This might not apply to everyone as I’ve talked to people that have no memories of before they were like 10, but, I have memories of going to astroworld in the early 90s when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I specifically remember ultratwister as looking insane and just having my mind blown watching it. I also remember Texas Cyclone as being just huge and loud. I was reassured by my parents that next year I would be tall enough to ride, but alas, we moved out califori-way and I never got any of the creds. Oh well, still lives on in my memory as a fun time.
We used to visit a huge shopping centre nearish where I grew up, it’s called the Metro Centre in Gateshead, and it’s still there albeit a shell of its former self.
The best thing about the Metro Centre was the indoor amusement park, Metroland. You’d go in the main entrace and past a couple shops, up an escalator into just the most compact, garish, deafening place with a big wave swinger ride right in front of you and a rollercoaster speeding by over your head in a manner that would definitely not pass health and safety checks these days. You can see some pics here.
It was the BEST.
Every single time we went I’d measure myself on the “you must be this tall” sign for that rollercoaster, and I’ll never ever forget the day I finally got on. My mam was super excited too because she’s always loved rollercoasters herself. The start of the ride was sort of behind everything else in a dark crevice by the external wall of the building, and then you got to the top of the lift and went round a corner and got the full view of all of Metroland before dropping down almost onto the heads of the innocent bystanders. It wound its way around and above and through various other rides until finally it disappeared back behind the scenes and to the station.
The whole thing was incredibly epic as a kid and honestly continued to be into my teen years too.
Metroland is sadly long gone, but I was thrilled to find out the coaster actually survived and is now known as Rampage at a park called The Big Sheep. Turns out the coaster was always tiny and kind of underwhelming, once you see it outside. But in that dark, noisy, cramped indoor park it was the highlight of my childhood.
This is this shit I’m talking about! That looks amazing. I love the chaotic nature of having everything slammed together. And having the distinct memory of going from too short to tall enough is so cool. Thanks for the response!
It was so good, honestly, when you got off the coaster you could make it back on the very next ride if you ran fast, but it was up some stairs from where the exit came out. So you’d just have a whole herd of kids absolutely pelting it out of the exit tunnel and round the corner into the crowd, pushing everyone out the way in a mad panic to get to the stairs.
Ah, good times 😄
Never heard about that coaster until now (though the chances of a family ride being known over on this side of the pond would be really rare, lol). There’s something about Zierer Tivolis that I just love… that setting looks like it would add a lot to it.
Definitely niche. But you’d be hard pressed to find an 80s kid in North East England without similar happy memories 😄
Not really but that’s not because of memory… I was just scared to ride stuff when I was a kid so I don’t recall ever being in that position. I do remember going to Cedar Point in 1989 and being tall enough for Magnum but being scared to death of it and my youngest sister being too short and absolutely crying because she wanted to ride it… We went the next 2 years as well and I finally did get on it in 90 or 91 but my sister never did… In fact, it was only a few years ago that we went back on a family trip along with my niece and nephew and she finally got to ride it 3 decades later.
This scenario played out a lot when I was a kid 😂
Magnum got me though and prepared me for finally being convinced to ride Steel Phantom (of all things) and after that I was hooked.
Same for me, I was terrified of coasters as a kid and I have a very clear memory of being on a family trip to Florida, and my mom offering to take me on Gwazi and Dueling Dragons. Of course I refused and made her ride by herself.
It took many years later on a high school field trip to SFoT, succumbing to peer pressure to get on Titan, so I didn’t look like a coward, to get over the fear. Now as an enthusiast I’ve somewhat redeemed myself by getting back to Tampa and riding Iron Gwazi, but I have yet to make it back to IoA and Dueling Dragons is long gone anyway. One of my biggest regrets!
Just a Jaws ride from when I was 6.
Also slime.
I remember going to Callaway Park in Alberta when I was little. Had an uncle that lives sorta nearby at the time and whenever we visited, we’d spend a day at the theme park. It’s not that big of a theme park, but it felt huge to me as a kid.
There was this kiddie coaster that just did a basic circle but I remember liking it for a time. As soon as I could, I tried the big rollercoaster and it blew me away. My little sis took a lot longer to be willing to try it. Me, I wanted to do it over and over.
I also recall we did the log ride a lot. I personally never cared for it. It felt too rickety and I didn’t like getting wet. But it was my sister’s favorite and it was only fair.
Yes! I always beg my parents that I wanna ride rollercoasters and the ship one but I was not tall enough. I always thought what’s it’s like to ride one if it and when I finally tall enough to ride one I was so excited and the experience was great especially the feeling when you’re going down from the going up thing
I was 5 and remember my brothers mentioning our uncle was gonna come by and take us to Six Flags. I spent the whole week prior to his arrival daydreaming how much fun it would be, I’d even lost some sleep because of it. The day finally arrived and my uncle put me aside and said I couldn’t go because most of the rides were not appropriate for my height so it would be best to stay home with my grandmother. That day helped me realize it’s best not to have expectations to spare yourself from disappointment.
Absolutely gutting
i remember going on those giant slides with the rug and i somehow flipped over so the rug was on top of me by the end of the slide
Every time I hear about fun slides now this is all I can think about 😂
