Previous Small Attractions

[Nicole]

I have a recollection of an attraction that I think was at BGW, but I could be completely mistaken. It was one of those rooms, when you stand inside and the light flashes and it leaves your shadow imprinted on the wall. I think it was in Hastings...

OK, just Googled it and discovered Nora mentioned it in a post a few years ago.

Never mind. Guess I post this anyway, since I went to all of the trouble of writing it and all.

 

[Haberdasher1973]

Sesame Place had a shadow room in its early years (pre-Busch), too.

 

[VACoasterFan]

I remember this as well. I thought it was in current Killarney in the magic shop in a back room off of it. I couldn't remember if I did this at Busch Gardens or at Epcot/Disney. It was so long ago I wasn't really sure until I saw the 1st post of this thread about it.

 

[Party Rocker]

I remember this as well. I thought it was in current Killarney in the magic shop in a back room off of it. I couldn't remember if I did this there or at Epcot/Disney. It was so long ago really not sure.

Nora mentioned it was back when Ireland was England. I must say I do find it pretty cool.

 

[Nora]

Actually it was not part of the fun house at all and used the space that is currently the bathrooms to the left walking into Hastings/ Ireland. I call them the "Nice new- bathrooms. When the park opened in 1975 the building was called the Jester's Sport and changed to "The room of Recollections and Illusions" and featured a wall when you walked in the would show your body heat.. next to that was a shadow room where you pressed your body against a wall- about every 20-30 seconds a light would flash and leave a shadow of you on the wall and it faded by the time the next flash took place.

This later became Wizard Works around the time The Enchanted Laboratory replaced the catapult.

The FunHouse became the Arcade and then Questor- was wrapped around the building. Most of the Arcade building is now Grogan's Pub and you can still see a wall with tons of electrical boxes - we are guessing it was the prize table for the tickets you could cash in for prizes from skee ball and so forth.

Annies' Cafe was at one time a Music Recording studio but technically that whole building was part of what I called the 70s psychedelic fun house.

Yay history! I'll copy this and put it into Hastings History as well.

 

[Nicole]

I couldn't remember if I did this there or at Epcot/Disney. It was so long ago really not sure.

This question is exactly what was going through my head, when I started writing my post. Do I remember the shadow room from BGW, KD, or Disney? My childhood amusement park memories are a bit a of blur. Of course iconic attractions I remember clearly, but a fun house? Pretty generic, really. I think I used to like the fun house at KD too...I think...

 

[Nicole]

Actually it was not part of the fun house at all and used the space that is currently the bathrooms to the left walking into Hastings/ Ireland. I call them the "Nice new- bathrooms. When the park opened in 1975 the building was called the Jester's Sport and changed to "The room of Recollections and Illusions" and featured a wall when you walked in the would show your body heat.. next to that was a shadow room where you pressed your body against a wall- about every 20-30 seconds a light would flash and leave a shadow of you on the wall and it faded by the time the next flash took place.

Yay history! I'll copy this and put it into Hastings History as well.

I knew Nora would know!

 

[halfabee]

I miss the old “make your own music video” stall right next to this one. I laid down some damned good performances in that place. You could choose a song and make your video for free; you didn’t pay unless you actually wanted to take the video home on VHS.

Can’t imagine why it didn’t stick around.

 

[Nicole]

Wasn't it in Hastings at one point? Next to the shadow room thingy? Or am I completely misremembering?

 

[lightninlady]

@Nicole Yup, it was in Hastings! (source: my mom)

 

[Zimmy]

I recall that as well.

 

[halfabee]

Wait -- what was in Hastings? The video place or the airbrush T-shirt place?

Surely these things move around a bunch, but I just want to go on record as testifying that at some point in the mid-90s, even if for just one year in either '93 or '94, there was definitely, unquestionably, cross-my-heart a music video place right there next to what is now the upgrade center. Right there on the other side of that little breezeway.

There was a CRT monitor there and you could watch other people's vids if you hung around for a while. Beastie Boys were a popular choice. I was wearin' an onion on my belt...

 

[Jonesta6]

I think the music video spot was there for most of the 90s and possibly early 2000s, I can recall seeing it as a regular staple of my childhood visits.

Then it was converted to a remote radio studio, even had a sign (Fest and 105.3 or some similar name/number).

I guess it's best to use that spot for something useful instead of a waste of space.


Does anyone remember the cut-through gate being open from the left of the gift shop to the back side of the funnel cake shop?

I've been through it a few times though there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to when it gets open.

Unless they've made modifications, I don't remember seeing any backstage-only things like a trash compactor or staff break area, so I guess it only stays closed to keep people moving towards the clock tower plaza?

 

[halfabee]

I do remember the gate being open, many years ago. Got lucky a couple of visits in a row (speaking only literally -- the area isn't that secluded.)

Then one day the gate was closed, and I finally noticed it and kinda went, "Hey...."

 

[Applesauce]

I pretty sure they use that gate on high capacity days. To help traffic flow.

 

[James]

It's a short cut for cars to use when needed since the clearance isn't there on the other path. They also opened the path for guests to use years ago but found out sales of the shops dropped and closed it back up. Same story as the path in England connecting FOF.

 

[Jonesta6]

Would never have thought of cars going through there. I'm guessing there wasn't as big a concern for sales when it was designed as you can see the same stamped concrete cobblestone design and coloration when walking through there.

Adding some nostalgia items - anyone remember where they used to have the immersive VR game thing? I think it was some kind of Star Wars (or knockoff) game that was back over near the high striker (that's now the pretzel shop). Sorry if I derailed the topic a bit.

 

[belsaas]

It's kind of crazy how big the paths are when there are no people on them. I was there for the Coaster Tour a couple years back, and I realized the walking paths are like 2 lane roads, you just never really notice.

Also there were trucks driving on them.

 

[Nicole]

Wait -- what was in Hastings? The video place or the airbrush T-shirt place?

Surely these things move around a bunch, but I just want to go on record as testifying that at some point in the mid-90s, even if for just one year in either '93 or '94, there was definitely, unquestionably, cross-my-heart a music video place right there next to what is now the upgrade center. Right there on the other side of that little breezeway.

There was a CRT monitor there and you could watch other people's vids if you hung around for a while. Beastie Boys were a popular choice. I was wearin' an onion on my belt...

The video place was in Hastings at one point.

 

[AlpenChariot]

According to my park map from '99 (this just came in the mail today so this is a cool coincidence) this music video machine/booth/whatever was in Rhinefeld at one point. Specifically, it was located in the building next to the modern day Upgrade Center. I believe this location was a DJ booth for a radio station at one point?