Magic Landing

Last updated

Magic Landing was a theme park located in El Paso, Texas, operating from 1984 to 1988. Magic Landing was one of two amusement parks operating in El Paso during the 1980s, the other being Western Playland.

Contents

Magic Landing opened to the public on July 4, 1984. It included the Old Galveston Railway, a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge [1] railroad within the park, among other attractions.

The park had bought several items from a defunct arcade named Castle Park Arcade. These included Arcade Machines and props from the golf course as well as animatronics [2] that would play in the Bijou Theater.

During Magic Landing's brief run, rumors of various incidents were circulated, but one confirmed incident caused the park's attendance numbers to fall over the next three years and may have led to its closure. In the summer of 1985, Frank Guzman Jr, an 18-year-old male employee, was killed at the park. [3] He was asked by a patron to retrieve his baseball hat for him from off the roller coaster track. The teenager climbed up the track and rested his arm on the active part of the track. Within a few minutes, the roller coaster went down the track and cut his arm off. After an hour on the track, the young man was rushed to William Beaumont Army Medical Center and died three hours later. This incident made many people nickname the park "Tragic Landing".

In 1988, Magic Landing closed to the public mid-season due to low attendance and problems obtaining the $1 million insurance policy required by the state. (The high insurance rate stemmed from the above-mentioned roller coaster death.) There were attempts to reopen the park for the proceeding 5 years but they failed. Since its closing, Magic Landing's buildings have stood out in the El Paso desert, many of them falling apart, for over 20 years. (The rides, though, only remained until the early to mid-1990s.) In 2009, by the county's request, the remaining buildings and rubble on the property were demolished due to multiple incidents of vandalism and arson over the previous few years. CFI Trucking now uses the land as a lot for their trailers. The frame for the sign and the bases for the ticket booths are among the only remnants of the park. Western Playland, El Paso's only other amusement park, has since been relocated to Sunland Park, New Mexico.

Attractions

RideYear OpenedYear ClosedManufacturerTypeDescription
Old Galveston Railway19841988TrainThe Old Galveston Railway would travel around the park. The train is now permanently located at El Paso Connection [4]
Wildcat19841985 Schwarzkopf Roller Coaster This was a wildcat 65m model designed by Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH and manufactured by Schwarzkopf. The ride originally opened in 1973 at Six Flags Magic Mountain as Mountain Express before it was closed in the 1982 season. [5] It was than purchased by magic landing. The ride opened in the 1984 season sometime after the park was already opened. It was located near the back of the park. The ride closed after the 1985 accident [3] and was left SBNO from 1985 to 1990. [6] The ride would then be sold to a park in Mexico named Bosque Mágico where it would open as Montaña Rusa. [7] The ride would eventually be scrapped sometime after 2006.
Buck Sawyer's Mill19841988 Arrow Dynamics Log Flume This was an Arrow Dynamics Log Flume Ride.
Ferris Wheel19841988 Ferris Wheel When the park opened the Ferris Wheel was being advertised by Magic Landing as the "Largest Ferris Wheel in Texas".
Swinging Ship19841988 Pirate Ship
Merry-Go-Round19841988 Carousel
Rainbow
Wave Swinger19841988 Swing Ride
Enterprise19841988 Enterprise

Concerts

Guitarist Charlie Sexton performed in 1986 at Magic Landing [8]

Media

The Herrera Family Collection, no. 9 - Magic Landing (1985) [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roller coaster</span> Rail-based amusement park ride

A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride employing a form of elevated railroad track that carries passengers on a train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements designed to produce a thrilling experience. Trains consist of open cars connected in a single line, and the rides are often found in theme parks around the world. Roller coasters first appeared in the 17th century, and LaMarcus Adna Thompson obtained one of the first known patents for a roller coaster design in 1885, based on the Switchback Railway which opened a year earlier at Coney Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vekoma</span> Dutch amusement ride manufacturer

Vekoma Rides Manufacturing is a Dutch amusement ride manufacturer. Vekoma is a syllabic abbreviation of Veld Koning Machinefabriek which was established in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Playland (New York)</span> Historic amusement park in New York

Playland, often called Rye Playland and also known as Playland Amusement Park, is an amusement park located in Rye, New York, along the Long Island Sound. Built in 1928, the 280-acre (110 ha) park is owned by the Westchester County government. Beginning in 2018 the park has been operated under contract by Standard Amusements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Playland (Vancouver)</span> Amusement park in Vancouver, BC

Playland Amusement Park is an amusement park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The amusement park is located at Hastings Park and is operated by the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), an organization that hosts an annual summer fair and exhibition adjacent to Playland. Playland opened at its current location in 1958, although its predecessor, Happyland, operated at Hastings Park from 1929 to 1957. Playland was formally made a division of the PNE in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild mouse</span> Type of roller coaster

A wild mouse is a type of roller coaster consisting of single or spinning cars traversing a tight-winding track with an emphasis on sharp, unbanked turns. The upper portion of the track usually features multiple 180-degree turns, known as flat turns, that produce high lateral G-forces even at modest speeds. Cars are often designed to be wider than the track to enhance the illusion of hanging over the edge. Lower portions of the track typically feature small hills and bunny hops. Wild mouse coasters first appeared in the 1950s, and following a period of decline in the 1980s, new innovations and layout designs in the late 1990s led to a resurgence in demand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S&S – Sansei Technologies</span> American themed entertainment company

S&S – Sansei Technologies is an American company known for its pneumatically powered amusement rides and roller coaster designing.

Castles N' Coasters is an amusement park and family amusement center located in Phoenix, Arizona. The approximately 14-acre (57,000 m2) park features four outdoor 18-hole miniature golf courses, several rides, and an indoor video game arcade. The park was built in 1976, and is designed in a Middle-Eastern motif though other eras are featured such as the Wild West-themed miniature golf course and log flume ride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure)</span> Wooden roller coaster

El Toro is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Designed by Werner Stengel and manufactured by Intamin, the ride opened to the public on June 11, 2006. Intamin subcontracted Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) to build the ride, and the coaster's track was prefabricated, allowing for quicker installation and lower construction costs. El Toro is the main attraction of the Mexican-themed section of the park, Plaza Del Carnaval. It replaced another roller coaster, Viper, which closed following the 2004 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Ronde (amusement park)</span> Amusement park in Montreal

La Ronde is an amusement park located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was originally built as the entertainment complex for Expo 67, the 1967 World Fair. Today, it is operated by Six Flags, under an emphyteutic lease with the City of Montreal until 2065. In-addition to being the Six Flags chain's northernmost location, La Ronde is the largest amusement park in Quebec and the second-largest in Canada.

John A. Miller was an American roller coaster designer and builder, inventor, and businessman. Miller patented over 100 key roller coaster components, and is widely considered the "father of the modern high-speed roller coaster." During his lifetime, he participated in the design of approximately 150 coasters and was a key business partner and mentor to other well-known roller coaster designers, Harry C. Baker and John C. Allen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoenix (roller coaster)</span>

Phoenix is a wooden roller coaster built in 1947 located at the Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. It was moved to its current location in central Pennsylvania in 1985. Prior to its purchase by Knoebels and relocation in the mid-1980s, it was operated under the name "The Rocket" at Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bocaraca</span> Roller coaster

The Bocaraca is a steel roller coaster which is located at Parque de Diversiones Dr. Roberto Ortiz Brenes in San José, Costa Rica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adventure Island (amusement park)</span> Amusement park in England

Adventure Island is a theme park in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. The site of the theme park flanks the north end of Southend Pier and has been a theme park since 1976 when the land now forming the west side of the park was purchased by the Miller family. The park used to be known as Peter Pan’s Playground and later Peter Pan’s Adventure Island before becoming Adventure Island. The site is owned and managed by Stockvale Limited. The park contains thirty six rides, retail outlets, and numerous catering outlets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Playland</span> Amusement park in New Mexico

Western Playland is a 30-acre (12 ha) amusement park located in Sunland Park, New Mexico. It was located in Ascarate Park in El Paso, Texas, from 1960 until 2006, but after conflicts with El Paso County, owner Pat Thompson decided to move it to Sunland Park where the owner of Sunland Park Casino donated land right across from his casino.

Dinn Corporation was a roller coaster designing and manufacturing company established in West Chester, Ohio, in 1983 by Charles Dinn. The company is noted for moving and rebuilding several existing wooden coasters and building ten new wooden roller coasters in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace Playland</span> Amusement park in Maine

Palace Playland is a seasonal amusement park located in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. It has operated on the same site since 1902.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toboggan (roller coaster)</span>

Toboggan is a portable roller coaster that was built by Chance Industries from 1969 to the mid-1970s. The coaster features a small vehicle, holding two people, that climbs vertically inside a hollow steel tower then spirals back down around the same tower. There is a small section of track at the base of the tower with a few small dips and two turns to bring the ride vehicle back to the station. Each vehicle has a single rubber tire with a hydraulic clutch braking system that governs the speed of the vehicle as it descends the tower. The rubber tire engages a center rail that begins halfway through the first spiral. The ride stands 45 feet tall with a track length of 450 feet. A typical ride lasts approximately 70 seconds.

E&F Miler Industries is a family-owned roller coaster manufacturing firm based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The company specialises in smaller children's roller coasters; however, it has manufactured some larger family roller coasters in the past.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Playland Park (Houston, Texas)</span> Former amusement park in Houston, Texas

Playland Park was an amusement park located in Houston, Texas operating between 1940 and 1967. Louis Slusky opened Playland Park circa 1940 at 9200 South Main. It is popularly remembered for its wooden roller coaster, The Skyrocket. Texas' first elevated monorail train (1956) briefly operated near the park. Next to the park was an adjoining stock-car race track known as Playland Speedway. Slusky also facilitated the miniature children’s train located in Houston’s Hermann Park. This train may have originated from Playland Park. Playland Park closed in 1967.

This is a list of events and openings related to amusement parks that occurred in 2018. These various lists are not exhaustive.

References

  1. ↑ Surviving Steam Locomotive Search
  2. ↑ animatronicappreciation. "Animatronic Appreciation". Tumblr. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  3. 1 2 Las Cruces Sun-News, June 6, 2008
  4. ↑ Gonzalez, Veronica (2020-04-16). "Where the Train From Magic Landing Is Permanently Parked at". 95.5 KLAQ. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  5. ↑ "Mountain Express - Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  6. ↑ "Wildcat - Magic Landing (El Paso, Texas, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  7. ↑ "Montaña Rusa - Bosque Mágico (Guadalupe, Nuevo León, Mexico)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  8. ↑ Crouch, Jason (September 30, 2019). "Charlie Sexton: Too Many Ways to Fall". digital.library.txst.edu. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  9. ↑ "The Herrera Family Collection, no. 9 - Magic Landing (1985)". texasarchive.org. Retrieved 2023-10-30.

31°40′15″N106°15′27″W / 31.6708°N 106.2575°W / 31.6708; -106.2575

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.