Amazing! In addition to Danbury Fair and Carson City, other items come from places like Lake Georges own Gaslight Village; Charles R. Woods Story Town; as well as amusement parks with names like Animal Land, Hoffmans Play Land and Land of Make Believe. RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. 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. As a separate park, it featured the largest Uncle Sam statue in the world (as of May 9, 2019, the statue has since moved back home to Danbury, CT), a magic show, and cottages and attractions which tell the story of the Three Little Pigs, Jack Sprat, Hansel and Gretel, various princesses, Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, the Statue of Liberty, and the Spider Man. The dark, woodsy allure of classic fairy tales is part of Magic Forest's charm. Magic Forest is one, aided by a combination of prime location and classic clean kid fun. Hours and dates subject to change. Ellsworth plans to reopen the space as Lake George Expedition Park with all-new attractions, including dinosaurs. 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. It was an amazing collection of original piecesthe largest I knew to exist.. The park had its first season under new name and ownership in 2021, and that was what pushed Gilette to finally get it done. You just dont get that opportunity every day, says Baker. We strive to insure accuracy on Lakegeorge.com however accuracy cannot be guaranteed. 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. Embark on a ride that will take you sky high or take the scenic route through the forest on our park train. WebStatues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. 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. live santa only comes out when the weather isn't too hot. All four of us had a really awesome day. Two Muffler Men are particularly disturbing. The park was somewhat enjoyable but I would not return because of the use of the animal in this manner, and it ruined our time at the park. Gillette sold Magic Forest in Lake George in 2019 and retired. ' Gilette remembers. Since 1963, Magic Forest has entertained young park goers and their families, creating memories for all. In fact, kids seem oblivious to the creepiness of this place, and so do the adults, for that matter. Most fairy tale theme parks eventually suffer the fate of a fabled cursed kingdom. His father and uncle started a carnival together. Actually, that helps to explain a lot about this place. Ever. when we went santa wasn't there and hadn't been for days. We couldn't find an existing Roadtrippers account using that service. 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. Dino Roar Valley is so fun its prehistoric! It's perfect. Cookies are used for measurement, ads, and optimization. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Receive emails and newsletters to keep in touch with I LOVE NY. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. 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? We missed the magic show but will catch it next time. Close. Most of these giants had already stood at a handful of locations before coming here so it is not surprising they are on the move again.. Pass on this one. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Modern amusement parks just cant compete with the thrill we got when we realizedperhaps too latethat our body weight was testing the load-bearing limits of one of five rides said to accommodate adults. She dreams of visiting every state in the U.S. and will always stop for a Muffler Man. Anyone who wants to be one of Gillettes next buyers has a month to do it. 51. Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. We are located on the seasonal Greater Glens Falls Transit Trolley route. WebCompare 721 hotels close to Magic Forest Park with room rates, reviews, and availability. He says that all of the figures lived diverseand sometimes manypast lives before they came to the Magic Forest. 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. They had visited the Magic Forest for years and always taken their kids photo with that particular bear. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. 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 park is almost completed shaded. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud. There was this crazy little tiny squirrel that was literally the smallest figure I listed and everyone wanted that thing, he says. 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. Staff is great rides are safe & fun for any child or adult. Visit Family Vacation Critic on Instagram. Loved the nostalgia of this park, the "dated" that everyone seems to be talking about. I was impressed by the amount of original International Fiberglass figures there, Baker says. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. He says to me, Do you know Charlie Woods? The full, 700+ lot posting will stay online until the end of September. 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. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. Still gives me creeps every night to look back on it. Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. Theyve added Dino valley and are working on updates around magic forest. The animals were severely underfed. Start here.Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip. Theyve added Dino valley and are working on updates around magic forest. more, 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. Luckily, anyone with the money and means to drive to Lake George can still own a piece of history. The it in questions runs the amusement part gamut, from typical equipment like a heater and a store product stand to any number of stranger things. The Magic Forest, a storybook amusement park located in Lake George, New York, looked abandoned for years before it officially closed. No computerized rides here! The Magic Forest was originally opened in 1963 by Arthur Gillette. I was there last week nothing was unsafe it is one of the best children's parks around. Get a piece of your childhood now! 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. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! The Spider Man is a creepy top-hatted arachnid, maybe not so scary in a world of chest-bursting aliens and zombies. The Magic Forest, a storybook amusement park located in Lake George, New York, looked abandoned for years before it officially closed. It still happens, but I feel that awareness is growing about the importance of saving and restoring these piecesI like to think that today it is more about relocating Americana rather than disappearing Americana.. June 27 - Sept. 5 95% of travelers recommend this experience. He was tasked with finding buyers for all of the pieces in the Magic Forests diverse collection. Is this worth it for a 2 year old? Close. enchanted forest water safari where the fun never stops is up in old forge, this place was near Lake George. Plenty of parking. There's a chapel, too. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you when you hit the road! The Spider Man is a creepy top-hatted arachnid, maybe not so scary in a world of chest-bursting aliens and zombies. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. All stuff geared towards Christmas which also explains the Christmas songs played in the mix of music. WebMagic Forest Address: 1912 U.S. 9, Lake George, NY 12845, USA, United States Magic Forest Contact Number: +1-5186682448 Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary! We put an ax in his hands and made him a woodsman.". 3. Model characters from fairy tales with the audio interpretation are a great initiative. I have no place to store it, he said. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George 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. He comes to me and says, Now, what more do you want? And so Charlie Woods attitude helped me buy more stuff.. I was especially concerned about "Lightening" the diving horse. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Rex the Diving Horse leaped on cue into a pool for many years; now his son, Lightning, takes the plunge twice a day. Magic Forest (Lake George) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, Hotels near House of Frankenstein Wax Museum, Hotels near SUNY Adirondack Community College Queensbury, NY, Adrenaline & Extreme Tours in Lake George, Game & Entertainment Centers in Lake George, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Lake George, Maui Nui Luau at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, St Maarten Sailing and Snorkeling to St Barts, Bryce Canyon National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour, Paris Tootbus Discovery Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, Adirondack Cottage, Escape, Relax, and Enjoy, View all hotels near Magic Forest on Tripadvisor, View all restaurants near Magic Forest on Tripadvisor. Staff throughout park are great with the kids and very friendly! WebExperience a journey through time. It was clean, very clean. The people who worked there were either teenagers from Europe or seniors. 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. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. The food was not too expensive. This place is great! Food is cheap. Are you associated with this business? Three of the four fiberglass giants were purchased by Atlantis Plumbing in Dallas, Georgia. Soon we will require you to update your account to a Roadpass account as it will be the only way to log in to Roadtrippers. Magic Forest probably has the longest running permanent "Diving Horse" show since Atlantic City's Steel Pier burned down. 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. Our website found buyers who truly have a passion for saving these kinds of things.. Visitors passing through the garish fairyland entrance building are inundated with choices, as paths curve away into clusters of statues, rides and brightly painted cottages. All of that was fine. Most fairy tale theme parks eventually suffer the fate of a fabled cursed kingdom. We spot their blistered, sagging entry gates on lonely back roads, or squeezed between the Amusements of the Month in some overdeveloped Mecca. Former Magic Forest decorations have also made their way to California, Oregon and Texas. The park's famous Santa Claus overlooks the parking lot. One family contacted him about a fiberglass teddy bear. Both are protected with Clear Coat, as are all the statues in the Magic Forest. 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. Never ever again will we return. Since putting those larger fiberglass statues up for sale in 2019, Gillette says hes been impressed over and over by the kindness and care of the interested buyers hes met along the way. A bit dirty, rides seem OLD and somewhat banged up, and the animals are not taken care of very well (they seem well fed but cages are dirty and small). The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. We have an awkward moment -- not uncommon for us -- when we ask a passing manager why the grimacing, Amishized Alfred E. Neuman holds an ax. We got to do and see everything, a few things more than once. The information in this post is a record of the parks previous incarnation. Rides are fun and seeing Santa was really great! Posted by 3 years ago. tourist attractions and odd sights in New York, World's Highest and Longest Pedestrian Bridge. We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates. Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. He kept my kids entertained the whole show and that is a true magic trick. 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. Please alert us if there is any inaccurate information here. Not for family but for the individual. 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. Before Chuck E. Cheese, video games, Six Flags, or Disney World, parks like the Magic Forest used to be the place to take your kids. ClickSwipe through our gallery for a preview of everything there is to explore when you visit Magic Forest. this was our first year visiting but well be back for sure next year! 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Many lots share a common origin: the now long-defunct Danbury Fair in Danbury, Connecticut. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Magic Forest probably has the longest running permanent "Diving Horse" show since Atlantic City's Steel Pier burned down. My son had nightmares for a few days after that. 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. 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 Are you associated with this business? The Dinosaur park is amazing!! 7.1/10 $$ - $$$ American Steakhouse Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ Italian Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$ - $$$ American Bar Vegetarian Friendly, $ American Diner Vegetarian Friendly, $ American Cafe Vegetarian Friendly, Points of Interest & Landmarks Civic Centres. A bean pole droops, a gingerbread house caves in, a Humpty Dumpty falls one last time. Love that it is geared for younger kids and that all of the vintage rides have a brief history displayed. 92% of travelers recommend this experience. This was very nastalgic for us because the rides here were bought from different parks over the years and brought to this one. Jimmy Brown the magician is fantastic and I love that they have Santa there. Take your kids to the Magic Forest to let them have a perfect time in this retro themed amusement park filled with around 25 fun rides including the kiddie rides that are perfect for both the toddlers and the older kids. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George WebMagic Forest (Gone) Lake George, New York The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. Our son loved it and so did we, will definitely be back! Definitely recommend for little kids. 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. "Magic Forest" redirects here. RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. Most hotels are fully refundable. The Gillettes bought so many items from the Danbury grounds, in fact, that at one point they were cut off. Rex the Diving Horse leaped on cue into a pool for many years; now his son, Lightning, takes the plunge twice a day. Prices range from a few hundred dollars into the tens of thousands. The creepy part is the statues. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. Get in Touch Things to Know Before Visiting Magic Forest How popular is Magic Forest? WebLake George, New York. As Gillette tells it, Wood the creator of StoryTown USA, the former theme park where The Great Escape now stands was protesting the sale of any items from the sale prior to a proper auction.