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Amusement Parks & Rides
 Websites presented in alphabetical order Amusement Park Physics 
 This site provides simple explanations for the physics that make amusement park rides possible. Find out what Newton's laws of motion have to do with bumper cars, design a roller coaster, see what Galileo has to do with the design of free fall rides, and learn more about carousels, pendulums, and ride safety. Also provides a physics glossary. From Annenberg/CPB. http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/ Topics: Recreation, Recreation Last updated Dec 4, 2007 Amusing America
The online companion to an exhibit located on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It presents "the story of participatory commercial amusements in American cities--San Francisco in particular--and how they changed the way Americans lived." The site features images and information about San Francisco's Playland at the Beach, Woodward's Gardens, the Cliff House, and the Sutro Baths. From the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society and the San Francisco Public Library. http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/news/onlineexhibits/amusing/ Topics: Recreation Last updated May 29, 2005 Coney Island
Companion to a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) American Experience documentary on "the ups and downs of America's first amusement park." Features a timeline (covering the opening of Coney Island House seaside resort in 1829, Charles Feltman's invention of the hot dog at Coney Island in 1867, and more), photo gallery, background about people and events, an essay on the history of roller coasters, and vintage film clips of rides and a fire. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/coney/ Topics: Recreation, U.S. History By Place Last updated Jul 15, 2008 Inventor of the Week Archive: George Ferris
Profile of George Ferris, who "conceived, designed and built an engineering marvel [the Ferris wheel], which astonished the world at its debut and became a mainstay of American recreation." Topics include the design, which was based on a bicycle wheel, and the debut of the Ferris wheel at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. From the MIT School of Engineering. http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/ferris.html Topics: Notable People, Recreation, Technology Last updated Jun 27, 2006 Made in Chicago: The Ferris Wheel
Brief description of the Ferris wheel, which "debuted at Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition. ... 'The World's Greatest Ride' was reused at the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904, then dynamited and sold for scrap metal." Includes links to related articles about the Columbian Exposition and the Coney Island entrepreneur who saw the Ferris wheel and ordered a smaller version. From an American Experience documentary about Chicago. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/chicago/sfeature/sf_made_18.html Topics: Recreation, Technology Last updated Jun 27, 2006 MetaGrrrl's Eclectic Encyclopedia Archives: Musée Mécanique
The Musée Mécanique is a San Francisco treasure, "a wonderful museum of mechanical games, toys and musical instruments dating back to the 19th century." The site provides a history of the successful efforts to preserve the collection and has links to photographs and articles. From librarian Dinah Sanders. (Note that the museum is now housed at Pier 45 in San Francisco.) http://www.metagrrrl.com/metagrrrl/eclectic_encyclopedia/ Topics: California: History, Museums, Musical Instruments, Recreation Last updated Oct 6, 2003 North Side: George Ferris
Reprints of two newspaper articles from 1893 about George Ferris, inventor of the Ferris wheel. One discusses the building of the Ferris wheel for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and the other talks about the debut and first riders of the Ferris wheel. From the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/neighborhoods/northside/nor_n105a.html Topics: Notable People, Recreation, Technology Last updated Jun 27, 2006 rcdb: Roller Coaster Database
Find thousands of roller coasters and amusement parks in North America and Europe. In addition to roller coaster or amusement park name, search by characteristics such as steel or wooden, or search by maker, status, and location. The data can also be sorted by speed, track length, time or height of ride, cost, date opened, or number of inversions. Includes a glossary and statistics on roller coasters worldwide. Many entries include photographs. http://www.rcdb.com/ Topics: Recreation, Recreation Last updated Jun 23, 2005 Roller Coasters: Inventing the Scream Machine
A history of coasters, beginning with the "Russian Mountains" in the 1800s to the present. The histories are brief, with some excellent images. There are also related links to further sites. Find out about the physics involved in these inventions. From Encyclopedia Britannica. http://search.eb.com/coasters/ Topics: Recreation Last updated Oct 28, 2002 Saferparks: A Consumer's Guide to Safe Thrills at U.S. Amusement Parks and Carnivals
This California nonprofit corporation is "dedicated to preventing amusement ride-related accidents through research, public education, and political advocacy." The group's website features safety guidelines for specific amusement ride types and age groups, injury data, information about amusement ride safety regulation, steps for reporting a ride-related accident, a children's section, and related materials. http://www.saferparks.org Topics: Recreation, Recreation Last updated May 18, 2008 Special Collections: Disney World Press Kit
Digitized contents of a 1969 press kit from "a press conference in Orlando, Florida announcing the plans for a Destination Vacation Resort on the Company's 27,000 acre site 16 miles southwest of the city, ... what would become the Walt Disney World Resort." Includes press releases, memo to the press, remarks from Roy O. Disney, and photos of concepts for the resort such as Space Mountain and Thunder Mesa. From duPont-Ball Library, Stetson University, Florida. http://www.stetson.edu/library/specialcollections_presskit.php Topics: Recreation Last updated Oct 4, 2007 Theme Park City
A directory of amusement and theme parks, zoos, and waterparks in the U.S. and Canada, listed by state or province. "The Institute For Theme Park Studies" lists books, theses, Web sites, and other sources of information. The "Poster Gallery" is a commercial section providing images of carousels and other rides and some classic Disney art. http://www.themeparkcity.com/ Topics: Animals, Nonfiction by Genre, Recreation, Recreation Last updated Jul 8, 2004 Theme Park Insider
"A consumers' guide to the world's most popular theme and amusement parks. The site is not run by or affiliated with any theme park company. It is an independent news resource offering coverage, information and opinion about theme parks, from the people who work at and attend them." Registered users may rate the attractions, submit comments, and use the discussion boards. Also includes safety tips and information about accidents. From a journalist. http://www.themeparkinsider.com/ Topics: Recreation, Recreation Last updated Jun 23, 2005 Theme Parks
Contains directories of theme parks and water parks; information on planning a trip, rollercoasters, and parks outside of the U.S.; related links; and more. An About.com site. http://themeparks.about.com/ Topics: Recreation, Recreation Last updated Aug 14, 2005 Tivoli
Information about this pleasure garden and amusement park in Denmark. The site feature a history of the park dating back to 1843, a map of the park, photos, and a description of the rides, concerts, theater events, parades, illuminations, and other attractions in the park. In English and Danish. http://www.tivoli.dk/composite-3351.htm Topics: Recreation, Recreation Last updated Mar 20, 2007 Under the Boardwalk
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the last seaside attraction of its kind on the West Coast. Of particular interest is the History section, with The Boardwalk Story and The Photo Gallery, including a guided tour from the late 1800s to the present. The park is a National Historic Landmark, as are two of its rides: the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster opened in 1924 and the carousel from 1911, both still operating. http://www.underthewalk.com/ Topics: Recreation Last updated Dec 19, 2008 World's Fairs of the Past
A virtual trip to Web sites about various World's Fairs and other grand expositions. From the January 26, 1998, New York Times . http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/sites/012698sites.html Topics: Recreation, Recreation Last updated Aug 1, 2002 Yesterland
This entertaining and informative site showcases discontinued Disneyland attractions. There are numerous links to both official and unofficial Disney sites. It is a delightful historical look at the theme park that put Anaheim and Orange County on the map. http://www.yesterland.com/ Topics: Recreation Last updated Nov 2, 2000 |
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