The "Abandoned & Creepy” Wizard of Oz Theme Park: Land of Oz | Expedition Extinct
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- čas přidán 9. 10. 2022
- Up in the mountains of North Carolina exists a mysterious place where if you follow a partially stolen yellow brick road you might find an abandoned Wizard of Oz Theme Park. The story of this often-called creepy park though is much deeper than even Dorothy could imagine. The Land of Oz.
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Credits -
Over the Rainbow intro by Tom Jennings.
Check out the original videos here
Coaster Things - • Land of OZ by Drone - ...
Wayne County Public Libary - • Early 1970s Marion Tal...
The PopPopProject - • Land of Oz Theme Park ...
Saytoli - • Hotel Del Coronado - a...
B Pintar - • Wizard of Oz Attractio...
Coastal Things - • Land of Oz // Beech Mo...
Park Rovers - • The Land of Oz Theme P...
Elizabeth Becker - • 1970 Mountain trip wit...
The Official Oz Club - • Visit the Land of Oz
Just Out N About - / justoutnabout - Zábava
Tickets are now on sale for Autumn at Oz 2023! www.land of Oz.com
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Katanga canyon!
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Can you do the opening Snow like scary adventure magic kingdom for me please
The Desperado at Buffalo Bills is no longer "nearly" abandoned but fully abandoned! Love all your videos but I really love anything you do about Vegas!
My parents took my brother and I here when we were kids back in the late 70s. My mom still has all the photos she took of us with the different characters, walking on the yellow brick road and us on the hot air balloon ride. Thank you for this video. You brought a tears to this 50 year old man's eyes. This was part of my childhood I'd love to live over again.
Hey thanks for the info what you should do now is ask your mom for some of those photos and post them on your page comment back on this page and put a link so I can check it out that would be nice 👍
Aw, that's so sweet. I hope thems are happy tears.🤗
Thanks for sharing such Beautiful memories! Your parents did good taking you guys to something that seemed to be so magical 🌻
I am 53 and I also went to the park as a child in the 70’s! We have pics too!! I am sending this to my mom, 71 now....maybe we can go next year! I didn’t know they had a yearly gathering and now I live in TN so it is close!!
Wow
I like the idea of a theme park you can see all of in a day. Not everything has to be huge and overwhelming and loud and fast. I'd love to see this place.
how about a street-racing theme park modeled after 2nd street in el cajon?
You should go sometime. They open it back up once a year.
I agree I would love a place like this! I would take my family there all of the time! It seemed like it had a cool, chill vibe to it…
I went here when I was younger, maybe a decade ago. I’m 13 now. I enjoyed it very much, it was a lovely adventure.
@@tommurphy4307 oh that's great. I remember 2nd st from late 70s early 80s as a kid. Cool cars in front of the Firestone. A different place tha now, I have some before and after el cajon videos on my channel
Whenever people talk about this park they always make it sound like no one has touched it in decades, but I'm glad to see it's still getting the love and care from the community.
Yeah. I go every year and it’s awesome
I visited Beech Mountain with my uncle and a few family friends about a month after the Land of Oz' opening day, which I now learned was my 11th birthday. We didn't know the attraction was there but when I saw the sign I begged Uncle Paul to let me ride the chair lift to see it. He said to go ahead, they would wait for me. I'm sure he had no idea it was an extensive theme park. This being the first time I was allowed to go anywhere on my own, I took full advantage, seeing every inch of the park with no sense of time. The music, the yellow bricks and especially the before and after tornado at Dorothy's house really impressed me. Dorothy and the characters did look like those in the movie to 11 year old me. It must have been three hours later that I rode the balloon ride down to find my uncle waiting patiently, all the others having left long ago. He wasn't upset, he just asked if I had fun. I always liked Uncle Paul but especially after that day.
wow i can only imagine the amount of aw and wonder you felt that day, getting to run around and explore the emerald city on your own accord with no adults holding you back, 11 year old me would’ve had a field day
@@hardkourgameing3567 I sure did and still remember the feeling!
So lucky! Glad you got to experience this as the designer intended
Glad you came back safely!
@@amandastjohn4735 Thank you. Banner Elk, N.C. in 1970 was a very safe place. It still is - Uncle Paul's children and grandchildren, who live in a neighboring town, still leave their front doors unlocked and their car keys in their cars
The way this was built reminds me a lot of how they’re building the studio ghibli theme park in Japan right now. The park is reinforced by natures beauty, and dosent harm the natural scenery around it. It’s such a wonderful way to create a sense of escapism.
thats just about the same mindset as we had going into hiroshima and nagasaki
@@RedRocket4000 Look up how racist the Japanese general population was back in the 30s-40s. They attacked first, a cowardly sneaky shock attack and sided with the Nazis. They were training women and children to fight, while killing those soliders who didn't want their wives and children fighting. They were committing atrocious war crimes. I mean, they were so brutal to their prisoners that they made the Nazis look like good guys in comparison. All of this=Atomic bombings
@@RedRocket4000 CZcams comments are something else
@@tommurphy4307 wtf are you going on about weirdo
@@tommurphy4307 I don’t think they’ll be a Grave of the Fireflies part of the park. Don’t get your hopes up.
Thanks for presenting an accurate picture of the park and it’s history. As a local (I live about 30 minutes south of Beech Mountain), I get so tired of seeing online articles and CZcamsrs perpetuate the myth that the park is abandoned in some kind of decrepit, forgotten state. It’s actually kind of in the middle of everything. One side of the property boarders a BMX park (so ironically the wheelers did show up 😂) and on the other side its surrounded by houses. So it’s highly unlikely that anyone could trespass for long without being noticed. I’m actually hopeful that someday the park will return to season operation. The ski lift was restored last year, so baby steps…..
That would be incredible if it does!
Thank you for providing information as a local as this place has so many videos on it that I’ve been curious myself.
My family went here and to Tweetsie. My sister and I were quite little and I definitely remember the dancing mushrooms.
The Wizard of Oz isn't exactly prominent in the culture today, so probably not worth the money to rehabilitate.
I live near Boone, been to Tweetsie a bunch of times over the years.
I went as a little girl. 7 or 9 years old. It was magical!!! We looked forward to every year when the Wizard of Oz would come on TV. My cousins and I watched as it was an event! Then one summer we got loaded up and we’re off to Oz. We loved it! Every part of it as kids. The house walking through with the tornado, it worked great with kids imagination! It’s a treasured memory. It was a special place.
That house with the tornado was awesome~!! I was 10 and almost 50 years later I still remember it like it was yesterday~!!
Yes I remember when you had to watch shows and movies when they aired… not when you could stream them. It made it really special for us as kids every year❤
I agree...one night a year...often in March, then it quit.
I remember being in a used video store w my 8 yo daughter...
I said oh lets get this-
She looks at it and objects...nooo, Dad, why do ya wanna watch that?
At the end of it...she turned around and said Dad, you were RIGHT!!!!.
I live about 45 minutes from Banner Elk, NC. I have been there when I was a kid to The Land of OZ!
Can still see the 110 pictures taken!
I'd always wondered why no one had ever built a theme park based on the Oz books, but I just didn't know about this place until now. The stories have a lot of potential for a fantastic park or series of parks. It's great that this one has found new life.
if you could just talk to the guy who came up with it- he would give you 10 or more reasons NOT to....
@@tommurphy4307 and the 'Wet Blanket' award goes to Tom Murphy-
One in every crowd...smh.
My family and I used to go every year.
Yes it has found some new life. Went there as a kid
They also were looking to build a very ambitious park on the land that is now Kansas Speedway in the 90s. The plans included several rides, including a show coaster that was engineered and sold to Disney as California Screamin' when Oz was cancelled.
Went into this expecting to gawk at at the creepy remains of a crumbling attraction, ended up tearing up at the heartfelt passion of those who brought it into reality. Excellent work.
Thank you aha that’s what I was going for 😀
Whew! I thought it was just me tearing up at the end there. 🥲
Many parks and attractions "fail" due to so many factors that are hard to overcome. Also, imagine how hard this would be to create without being too corny or low resolution back drops --- AND all of it has to stand up to four seasons of weather on a mountain side.
@@ExpeditionThemePark you sneaky man ^_^
It maybe dumb to the younger generation. But what they accomplished back then is pretty remarkable. My mom has fond stories of the park. I'm now 38 and it was closed when I was growing up and we took a helicopter ride over it. I remember barely seeing the yellow brick road it was so over grown and could see some rusty roof tops. This was incredible
This documentary SHOULD GET HIGH PRAISE and be awarded for extreme RESEARCH - I being a collector of OZ and Judy since 1988 but have loved OZ at the time this was being built. As a youtuber it is an honor to have such documentaries on special movies and places THEME PARKS that have gone but not forgotten, this is highly regarded to me as the best docu of OZ TO DATE and why some costumes have not bein seen ever again. THANK YOU
You collected Judy? You better put her back before her estate finds out.
This theme park is not gone, nor is it forgotten. They still open it once or twice a year. Most of the time, they sell out of tickets.
Be honest. You're the one who took the Dorothy costume didn't you :D
@@BerryTheBnnuy 😂
@@leahdorsey6142 bi
I’m glad that they are still keeping it going as a historical site and for the original designers. Especially Pentes. I think his soul is resting more happily than it was.
Wait, this is actually so sweet and heartfelt! I’m so glad this place is being saved and brought back to life, by people who cherish it!
It’s amazing how quickly nature can make a closed down place seem creepy
Yeah!
Yes, but in this case, the foliage adds to the atmosphere! =)
It's disturbing how quickly humans destroy nature by covering everything in concrete as well.
That's how Liminal Spaces work.
Just.. Follow The Creepy Yellow Road. 👠👠
Damn.. this made me tear up a bit. I’ve never been to the park, nor did I really watch the movie as a kid. My interaction with The Wizard Of Oz, was a beautiful and enchanting pop up book that my Gramma had at her house. I was not a fast learner on how to read, but she would pick up that book and read it to me, and we’d look at all the incredible designs that literally popped out of this rather massive book, trying to find all the little hidden details. It was my favorite book she had, and the day of my 8th birthday she had passed away. I remember looking around the house about a week or so later, when we had to go and start cleaning it out, and I came across the books she had. And I remember as a kid I was so upset because Gramma had always given me special gifts for my birthday, and because she had passed away on that day, it was more hard hitting that I wouldn’t get a gift from her ever again. So while the adults were doing whatever it is adults do when cleaning out a house after a death, I sat and looked through the books I had read with Gramma. And I got to the Wizard of Oz book, and was looking through it, and I get to the last page, where Dorothy returns home after her journey, the pop up portion was a big display of all her friends and the good witch as she clicked her heels together, all shiny and gorgeous... And in the corner of the book, there’s a note written in Gramma’s handwriting, that said “Happy 8th Birthday, love Gramma”.
What a lovely story. Thanks you!
Dammit guess I'm crying today
That is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
I’m not crying but most definitely am tearing up 🥲
I’m glad I could share that memory with you all, and i apologize for any sharing of tears!! If anyone would like to know who made the book I’m talking about (and still have), it’s called The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz: A Commemorative Pop-up, by the artist Robert Sabuda. He also made versions of multiple other timeless stories, like Alice In Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast. Hopefully the books and the memories enveloped within these renditions will bring joy to others as well!
It's amazing when so many people love a park so much, they all come together to bring it back from the brink. The idea of a park that preserves the aspect of nature while still giving you a sense of magical wonder is awesome.
I love that old ad about the tourist escape.
"Jim is looking for a place to get away. They are building such a place." (EXPLOSION)
It makes me so happy to see people work together to bring something they’re passionate about to life 💗
Same here, I think the initial creator would be rather happy to see that the place he was so passionate about has brought about such joy in others.
Exactly!
tell that to nancy pelosi democracy is at stake she will tell you, never will they work together its all fantasy , greed,
I don’t find anything about this creepy. It feels more somber and bittersweet than anything. I’m actually impressed. I expected to see that this park was just some tacky cash grab, but it actually seems like a passion project that was given lots of love and attention to detail. So much thought went into every bit. How cool. The full trip through the park from start to finish was so cohesive, and returning to the entrance in a hot air balloon style ski lift is GENIUS. I also love to see that it was built into the surrounding landscape rather than the landscape being bulldozed to fit the attraction. I would love to see this someday if it ever returns to full operation. What a unique place.
It is in full operation. Someone who lives close by says it gets packed during the show season. And another comment said they just went this year and it was awesome.
It was pretty special to me as a young child in the early/mid 1970s. Still remember the balloon ride. What really struck me, is it was a live character intensive attraction… the actors/actresses were the draw, and the constructed theme sites were in the background…. Completely opposite from Disney World (I was fortunate enough to have been a young kid brought to the opening of Disney World too)
@@zariballard You're thinking of the Autumn at Oz event the video mentioned. The attraction is open during weekends in September.
You make so many interesting points so eloquently. Thank you for also helping to put the overused and maybe abused term "creepy" back in the (creepy) box where it belongs.
I clicked this video to see an abandoned theme park.. instead I sat here forever watching this piece of awesome history!!!! Loved it, I learned alot and had no idea about the theme park. Thank you for making this extremely well built video. Enjoyed it greatly! It was my first video on your channel I've watched, I subbed and will be watching much more of your channel.
What a wonderful story, and I am so glad that the park is back to entrance a whole new generation of youngsters . Excellent job.
And now I've learned a new homonym. Thank you.
My family went the first year it opened and all the years after. As a child, it was awesome! As an adult, we went back again this year and it is still awesome! My uncle, who was a master craftsman at plaster work and did all the trees with faces in the park so we were able to go for free as he received free tickets. If you are ever in the NC mountains in the fall, make plans to visit; you will not be disappointed (unless you have to have thrill rides).
ooh- you saved ten bucks
@@tommurphy4307 back in the early 70’s, $10 bucks a person was a lot of money for a struggling furniture factory worker
It’s still opened ? The video says “abandoned”. You said you went back this year !! And if your ever in NH stop by you won’t be disappointed. But it’s abandoned and not even open anymore 🤣
Back in the day $10 was like us paying $50. Now a days. Crap that’s a lot of money to me
It’s still open for a couple weekends in the fall.
My parents took me to Oz the year it opened. It's still a vivid memory for me. I returned the favor and brought mom to Autumn in Oz in 2019. Thanks for this loving, respectful video.
Massive kudos to the housing developers for this loving act of preservation. So many beloved theme parks have been entirely bulldozed to make way for new development that this brought tears of happiness to my eyes. The perfect best possible outcome given the circumstances.
This was one of the sweetest videos you've ever made! And that the brothers were so careful of the trees in first construction, and the development company kept the heart of the mountain arrived with the name and the dear care they took with such respect for the site... I'm so happy to see its stronger than ever in a whole new incarnation. THANK YOU for this sweet, sweet video.
5:25 - "We are building such a place." KABOOM!! Yeah, I can feel the stress just melting away with each rock-spraying explosion.
It made me laugh
😂😂😂😂
Found this absolutely fascinating, Sam. I'm a big fan of the Wizard of Oz and had no idea that this existed. So happy that the magic of this place is still alive and celebrated.
Thank you so much. Yeah it’s such a great place
The movie is what it is. The original 14 L. Frank Baum books however are a real trip. A good look at the values, culture, and even technology of the time. They held me spellbound as a child.
If you ever want to see a wizard of oz themed theme park similar to this that is still up and running and is actually beautiful, there’s one in Aberdeen South Dakota called “Story Book Land”. I went there at least 100 times as a kid and it was for sure the best part of going up there to see family.
I work with Beech Mountain and this attraction is such a unique part of the area!! The seasonal events they host always sell out SO fast. I hope one day they can open for longer stretches of time. This past year, they only opened for their Autumn at Oz event. TBD what they'll do next year, but they've tried to do a summer and fall event, and offer private tours.
being treated like a cash-cow instead of the original business prop
We went to _"The Land Of Oz"_ every year. I still have souvenirs from that place. The park would've been a success if they had more rides. There was nothing to do except walk the yellow brick road and see live productions and one-character soliloquies. The most exciting ride was Dorothy's House! You would walk through her home and everything was neat. Then you'd walk through a dark theater with a huge screen to see the tornado approaching. When you came out, you'd be in a different house that was an exact replica of the first one. It would be rocking from side-to-side and all of the furniture would be turned over! There were men outside on both sides of the house pulling on ropes that were connected to the top. The house was on a pivot.
They should make roller coasters and more rides there
My family went to the Land of Oz once when I was a small child. I recall being disappointed that the live action characters looked nothing like they did in the movie, and in fact seemed a bit creepy. But hey, it was the 70s. Pretty cool in combo with Tweetsie and Ghost Town though.
My mother and I went there once when I was 4 or 5, we have a picture taken there in the photo album. Mom remembered that a copy of the ruby slippers were stolen from the park.
If the video said this I missed it, but I suspect that the park couldn't use the movie's character designs because they were copyrighted.
The MGM designs are copyrighted and they are NOTHING like the original 1899(?) children's book.
If you want accurate-looking characters, this park and the 1986 Disney film Return to Oz are FAR more faithful to the Oz books.
Yes, the characters look creepy by today's standards but current-day parents coddle their kids too much and hold them in arrested development well into their 20's now!
These were very popular books in the first half of the 20th century -- the Harry Potter series of their day -- but people weren't screaming about the illustrations or lifesize statues created from the original character designs.
In retrospect, the 1939 MGM film RUINED the future prospects of faithful adaptations of the Oz books. It's a good film in its own right but it's far from faithful and has a certain dreary real-lifeness (because of the insistence on being true to life, the "illusion of life" of fairies and winged monkeys!!!) that detracts from the fantasy. It's too bad people are generally stuck on the 1939 film and don't give the original Oz books or the 1986 film closer looks. Those are how fantasy books used to be for younger kids, not the sugar-spoon fed Barney crap they shovel to kids today.
@@AvengerII Somebody pissed the bed this morning
@@thegoodreylo4749 You don't have to tell you're still wetting your bed!
We just attended Autumn at Oz this past September. It was WAY better than anticipated. We will definitely be back with our grandchildren!
I wanted to go so bad this year but we had family In town. Next year for sure!
We were there this year too, it was very cool, the psychedelic part of the farm house was a treat.
Where's that?
they had free rainbow skittles
@@tommurphy4307 I missed the skittles, noooooooooo!
This parked seemed like such a cool concept, I was getting sad at the thought of it falling out of popularity to rot & be forgotten, but hearing that they're slowly but surely restoring the magic of Oz during special events each fall in the last few years makes me really happy! I think I'll have to add this to my bucket list!
I have lived in Beech Mountain and have visited the park several times. In fact I just worked security for the 2022 Autumn at Oz event back in September. It is definitely not abandoned and the caretaker has had over 200 trespassers arrested in the last few years.
Fantastic work, Sam! I'm glad my video was able to play a small part. You and Jackie should check out The Land of Oz next year; it's a whole vibe. I might go back every year or two! -Andrew
Thanks so much and thank you for the awesome video. I hope to see you there next year !
This was the rare one of your videos, Sam, that has a happy epilogue! This was a really sweet story, thanks for this!
Right?!
I remember hiking up beech mountain with my wife years ago before we got married. She didn’t believe me that there was a yellow brick road up there. We saw a bunch of groundhogs on the way up. It started snowing on our way down. I thought it was a fun hike but she hated me for it as it was steep in some parts. We took our oldest to visit as they reopen every now and then. The tree faces are pretty creepy.
Every year, The Wizard of Oz would come on television and our entire family would sit and watch it together. Once they opened up The Land of Oz, my parents very excitedly took us up there. I guess I was four or five. I loved the place and it truly did exude magic, especially for a little tike like me. Me and my two sisters enjoyed it all - they were older than me, but they loved it as much. So glad to see life being breathed back into this cherished memory of my childhood. I am so glad I got to experience it and enjoy it when it was fresh and new! I remember seeing the priceless props from the film! I remember having the map of the park, in all of its wild day-glow colors, for many years. Thank you for making this wonderful video!
I remember as an 11 year old my grandparents bought a place on Beech Mountain in '83 and climbing the ski slopes to the top only to discover this amazing place. My brothers and I had many a wonderful summers exploring this abandoned park (until it was boarded up) and I love seeing videos like this about it.
I remember going to this park as a kid. The witch scared the crap out of me. That, and riding in the mock hot air balloon, are the only things I really recall. It's nice to see it again. It was one of those places you're not sure you went to or dreamed of...no pun intended.
I didn't know Autumn at Oz was a thing. Might have to look into that sometime. The brothers had a big part in my childhood by starting Tweetsie Railroad and Rebel Railroad/Dollywood. So, I would love to see their third creation in person.
Nice video! I was able to go at Autumn at Oz this year, and it's quite a fun and vibrant attraction! It was wonderful to see all the visitors dressed up for their visit; love for the Wizard of Oz radiates both from the attraction and the people enjoying it
I visited this park as a small child I think in the year 2000. It was closed to the public and we went through the Emerald City and backward down the yellow brick road through the park. It was just my family on a very dark and snowy day - I was so small that I'm not sure how we got in; I think my grandmother (very social lady, lol) must have known someone associated with the place. We had to tread lightly on the yellow bricks because they were covered in ice. There are pictures of me next to the big Oz gate, the living trees, and some other areas. I had NO idea at the time I was having such a special/rare experience!
if youre gonna break laws might as well do it as a family
It's so nice that one of this stories has a happy end.
Right?!
My parents took us in the 70's to Oz at Beech Mountain before it burned so we got the full experience and got to see the museum. A few years ago my wife and I stayed in Dorothy's farm house for the weekend when it was rentable by Emerald realty on the mountain. It was my wife's 🎂 and she loves the Wizard of Oz. Our Dorothy from that visit Jenna Greer is now the caretaker of Oz and her and her friends who come every year toy play the characters and do Journey with Dorothy in June and Autumn at Oz in September are slowly rebuilding Oz!!! We explored the farmhouse top to bottom while staying the weekend and had full access to the Land of Oz so we know all the ins and outs and secrets!!!!
My goodness, being from the West Coast, I’d NEVER heard of this Land of Oz! It is almost as old as Disneyland, of which I AM familiar. That was a rough history but I’m glad it was relentlessly kept after to keep it going, even to this day. I’ve also seen the red shoes & Dorothy’s dress in Debbie Reynolds collection.
My parents took me there as a small child in the 1970s. I was too young to properly experience it, but I've never forgotten it. I'm glad to know that it's still open.
I went also and the main thing I remember is how much I hated the ski lift lol
HE’S BAAAACCCK
I’m backkkkkkk
My grandparents had a summer home in Linville, NC, until earlier this year when my grandmother sold it. When I was growing up, my family would get together in Linville every July 4th and sometimes at Christmas, too. I remember going to the Land of Oz event in 1991 when I was just 5 years old, but I never knew about the full story behind it before that point in time, although I do vaguely remember my grandmother saying in 1991 that it used to be a much bigger event than it was at that time. As I got older, we would go skiing at Beech Mountain at Christmas time, especially in the early 2000s when I was in high school. It wasn't until my 20s that I got to ski Oz Run on the back side of Beech, which (I think) is approximately where this former "theme park" used to be. Thanks for sharing this documentary! So much unknown history about a place that holds great childhood memories for me!
Just wanted to say your channel is awesome! You do an excellent job covering theme park history! 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you so much Peter.
I've lived in NC pretty much my entire life and never visited this park, never even knew it existed until a few years ago. Where I live now in the state would be about a 3 hour drive to visit the park and I think I really want to finally go. Their Autumn at Oz only happens during September I believe so I just missed it for this year, but hopefully I can plan to go next year. Hopefully then, it will be even more updated as I look forward to experiencing the park in a way that they intended. I've always loved The Wizard of Oz and since I live in NC, it just makes sense for me to check it out.
you should do it soon, because places like this go under all the time.
I went here numerous times as a kid since my parents loved Oz so much they had bought a house on beech mountain just to go visit it in the summer. Wow this brings back memories! Great job yet again!!!!!
Thank you
I was just here this weekend. It is a wonderful place that everyone should visit! The actors are incredible, and the interaction with the visitors is awesome. You can even dress up as your favorite character from the movie to make it even more fun. It is like a Land of Oz "rocky horror" type of following, which is really cool.
This one actually made me cry. I've never been there, never even heard of it until now, but what a wonderful story how it has come back. Thank you for sharing it.
This was so great, my family actually has a house on Beech Mountain so I have had my fair share of visits to Land of Oz and Tweetsie. It is crazy how busy it gets up here when oz is open on the select weekends, even selling out way in advance. Really cool to see you post something so close to me after I have watched many of your videos!
'selling out way in advance'- that only means the local fire inspector was watching...
This is a wonderful video! I went in 2019, expecting a bit of a freak show with rundown attractions and the creepy atmosphere described in clickbait articles. It's not that at all. It's a vibrant and joyful place, albeit a little bittersweet knowing what it used to be. But all the actors and staff are extremely passionate and put forth 110% effort into making it a great experience. I look forward to returning in the future when restoration has advanced.
Wow! What a fantastic video! Thank you so much. I live in the UK and had no idea about this theme park. It looked absolutely magical in it's hey day and i'm so happy to see it being restored and being enjoyed again by so many. 👍
Seeing a park be more than the sum of its parts, be kept alive by a passionate community, that in itself is as magical as the movie and book is. I'm amazed at how far they went to bring the place back to it's glory, it came back from extinction. It honestly brings tears right near the end of the video at seeing what many saw as a haunted, abandoned sight for drones to survey, was given a new magical lease of life to be a place of joy and love for a legendary story.
Thank you for such a thorough history of this place! I've heard about it many times over the years but never knew its complete story!
Thank you for watching
Marvelous! Simply marvelous!! You lead down the sad path to the park's abandonment, only to surprise me and lift my spirit with your video's eventual truth that the "Land of Oz" never ever left us. It continues to live in our hearts and in reality for all the future generations to enjoy and love! And unexpected twist at the end of the story that made me smile for the rest of the day. Thank you!
Kinda like 0wen Benjamin's beartardia. It's in your hearts ev n though he raised a half million dollar's.
I was staying there twice. The view from the gazebo at the top is the best view of North Carolina you can see, as it is at the very top of the mountain. The second time, I was accidentally getting locked in the creepy wind tunnel. Thankfully, a prop pinwheel was able to be used as a lock pick! It is really something surreal, because you are basically living in a theme park all to yourself. Me and my family got some grand old memories of staying there.
I've never been to the park, in fact I don't even live in the US, however this video plucked at the old heartstrings. What a wonderful story with (seemingly) the possibility of a Hollywood ending. Thank you to all those involved, both past & present, for keeping the dream alive... 🙏
Aside from allowing guests to interact with props and wear the Costumes from the original 1939 film(!!), this sounds like it was absolutely AWESOME.
Yeah!
Yeah it was sad when the fire broke out and destroyed those props. Edit: 🤔 that’s interesting they found some of those props again
@@Drummerchick2003 Well if you paid attention to the video, the fire was no where near where the props were, and they were merely stolen presumably by the same people who set the fire.
@@catlover10192 the video sadly states nothing on what really happened. however, urban exploring was very popular during this time.
“Regularly called a failure” just made me spit my drink out.
The movie was considered a massive failure until 1956 when they started airing the movie on television. The movie was re-released into theaters two more times before 1956 and each time was a different variation of fail...They were just desperate to make money on this bomb they spent so much money to make.
I have been all over the US and lived in some of the most beautiful cities. Lived in Asheville, NC for some time and visited that gorgeous theme park. Out of all the places to retire in the US, this is one of my top five.
I love watching clips like this. Everything was so simple and people were having fun. No cell phones or all this social media online. People just enjoying something very special. Thank you for this amazing clip.
When I was a child I went here a few times. I remember the storm cellar, the balloon ride, and getting scared when the witch grabbed my foot during her part. Thanks for taking me down memory lane!
Thank you for watching.
the witch was really a guy who liked kids?
Like some other commenters, I too live in the area. As an adult I loved taking my children to Tweetsie and loved seeing the old pictures and videos of Oz. Thank you for sharing the history and the correct information on how the park is today. Watching this video back so many nostalgic memories. 🥰
Thank You for sharing this place. Very interesting.
Watching this channel over the past few months, I've learned about so many parks and attractions from my state that I just never knew about. And I even had family that probably grew up going to some of them, they probably went to this one!! Or atleast knew about it! But its kinda nice to see that this one has come back from brink and is being rebuilt and restored by community effort. Can't wait for the next one!
It's always heartwarming to see these parks come back from the brink and find new life.
Yeah I’m so happy when it gets a happier ending
Brilliant that this tiny piece of fantasy was saved and now continues to grow each year, back to its former glory. 😀
Yes!
ohmigosh, i was so overcome with how sincere and innocent this place was that i was crying while i watched your video. what a lovely place land of oz was! thank you for the video and telling its history!
My sister took me to Oz this past September… it was amazing. If you ever get the chance I highly recommend going!!!
Wow I was not expecting a happy ending to one of these "abandoned theme park" videos! What a nice story.
Man living in the mountains of NC you've hit the mark for me with the tweetsie, Dollywood, and now Oz videos. I remember taking my gf on our first date here. Having to jump the wall to get get inside and getting caught by the owner. After apologizing and explaining she thought it was cute and let us explore around. Went back a few more times with friends.
I frequented this park as a kid back in the early-mid 70's while visiting relatives in Elizabethton TN, and it brought immense joy. I've often wondered what happened to it, and if it was still in operation. It's a shame that kids don't have more places like this.
I'm from a town called Chittenango, NY. It's regarded as the town that inspired Baum to write the book. The sidewalks are yellow bricks, there's a museum, most places in town take inspiration from oz, there's a yearly Ozfest in the summer, and even, for some reason, a casino called "the yellow brick road". I've never heard of this place before, which is weird, as other Oz themed places gets talked about way too much when you grow up in chittenango. Also, when hearing about the fire, it make me think of all the sketchy histories of stuff in the museum (especially since they were supposedly in that auction, from what I remember) though I haven't been to the museum since the hours are super weird (it's volunteer run) but it makes me curious
I've been in North Carolina since 1979. I've heard of the Wizard of Oz park but never ventured there. I checked, you need to do a video on Geauga Lake park and SeaWorld of Ohio. Very popular in the 1970s but gone today. We lived a few miles from them and visited a few times each year.
That wasn't the sad ending I expected. I can't help but think it still exists in some form because the original creators had integrity, and the employees and at least a few visitors picked up on that.
Speaking of integrity. It's good to see something that was created from the heart, instead of the wallets.
Imagine if George Lucas had the rights? He would have had Toto as a speaking, cgi creature, with the voice of some ethnic stereotype! Lol
P.S. Jar--Jar. To-to. Probably just a coincidence but if you watch the movies back to back. You will notice dozens of 'similarities'.
Hmmmm....
Star Wars is still my favorite movie. It was our generation's version! Every generation has their own, similar tale of the hero's journey, of friendship and magic. I'm just glad we didn't get stuck with one of the lesser ones. ;)
@@steveharvey2102 Implying someone as passionate about films (especially during his first marriage) like George Lucas, as lacking integrity is a bit unfair. He isn't Michael Bay, luv.
I definitely wasn't expecting that ending for the park's history, I'm glad it wasn't left to rot as many others have been.
I don’t remember Dorothys dress being that short 😮amazing how much thought went into this
Thanks for another great video. I still can't believe I recognized you as you were heading towards HHN from the parking garage. Funny thing is that it turns out I was walking towards the wrong garage so I guess I have my bad sense of direction to thank for a chance meeting. Hope you had a fun rest of the night!
Hahahah right?! It was great to meet you. Hope you found your car
Great video. Thanks for dispelling the rumors that it's abandoned. Went there as kid pre-fire, when the park was in full operation. Saw the Emerald City stage show. Rode the balloon ride. Still have my ticket stubs. I'm sure my mom has the pictures somewhere. Went this past September to the "Fall In Oz" event they were having. 45 years between visits and I could still remember so much. Sadly, bad weather came through and the characters got pulled and we got soaked. Planning on going back again the next time we can.
The characters got PULLED?
When it rains , I usually get WET...
@@tooleyheadbang4239 I'll have a video up in a day or two with us going through the park. The weather was really bad and there was also lightning. That may have been the actual reason.
Thank you for another great video. I've never heard of this place. It's great that parts of it survived. I can't believe that the yellow brick road still looks so good. That's some good quality bricks
Went there a few weeks ago. It was a neat experience! Glad I went.
I like that Tin man costume they use in this, actually. I kinda wish I could try it on.
Scarecrow's a little off, though.
I was so excited to watch this! My mom has talked about this place for as long as I can remember, and getting a true deep dive feels like answers to questions I’ve had my whole life lol
My father Ted Bennick designed and built all the mushrooms. He also built the tilted house, tin man house and scarecrow house. He helped on the yellow brick road and ai used to have one of the bricks as a book end. I was 3. I no longer have the photos of myself standing amongst the mushrooms for the newspaper article. I remember riding in the chair lift and being terrified.
👍
So it had a strong start but then a rough couple decades and it's only finally starting to really find its footing again. It's funny, there was a creepypasta about the Emerald City being taken over by a bunch of munchkins, and the park becoming almost unrecognizable due to nobody going near it, but quite the opposite is happening as it slowly but surely rebuilds itself back to its former glory
Thank you for this! I recently moved to Banner Elk from Washington, DC and my family has been to Tweetsie and Beech Mountain - I’ve seen a part of the yellow brick road at the top of the mountain but didn’t know all of the history. Very cool!
Thanks for watching!
Visiting The Land of Oz was actually among the very first memories I have as a child. I must have been about six years old. I remember being impressed, thrilled and a bit disturbed by the whole thing.
Love this! I was able to attend the first weekend of the event this year and it was miserable weather but despite that, I LOVED the experience and wish I'd been able to experience it as it existed upon open.
🎶Ohhh... we're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Theme Parks...🎶
Also, does anyone else feel sad after seeing Carrie Fischer and Debbie Reynolds?
Have you ever heard of midgetville? It was a place here in VA where everything was built to size for dwarves. It's a very unusual place that's now gone but I remember as a child my parents drove by there and I would see the little houses and windows, doors and they were painted from bright to regular colors of the day, it really felt like there was a Munchkinland, and all kinds of rumors like freaks would throw rocks at you if you slowed down to stare. It also got run down and creepy looking as the woods took them back
I deeply, deeply appreciate all the Return to Oz references. I am always the only person in the room who has heard of it, and it has been my favorite movie as long as I can remember.
North Carolina has some interesting old theme parks it seems! Santa Land in Cherokee, NC is one of them🎅
Thanks so much for the video, it brought back a lot of memories! As a child, I visited Tweetsie Railroad many times, but I only recall visiting the Land of Oz once, yet it made a vivid impression on me. I can still remember the video of the tornado, and stepping out of the farm house on to the yellow brick road. There was a lot of creativity, love and respect for the movie and books that made the park a very special attraction.
eeee this video is so exciting for me because i went one time as i kid and it still feels like a fever dream when i think about it lol my great aunt has a brick from the road someone stole for her after the first “abandonment”
Haha amazing
Great piece on Land of Oz. My parents took me & my brother there as a surprise in the summer of '80. I returned for Autumn in Oz back in 2007. It was just beautiful up in the autumn foliage. The yellow brick had been updated with newer bricks. I still have an original (1980 period, im guessing) that was sold as a memento. It really is beautiful up there in the hilly mountains. Yet development has claimed Banner Elk into a very much different feel than what it was when I first visited.
My grandfather lived on a mountain between Boone and West Jefferson, NC. I have fond memories of visiting the area every other summer as a child and still have pictures of both Land of Oz and Tweetsee Railroad. It was a magical time and place. Glad to see the preservation efforts.