All the classic cautionary tales are here, displayed in miniature within wooden shelters, or lurking in the woods along serpentine trails. [1] Magic Forest also has a small petting zoo where children can feed the animals. The day we were there, a summer camp group was there and they had their own food item stored in coolers. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George Plenty of parking. The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. 71.18% of people who visit Lake George include Magic Forest in their plan, 42.86% of people start their Magic Forest visit around 3 PM - 4 PM, People usually take around 30 Minutes to see Magic Forest, 95% of people prefer to travel by car while visiting Magic Forest. In fact, we were in love with the idea that we could actually achieve time-travel for less than $30 per person. Are you associated with this business? Gillette sold the park in 2019, but much of the remnants have remained on the property, now operating as Lake George Expedition Park. Simple fun and a great day. Restoration specialists will be working to spruce him up from the wear and tear hes endured over the years. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. This place was perfect for my 4 and 6 year old. We are grandparents of 5 yo and 9 yo boys and went with them and their parents to the park. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. 10am5pm | Sat & Sun Only ClickSwipe through our gallery for a preview of everything there is to explore when you visit Magic Forest. Its different, he said. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. The park is open every day, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from late June June through Labor Day. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Because they are giant, it feels like they will never leave, but the truth is they are well-traveled for as old as they are. When Gillette came back down to Danbury, intending to pick up the last of what he had already paid for, he caught the seller while he was still in a bad mood from that conversation. For just $12,000, you can literally be the old lady who lived in a (20-foot-tall) shoeold lady and five fiberglass children included. There's a chapel, too. All rights reserved. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. We strive to insure accuracy on Lakegeorge.com however accuracy cannot be guaranteed. We got to do and see everything, a few things more than once. Love that it is geared for younger kids and that all of the vintage rides have a brief history displayed. He was tasked with finding buyers for all of the pieces in the Magic Forests diverse collection. Today, many roar obliviously north on the interstate, but enough families exit to keep MF hopping, under the management of Arthur's successor, Jack Gillette, since 1988. Is there a picnic area and can you bring a cooler? Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. when we went santa wasn't there and hadn't been for days. A good place to spend half a day for kids. We have a couple of similar parks here in NH that are WAY ahead of Magic Forest. WebMagic Forest - Lake George Expedition Park FUN TO MAKE YOU SOAR Enter a world of nostalgia and wonder Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions Copyright 1996-2023 Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, Mike Wilkins. The use of the diving horse is not nor should it be an attraction for children or adults. Ever. 100% of travelers recommend this experience. They include paint-chipped animals, old theme park legends, and quite a few broken fae folk. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Jack Gillette, the longtime owner of Magic Forest, initially purchased Uncle Sam (and other pieces) at auction from the Danbury Fair decades ago when the fair closed its doors in 1981. His father and uncle started a carnival together. A bean pole droops, a gingerbread house caves in, a Humpty Dumpty falls one last time. As of this week, over 700 lots from Magic Forest were posted by Schenectady-based Collar City Auction & Realty Management, all put there by the parks former owner, Jack Gilette. Close. Still gives me creeps every night to look back on it. I have no place to store it, he said. A lion-head drinking fountain (and lion-head trash can), a caveman family, Ma and Pa Kettle, an Esso tiger, a 15-foot Santa, a one-hump camel, a skull, and several other pieces are still up for sale. Today, many roar obliviously north on the interstate, but enough families exit to keep MF hopping, under the management of Arthur's successor, Jack Gillette, since 1988. People normally club together Water Slide World and Lumberjack Pass Miniature Golf while planning their visit to Magic Forest. Called and wrote many letters to various places asking to end the poor horses use as a diving attraction. Almost all of the quirky attractions of Magic Forest described below -- including the diving horse, the gigantic Uncle Sam, and the Muffler Men -- have been removed. We are hoping to go back again We got there around 2 and stayed until close. One, a giant clown, has to be the most remodeled MM in the world. Then there are the fairy tale worlds blessed with good fortune, as if every child who ever visited used up a secret wish on its behalf. Explore the unknown as you traverse the Dino Nest and uncover the world sleeping beneath our feet as you excavate colossal dinosaurs in the Fossil Dig Site. Many recycled rides from other parks. WebMagic Forest Route 9, Lake George, NY Best For: Infants 0-2 Little Kids 3-6 Big Kids 7-9 Tweens 10-12 Teens 13-17 Best suited for the very young, or anyone with a penchant for quirky roadside attractions, this small amusement park opened in This place is great! Fear not, Magic Forest lovers the new Lake George Expedition Park will be adding onto the Magic Forest park along Route 9 between Lake George and Queensbury. Magic Forest probably has the longest running permanent "Diving Horse" show since Atlantic City's Steel Pier burned down. Web1912 State Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 Visit Site Adirondacks Region Details Since 1963, Magic Forest has entertained young park goers and their families, creating memories for all. The Dinosaur park is amazing!! enchanted forest water safari where the fun never stops is up in old forge, this place was near Lake George. Try My Sights, Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. Id gladly trade a few more brain cells to take that so-called safari ride again and spend a few more precious moments with the mangy menagerie of animals scattered throughout the woods. Rides are fun and seeing Santa was really great! Most of the rides are "kiddie rides" and a 10 year old would be bored. Accessibility is our goal, please contact us with site improvements. Theyve added Dino valley and are working on updates around magic forest. The rides are very old school, and my kids. After Ellsworth decided to take the park in a different direction, Gillette contacted Joel Baker, owner of the Muffler Man restoration company American Giants, to help facilitate the sale of all of those fiberglass figures. The rides were antique pieces that were fascinating to me because it was like an amusement park museum. ' Gilette remembers. Officials ended up tipping Uncle Sam onto a 40-foot flatbed truck, and had to remove one of his hands to avoid it getting torn off by a bridge along the route. Jack Gillette, the longtime owner of Magic Forest, initially purchased Uncle Sam (and other pieces) at auction from the Danbury Fair decades ago when the fair closed its doors in 1981. Most fairy tale theme parks eventually suffer the fate of a fabled cursed kingdom. WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. Almost all of the quirky attractions of Magic Forest described below -- including the diving horse, the gigantic Uncle Sam, and the Muffler Men -- have been removed. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George Water available for sale all throughout. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! Gillette sold Magic Forest in Lake George in 2019 and retired. There is a area with several picnic table just outside a small snack bar. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. Jack Gillette, the longtime owner of Magic Forest, initially purchased Uncle Sam (and other pieces) at auction from the Danbury Fair decades ago when the fair closed its doors in 1981. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. Two Muffler Men are particularly disturbing. 92% of travelers recommend this experience. Follow, like and subscribe to LakeGeorge.com on social media. Pass on this one. We are located on the seasonal Greater Glens Falls Transit Trolley route. I thought it was really just time to get it out of their way, Gilette said in a phone interview on Thursday. 51. The Gillettes bought so many items from the Danbury grounds, in fact, that at one point they were cut off. UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! But some of the once-over 700 sculptures that once called the park home are just now resurfacing. The Magic Forest, a storybook amusement park located in Lake George, New York, looked abandoned for years before it officially closed. Jimmy Brown the magician is fantastic and I love that they have Santa there. Longtime residents and visitors of Lake George will undoubtedly be sad when they realize the beloved Uncle Sam statue that was such a significant fixture of Magic Forest is gone. Credits, Media/Business Inquiries And I said, Charles Wood, and he says, okay.'. Start here.Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip. ", Hudson River Sightseeing Cruise from Albany, Central Troy Historic District Walking Food Tour, Albany Scavenger Hunt: Empire State Of Mind, 2 Hour Private Forest Immersion Retreat in Woodland Sanctuary, 3 Day Reiki Certification Retreat in Vermont, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB. They had visited the Magic Forest for years and always taken their kids photo with that particular bear. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. tourist attractions and odd sights in New York, World's Highest and Longest Pedestrian Bridge. 51. The former safari area will see the most changes. Copyright 1996-2023 Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, Mike Wilkins. WebLake George, New York. It means nothing to most people; but for people who went to the fair and loved it, its worth its value to them.. But the future doesnt have to be dark for analog attractions like the Magic Forest: I feel like disappearing Americana is not as much a problem as it was just 10 years ago, Baker says. A very well run park. WebCompare 721 hotels close to Magic Forest Park with room rates, reviews, and availability. The World's Largest Uncle Sam looms in the center of the parking lot, and other friendly icons beckon from the heavily wooded knoll where the Magic Forest lives. Theyve added Dino valley and are working on updates around magic forest. You may have heard about a new, dinosaur-themed park coming to Lake George, but do you know whats happened to the iconic Uncle Sam statue? Get expert advice, handpicked recommendations, and tips for your family all year round! Are you associated with this business? There was this crazy little tiny squirrel that was literally the smallest figure I listed and everyone wanted that thing, he says. 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Again the kids enjoyed itand that is the most important part. Web1912 State Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 Visit Site Adirondacks Region Details Since 1963, Magic Forest has entertained young park goers and their families, creating memories for all. Please alert us if there is any inaccurate information here. Hes believed to be the largest Uncle Sam statue in the world. Ronald McDonald Vacation Home Coming to Lake George, Check Out Weekend Events With Barrel Fest & More in Lake George, Dont Miss Your Last Chance for Winter Carnival & Ice Bar Fun in Lake George, Winter Carnivals, Fireworks & Fun: See Whats Happening in Lake George This Weekend, Get Into a Valentines Day Mood in Lake George This Weekend, Bundle Up for All the Frozen Fun Going On Around Lake George This Weekend. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. Are you associated with this business? He says that all of the figures lived diverseand sometimes manypast lives before they came to the Magic Forest. The Magic Forest was a theme park that remained untouched by timeand when we visited, almost nothing about it made sense anymore. Muffler Men and fiberglass figures are notorious for moving around the country. Amazing! By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. this was our first year visiting but well be back for sure next year! When they heard about the sale they purchased that teddy bear and it meant the world to them, Baker says. Get a piece of your childhood now! Magic Forest is one, aided by a combination of prime location and classic clean kid fun. Most hotels are fully refundable. Climb into a dinosaur nest, dig for hidden fossils, and stand next to what is possibly the world's largest dinosaur ever discovered - the Titanosaurus. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. Close. No, I would say age 8 max. "Magic Forest" redirects here. Putting prices on the items and getting them ready to go was a bit bittersweet for Gillette, but overall he says he would rather see the statues and decor go to people who can continue to get some enjoyment and use out of them. It depends, Albany Sheriff: Pair arrested for illegal gun possession, Crossgates Mall opening at noon due to weather, Snow begins falling in Capital Region during latest, 03/03/2023: Significant winter storm tonight, Downtown Kansas City bar calls out Jackson Mahomes, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Most fairy tale theme parks eventually suffer the fate of a fabled cursed kingdom. Went there with 3 toddlers and spent almost 4 hours. Are rides being disinfected after each use? The train ride was a Diesel engine that kept throwing black smoke in our faces, and at the end of it the animation & recording say that they are going to blow the train up, which really scared our 5 year old son. They came from Woodys Fiberglass in Tennessee, Bensons Wild Animal Farm in New Hampshire, a mini-golf course in Ohio, and the Danbury Fair in Connecticut. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. So many rides. Magic Forests rides and layout will mostly remain the same, except for the removal of Uncle Sam and a few other fixtures, including animal statues; 23 of the 25 rides will remain in operation. One account for all of our road travel apps. RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Its fiberglass figures had long ago dug in their collective heelsand hoovesas the world evolved around them. The Magic Forest was originally opened in 1963 by Arthur Gillette. The stable and manger are not in use. I even went as far as Kansas this summer, and everybody I have met has been nice, friendly and very appreciative. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. We took our almost 3 year old and she loved it. It was an amazing collection of original piecesthe largest I knew to exist.. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. I didnt want to go to six flags or another big park that would take the entire day waiting in lines. WebLake George (0.7 miles from Magic Forest) Situated off Interstate 87 and set in the heart of the Adirondack Park Preserve, this Holiday Inn Resort Lake George offers indoor and outdoor pools and an on-site restaurant and lounge. Close. Enjoy the Snowy Weekend in the Lake George Area! We left & renamed it "bizzaro world". 51. Plan your journey, find amazing places, and take fascinating detours with our app. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. Each ride had info about when and where it was made, when it was bought and info about the hydraulics. We spot their blistered, sagging entry gates on lonely back roads, or squeezed between the Amusements of the Month in some overdeveloped Mecca. Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! When the Fair went out of business, Jack Gillette bought him in April 1982 (along with dozens of other statues) and stood him in the Magic Forest parking lot. Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. Embark on a ride that will take you sky high or take the scenic route through the forest on our park train. About 20 dioramas -- accompanied by audio at the push of a button -- bring to life the Three Little Pigs, Jack Sprat, Hansel & Gretel, assorted princesses and woodsmen Magic Forest opened in 1963, the brainchild of Arthur Gillette, who wisely built his fairyland along a major highway (Route 9) and just south of the town of Lake George, a magnet for summertime and weekend crowds from New York City. Enjoy watching the magic show by Jimmy Brown and the diving show by the last diving horse called Lightning. Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Sign up for our newsletter & stay up to date. Our son loved it and so did we, will definitely be back! Then there are the fairy tale worlds blessed with good fortune, as if every child who ever visited used up a secret wish on its behalf. Credits, Media/Business Inquiries Mixed among the dioramas are giant statues of American icons, several of them reworked Muffler Men: Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, Smokey Bear, the Statue of Liberty, a big Indian, a couple of space-walking astronauts. WebMagic Forest 3.5 461 #10 of 27 things to do in Lake George Amusement & Theme Parks Closed now 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Visit website Call Write a review About A family fun park, in the Adirondacks, that features 25 amusement rides, including the Safari Ride, plus live animal performances, magic shows and the ever-popular "Rex the Diving Horse." 3. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission. The only thing that I was disappointed in is the fact that the dinosaur are on a section that you have to walk done a steep section and up again therefore my sister and I couldn't go down. I was especially concerned about "Lightening" the diving horse. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. This used to be Santa's Workshop and they've kept parts of it. No computerized rides here! Although they eventually paid the ultimate price, maybe the lesson is that we should celebrate the parks existence and persistenceand not ignore the consequences of resolutely resisting change. Jack Collins is slated to be the General Manager and COO of the new park; he brings experience working as the General Manager of the Great Escape and has also consulted with Santas Workshop in Wilmington. There were buttons to push to tell us their stories but the recordings didn't work so they sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher. I havent had a bad experience with anything Ive sold.. One family contacted him about a fiberglass teddy bear. You can get the I LOVE NY Travel Guide by, 2023 New York Department of Economic Development, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Resources for Travelers, Spotlight: Jamestown and Chautauqua-Allegheny. Luckily, anyone with the money and means to drive to Lake George can still own a piece of history. Explore the unknown as you traverse the Dino Nest and uncover the world sleeping beneath our feet as you excavate colossal dinosaurs in the Fossil Dig Site. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. Create and Save Your Own Crazy Road Trip! Dino Roar Valley is so fun its prehistoric! Also cant beat the setting, they are carefully dispersed through a beautiful forest. The dark, woodsy allure of classic fairy tales is part of Magic Forest's charm. Gillette can be reached at 518-895-8150 to schedule an appointment. The Magic Forest felt like it was from a different time not only physically, but spiritually. It was clean, very clean. With magically delicious food and shows so good you wont believe your eyes, one trip to the Magic Forest will have you checking for vacancies in the Old Womans shoe. This was very nastalgic for us because the rides here were bought from different parks over the years and brought to this one. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Hours Alexandra is the features editor at Roadtrippers Magazine. Copyright 2023 Family Vacation Critic All Rights Reserved. He cataloged the items, helped set prices, and listed them on his website. Most hotels are fully refundable. About 20 dioramas -- accompanied by audio at the push of a button -- bring to life the Three Little Pigs, Jack Sprat, Hansel & Gretel, assorted princesses and woodsmen Magic Forest opened in 1963, the brainchild of Arthur Gillette, who wisely built his fairyland along a major highway (Route 9) and just south of the town of Lake George, a magnet for summertime and weekend crowds from New York City. Get a piece of your childhood now! All of that was fine. WebStatues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. I hope the owners decide to open it all the way up. Sometimes I wonder if we really saw Lightning, the last remaining diving horse in the country, take his famous (and some may say inhumane) dive twice the day we visited, or if it was all a mirage. 7.1/10 Best Western of Lake George 2452 State Route 9N, Lake George, NY, 12845 $77 per night Mar 1 - Mar 2 Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Lake George. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. Keep exploring with the Roadtrippers mobile apps. In fact, kids seem oblivious to the creepiness of this place, and so do the adults, for that matter. The former Magic Forest amusement park, located at the corner of Route 9 and Bloody Pond Road, has since shed the towering fiberglass giants that once loomed over its parking lot. Tall tales, trip guides, and the weird and wonderful. WebMagic Forest - Lake George Expedition Park FUN TO MAKE YOU SOAR Enter a world of nostalgia and wonder Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! The women at the snack bar were putting together a puzzle in between filling orders, and when we found that the gift shop had closed before the park did, they allowed us to come back the next day (for free) to shop for souvenirs. The Muffler Mena Paul Bunyan, a Mortimer Snerd, a clown, and Pecos Billwere among the first items to sell.
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