For what he does for them, that poor guy is not taken care of very well in return (matted mane, hooves not properly trimmed, SMALL paddock that he is just put back into after his dive, soken wet), and he doesn't seem to enjoy what he's made to do. More, National Cryptologic Museum, Annapolis Junction, Maryland (Feb 27-Mar 5, 2023). As of this week, over 700 lots from Magic Forest were posted by Schenectady-based Collar City Auction & Realty Management, all put there by the parks former owner, Jack Gilette. In the 1950s, his uncle took that carnival to the Danbury Fair, where it played through the fairs final years. The dark, woodsy allure of classic fairy tales is part of Magic Forest's charm. I didnt want to go to six flags or another big park that would take the entire day waiting in lines. POTUS landmarks, oddities. The Magic Forest was a theme park that remained untouched by timeand when we visited, almost nothing about it made sense anymore. 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. 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. WebLake George Expedition Park is an amusement park located in Lake George, NY along Route 9. This was our first time. Probably nowhere else is the disturbing world of children's' fairy tales brought to life more vividly. We put an ax in his hands and made him a woodsman.". I am very grateful to the Magic Forest for essentially saving all this original fiberglass all these years, and also for calling us rather than an auction house who could care less about anything other than the money, says Baker. 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. That means the array of memories up for auction come from a variety of other fairs, carnivals and fun lands. A good place to spend half a day for kids. No souvenirs though. Unfortunately, for each figure whose origins are known, anothers backstory has been lost over time. His father and uncle started a carnival together. The only thing that I was disappointed in is the fact that the dinosaur are on a section that you have to walk done a steep section and up again therefore my sister and I couldn't go down. 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! Alexandra is the features editor at Roadtrippers Magazine. Animals and astronauts are headed to a campground in Iowa, and Story Land in New Jersey purchased a castle, a Robin Hood figure, and several animals. I havent had a bad experience with anything Ive sold.. By continuing to use our site you agree to ourprivacy policy. Gillette sold Magic Forest in Lake George in 2019 and retired. The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. Accessibility is our goal, please contact us with site improvements. I hope the utilize this theme in the fall. 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. UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. Gillettes own connection to the Danbury Fair comes from a family background in show business. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. live santa only comes out when the weather isn't too hot. Get in Touch Things to Know Before Visiting Magic Forest How popular is Magic Forest? 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. tourist attractions and odd sights in New York, World's Highest and Longest Pedestrian Bridge. The new park will transport viewers to prehistoric times with animatronic dinosaurs, a Dino-Roar Valley, and more. Embark on a ride that will take you sky high or take the scenic route through the forest on our park train. 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. The park was somewhat enjoyable but I would not return because of the use of the animal in this manner, and it ruined our time at the park. The park is very clean and the employees are patient and friendly. We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates. The food was not too expensive. No, I would say age 8 max. 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. Most hotels are fully refundable. Most hotels are fully refundable. 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). No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. 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. The it in questions runs the amusement part gamut, from typical equipment like a heater and a store product stand to any number of stranger things. People normally club together Water Slide World and Lumberjack Pass Miniature Golf while planning their visit to Magic Forest. But we bet this up close encounter will come back in someone's nightmares. Uncle Sam is 38 feet tall and formerly stood at the Danbury Fairgrounds in Connecticut. 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. There are also a petting zoo, magic shows, and stunt shows with the last remaining diving horse, Lightning. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. WebExperience a journey through time. Tall tales, trip guides, and the weird and wonderful. "Magic Forest" redirects here. 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! No masks were required even for the kids as it's all outside. They first went 3 years ago. The sale began last November, and Baker was shocked with the level of interest. The people who worked there were either teenagers from Europe or seniors. Magic Forest is one, aided by a combination of prime location and classic clean kid fun. I think that you would probably be towed. One, a giant clown, has to be the most remodeled MM in the world. Former Magic Forest decorations have also made their way to California, Oregon and Texas. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Credits, Media/Business Inquiries Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. Simple fun and a great day. "His head is the way we got him. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. I hope the owners decide to open it all the way up. Pass on this one. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. The Gillettes bought so many items from the Danbury grounds, in fact, that at one point they were cut off. 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. It means nothing to most people; but for people who went to the fair and loved it, its worth its value to them.. We strive to insure accuracy on Lakegeorge.com however accuracy cannot be guaranteed. [2], The other part of the park is Dino Roar Valley, which opened in 2019 and featuring animatronic dinosaurs.[3]. Was wondering about parking at magic forest theme park (parking is free) and taking the trolley to great escape. 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. Today, many roar obliviously north on the interstate, but enough families exit to keep MF hopping, under the management of Arthur's successor, Jack Gillette, since 1988. 7.1/10 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. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! 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. WebMagic Forest Address: 1912 U.S. 9, Lake George, NY 12845, USA, United States Magic Forest Contact Number: +1-5186682448 Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary! Went there with 3 toddlers and spent almost 4 hours. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. Get a piece of your childhood now! 7.1/10 Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. He cataloged the items, helped set prices, and listed them on his website. My husband told me he was creeped out & felt like the statues were following is with their eyes. There was this crazy little tiny squirrel that was literally the smallest figure I listed and everyone wanted that thing, he says. Restoration specialists will be working to spruce him up from the wear and tear hes endured over the years. Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions Like most relics of another time, however, these low-tech parksif they still exist at allare becoming harder to find. No computerized rides here! 3. enchanted forest water safari where the fun never stops is up in old forge, this place was near Lake George. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. 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. I didnt want to go to six flags or another big park that would take the entire day waiting in lines. Not the first time for the boys. This place is great! Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. Keep exploring with the Roadtrippers mobile apps. Its different, he said. The park collected hundreds of fiberglass figures through the years, sourced from the Danbury Fair, mini-golf courses, and other amusement parks. Information is subject to change. Contents 1 Magic Forest 2 Dino Roar Valley 3 References 4 External links Magic Forest [ edit] There are plenty of unnerving fairy tale statues along the wooded trails of Magic Forest -- an impressive collection of contorted bodies, asymmetrical faces, weird leers, and bulging eyes. I have no place to store it, he said. All the classic cautionary tales are here, displayed in miniature within wooden shelters, or lurking in the woods along serpentine trails. This was very nastalgic for us because the rides here were bought from different parks over the years and brought to this one. The information in this post is a record of the parks previous incarnation. UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. $$ Photos See all photos Connect with Magic Forest on Facebook Log In or Create new account Magic Forest probably has the longest running permanent "Diving Horse" show since Atlantic City's Steel Pier burned down. The animals were severely underfed. Exhibits like Cinderellas Castle and Santas House as well as the snack bar and the gift shop are also great. Undeterred, we assured her that we were willing participants in the charade that the park was still a viable tourist destination. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. Because they are giant, it feels like they will never leave, but the truth is they are well-traveled for as old as they are. Rex the Diving Horse leaped on cue into a pool for many years; now his son, Lightning, takes the plunge twice a day. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. The magic finally ran out last year when longtime owner Jack Gillette sold the park to a local contractor, Ruben Ellsworth. We are grandparents of 5 yo and 9 yo boys and went with them and their parents to the park. Each ride had info about when and where it was made, when it was bought and info about the hydraulics. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. Along the shaded trails, attractions feature fairy tale characters like Hansel and Gretel and Paul Bunyan. enchanted forest water safari where the fun never stops is up in old forge, this place was near Lake George. Jimmys magic show was the highlight of our visit.