Abandoned Theme Park on Top of a Mountain - Ghost Town in the Sky
Vložit
- čas přidán 17. 04. 2020
- Install Raid for Free ✅ IOS: clcr.me/eW9B2R ✅ ANDROID: clcr.me/vUaywT ✅ PC: clcr.me/Adl4vW and get a special starter pack 💥Available only for the next 30 days!
In this episode, we hike to the top of a mountain to see whats left of a theme park that's been closed for over a decade.
Check out Ryan's instagram: / abandoned_newengland
Roller Coaster POV by psyclonesteve and Andrew 'Anton' Marshall:
• Red Devil Coaster, Gho...
Gunfight footage by Jacob the Carpetbagger:
• Ghost Town in the Sky ...
theproperpeople.com
JOIN US ON:
/ theproperpeople
/ theproperpeople
/ theproperpeople
/ theproperpeople
/ discord
Enjoying our videos? Help us make more by buying a print: theproperpeople.com/shop
Supporting us on Patreon: / theproperpeople
Purchasing a t-shirt: theproperpeople.com/merch
Or shopping through our Amazon affiliate link: www.amazon.com/?tag=thepropeo... - Zábava
Thanks to Raid for sponsoring this video, especially since we water damaged an a7S II filming here in the rain.
Install Raid for Free ✅ IOS: clcr.me/eW9B2R ✅ ANDROID: clcr.me/vUaywT ✅ PC: clcr.me/Adl4vW and get a special starter pack 💥Available only for the next 30 days!
Thx god new video I watched all ur vlogs now i was watching other 26 videos
Love u guys 🥰 I start watching ur videos from 3 days maybe from sense that day I’m fan of ur
#bahrain
Love to watch true friends still have in this world like both of u
Sorry for my bad English 🤪
Another awesome video from cool dudes 👍
Thanks Raid! Get yo bag boys! 🙌
I'm gonna be honest with you all, I seriously considered unsubscribing to you when I saw you sold your souls to Raid: Shadow Legends. They are predatory on new levels and I cannot believe you would honestly sell out to it. I know that one subscriber doesn't matter to you at this point but I'm really disappointed.
Oh god! Even you guys fell to raid!! How much money are these guys offering?? I mean everyone knows the game is shit. It sucks and we all know it. Oh man I'm genuinely disappointed. Meh I guess you make your money where you can but god almighty NO.
My wife and I was there the last day of their last season. Maybe another half dozen other people were also in the park. They let us ride the roller coaster 10 times in a row without reloading. After the 10th time, the guy asked if we just wanted to stay on and we said yes. He said wave at him when we were ready to get off, and for the next 50 rides it didn't even slow down going through the loading area. Best Ride Ever.
Then they turned off the chair lift while we were only half way down and we spent about 45 minutes just dangling there. They gave us passes for the next season because of it, but of course they never reopened...
sofort99 That’s a cool story. I got to do the same thing once on the Runaway Mine Train and Judge Roy Scream at 6 Flags Dallas. The park just happened to be pretty much empty that day. Very rare!
you mean over texas. your part of the gp
Your wife and you were* there.
That is a rip off
@Antonio Sciorra what
My greatest childhood memory is riding that chairlift to the top of that mountain with my precious pawpaw, my hero, in 1988.
I just love You that’s cute
Sad to these places close down for whatever reasons. No kids could experience what there parents did, no new memories can be made.
❤
That reminds me of when I had gone to the new Orleans six flags a few weeks or so before it closed. I remember seeing the sign pictures online when it says "closed for storm" it's so sad seeing these places ruined or just abandoned
That's crazy because I have that same memory!! Around 1993 though
Theme parks are so creepy when they are abandoned, like a time machine of where joy used to be, now it’s empty and the rides are decaying and look so sad.
Yeah, few things looks so sad when they are abandoned as places built for people to have fun... 😔
Empty and the rides are decaying and look so sad.
nuka world is a pretty good example lol
call of duty vibes being given off
Ride operator here! For those wondering, this is a Hopkins coaster, and yes they were quite a small manufacturer. This is one of 9 roller coasters they made, 7 are still operating today. They made a few loopers and family coasters, nothing outrageous. As for that control panel, it's about par for that coaster, it's not the system most rides use at big parks today. We usually have a screen for error reports, or even on the older coasters, to tell the time. The trains did get replaced in 2009, but it only ran a little bit in 2010. This coaster was originally called Red Devil and had red track and white supports. It was renamed when the trains were switched.
For those wondering the Hopkins that are left are
Texas tornado- wonderland Amarillo texas
Desert storm and patriot- castles and coasters Arizona
Polar coaster- storyland new hapshire.
The dragon was left off cuz it was recently scrapped
Awesome story ❤
Thank you ❤ and thank you for clarifying THE RED DEVIL I can't tell you how much my family loved Ghost Town In the Sky
Hopkins was more successful in their log flume and chutes rides
Note for other hard hikes. You stash water on the way so you have water on the return without having to carry it the entire time.
@@KS-xo3oh Haha, thanks. I've been doing that for decades along with several other time and weight-saving tricks.
Genius!
Always carry water everywhere and in hikes more and most of all.
@@stephanyhdz92 bot. Reported.
@@fdfsdfsvsfgsg4888 what
This is the first video you guys have done on a place I’ve actually been to. I visited Ghost Town as a kid in 1991, it was pretty neat to be at an amusement park on top of a mountain. Kind of a shame they couldn’t survive.
C. Dawg Knight did you go on the roller coaster when you went there?
Miranda 。 I did, it was named the Red Devil at the time.
C. Dawg Knight how was it?
Same I remember going on the roller coaster.
Miranda 。 I was only 9, so I really don’t remember. I wasn’t much of a coaster enthusiast at the time, my dad was the one who wanted to ride it.
that "moss" is lychen and is a sign of realy good air quality
Ghost Town in the Sky was one of my most favorite places ever. Nearly every year my parents and I went down to Sparta, NC for our family reunion. We’d spend a few days over in the Cherokee Reservation, a few in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN, and we’d go to Ghost Town in the Sky for a day.
Nothing on earth has ever been more fun to watch than the gunfights; they were so well choreographed and exciting.
I was fortunate enough to be able to take my own daughter here in 2007; she was seven years old then and she really loved it.
It hurts my heart to see what has become of an amusement park that meant so much to me and to others. If I were ever blessed enough to win a huge Powerball jackpot (hey, a man can dream) I would happily purchase Ghost Town and spend a hundred million or so to bring it back to its glory days. I wish I had the bank account of an Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos and not a checking account that has $150.00 in it. I would give virtually anything to bring it back to life so new generations of children could experience something that was once so wonderful.
It’s a noble dream, but unfortunately I don’t know how well a small niche amusement park like this would be able to survive in a Post-COVID world. These amusement parks thrived when we didn’t have to worry about vaccines and masks. Nowadays, any amusement park with less money than Disney is straining to keep their doors open.
Amusement parks like these could become few and far between. A story of the past, when times were vastly different. When people lived in excessive abundance, when we didn’t have to fight over water. The days when gasoline and oil flowed like wine, and we did whatever we wanted.
.
If you put a frog in a pot of cold water, it physically won’t be able to discern the change in water temperature as you heat it up until it’s too late, and the frog will be boiled alive. We are all the Frog; Our planets about to hit the Boiling point and most of us don’t care to notice. Enjoy the good memories of places like these while you still can.
The next several generations could experience poverty and stress unlike anything we’ve seen over the last 4 generations until now.
I loved that you actually put the footage of the real rollercoaster. Your vids are becoming better and better
KGS Agreed! Having the older videos from Jacob The Carpet Bagger and others, very cool. The transitions from old coaster video to present day was art.
Actually a decent roller coaster to
I love that you actually put the footage of the real rollercoaster.
Video getting better
This is actually kind of sad, you can see there was a lot of effort and actual heart put into this place to make it a fun experience for everyone.
Sadly, the days of chucking the kids in the car & heading off on a family day out to a theme park are all but just memories. As marvellous as technology is, all the streaming & movies on demand, video games etc have all but wiped out 'family time'. Kinda like an electronic pandemic of sorts...
I've been there
@@ozymandias7940 i've seen a lot of people say stuff like this. So Imma set the record straight. Electronics are NOT the problem anymore. Finances are. If I had the money to go to an amusement park every day you bet your ass I would. But why on earth would I shell out $50 (and that's being GENEROUS and not including food, drink, gas, etc) on ONE day's enjoyment when I could easily spend that on a game that'll keep me entertained for months and I don't have to lose precious work hours to do?
The rain and fog in this video was amazing!! It made the park even creepier than it already was! Thank you for filming.
The "Smokie Mountains"
There is nothing creepy in this video
That's why it's called "The Great Smoky Mountains!" And am very proud to be able to call them home, couldn't imagine living anywhere else! I live about 45 min away from where this was filmed. I actually spent alot of my teenage years in Maggie Valley 🥰🥰
@@KP-do2ss Um, I think you mean "Smokey Mountains", and am very proud to call them home 😁😁
silent hill vibes
I went there several times in the 60's and 70's. Our typical vacation would be at Myrtle Beach but to get there we would travel through Gatlinburg, which was tiny back then and stop at the little picnic area just inside the park and have lunch by the stream. We would hit all the theme parks, Frontierland, later Silver Dollar City, later yet Dollywood, then across the mountain stopping at the Indian reservation and then Ghost Town In The Sky. It was a pretty cool place to a 6 year olds eyes and the ride up the chair lift scared the crap out of me in the early days. We would stay the night there at Maggy Valley and hit it hard straight to Myrtle Beach early the next morning. Those were the good ole days and I wish my parents were still around so we could do it all over again.
Richard Taylor same we hit all those places too when I was a kid all the time
I'm so glad you mentioned Frontierland. Been racking my brain to remember the name.
Your narrative brings back so many memories of vacations with my Mom and Dad, great memories! Did you travel with the old round scotch cooler with the plaid exterior and the round metal lid that fit perfectly in the top? How I miss those days.
Man I had some good family vacations up that way as a kid!
I grew up 60 miles from Gatlinburg; visited all the time in the early 80s, and even then It was far smaller than today - the attractions were not any nicer than the stuff at Ghost Town.. Dollywood helped turn the floodgates of big money into Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg , so by the late 80s and 90s it changed a lot …
This brings back fond memories of my childhood. We visited Ghost Town the first time in the early 60's. As kids back then when we pretend played "Cowboys & Indians," so the theme of Ghost Town was a popular one. As I watched this video I vaguely remember the shows but recall very well the decor of the buildings and the can can girls. My family and my aunt (my moms sister) visited the first time at my aunts suggestion. When the gun fight started the noise scared me so bad that I grabbed my dads pant leg and hid behind him. He was holding my baby sister in his arms as they expected her to scare more easily. My dad would tell that story and just laugh because my sister didn't flinch but I ran for cover. I may have been all of 3 or 4 years old and my brother (7 or 8) thought he was a gunslinger. LOL! My parents and my aunt have long been gone, but my brother left us just last week. This video was a much appreciated walk down memory lane for me. Thanks!
What a wholesome story. I’m sorry for your loss.
At least you have some happy times to remember.
My relatives are gone as well as my parents. When my step dad died at the end of March 2010, my mother died 4 months latter then the cockroaches come out of the woodwork, my 7 yr older blood sister canceled my mother's funeral to pocket more $ & her 2 grown kids, a step sister & family & a step brother I don't even know his name came & changed the 'WILLS'....the step sister even stole my mother's ashes! So I haven't spoken to them since.
I will the step sister, remember the Godfather? Keep your family close and the 'bad butts' closer? I have a plan on how I might just get my mother's ashes back😎
Any way ...they can't steal the 17 yrs I had with my mother, doing what needed to be done to help them out...They can't take your memorys away. (Dry powered concrete looks just like 'ashes' 😉 Up! If all goes well, she gets the urn I get my mother's ashes & daddy dearest (Who tried to kill me once) stepdad gets FLUSHED !!! & Step sis gets powered concrete then I never see her or any of them again. 👻🤘
Sorry for your loss.....this video brought back memories for me as well. The good ol days.
@@ghostcityshelton9378 Unfortunately that kind of sh!÷ happens way to often, Its a shame that people have to be so greedy and selfish. The concrete mix sounds like a pretty good idear..good luck. Sevres em well.
That’s so cool, thanks for sharing. Sorry for your losses.
Honestly I was just searching abandoned buildings as I've bought myself a drone but every video was some high pitched guy screaming with a thumbnail saying scary or we saw a ghost! But your videos are amazing! No childish behaviour just real explorers documenting there life! Also whacking your vids out in 4k is the cherry on top! Top lads!
I know and the seem so polite too!
@@josefinebergmann7445 "just two good christian boys" as they said :D Indeed they are always respectful of the places and provven their good will.
@@Rob_Mike_Litterst No. Being Christian doesn't make you instantly good.
@@IvorySoul696 Detective Sandy Vaginer has arrived.
Definitely awesome.
One of my favorite childhood memories is going here and being allowed to ride the swings ENDLESSLY because nobody else was trying to get on. God I miss this place and it’s both sad and wonderful seeing you guys explore it.
When we took our daughters in 2007 or 8 the swings was all there were to ride!! We were so upset and dissapointed.
@@mistybollinger3312 it closed down the year after
@@crazysilly2914 yea
They had the swing that went out over the mountain too!!
@@chad735 hellbk years ago when we took our daughters after they opened bk up, that was pretty much the only ride they had!!
That's cool. I lived about 30 minutes from there my whole life and went there a few times as a kid in the early eighties and went back a couple of times as an adult early 2000's to fix some equipment as part of my job. Sad to see it just fall apart, it's a beautiful place on top of the mountain...
This is gorgeous from the top with the view it's very sad they couldn't keep it going.
Howdy neighbor!! I'm from ROBBINSVILLE myself!!
I remember going there in the 60's. It was really popular. Gunfights were awesome, they had kiddie rides and a spook house. They had 60s celebrities like Hoss Cartwright come there to sign autographs. Those bumper stickers were put on your car while you were up the mt. My Dad was pissed about ours! lol! Really sad to see it in that shape. The Carpetbagger did a few videos on this place.
My childhood memories too from 65 I think...
I went with my grandparents when I was little. It was between 2008 and 2010, so I only ended up going there once before it all shutdown.
Oh that's funny! My dad would've been pissed too ~ can you imagine that happening nowadays-?!
My family went there probably circa 68-70. It was in its heyday then. Lots of kiddie rides, no roller coaster yet, of course, but a fun house, a Ferris wheel - state fair kind of rides. Then there were shops - a candle maker and glass blower shops, candy shop, and two theaters - one was strictly can-can dancers (the smaller stage they went into) and a bigger variety show. It is said that the performers who worked there were from the Sweet Fanny Adams Theater troupe in Gatlinburg, who were usually from UT Knoxville theater department, so they were pretty good. The gunfights were excellently staged as well, although they did have a couple of incidents with a couple of actors being injured. They also had a staged holdup during the train ride. It was a very popular attraction, and a must-do when “going to the mountains”. And the bumper stickers! All attractions back in the day would sticker your car with them. Yes, even Disney did this!
@Southern Harley Rider Don't know why your dad was pissed about the bumper sticker. Hit it for 60 short seconds with a hair dryer and it'd peel right off.
The sound of the rain in this video is so perfect.
Thank you for having excellent mics.
Nothing like a good mic, am I right?
I know it wasn't pleasant to film in, but I love the rain...foggy...noises. Very interesting Ghost Town. Dig the coaster too
I moved from Minnesota in 1987 when I was 3, and my parents decided to take a road trip for about six months, exploring the country. I moved into North Carolina around late 1988, two years later (mark we spent a lot more time than six months traveling) and lived in Charlotte for the duration of the time. I lived in Charlotte and visited Maggie Valley during my breaks, where I found that legendary theme park in the sky. I'd always love to take my friends from the city to Maggie Valley to experience the Ghost town in the sky. They loved the park and would always beg me to take them again. As time passed I moved on to high school in 1999, things really changed for me. One, I went on trips less often, and two, my friends didn't ask me to take them anymore. I guess they took their seperate paths. In 2001 I met the love of my life in high school and decided to take her to Ghost town in the sky as one of our trips. Everything was just as how it looked back when I was a child. Unfourtunatly there wern't as many guests as there were when I was a little child. Our first ride was the famous roller coaster that started with a drop at the beginning. the park attendant let us ride Red Devil (or known as the famous looping roller coaster) as much as we could without stopping through the loading zone since there was no line. Best roller coaster experience of my life. I do remember trying to buy another pass for the next year but I forgot to so I never did...
In 2003 I decided to come back to the theme park after my graduation just one more time before I headed to College in California. When I arrived in Maggie Valley things were much more different than they were back in the day. I parked at the parking lot that held the guests for Ghost town, and when I got out of my car I saw that the cable car chairs had been removed, the grass was overgrowing the area. I decided to head to the main road, which was Rich cove road, but the road was blocked so I decided to go to the local folks to ask them what had happened to the famous theme park, Ghost Town In the Sky. The only person that could tell me about this was this young fellow, I long to forget his name, found him in a gas station nearby, told me that the park closed down for good just a year ago, the road has been blocked off, and no word has ever been said ever since...
Here I am, in 2022, watching these documentaries about my amazing experience with Ghost town in the sky. I really hope they fix the theme park and put it back into operation, I'm very sad to see my childhood dream in a state like this.
Thanks for reading my story. -Waffles
Thanks for sharing your story. That was nice.
@12:28 Loved the use of that flashback footage that was almost a match-cut to where you were standing! Felt a little eerie getting a glimpse into what once was.
I agree. Pretty good editing work on their part!
We did that at my high school lol
The fact that so many things are fixed with duct tape, really shows how badly they were struggling 😟
Hey duct tape fixes everything
@@darealmr7931 😂😂
@@3xub3rant 😂
Duct tape saves lives...much like thicc thighs...
@@theretrosavage A man of culture, you are.
I really love seeing flashbacks to when things were still busy. Seeing toys in the games hanging from the ceiling makes me wonder what it was like when they were put up there. Those toys have seen too much. Imagine being a kid looking at that toy, wanting it... and its still hanging there.. like the exact same one not just another like it. I love seeing these videos, keep it up.
The kiss marks on the wall are for luck and to thank the dancers that came before. And also to note that you were there. It's show bis history on that wall
I'm an audio technician and the whole time (25:32) you guys were checking out the audio control room I was geeking out (lol). I'm glad you guys took the time to look through this room, much appreciated!
P.S; one day I want to find an abandoned place with speakers/lights installed and power it all up with a battery pack and inverter and just play around with it to experience its former glory! Some of the old PA installations aren't too shabby, just need a rewire and someone with passion! (like me)
DJ Lachlan I was sad seeing the poor crown cts amps and the speakers
I would just grab the crown amps and whatever PA speakers they have and make a kickass setup in my garage lol
F
F
I didn’t see that closely, I thought it was 70 volt for PA. But, it would make sense to have high current amps for the stages. I think you have some climbing to do. ;)
Looking at the reviews on google for this place is sad, alot of people saying they cant wait to go back with their families.
This place will never open. Its a mess and too outdated. these rides are dangerous and accidents are just around the corner.
These rides are dangerous and accidents just around the corner.
Action Park:hold my crutches.
"alot"? Grow up.
@@fdfsdfsvsfgsg4888 yep. Thanks
its very upsetting, it looks super vintage! I wish these places wouldn't have to shut down
I was happy to see there was no graffiti on anything
just decay from age and neglect 😳
Graffiti was visible several times like by the old fire truck.
@@jeffumbach their is an overall lack of graffiti though and I suspect it’s due to how difficult it would be get up their with a bunch of spray paint bottles
@@jeffumbach its called street art and its beautiful
@@Ottophil it’s trashy and ruins the natural beauty. keep it on the streets and not cool abandoned places
I remember going as a child. The chairlift to the top, the wid west show , there used to be a ride called the scrambler that would hang out over the cliff as it spun around, and the dance hall. Thank you guys for climbing to the top.
I remember riding that as a child also. I was trying to describe it to someone recently because I clearly remember itt going out over the cliff. I've been trying to find a picture of it because they was looking at me like I was lying. I'm glad at least one other person remembers it as well.
@@DBitowf I remember it well. We have a scrambler ride that comes to town with the fair. The only difference is this one doesn't hang over the edge of a dropoff.
OMG! I remember going here when I was a child in the early seventies. I couldn't have been more than seven or eight.
I vividly recall the Silver Dollar Saloon (Though I remember the bar being stage left not stage right as in the video.) and the horrible customer service. (I'm sure I was a hyped up nightmare to deal with.)
No roller coaster at the time or I was to young to ride.
The gunfight was great if cheesy. (Even as an eight year old I could tell it was decidedly family friendly.)
The chair lift getting to the park was nothing short of spectacular. It took, seemingly, forever to ride the lift up and down. Not a complaint, I could have gone up and down the lift a hundred times and been thrilled.
This park has always been in the back of my mind but the details lost. Thanks so much for bringing back the memories.
you're 54 ?
I was there in the late 60's.
I have a feeling that this comment is fake because no 54 year old person would use omg
I'm 55 at this point and I do, indeed use OMG.
@@jeffrhall9219 you’re old sir 😭
I visited Ghost Town many times as a kid in the 90's. The roller coaster was called the Red Devil back then, and it was the first looping coaster I ever road. The last time I was there (mid 90's) while going through the loop I was slung forward in my seat until my head was almost between my legs. It messed my back up, and for several days I couldn't fully straighten up. That didn't happen other times I rode it so perhaps it had something to do with where I was seated on the ride. I also never liked that there was only a lap bar. It never felt safe. I also remember the swings that would sling you over the edge of the mountain. It was absolutely terrifying, but even worse than that was the chairlift. Going up the mountain wasn't that bad, but coming back down was the worst. Having to jump onto the chair, and then immediately swing out over the mile high mountain was absolute torture every time I had to do it. It may sound like I hated the park, but that's not true at all. I loved it, and it honestly pains me to see the shape it's in now. I wish I could take my own kid there and relive the memories of my childhood, but sadly that's not possible. Also that gunfight you featured was so lame compared to the way it was back when I was there. That gunfight doesn't do Ghost Town justice.
I remember it as the red devil too, those swings were terrifying I sometimes wonder how much my parents really loved me after thinking back on them letting me ride those swings 😂 I also remember the indoor scrambler with strobe lights called the black widow and a few other rides.
That sounds so dangerous!! lucky you weren't involved in an accident.
I'm a former Red Devil rider that lived. I remember those swings as well. I loved the indoor scrambler called " black widow" I think. The girl that operated it, thought we was cute so she played metal music for us " due to our hair and shirts" she is now an adult film star lol
Those swings! They scared the piss out of me, I remember my mom telling me to stop crying as we rode them because I was hysterical
@@steveburch834 who
So heartbroken to see the state of Ghost Town. 😓 Thank you for taking us on your adventure, so we could all get one last look.
Oh my...I loved this place as a child, took my daughters when they got old enough to ride all the rides...great memories!
At least now I can entertain myself for 44 minutes
Almost 45
Yeah I just got done "entertaining" myself, and it only took like 5 minutes....
@@three-stripes 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Jonathan M. Noice
I didn’t realize at all this video was 45 minutes until I seen this comment lol I literally finished the whole video and didn’t even know that much time had gone by
That guy in who jumped off the roof in the gunfight recreation looked like he nearly biffed it. Geeze. Would be one heck of a landing.
His name is Jimmy Messer and was a good fall guy. In the early years, they did not have the fall pad and came all the way to the ground.
I have an old home movie of my family visiting this park back in 1972-73. The memories that came rolling back while watching your video are priceless. BTW- I had heard Mrs. Presley (the owner) had a guy living up there as security for the park. I am surprised he didn't catch you guys.
Do these guys ever get scared that something might collapse while there on it? I’m not complaining I would literally join them if I had an opportunity
Right
they’ve been doing this for a while so they have a decent understanding of what is/isn’t good to stand on. they’ve shown in a few videos that they won’t step on a floor if it shows noticeable signs of decay, and won’t go in a room if the roof is caving.
@@teclinsoro4523 They'll say it's too SKETCHY. :-)
they're on it.
No they're both invulnerable to all forms of disease and injuries
There’s nothing quite like that cranking sound when you are going up on a rollercoaster
Kinda like that old ride at Coney Island. I think the cranky sounds were added on purpose to make it scary
the anti-rollbacks? or are you referring to something else?
whats creepy about that video provided is why was there no screaming by any of the riders??
@@Aaronproductions Yeah, why didn't he think of that? It's actually the reassuring sound of the pawls falling into the safety rack so if power fails or something breaks, the cars stay put. Another way to---stay safe.
My grandfather, after he retired, was the preacher at Ghost Town. He would preach a sermon on Sunday mornings at the church. I have some great memories of going to Ghost Town with my grandparents. Maggie Valley is a beautiful area. As a side note, "Digger" was the undertaker for the gun shows they used to perform at the park.
Hey everyone, here’s some coaster background for you:
The rollercoaster first opened in 1988 as “Red Devil” hence the random old red train you saw 10:19 which was actually used until 2002 when they closed. they planned to reopen the park in 2007 with a new coaster name “Cliff Hanger” but it got shut down for “technical issues” so they purchased new trains and attempted to reopen again in 2009, But the brand new trains had a hairline fracture in the frame which happened just 2 days after receiving the trains. So the trains were indeed janky 😂 They spent 11M on the parks reopening, half of which went towards the coaster, just for the main attraction to break in 2 days and they went bankrupt in the process, officially closing the park for good.
“Digger” was one of the characters in the shootout scenes
No but my father went there when he was younger
I remember Digger. I bought a hat like his.
I worked there around 1981, then around '82 maybe '83, I was there doing photos of the Statler Brothers, Mel Tillis and Reba McEntire when they filmed a TV special.
I've seen that a couple times. It was on a "Statler Brothers Show" episode. It had that exact lineup & they even staged a gun fight. I remember Harold Reid having blacked out teeth as one of the gun fight characters. lol Great stuff!!!!!!!
The Statlers were there? Awesome! My wife and I were there in 90 or 91. It was OK, but I thought it was dated. There was a guy doing a one-man-band show there and he looked absolutely miserable....like he hated performing. I will never forget that.
I went here as a child in the mid 80s. I remember wanting to go here really bad before we finally went but I think when we did it was kind of a letdown. I guess I probably expected there to be more rides. The Red Dog Saloon had a show where a singer came out in the audience and kissed men on the cheek leaving a big red lipstick mark. My dad got kissed and it was really awkward and embarrassing. My family was very conservative and it was really shocking to see that happen. Amazing to think back on that and realize how much things have changed. That show is the only thing that really stands out in my mind about this place.
First of alli wamt to thamk all 3 of you for filming this .before we go any father about my comment I am a 62 year old man tha has been seaching for a loss mermory as a child for many years. Thanks too you 3 I found it .Now my journey begains .Imagime the year 1966 as a boy on vacation from fla ,seeing his great uncle and aunt that live in Knoxville Tenn , decide to take their great nephew. to this place . I was so young . 6 years old ..what a long trip but a trip i never for got . My parents stayed in Tenn with other family while I was in good hands .. The trip was alsome ..When we got there we took the chair left up . The greatest memory of my life .Every thing in this film is true i remember it all now and most important thanks to all of you where it is . Thank you Great Uncle Ervie for takeing me there . Now My Journey begains ,Ron Ginger
Thanks for sharing your story. Nice memory.
I’ve got a picture of my then-girlfriend-now-wife riding the chairlift to the top of Ghost Town around 1995.
I also have a charlift picture of me getting to the top.. this was a great video, as I was wondering about the current defunct status of the park. Looks like its beyond anything but a complete leveling and rebuild. #bestitwillbeseen.
Ben no you pervert.
1995 that was before I was borne I was borne in 2013 and it's 2020 : 0
@@jamespoteat9361 jeez he said please 😆
@@chrismcnee9287 ikr
I love when Michael describes the smells of places, helps you get a stronger sense of what its like
Bex Roc Yes I like that also.
Me too
The views of the valley when the leaves turn colors is amazing.
that firetruck needs to be saved somehow and brought to a museum so sad that its been left to rot there
By the way for people who don’t know, usually in a theatre (like one like this is or one that is privately owned and don’t really rent out) the dancers/performers tend to have a set wall they “kiss” on opening night as a good luck thing, never done it personally but I know lots of my friends who have!
Loving the content lads, keep up the good work and stay safe 😊😊
People do that in the place that I perform but I thing it's disgusting because we rent the hall of a public school and it's really sketchy. (It's the biggest stage in the town I live in)
"Let There Be Lips" is a Rocky Horror Picture Show reference. There's even a drawing of the lips logo from Rocky Horror Picture show on the wall.
I used to work in a movie theatre and we would have a drug fuelled orgy before each new release. Ah, traditions.
@@emmaclarke8863 Pour some liquid LSD on the wall
Or PCP if you wanna really have fun
@@emmaclarke8863 yeah, that's why I've never done it, normally we are allowed to write on a wall so that's what I'd do instead lmao
There’s a red tower down the road, several miles toward Cherokee and ever since I was little, I remember stopping at the fruit stand there. We’d pay the attendant and climb the red tower, and look across the valley through the binoculars and see the Ghostown roller coaster. I’ve always wanted to go there, begging my parents as a child to take me, but they always said it was closed. This would’ve been around 2002. Every time we go, I look over to it, wishing I could at least see what the place looked like- and now you’ve given me that. Thanks so much, I was really excited to see this!
I know what fruit stand you're talking about. It's literally on the side of the road and there's a little observation tower connected to it. I've been to Maggie several times, but officially went to Ghost Town July of 1999 and October of 2008. Good memories there.
We used to eat at a restaurant near that tower and then we would go climb it..I used to love going to Cherokee during the autumn the leaves up there are beautiful when they reach their peak..
Go to it. If you run into security, apologize and be polite, and explain you just wanted to see it. Leave if asked without argument - I suggest even thanking them if they are at least not rude but at least apologize. If you're not bothered, don't destroy anything, look around all you like. Remember it's not your property and you really have no right to be there so acquiesce to any request of somebody who is supposed to be there.
Thanks guys for doing this video it had my memories working overtime because I went there with my Mom and Dad and little brother when I was 9 years old and both my parents have been gone for many years now. But I really appreciate that y'all were being respectful of an abandoned place that holds so many good memories for so many people. Thanks for taking me back to an awesome time of my childhood!
The Rock-afire Explosion actually made its premiere at ShowBiz Pizza before becoming Chucky Cheese. Good episode guys. My wife always talks about wanting to take me to Ghost Town in The Sky. She had no idea it was closed.
HAHA Yes!, I was just remembering the commercial for Showbiz Pizza after I read that comment about Chuck Cheese.."Shooowbiz Pizza..where a kid can be a kid!" LOL that's great..
You got a memory to remember the name before chucky cheese
@@justinpennington7682 I'm just old. I had my 7th Birthday at Showbiz Pizza Place.
@@missionaryman69 no way . You are cognitively sharp ! You are not old !
"it's as cold as it can be without it being snow" yep, welcome to the smokies.
I've been to Gatlinburg, but at the time, I was really little, so I don't remember so much about the trip.
I can't believe you hiked up a freaking mountain. And went into stealth mode to evade security.That is true dedication! Great video
ThisisSarah 81585 I think it would be more dangerous to walk to a south side Chicago gas station for smoke after 10 pm. Not that impressive
@@ObamaTookMyDer and you've done that?
It’s not that bad those mountains are basically hills I’m surprised they made it sound like such a hike.
I have and i live in mattapan mass one of worst neighborhoods in Boston
@@ObamaTookMyDer god you're a sook
There is a development company that is in the process of trying to "redo" the park and wants to create a beach area at the bottom of the mountain with shopping. They've told the Maggie Valley Chamber that they hope to break ground in 2022. The Cliffhanger was built by Hopkins Rides (FL) which was purchased by White Water Attractions in 2012. Hopkins was mostly known for water / flume rides but did build seven roller coasters during the time they operated. Currently only four are still in operation (Texas Tornado - Wonderland Amusements (TX), Polar Coaster - Storyland (NH), Desert Storm and Patriot - Castles N' Coasters (AZ)).
Took my son to Ghost Town in The Sky and he loved it, he was one and he is now 52 yrs. Old. Of course we had visited Disney World the year they opened and he was two. After that everything paled next to Disney so we never went back or took our daughter. I was thinking about Ghost town a little while back and thought it would be a good day trip didn’t think it was still open, wish it was would be good for a short trip for people in this area!
Pat Kerschieter Knoxville Tennessee
Thank you for your story.
God Bless
I live in NJ and go to DW about 4-5 times a year, even then I still try and make it to the smaller parks. They might not be as nice but they still try to give people entertainment and fun memories
So creepy, the soft toys just hanging there. I'm surprised this place isn't more trashed
Yooo
Now that this video is up its gonna happen
Very creepy
That’s one thing that’s good about being in the mountains, people in the mountains are typically respectful of history, while the people who would typically destroy history don’t have the time to come up to the mountains
I wasn't expecting to find leokimvideo here
This kinda looks like a place you would see in left for dead 2
Bread, did you draw your icon? It's cute!
@@darcy9867 yes I did! Thank you for noticing it!
Yeah and before going up that big hill you would have to alert the horde after turning on some big machine or something. That's a good idea
When I was a kid, this place was already abandoned, but i've always wanted to know what was over that ski lift. I begged my parents to go up and check it out, can't imagine why they would say no to it lol. Thank you for all the work you do, you guys are amazing!
I went to Ghost Town once. It was less than 3 years before the roller coaster was put in.
I wanted to go ride it, but we just never did.
The coaster was meant to be the start of the return to life of the park. However, the opposite was true. And it didn't take long for it to close completely. So sad to lose something so incredibly unique!
Thanks for documenting this!
I have some input on kissing the wall!!
In some theater settings, its tradition to kiss either the mirror or a wall before heading out onto stage. There's no real rhyme or reason to it...its just tradition and breaking tradition is bad luck.
Jinxy Doll: very interesting
didn't help here
*Jinxy Doll* Yes, it's like not whistling in the dressing rooms or not throwing a hat onto a bed---and "Legitimate Theater" actors never referring to "Macbeth" by its name; it's always "The Scottish Play." Stay safe.
For my theatre group when we build a set (yes the actors help build) we add our initials in paint over the others, my initials are on the wall 26 times but we’ve never had a bad show so I’d say the tradition works
Am i like the only person watching this who has never been there? cause the comments seem to all say ' i went here' one way or another.
I've never been there.
I never got to go ether, but went by it
I've never been there either
I've never been there
About 15 years ago I drove by this place and stopped at the town at the foot of the mountain to check out the shops but I wasn't about to climb the mountain to go see it. We could look up and see part of the park at the top but that was a close as I ever got. At that time I recall seeing signage indicating it was going to reopen.
playing arcade games and basketball toss, in the middle of a dreary rainy day, at an abandoned themepark with your best friends.... what a vibe
This place was amazing as a child. My brother worked here as a shuttle assistant back in the day and when we would go visit him, he would get me a day pass and take me around the park. Cant even begin to count how many times we rode that coaster and watched those gunfights. It’s heartbreaking to see it so ran down these days.
I HAVE SUCH FOND MEMORIES OF THAT PLACE. I WILL BE 50 YRS OLD THIS YEAR. I REMEMBER GOING THERE AS A CHILD. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN MY DAUGHTER THERE. ITS SAD TO SEE THAT PLACE NOW BUT EXCITING TO REVISIT IT THROGH YOUR EYES.
Chris A aww that’s sad
@Chris Schmelter not everyone knows how to turn on or off caps lock :^)
Shouldn't take 50 years to learn how to turn caps lock off.
Yes, this ol' guy has memories of being there as a child also. Wish I could take my grandkids there. Better memories than playing on electronic devices.
I rode that coaster before when I was 8 years old. It was called the Red Devil or something like that. I was terrified for my life because it was just a lap bar and seatbelt. Seeing this footage, I'm even more horrified I actually rode that thing.
Josh V You have a 1 in 750 million chance of dying on a roller coaster
Yep, my dad said it use to be red & white! Called the red devil
Yes it was red and it was called the Red Devil when I last rode it. It was really fun but short and I remember the ride attendant would ride it standing up not strapped it!
Yep the "Red Devil Rollercoaster" was the main attraction, along with the gun fights also our indigenous people sharing their ways and history.
It's funny the things we do as kids that we would never consider as adults.
Omg the memories.. Thank you guys for this.... I loved this place. I wish I could go back and see what it looks like today. I loved this place growing up.. my Papa took me there every year. Sometimes twice a year.
my husband and I went the in the early 2000's when we were in highschool...2005ish probably.....it was amazing! Having watched westerns with my grandma every day till her death, I cried a little because I knew she would love it....the acting, the shoot outs, mrs.kittys..card games and saloons....it was so fun! the rides were ok but the experience was the best
I have never really had the chance to say this, but I've always been completely inspired by everything that you do. Keep up the great work and I can't wait to see what new explorations you find next.
Inspired by people breaking the law and secretly sneaking into places for views? Lol jk you be you and I'll be me
Hazard The Dutch Angel Dragon There’s a lot better urban explorers out there, ones who are less cocky and don’t big-league smaller creators
obama barack How is The People cocky and how do they big league smaller creators? They are literally one of the best channels out there for these videos, I don’t see how they aren’t one of the best
Lamarsi Toxic to fans, no community engagement whatsoever, superior attitude to small creators, selling out to predatory ad companies, etc.
obama barack Please tell an example of them being “toxic to fans” and having a “superior attitude to small creators”. If you’re meaning “no community engage whatsoever” by the fan base, they actually did a Q&A the other day so. And I can’t really speak on the “predatory ad companies” but if you’re talking about Raid everyone’s being sponsored by them and I’m sure they aren’t even aware if there’s shit going on with that.
My grandma took my mom here in the "golden age" of the park! My mom said that they went on the rollercoaster there and it felt completely unsafe. I grew up going to Tweetsie Railroad and hearing stories from my mom about it as we passed by that place to get there. I remember seeing ads for it on PBS when it briefly reopened around 2012 I think
2008 they tried opening again.
This is one of my favorite videos that you guys have ever posted. It’s so sad to see this place closed along with many other abandoned buildings and motels in the area. I only wish that I had been able to visit Ghost Town while they were operating. Thanks again for sharing.
That chapel must have been not abandoned because the piano seemed to be sort of in tune. Typically, it would have probably be way off.
I appreciate how you guys added in old footage in between to give us an idea of the experience when the park was active
Your channel is one of the only channels I can watch a 40 minute video and be entertained the whole time
I went with my family in the mid 90s. It was already starting to get a bit sketch but we did have a decent time. My dad got stuck on a ride when the operator either fell asleep or passed out drunk (not sure which, it was a hot afternoon) and he ended up sore and bruised for a few days.
You guys only saw the first level of the park, there are three different levels each with a different theme and more rides and activities.
Sad to see such a great place like this in such a dilapidated, run down state. So many great memories of Ghost Town & Maggie Valley back in the 1990s. 😭😢😤
I always surprises me when valuable items (that could probably be either sold or used elsewhere) are not removed before a property is abandoned.
One of the fascinating things about abandonment are the reasons and events which lead to that. Larger sites etc. often have social implications as well. Small businesses rarely plan to abandon things, it just happens and they may lose the possession of the site. Larger businesses rarely ever tell in advance that something is going to be shut down.
I often buy small equipment and materials from a contractor which cleans closed sites. They may do that for free if they can sell and scrap what they can. It is an interesting business as selling parts of a processing plant etc. is not easy and it requires special knowledge to tear things down and pack them for storage or sale. To clean this site would probably be easy, but selling the things would not offset demolishing it.
They tried very hard to reopen, and when that failed, they tried to sell the property intact, hoping a buyer with enough money to get it open would buy it. That is why everything was left as-is.
IKR?
Yeah, the gear in that recording studio looked mint. As long as it wasn't water damaged of course
When you haven't even finished it but you know it's going to be damn good
Never seen a bad one here. Love these guys!
Omg this was by far my favorite video!! If you had kept going g about another 45min or so you would've been in my town Robbinsville.
My husband went there quite a bit as a kid and loved it, but when we took our daughters in 2007 or 8, it wasn't much fun at all. I couldn't wait to ride that roller coaster, but the closer we got to the top you could see plastic on the rails, I was so mad I could've spit nails, just ruined my day!! Nearly all of the rides were shut down and my husband said that even the gunfight wasn't anywhere near as good as they were. The best thing about the whole place was the pizza we ate for lunch, now it was awesome!! But I was just very disappointed in the whole trip, honestly just a waste of 100 bucks.
But it still breaks my heart to see it in this shape, I about cried watching this. I really don't see it ever opening again sadly.
There actually used to be another place in Dillsboro NC like 30 min from ghost town, called gold city and it was also on top of a mountain, I actually went there several times as a kid when I lived in Franklin, and I loved it! It's been shut down for years though, don't even know if there's anything of it left or not, I know they finally took the chairlift down within the last few years. Also very sad.
I'm curious though, did they not have the bumper cars or the swings or any of the other rides there when you were filming, I didn't see them anywhere.
Thanks for this video, it was very nostalgic and brought back some fond memories!! 🥰🥰
I just love your videos. You go places no one would and get really deep into the explore. You guys don't talk all through your videos pointing out the obvious. You guys are very thorough and keep exploring even if there is something or someone in your way like a dog, security or voices etc... Good job guys.
I vividly remember the commercials for this place and the “Red Devil Rollercoaster”. I tried to visit once, we drove all the way across the mountain from Gatlinburg, only to find it closed. 🤦🏻♀️
I remember the red devil rollercoaster, distinctly remember the tv commercials. Grew up in Greenville SC. Carrowinds and Six Flags over GA were bigger attractions.
I remember the commercials too.
@@Marcus_Pilot Carrowinds still open??
@@waltersobchak7275 yep, just not now because of covid
@@LauraJKillian Atlanta since 2007
Loved how you got flashback footage of some locations.
Sometimes its hard to picture such decaying and abandoned places were once full of life an care at one point.
Its ironic thats its called “ghost town” because it litarally is a ghost town
Went here as a kid many times. Only live about an hr from there now. Finally moved back. Really wish somebody would reopen the park so my kids can experience it. The old western shows were awesome!
The gloomy weather really added to the experience of this one. Great video.
I went to Ghost Town In the Sky in the Late 70’s, early 80’s, and then took my children there in the 90’s. Back then, the gunfights were held several times a day, and they were dressed like real people from the era. There was a gunfight in the street, and they werent dressed like hillbillies! Even when the guy got shot off the fooftop, he didnt land on an air mattress in the middle of the street, he was shot, rolled off to the side , and out into the street( looked real!). The video you used does NOT do justice to how it was originally! . There was a ride called the scrambler that was Right on the edge of the cliff, it terrified me when our car got slung to the edge as you had a clear view of maggie valley below! Awesome times as a kid! I hate that I cant take my grandchildren back there!
My husbamd and I were in Maggie Valley last November and stopped by and took pics from below! Thanks for allowing us to see Ghost Town in the Sky one last time!
Well the big focus now is enviromental restoration and part of me would love to see such places torn out and turned into nature perserves.
@@christianfreedom-seeker934 If you don't think there's enough nature around, you obviously haven't been to that part of North Carolina.
@@christianfreedom-seeker934 That would be a complete waste. There are plenty of "nature preserves" in the Smokies. Your name on here explains everything.
That sounds like it was so much fun. It’s sad to see it like this.
Me&my twin brother were born in 1973, My dad took me and my twin brother between the ages of 7 and 10. I'm 50 now. just went there and visited only in the parking lot. July 11th, 2022, on our way home from Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee. It brought back so many memories😊 my dad passed in 1998🙏 & this is a memory I will never forget our trip to Ghost Town Maggie Valley in the sky I remember being scared of the gun show and chair lift. Me and my brother left with feathered hats. Indian drums and cap guns. Y'all take care, ps. Love the video👍🏻
I grew up in Atlanta suburbs and I’ve never heard of this place in NC. I’m 49yrs old.
It was intriguing watching this explorative tour.
When I was a kid we went here at least once a year. The coasters name was The Red Devil until the latest reopen. I used to love riding The Black Widow. It was basicly a scrambler inside a dark room with rock music and strobe lights. I wish these guys would have filmed the graveyard.
TJ Hemphill I still remember enter sandman and hard to handle blasting on the black widow.
I loved the black widow. And this was my sons first roller coaster!!
TJ Hemphill Do you remember the Toboggan?
Oh wow. This brings back memories! I went here several times back in the early-mid 90s. So strange, and kind of sad, to see it this way...
Video is put together really well. I love how the place hasn’t been vandalised. Thank you for the upload
This channel could easily split up their videos into 10 minute bits, fill them with ads, and make watching it a pain.
but that's not what they are doing! and thats why we love you :3
I gladly watch every ad there is in their videos
I wish they would do that! They deserve the moneys :)
Y’all are the best CZcamsrs. Period.
agreed
My dad took me here during one of his visitations and I lived near Asheville at the time. A few good shows and rides, but what I remember the most was, on the way back down on that side of the mountain lift (different from chair lift), there was a horrible thunder storm (some of the worst I have ever seen and I am originally from Florida) and we were about halfway back down when the lift stopped. All power had apparently been lost. We were stuck there for quite some time (20 to 30 minutesI think) and I think they found a way to let us down without power as the power was still out when we reached the bottom. Pretty scary. Neat little park though and a bit sad that it went under.
Strange for me seeing all those abandoned skeeball games, I live in Wisconsin and worked for baytek games who makes skeeball, I used to restore the old games way back to the early 1900s. I also helped design the newest skeeball fusion which sells today. Those games are worth about 3-4K per alley once restored and they are mostly just wood with minimal gravity mechanics, easy and inexpensive to restore, baytek even buys them back for parts when the owners can’t maintain them because they are becoming rare. It’s sad to see them sit there and degrade. What is really strange is that my grandpa owned parts of land used to film dirty dancing, I used to visit him in NC before he passed. Never thought I would be watching a video of a park in NC with games I used to restore, it all just came full circle for me. Very Cool vid guys, glad you stayed safe.
I swear whenever you guys climb up onto these old coasters i get so anxious lmao, im always freaked out about how safe it is
Lol yeah after he noticed it was warped and still kept climbing I was a bit on edge
If you want to see it on the big screen, seek out the 2007 movie "Dean Teaster's Ghost Town". Two other films, "Mandie and the Secret Tunnel" (2008) and "Ringside Rosary" (2010) were also filmed there.
I have the Mandie movie! (Love the book series!) I'll have to watch it again and watch for it!
Great video! Loved it! I first went there when I was a young boy in the '60s. It was wonderful as a kid. Again I went back twice at age 18 and actually hitch-hiked 90 miles the first of those to get there. After marrying and with children my wife and 2 boys went again about '88 or so. When I went at age 18, I almost took a job as a "Cowboy" with them to be in the shows as my friend and I were offered to be trained to be in the Shootouts. Of course, "The Toothless Man" in the movie "Deliverance", Herbert Cowboy Coward worked there for years as a gunslinger and still lives in that area of Haywood County, NC. What great memories! Thank You Guys!
Thank you guys! We would visit this park in the 70’s. Growing up outside of Raleigh our family trips would always be to the NC Mountains! Enjoyed this footage! Keep up the great work!!
Hey!! I'm from Robbinsville nc, my niece is actually a sophomore at UNC!!
I remember going there as a kid. The "Red Devil Rollercoaster" was the first looped coaster I ever went on and it gave me a pounding headache, lol. The park was such an experience, but the best part was the chairlift ride going to and from the top of the mountain. RIP.