The Not So Magical Land of OZ
Better days have passed in the Land of Oz! The park, which is located in the charming town of Beech Mountain, North Carolina, first opened its doors in 1970. The 16-acre park, which was dedicated to the Wizard of Oz, was a tremendous hit. The park remained unchanged over the years. Attendance figures plummeted however, as there were no modifications to keep families coming back.
To make matters worse, the park was substantially devastated by fire in 1975. Surprisingly, this seemingly deserted park reopens twice a year for a “Autumn of Oz” festival. Guests are free to tour the scary park and explore the darker side of Oz throughout the event.
The Not So Magical Land Of OZ
Nara Dreamland
If this abandoned theme park appears to have been rejected by Walt Disney, it’s because it was. Kunizu Matsuo, the park’s owner, was in talks with Walt Disney in the late 1950s about opening a theme park in Japan. Disney backed out as their working relationship worsened, leaving Matsuo to design his own characters and open the park on his own.
The park was a tremendous hit when it first opened in 1961. Then, in 1983, when Disney created his own Tokyo Disneyland, things went from bad to worse. Nara Dreamland never had a chance, and attendance began to dwindle. Matsuo ultimately put a stop to the feud in 2006, closing his park for good.
Nara Dreamland