a piece of history. Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. A very well run park. Almost all of the quirky attractions of Magic Forest described below -- including the diving horse, the gigantic Uncle Sam, and the Muffler Men -- have been removed. The day we were there, a summer camp group was there and they had their own food item stored in coolers. It's perfect. The park is expected to be open May through October, with tickets going on sale in March. There are adult rides and family rides too. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. Lake George Expedition They include paint-chipped animals, old theme park legends, and quite a few broken fae folk. I was especially concerned about "Lightening" the diving horse. WebMagic Forest Route 9, Lake George, NY Best For: Infants 0-2 Little Kids 3-6 Big Kids 7-9 Tweens 10-12 Teens 13-17 Best suited for the very young, or anyone with a penchant for quirky roadside attractions, this small amusement park opened in Modern amusement parks just cant compete with the thrill we got when we realizedperhaps too latethat our body weight was testing the load-bearing limits of one of five rides said to accommodate adults. We did go early in the season. It is now a running joke In our family that as a pumishment we will return to bizzaro world. Its fiberglass figures had long ago dug in their collective heelsand hoovesas the world evolved around them. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. Also guarding the minivans and SUVs is a large Santa Claus, reportedly the most popular statue on the property. The worlds largest Uncle Sam statue greets you in the parking lot. Magic Forest is one, aided by a combination of prime location and classic clean kid fun. In fact, kids seem oblivious to the creepiness of this place, and so do the adults, for that matter. UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. WebMagic Forest (Gone) Lake George, New York The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. Hours and dates subject to change. The information in this post is a record of the parks previous incarnation. I have no place to store it, he said. Is there a live Santa the kids can visit with? Rex the Diving Horse leaped on cue into a pool for many years; now his son, Lightning, takes the plunge twice a day. WebLake George, New York. A bean pole droops, a gingerbread house caves in, a Humpty Dumpty falls one last time. Gilette was something of a collector, amassing his estimated over 700 items over decades while running Magic Forest, which first opened in 1963. He kept my kids entertained the whole show and that is a true magic trick. No computerized rides here! Magic Forest Probably nowhere else is the disturbing world of children's' fairy tales brought to life more vividly. Since putting those larger fiberglass statues up for sale in 2019, Gillette says hes been impressed over and over by the kindness and care of the interested buyers hes met along the way. Items from local theme park empire hit the auction block I made, I dont know, about 20 or 30 trips, sometimes with a tractor-trailer. Close. The information in this post is a record of the parks previous incarnation. Exhibits like Cinderellas Castle and Santas House as well as the snack bar and the gift shop are also great. WebLake George Expedition Park is an amusement park located in Lake George, NY along Route 9. All stuff geared towards Christmas which also explains the Christmas songs played in the mix of music. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. "Magic Forest" redirects here. We have a couple of similar parks here in NH that are WAY ahead of Magic Forest. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. Along the shaded trails, attractions feature fairy tale characters like Hansel and Gretel and Paul Bunyan. Two Muffler Men are particularly disturbing. Magic Forest probably has the longest running permanent "Diving Horse" show since Atlantic City's Steel Pier burned down. Ever. Visitors passing through the garish fairyland entrance building are inundated with choices, as paths curve away into clusters of statues, rides and brightly painted cottages. All four of us had a really awesome day. Contents 1 Magic Forest 2 Dino Roar Valley 3 References 4 External links Magic Forest [ edit] Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. They were nice. Jack Gillette, the longtime owner of Magic Forest, initially purchased Uncle Sam (and other pieces) at auction from the Danbury Fair decades ago when the fair closed its doors in 1981. Anyone know if I will be towed for parking there after hours? The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. I have no place to store it, he said. Former Magic Forest decorations have also made their way to California, Oregon and Texas. Rides are fun and seeing Santa was really great! Magic Forest (Gone Magic Forest Park Lake George Expedition Putting prices on the items and getting them ready to go was a bit bittersweet for Gillette, but overall he says he would rather see the statues and decor go to people who can continue to get some enjoyment and use out of them. A bit dirty, rides seem OLD and somewhat banged up, and the animals are not taken care of very well (they seem well fed but cages are dirty and small). Are you associated with this business? Love that it is geared for younger kids and that all of the vintage rides have a brief history displayed. Magic Forest If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. We got to do and see everything, a few things more than once. Get expert advice, handpicked recommendations, and tips for your family all year round! Dino Roar Valley is so fun its prehistoric! Credits, Media/Business Inquiries Sometimes, Baker would get ten emails expressing interest in a single item before he could even list it as sold. All rights reserved. Embark on a ride that will take you sky high or take the scenic route through the forest on our park train. About 20 dioramas -- accompanied by audio at the push of a button -- bring to life the Three Little Pigs, Jack Sprat, Hansel & Gretel, assorted princesses and woodsmen Magic Forest opened in 1963, the brainchild of Arthur Gillette, who wisely built his fairyland along a major highway (Route 9) and just south of the town of Lake George, a magnet for summertime and weekend crowds from New York City. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. You can get the I LOVE NY Travel Guide by, 2023 New York Department of Economic Development, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Resources for Travelers, Spotlight: Jamestown and Chautauqua-Allegheny. Soon we will require you to update your account to a Roadpass account as it will be the only way to log in to Roadtrippers.