Expedition walibi series (Untamed and Kondaa would be great to see) Expedition europa park History of DC rivals Hypercoaster Expedition Energylandia History of Karnan Expedition parc asterix
I rode Sandblaster about a month before the incident in Daytona and, at that time, the coaster was running with a bunch of cinder blocks chained to the floor and seats of the second car-presumably to add weight to prevent the coaster from valleying. I've ridden a lot of sketchy coasters at a lot of small, no-name parks, but Sandblaster was the only coaster I'd ever seen with a car full of cinder blocks. Absolutely wild experience.
I went to Daytona, but there were no rides then, I drove my jeep on the sand and through enough water to make a small splash, Loved every minute of it!!!! That was back in 1997/8 I don't do rollercoasters.
(For legal reasons, all info below is alleged). I used to work at this park and left two years before the accident occurred. The whole place was super sketchy and run down. And there were quite a few weird quirks about the Sand Blaster: 1. Ride operators had to manually push the train out of the station. 2. Management told us that the train always had to have at least two people riding it at all times or it could potentially stall and valley in one of the dips. If there was only one rider, an employee had to ride with them. 3. As you can gather from the above, the ride was very dependent on the weight of the train. There was a set of electromagnetic brakes at the end of the ride that would bring a light train almost to a complete stop. For heavier passenger loads, a train would be partially slowed by that brake run. A ride operator would then need to push down on a lever to manually stop the train in the station. 4. The train would run faster if it had just rained or if the track was just lubricated. We would do this by leaning out the back row and spraying the track with grease from a spray bottle while the ride was in motion. 5. I'm a big guy, so I could put all my body weight on the lever for the manual brake and stop the train. For some skinnier employees, the train could blow through the manual brake and we would have to let the ride to again. If it happened a second time, we would need to hit the emergency stop on the lift hill and evacuate passengers. I'm not sure if that ever occurred, but that was the procedure. 6. The only restraints on the ride were seatbelts. Two people could sit in each row and share the belt. For safety reasons, management put a plastic cover over the release button so people couldn't unbuckle themselves during the ride. Ride operators would have to open them by pushing a small allen wrench through a hole in the cover. 7. There was a general feeling among staff that an accident was bound to happen. When it finally did, we were shocked but not surprised. I'm glad that all riders lived and that this coaster is gone. This accident was so preventable, but management was very negligent
@@beckyshock3099 why are you here? Do you think anyone finds your whining and attestations of hating coasters funny or interesting? Nobody does. You have more of a chance to be struck by lightning twice than you do to get hurt or killed on a coaster. You're welcome to remain an enormous baby, just know that nobody cares or thinks you're cool for it.
I rode Sand Blaster in early 2018, a few months before the accident. It was by far the most weird experience I've ever had riding a coaster. I was staying in Daytona Beach for a short vacation, and a few blocks from where I was staying was Sand Blaster. I decided to ride it, thinking it would be a nice rare coaster credit to have. Just walking around the park should've raised a red flag, it felt like I was walking around an abandoned amusement park. Everything was rusted, rotten, and not operating... except for Sand Blaster. There were only two other guests and one worker (that I could see) in the entire park. I started to rethink if I should ride, but I decided to do it. I remember the price to ride being ridiculously expensive, around $12 per ride. The train was really sketchy looking. One car was filled with cinderblocks and sandbags, one row in the back had a broken restraint, and the entire train looked beat up. I was put in the front by the employee. Because this was a classic, it had a lever based dispatch system instead of an electronic one. What was weird though was that the employee still had to push the train to get it moving, which I don't think is normal. At this point, I'm thinking it can't get weirder, it does. As the train leaves the station, the employee jumps into the back seat of the train and rides the coaster with no restraint and no employee in the station. The coaster itself was nothing terrible, not rough or anything, and it gave great views of Daytona Beach. The entire experience was already strange, but then three months later, I see the accident on the news, and while it's sad to say, I had a feeling it was gonna happen at some point.
12$ for a ride on a Pinfari? No wonder there weren't many guests. That's about as much as a ride on Olympia Looping costs, which I'm sure everyone can agree is probably one of the best coasters out there.
Why would you get on when you see cinderblocks and sandbags strapped down in the car? I guess maybe because I’ve had enough bad roller coaster experiences at top tier parks I’m wary of anything that doesn’t look kosher.
I lived in Daytona when this incident happened, and everytime I passed it I didn’t even know it was open and operational. It was a sad but unsurprisingly moment when this happened to it.
Man, that really was a sad story. The ride suffered the same fate as The Smiler, because That One Bad Day is what the ride will be remembered for. It's a shame.
I had an Real scary Premonition Regarding the Smiler what I Saw actually happened for Real Seeing on the news & I've not Gone back to Alton Towers Since.
I lived in Arizona for about 11 years, and I always wondered what that building near the Phoenix Zoo was. I was fascinated when i found out what it used to be and I’m glad you documented it.
@@ExpeditionThemePark There was this hill called Papago, and you could see the building that sits on the old plot, if you looked closely you could make it the weird ground around the building from the theme park.
This is why you’re the best Sam. Nearly every attraction/park you feature, big or small; has a fascinating story. Even obscure things most have probably never heard of. Bravo!
My mom and I were in Daytona the week before the derailment. This coaster looked awful and the ride attendant hung on to the side of the train and rode the coaster like he was riding a bull. It was wild. Everything about this was a disaster waiting to happen.
Well, depending on the time between your visit with your mom in Daytona and the moment the tragic derailment happened (plus you mentioning the attraction's horrific state of disrepair) you would definitely be right. I bet you saw that on the news didn't you?
Yikes, what a ride that ride went on. Good job covering it. Also, the fight over making yourself say zee and then immediately coughing and replacing it with zed is real.
This is probably my rarest credit. I live about an hour and a half from Daytona Beach. I’ve ridden this thing about 4 times. The track was surprisingly smooth but it definitely seemed sketchy. I’m kind of bummed it’s gone since the closest coasters to me now are at Wild Adventures…
This was my first coaster credit when I was a kid at bland's Park. Sad what ultimately happened. I have many fond memories of this coaster. When I was 7, it felt like nothing in the world was more intense than that first drop.
I think it was my first coaster credit as well. Either this one or the skyliner in Lakemont in Altoona. Do you kinda get the feeling that if it had stayed in PA the coaster would still be around? It seems like all of the moves and then the salt air and storms in Florida made it deteriorate quickly.
@@KatsMeowRose Yeah, I do. Delgrossos seems to maintain their rides very well. I honestly think it would probably be operating just fine if it was still there.
Love this channel, found it by accident, I’m a fairground fanatic, theme park fan and gaff lad (fairground worker), I love watching these videos. Not only are they educational and informative, but they also help me as a gaff lad ensure the safety of all of our rides and punters.
Oh gosh, I was staying with some friends at a hotel near this coaster on the day of the accident in Daytona. I remember walking along the beach the previous night and commenting on how eerie the park looked... for some reason the coaster in particular stood out to me as especially creepy, but I had never been in the area before and didn't know anything about its history. My friends and I were in the hotel theater watching a movie when the actual accident occurred, though. I believe it was mostly taken care of by the time we had gone back to our room, because I don't recall seeing any emergency vehicles around. Really creepy that I just had this strange gut feeling when looking at the coaster the night before. I get chills thinking about it in hindsight, honestly. The thing really did feel cursed.
Western Pennsylvania resident here. I rode the Zyklon at Delgrosso's in the 2002-03 area and I'm proud that Delgrosso's is the one park that resisted this ride's curse. However, Dad says that the ride was pretty rough even then.
This is probably going to sound a lot weirder than intended but I felt bad for the coaster in this video. Passed around, neglected, then punished for its poor condition and mishandling. Truly a sad story.
I’ve lived in Arizona my entire life and never heard of Legend City until a year or two ago. Thank you for showing it’s history. It makes me wonder why we don’t have a bigger park.
So I rode this coaster at DelGrosso Park in Pennsylvania back in the day. Most locals were disappointed when they decided to get rid of it & replace it with the less than thrilling "Crazy Mouse". DelGrosso's also had purchased another coaster around 2007, which sat in pieces at a local vacant lot for a few years, only to never come to fruition & exit said vacant lot in the cover of darkness. Wish I knew what happened to it
I worked at Legend City in 1980-81. I never worked the Sidewinder, but rode it many times. Often times maintenance would ask us ride operators to ride the coaster before park opening, just to make sure everything worked okay. Fun times!
Thanks for covering Legend City's history! My parents took me there when I was a baby in 1981. All I have are the tickets in a scrapbook. But in the 2000's I worked for SRP and there were still some items stilling on the side of the property.
Seeing this video is all kinds of bizarre. I actually worked at the Boardwalk Amusements back in 2013 as a ride operator. I watched as the Sand Blaster was constructed. I don't think I ever operated it, and I was only a seasonal position so I was long gone by the time of the accident. I did get a chance to ride it a few times during my time there, and it was a fun, if short, time. I'm surprised this thing had such an extensive history to it. Going to the beach-side nowadays there's nothing but an empty lot where the park used to be now. Brings back memories seeing footage of it again.
My family is located in the Addison area and my dad grew up going to Adventureland. My dad and I went to Daytona beach summer of 2015 and we stayed near this park. We were just walking by the coaster and my dad says “that’s the coaster from Adventureland” and I said “no way! that coasters been gone for years.” We looked on RCDB and sure enough he was right. He could tell by the sound the coaster made going around the track. I was completely dumbfounded. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) we didn’t get to ride it but it was a crazy coincidence.
Man this rollercoaster had more life and adventure than me, and also older than me.......I do respect it. the clicking noises or brakes brings back memories
Rode this a good year or two before the accident. What happened was bad and it is sad that it slowly got to that state but im at least glad i got to enjoy it. Solid lil coaster
I remember riding this at Delgrosos/Bland park as a kid. Sad to see how it all ended. Sad for those who were hurt and all at the end. Seeing a childhood favorite ride being worn to the elements and eventually derailing hurt to see…. Thanks for the episode and the good memories I have of Zkylon!
Something tells me the lack of attendance at these Arizona theme park throughout the years comes down to the simple fact that it’s just TOO DAMN HOT when kids are out of school and families are planning vacations.
As a Delaware coaster enthusiast (note my channel name) it’s nice to see our only notable coaster be talked about. It definitely has a history. As for the former site of Blue Diamond Park, it’s currently being replaced by an Amazon warehouse.
Yess, Adventureland! It's before my time, but the space was vacant for a while afterwards. I remember asking my parents about it because it was strange to see such a big patch of land in that area of the suburbs without development, just a big parking lot and chain link fence.
This is why people should always be suspicious of rides like this. Especially if they are owned by companies that are not hugely successful financially. Local boardwalks, small theme parks and carnivals just do not have the massive amounts of income to sustain and repair rides and keep them safe. Instead, the companies just do the least they can get away with, carry huge insurance in case of accident, and hope for the best. That does not help you if you are the one the accident happens to. Never get on a ride if you could be taking your life in your hands.
As a Florida resident I cannot properly describe the PTSD flashbacks I got from seeing Rick Scott's demonic ghoul face pop up in a theme park history video.
Such a phenomenal video! I was at a church camp in Daytona Beach the day it derailed I remember coming out seeing tons of firetrucks. I've gone to this camp for many years in Daytona and out of the 5 years I went this was the only time I've ever seen it run. It was really bizarre. Such a tragic accident.
I live in Atlanta near six-flags over Georgia which opened in 1967 and still open in 2021...It is not open year-round for obvious reasons, closed during the winter...A smart business model that other struggling parks should look into...
I remember not being allowed to ride Cat & Mouse in South Shields Ocean Beach Pleasure Park because my Mam said it wasn't safe...I rode it when I was about 18. I've just realised it was a Zyklon :')
This was one of your sadder videos…this was a somewhat mediocre little coaster, which never should have been seen as a star attraction…what I think is more of the story is that So many of these tremendously ambitious folks who operated these parks had their grandiose dreams dashed, and this old, sad little creaky coaster just along for the ride….Florida should have never allowed it’s final fate to have happened, (but it isn’t surprising, considering how haphazardly run a lot of Florida is)
I remember seeing that on the news when I was living out in Daytona at the time. Every time Id be down there that thing just looked like danger, i cant believe people were willing to ride it lol
Legend City (to me was the 1st saddest to go) Great theming, a really nice looking park. Then Daytona, Fla. Reminds me of the Disney short (Susie Coupe) Brand new, full of spunk. Then ran it til nearly the wheels fell off.
Thanks for the informative Video of a Roller Coaster that has a real story to tell. But that most people might see the tragic demise which is the sad thing and it's some time the 'life' of the thing that gets missed.
Some interesting ideas might be Fun Forest which was a small park that operated after the Seattle Century 21 Worlds Fair in 1962. Bill Gates rode the Wild Mouse as an 8 year old at that fair and has fond memories of it. After the fair ended, the coaster was purchased by Lagoon and operated there from around 1964 to 1971 when it was refurbished and later opened as the Wilder Wild Mouse until 1991 when it was replaced by a modern Crazy Mouse ride. The Fun Forest originated as the Gayway Amusement zone during the fair. Then after the fair, the city decided to name it Fun Forest in 1964. The park had another Wild Mouse coaster in the later 60’s then operated a Zyklon Galaxi from the 1970’s to 1991. In 1992 an SDC Wind Storm replaced that which ran until the park closed in 2010. Sadly the city never gave the park a chance to be redeveloped into something modern with newer rides. The Chihooly Museum was built near that area on the Seattle Center grounds and only a bare area of cement filed in the thrill ride portion of the park. The children’s amusement area was in a separate section. They also had rides operate inside a large building during the winter. I have fun memories watching the Galaxi coaster as a kid in the mid 1970’s and riding it as a young adult in the 1980’s and in the early 1990’s. I also rode the Wind Storm several times throughout the years but it was pretty rough as they never maintained it well. A ride developer/owner from Texas purchased it (Steve Vandervoost) and rents it out to traveling carnivals. My husband and I were able to ride the refurbished version of it when it was operating at the Iowa State Fair in 2017. It had a slightly smaller footprint but ran so much smoother. The Log Flume was also purchased and refurbished and opened when the new Luna Park debuted at Coney Island in the early 2000’s. It was looking pretty run down at Fun Forest and was badly in need of a complete refurbishment. The old Zyklon Galaxi was purchased by Sylvan Beach and still operates there. Also another interesting fact is after the Expo ‘74 Worlds Fair had ended in Spokane, Washington, Lagoon also purchased the Jet Star 2 coaster and still operates it to this day. I have many memories of visiting that fair during that summer. Many of the German rides arrived late. So Oaks Park owner Bob Bollinger from Portland, Oregon, provided temporary rides such as a Chance Toboggan coaster until rides such as the Jet Star had arrived and was installed. The historical Looff carousel from Spokane’s defunct Natatorium Park (1895-1967) continues to operate on the old expo fair grounds which is known as Riverfront Park. They recently built a beautiful climate control building to house the carousel to replace the old building that was originally built for the Expo with the intention to house the carousel after the fair. The park has also undergone a lot of recent renovation. Nat Park also ran a Figure 8/Scenic Railway coaster from 1905-1919. In 1920 the beloved Jack Rabbit replaced it which operated from 1920-1967. It was only 50 feet tall but offered lots of air time. Sadly the park closed in 1967 and was completely burned down in 1968. This upset many locals who have fond memories of the park. The last owner didn’t know how to run an amusement park to where it became run down and went bankrupt. There was also a fatal accident on Jack Rabbit in the 1960’s. An employee working on the ride was hit by a train. I think the coaster debuted with PTC trains then later switched to NAD trains. The area the park operated at is now a mobile home park. The only remnants of this park is the trolley car tracks. I know a local ride designer/seller who lives in Spokane who worked at the park. He has several cool old school ride parts in his backyard sheds including cars from mouse rides. He sells (rides4u), delivers, and sets up rides to parks in the region. I love collecting memorabilia from historical defunct parks in the PNW of which I’m a native of. I was even given an old wooden seat from one of the original trains that operated on Colossus when it debuted in 1978 at Magic Mountain. An older couple used to be ACE members and needed to take it out of storage. They attended an ACE event at the park in 1985 and the park manager saved them a seat from the coaster. They were able to transport it back home with a trailer. It’s really the seat’s shell with the ride’s logo on the sides along with the front of the seat that holds the handle bar. The funny thing is I never got to ride Colossus. I was at the park in 1989 but the line was 3 hours. At least I have a part of that beautiful coaster of when it operated at its finest. Thanks in letting me share my passion. I can easily digress when it comes to talking about historical old parks and coasters. LOL.
I used to go to Bland's Park as a kid every summer, and rode this coaster (known as Zyklon at the time), HUNDREDS of times. I never knew it had so much history, and I always wondered where it went when the Crazy Mouse was installed in its place. This is crazy.
I knew this coaster as the Zyklon at Bland's Park in during its time in Tipton PA. I rode it many, many times in the 90's during my childhood as Bland's Park was 1 of 2 family own parks in the area (see also, Lakemont Park). I had always wondered where it went and why Bland's Park got rid of it. I had heard it had a derailment somewhere along the line. A rocking pirate ship ride sat in its place last time I was in the area. RIP old friend, you were a blast to ride back then.
I have a Zyklon Z64 model at my home park so this one hits close to home I love these rides even though there are better coasters there tons of fun and im sure acted as stepping stones for the first coaster many people ridden
It's crazy that this coaster was operated in, what was it, six? seven? locations, when lots of _good_ coasters don't even get a _second_ chance to thrill the public!
@@ExpeditionThemePark It could have been much worse. I mean did no one in the company think about the implications of naming the problematic coaster after something even worse that came before it?
I used to live in Altoona, PA which is withing driving distance to Blands/DelGrosso's Amusement park, I have lots of great memories riding the Zyklon at the park. I never understood why they got rid of it for a wild mouse ride, and it seems like had the coaster stayed in PA it might still be around today with no issues as I recall the rollercoaster being very well maintained. I always wondered what happened to the Zyklon and now that I know it's actually pretty sad. I got suspicious in the first few minutes of the video thinking this may be the same coaster based on the very distinctive lights at the top of the lift hill and around the corner into the first drop. Thanks for making this video, as someone who rode it during it's time in Tipton, PA It was interesting to see what happened to it after it's removal.
I love the wildly hyperbolic drawing of it in the Adventureland promos. These old portable Pinfari Zyklons and SDC Galaxis used to be all over when I was a kid and I never rode any of them because I was scared of roller coasters. Now they're mostly gone. The Galaxi that used to be at Canobie Lake Park is a cred my wife has that I don't. I was going to comment something like your ultimate conclusion--that this isn't so much a cursed roller coaster as a low-cost ride that got passed around between a lot of marginal parks until it landed at one that was dangerously negligent--but I'm glad I watched to the end. It kind of reminds me of a low-rent version of the story of Quimera/Dreier Looping, except that Dreier Looping is somehow getting another chance.
I'm sitting at work next to Delgrossos Park watching this! I loved Zyklon when it was there. The park ran a contest the first year where if you rode Zyklon 10x in on e day, you won a free T-Shirt that said "I survived the Zyklon"
I think I actually rode this coaster while it was at Bland's Park. My grandmother lived out in Tyrone, PA, which is not far from Tipton. My family would travel from NJ to visit her pretty much every summer, and we'd pretty much always spend a day at Bland's Park.
I rode it at Blue Diamond!!! It was such a short lived park. The coaster was nothing special honestly. I remember being excited they put a park in Delaware and not far from where I lived. But it was expensive, and short lived, you had to buy a ticket to each specific ride and there was a fairly decent mini golf setup. Shame they never did anything with the land
It’s so crazy to hear about Bland’s Park/DelGrosso’s Park in a video like this!!! I went there many times as a kid. I always imagine it as being a park in the middle of nowhere...which, I suppose it is. Hardly anyone outside of PA has heard of it.
We are back! What park would you like to see covered next on Expedition Extinct? We have many more exciting episodes to come this fall!
Welcome back
I'd love to see an Expedition Extinct on Silver Dollar City's short-lived sister park Celebration City!
More Eftling, please or Tivoli Gardens
I still wanna see the Barney show at Universal
Expedition walibi series (Untamed and Kondaa would be great to see)
Expedition europa park
History of DC rivals Hypercoaster
Expedition Energylandia
History of Karnan
Expedition parc asterix
I rode Sandblaster about a month before the incident in Daytona and, at that time, the coaster was running with a bunch of cinder blocks chained to the floor and seats of the second car-presumably to add weight to prevent the coaster from valleying. I've ridden a lot of sketchy coasters at a lot of small, no-name parks, but Sandblaster was the only coaster I'd ever seen with a car full of cinder blocks. Absolutely wild experience.
That's honestly terrifying
@@lunawolfheart336 ufufffffyfffyufdfdffddfffffffffddfffffffdfdfdddfffdddddfddfffdfdddddddffffddddddfddffffddddffdffdfddddddfffxdddddfdfdfdddfffdxfdxdfxddddxdfffd6dfxddfffdddfdfdddddddfddfdddddddfdddddfddfddfddfddfdddddxddddffdddfdfddddddddfffddfdxdddddddddxddddddddddddfffdfdfdddddddfdfffddddfdddddddddddddddddddfddddddddfddddddddddddddddddddfdfddddxdddddddxddddxddddddddddxdfddddddddfdxfxddfddddddddxddddddddxdfddddddddddddxddddfddddfdddddddddfddddddfddddddfddddddddfdddfddddddddddddddfdddddddddddfddddddddddfffddddxddddddddddddddddddddddddxdddddxddddfdddddddxdddfxdxxdxdddxddddxddxddddfxdxdxdddddddddddddddddddxxdddddddddddddddddddddddduddddxdddddddddddddddddddddxdddxddddxddxdddddxdddfddxxdddxdddddddddddxdddddddddddddxdddxdxddfxdddddddddfdddddxddxddddddddxddfddxddddddxddddfddxdddfddddddddddxdfddxddddxddddddxdddddxxdxddddddddxdddxdddddxdxddxxdxxdxddddddddddfdddddxddxddxdddxdddxdxdxxdxxxxxxddxddxdddxxdddddxdddddddddddxddxxdddddxdxdddddddddddddddddxdddxddxdddddxxdddddxdddddxddxdddxxdddddddddxdxdddddddddxddxxdddddddxxddddxxdddxdxxdxdxddddxxxdd
excuse me, WhAT The FUCK?
Mean, honest question and no judgement.... why did you choose to still ride after seeing the blocks?
Cuz I'm confuzzed... 🤔
I went to Daytona, but there were no rides then, I drove my jeep on the sand and through enough water to make a small splash, Loved every minute of it!!!! That was back in 1997/8 I don't do rollercoasters.
(For legal reasons, all info below is alleged). I used to work at this park and left two years before the accident occurred. The whole place was super sketchy and run down. And there were quite a few weird quirks about the Sand Blaster:
1. Ride operators had to manually push the train out of the station.
2. Management told us that the train always had to have at least two people riding it at all times or it could potentially stall and valley in one of the dips. If there was only one rider, an employee had to ride with them.
3. As you can gather from the above, the ride was very dependent on the weight of the train. There was a set of electromagnetic brakes at the end of the ride that would bring a light train almost to a complete stop. For heavier passenger loads, a train would be partially slowed by that brake run. A ride operator would then need to push down on a lever to manually stop the train in the station.
4. The train would run faster if it had just rained or if the track was just lubricated. We would do this by leaning out the back row and spraying the track with grease from a spray bottle while the ride was in motion.
5. I'm a big guy, so I could put all my body weight on the lever for the manual brake and stop the train. For some skinnier employees, the train could blow through the manual brake and we would have to let the ride to again. If it happened a second time, we would need to hit the emergency stop on the lift hill and evacuate passengers. I'm not sure if that ever occurred, but that was the procedure.
6. The only restraints on the ride were seatbelts. Two people could sit in each row and share the belt. For safety reasons, management put a plastic cover over the release button so people couldn't unbuckle themselves during the ride. Ride operators would have to open them by pushing a small allen wrench through a hole in the cover.
7. There was a general feeling among staff that an accident was bound to happen. When it finally did, we were shocked but not surprised.
I'm glad that all riders lived and that this coaster is gone. This accident was so preventable, but management was very negligent
1-4 aren't actually that weird on rides of that age. 4 even applies to newer rides (the running faster part, not that method of lubrication lol).
That is so crazy
That seatbelt thing is actually more common nowadays but metal instead of plastic
And I say Again, "There's not enough money in the world to get me on any roller coaster"!
@@beckyshock3099 why are you here? Do you think anyone finds your whining and attestations of hating coasters funny or interesting? Nobody does. You have more of a chance to be struck by lightning twice than you do to get hurt or killed on a coaster. You're welcome to remain an enormous baby, just know that nobody cares or thinks you're cool for it.
I rode Sand Blaster in early 2018, a few months before the accident. It was by far the most weird experience I've ever had riding a coaster. I was staying in Daytona Beach for a short vacation, and a few blocks from where I was staying was Sand Blaster. I decided to ride it, thinking it would be a nice rare coaster credit to have. Just walking around the park should've raised a red flag, it felt like I was walking around an abandoned amusement park. Everything was rusted, rotten, and not operating... except for Sand Blaster. There were only two other guests and one worker (that I could see) in the entire park. I started to rethink if I should ride, but I decided to do it. I remember the price to ride being ridiculously expensive, around $12 per ride. The train was really sketchy looking. One car was filled with cinderblocks and sandbags, one row in the back had a broken restraint, and the entire train looked beat up. I was put in the front by the employee. Because this was a classic, it had a lever based dispatch system instead of an electronic one. What was weird though was that the employee still had to push the train to get it moving, which I don't think is normal. At this point, I'm thinking it can't get weirder, it does. As the train leaves the station, the employee jumps into the back seat of the train and rides the coaster with no restraint and no employee in the station. The coaster itself was nothing terrible, not rough or anything, and it gave great views of Daytona Beach. The entire experience was already strange, but then three months later, I see the accident on the news, and while it's sad to say, I had a feeling it was gonna happen at some point.
I would of freaked the duck out if the employee jumped in the coaster to ride it when there's no one else around.
12$ for a ride on a Pinfari? No wonder there weren't many guests. That's about as much as a ride on Olympia Looping costs, which I'm sure everyone can agree is probably one of the best coasters out there.
Why would you get on when you see cinderblocks and sandbags strapped down in the car?
I guess maybe because I’ve had enough bad roller coaster experiences at top tier parks I’m wary of anything that doesn’t look kosher.
@@franciscodanconia4324 I'm ngl I've had more issues with rides at six flags than I have at carnivals
I can't possibly begin to explain the sheer amount of nostalgia RCT music gives me.
My fav!
Yes nostalgia... I def wasn't playing it last night
Glad many still remembers RCT even after years the game was released
I have the strange urge to place a burger stand and lemonade stand…
I lived in Daytona when this incident happened, and everytime I passed it I didn’t even know it was open and operational. It was a sad but unsurprisingly moment when this happened to it.
A real shame
Man, that really was a sad story. The ride suffered the same fate as The Smiler, because That One Bad Day is what the ride will be remembered for. It's a shame.
A real shame
I had an Real scary Premonition Regarding the Smiler what I Saw actually happened for Real Seeing on the news & I've not Gone back to Alton Towers Since.
I lived in Arizona for about 11 years, and I always wondered what that building near the Phoenix Zoo was. I was fascinated when i found out what it used to be and I’m glad you documented it.
Right?!
@@ExpeditionThemePark There was this hill called Papago, and you could see the building that sits on the old plot, if you looked closely you could make it the weird ground around the building from the theme park.
@@craft7185 Does anybody know Legend City?
This is why you’re the best Sam. Nearly every attraction/park you feature, big or small; has a fascinating story. Even obscure things most have probably never heard of. Bravo!
Thank you so much.
My mom and I were in Daytona the week before the derailment. This coaster looked awful and the ride attendant hung on to the side of the train and rode the coaster like he was riding a bull. It was wild. Everything about this was a disaster waiting to happen.
Well, depending on the time between your visit with your mom in Daytona and the moment the tragic derailment happened (plus you mentioning the attraction's horrific state of disrepair) you would definitely be right. I bet you saw that on the news didn't you?
Who cares?
Side note: I always love when you add RCT carousel music in the back. Brings me back to WAY easier times.
I heard something else when 'Zyklon Z' was said. That's a name you'd struggle to market in Germany I think.
Yuppp
That's because they already had the second one way earlier
Yikes, what a ride that ride went on. Good job covering it.
Also, the fight over making yourself say zee and then immediately coughing and replacing it with zed is real.
Ahaha the struggle is real
This is probably my rarest credit. I live about an hour and a half from Daytona Beach. I’ve ridden this thing about 4 times. The track was surprisingly smooth but it definitely seemed sketchy. I’m kind of bummed it’s gone since the closest coasters to me now are at Wild Adventures…
I need to get to Wild Ascentures
At least you are in close distance to the Daytona 500.
It seems like me and you are in the same exact boat. I’m guessing you live in Jacksonville/ surrounding area 😂
@@Lkendrick No, I live further than that, though if I told you where, I am worried my identity would be stolen.
@@Lkendrick yep….
This was my first coaster credit when I was a kid at bland's Park. Sad what ultimately happened. I have many fond memories of this coaster. When I was 7, it felt like nothing in the world was more intense than that first drop.
I think it was my first coaster credit as well. Either this one or the skyliner in Lakemont in Altoona. Do you kinda get the feeling that if it had stayed in PA the coaster would still be around? It seems like all of the moves and then the salt air and storms in Florida made it deteriorate quickly.
@@KatsMeowRose Yeah, I do. Delgrossos seems to maintain their rides very well. I honestly think it would probably be operating just fine if it was still there.
Love this channel, found it by accident, I’m a fairground fanatic, theme park fan and gaff lad (fairground worker), I love watching these videos. Not only are they educational and informative, but they also help me as a gaff lad ensure the safety of all of our rides and punters.
Oh gosh, I was staying with some friends at a hotel near this coaster on the day of the accident in Daytona. I remember walking along the beach the previous night and commenting on how eerie the park looked... for some reason the coaster in particular stood out to me as especially creepy, but I had never been in the area before and didn't know anything about its history.
My friends and I were in the hotel theater watching a movie when the actual accident occurred, though. I believe it was mostly taken care of by the time we had gone back to our room, because I don't recall seeing any emergency vehicles around.
Really creepy that I just had this strange gut feeling when looking at the coaster the night before. I get chills thinking about it in hindsight, honestly. The thing really did feel cursed.
It went to Illinois, Arizona, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Florida. What a road trip for the coaster.
Right?! Now we should all do that
It’s been to more states than me…
Western Pennsylvania resident here. I rode the Zyklon at Delgrosso's in the 2002-03 area and I'm proud that Delgrosso's is the one park that resisted this ride's curse. However, Dad says that the ride was pretty rough even then.
This is probably going to sound a lot weirder than intended but I felt bad for the coaster in this video. Passed around, neglected, then punished for its poor condition and mishandling. Truly a sad story.
I’ve lived in Arizona my entire life and never heard of Legend City until a year or two ago. Thank you for showing it’s history. It makes me wonder why we don’t have a bigger park.
It’s a sad story
Well hot damn, I'm always down for controversial coaster history stuff! Mindbender is the most interesting for me. Great video!
Thank you!
So I rode this coaster at DelGrosso Park in Pennsylvania back in the day. Most locals were disappointed when they decided to get rid of it & replace it with the less than thrilling "Crazy Mouse". DelGrosso's also had purchased another coaster around 2007, which sat in pieces at a local vacant lot for a few years, only to never come to fruition & exit said vacant lot in the cover of darkness. Wish I knew what happened to it
I worked at Legend City in 1980-81. I never worked the Sidewinder, but rode it many times. Often times maintenance would ask us ride operators to ride the coaster before park opening, just to make sure everything worked okay.
Fun times!
Thanks for covering Legend City's history! My parents took me there when I was a baby in 1981. All I have are the tickets in a scrapbook. But in the 2000's I worked for SRP and there were still some items stilling on the side of the property.
Seeing this video is all kinds of bizarre. I actually worked at the Boardwalk Amusements back in 2013 as a ride operator. I watched as the Sand Blaster was constructed. I don't think I ever operated it, and I was only a seasonal position so I was long gone by the time of the accident. I did get a chance to ride it a few times during my time there, and it was a fun, if short, time. I'm surprised this thing had such an extensive history to it. Going to the beach-side nowadays there's nothing but an empty lot where the park used to be now. Brings back memories seeing footage of it again.
Oh that’s super cool
i used to live in daytona and i remember that coaster, ive never seen it running lmao
i never heard about it derailing though, idk how i missed that
Yeah not great
Future video idea: History of Alton Towers Haunted House or Chessingtons Bubbleworks
Both will happen!
I'm loving the roller coaster tycoon music in the background~ its giving me happy flash backs
My fav
My family is located in the Addison area and my dad grew up going to Adventureland. My dad and I went to Daytona beach summer of 2015 and we stayed near this park. We were just walking by the coaster and my dad says “that’s the coaster from Adventureland” and I said “no way! that coasters been gone for years.” We looked on RCDB and sure enough he was right. He could tell by the sound the coaster made going around the track. I was completely dumbfounded. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) we didn’t get to ride it but it was a crazy coincidence.
Man this rollercoaster had more life and adventure than me, and also older than me.......I do respect it.
the clicking noises or brakes brings back memories
This was my first roller coaster. I remember as a kid at Bland's Park always waiting to see if I was finally tall enough to ride it.
I went there once in August 2021 as Delgrosso
Cyclone: the coaster that was a flatride and also apparently dangerous for both its riders and owners
It finally happened! One of these shows mentioned my childhood park (I grew up near DelGrossos)!
The wild mouse is a brutal ride in its own right. It looks innocuous, but beats people up.
Rode this a good year or two before the accident. What happened was bad and it is sad that it slowly got to that state but im at least glad i got to enjoy it. Solid lil coaster
I rode the sand blaster when I first moved to Daytona in 2015. I saw the news that night it derailed I had debated going to the boardwalk that night.
And now I'm crying over a roller coaster. Thanks.
I remember riding this at Delgrosos/Bland park as a kid. Sad to see how it all ended. Sad for those who were hurt and all at the end. Seeing a childhood favorite ride being worn to the elements and eventually derailing hurt to see…. Thanks for the episode and the good memories I have of Zkylon!
Something tells me the lack of attendance at these Arizona theme park throughout the years comes down to the simple fact that it’s just TOO DAMN HOT when kids are out of school and families are planning vacations.
As a Delaware coaster enthusiast (note my channel name) it’s nice to see our only notable coaster be talked about. It definitely has a history. As for the former site of Blue Diamond Park, it’s currently being replaced by an Amazon warehouse.
It's a shame BDP didn't last. I feel like that was a good place for a park.
Does anyone know what happened to that chance sky diver wheel that was there?
Sadly BDP is a lesson in what happens when you don’t advertise.
Yess, Adventureland! It's before my time, but the space was vacant for a while afterwards. I remember asking my parents about it because it was strange to see such a big patch of land in that area of the suburbs without development, just a big parking lot and chain link fence.
I have this Credit! I rode it multiple times during it's tenure at Blue Diamond Park!
I truly appreciate your videos! The attention to detail, research, and use of vintage video clips make you my favorite theme park/coaster channel!
Thank you so much
This is why people should always be suspicious of rides like this. Especially if they are owned by companies that are not hugely successful financially. Local boardwalks, small theme parks and carnivals just do not have the massive amounts of income to sustain and repair rides and keep them safe. Instead, the companies just do the least they can get away with, carry huge insurance in case of accident, and hope for the best. That does not help you if you are the one the accident happens to. Never get on a ride if you could be taking your life in your hands.
OMG! My family used to go to Adventureland all the time when we were kids. I remember riding this there.
A real throw back!
As a Florida resident I cannot properly describe the PTSD flashbacks I got from seeing Rick Scott's demonic ghoul face pop up in a theme park history video.
Such a phenomenal video! I was at a church camp in Daytona Beach the day it derailed I remember coming out seeing tons of firetrucks. I've gone to this camp for many years in Daytona and out of the 5 years I went this was the only time I've ever seen it run. It was really bizarre. Such a tragic accident.
Rode this many times as Zyklon at Blands Park. One of my very first coaster rides ever.
Santa's Village in Dundee!! Worked there when I was a teen. Fun seeing it mentioned!
A cool place!
Santa's Village was a cool place. I remember the "candy cane" made of ice and the snowballs.
I live in Atlanta near six-flags over Georgia which opened in 1967 and still open in 2021...It is not open year-round for obvious reasons, closed during the winter...A smart business model that other struggling parks should look into...
Omg I rode that coaster at Blue Diamond in Delaware right after it opened. I had no idea it's history.
I remember not being allowed to ride Cat & Mouse in South Shields Ocean Beach Pleasure Park because my Mam said it wasn't safe...I rode it when I was about 18. I've just realised it was a Zyklon :')
Makes sense now!
This was one of your sadder videos…this was a somewhat mediocre little coaster, which never should have been seen as a star attraction…what I think is more of the story is that So many of these tremendously ambitious folks who operated these parks had their grandiose dreams dashed, and this old, sad little creaky coaster just along for the ride….Florida should have never allowed it’s final fate to have happened, (but it isn’t surprising, considering how haphazardly run a lot of Florida is)
A real shame
That video was a real roller coaster of emotion.
Ironic that a coaster called the sandblaster had it's identity erased, over and over until it was so deteriorated it failed
Very well written Dude!!! This is like a TV Show man! Thanks for all the work… to everyone!
It seems less like this rollercoaster is cursed and more like the only parks willing to buy a hand-me-down coaster are ones that are hurting for cash.
That’s what I send at the end aha
I remember seeing that on the news when I was living out in Daytona at the time. Every time Id be down there that thing just looked like danger, i cant believe people were willing to ride it lol
Legend City (to me was the 1st saddest to go) Great theming, a really nice looking park. Then Daytona, Fla. Reminds me of the Disney short (Susie Coupe) Brand new, full of spunk. Then ran it til nearly the wheels fell off.
Legend City is a sad story
Thanks for the informative Video of a Roller Coaster that has a real story to tell. But that most people might see the tragic demise which is the sad thing and it's some time the 'life' of the thing that gets missed.
Hey, Expedition Theme Park! Please do the History of Superstar Limo at Disney's California Adventure!
One day!
There’s already so many videos about Superstar limo.
That things had more holidays than most people. Great video and research as always Sam, thank you.
Thank you Mark
That was a coaster near me nice to be able to see it's history.
Which time?
Some interesting ideas might be Fun Forest which was a small park that operated after the Seattle Century 21 Worlds Fair in 1962. Bill Gates rode the Wild Mouse as an 8 year old at that fair and has fond memories of it. After the fair ended, the coaster was purchased by Lagoon and operated there from around 1964 to 1971 when it was refurbished and later opened as the Wilder Wild Mouse until 1991 when it was replaced by a modern Crazy Mouse ride. The Fun Forest originated as the Gayway Amusement zone during the fair. Then after the fair, the city decided to name it Fun Forest in 1964. The park had another Wild Mouse coaster in the later 60’s then operated a Zyklon Galaxi from the 1970’s to 1991. In 1992 an SDC Wind Storm replaced that which ran until the park closed in 2010. Sadly the city never gave the park a chance to be redeveloped into something modern with newer rides. The Chihooly Museum was built near that area on the Seattle Center grounds and only a bare area of cement filed in the thrill ride portion of the park. The children’s amusement area was in a separate section. They also had rides operate inside a large building during the winter. I have fun memories watching the Galaxi coaster as a kid in the mid 1970’s and riding it as a young adult in the 1980’s and in the early 1990’s. I also rode the Wind Storm several times throughout the years but it was pretty rough as they never maintained it well. A ride developer/owner from Texas purchased it (Steve Vandervoost) and rents it out to traveling carnivals. My husband and I were able to ride the refurbished version of it when it was operating at the Iowa State Fair in 2017. It had a slightly smaller footprint but ran so much smoother. The Log Flume was also purchased and refurbished and opened when the new Luna Park debuted at Coney Island in the early 2000’s. It was looking pretty run down at Fun Forest and was badly in need of a complete refurbishment. The old Zyklon Galaxi was purchased by Sylvan Beach and still operates there.
Also another interesting fact is after the Expo ‘74 Worlds Fair had ended in Spokane, Washington, Lagoon also purchased the Jet Star 2 coaster and still operates it to this day. I have many memories of visiting that fair during that summer. Many of the German rides arrived late. So Oaks Park owner Bob Bollinger from Portland, Oregon, provided temporary rides such as a Chance Toboggan coaster until rides such as the Jet Star had arrived and was installed. The historical Looff carousel from Spokane’s defunct Natatorium Park (1895-1967) continues to operate on the old expo fair grounds which is known as Riverfront Park. They recently built a beautiful climate control building to house the carousel to replace the old building that was originally built for the Expo with the intention to house the carousel after the fair. The park has also undergone a lot of recent renovation. Nat Park also ran a Figure 8/Scenic Railway coaster from 1905-1919. In 1920 the beloved Jack Rabbit replaced it which operated from 1920-1967. It was only 50 feet tall but offered lots of air time. Sadly the park closed in 1967 and was completely burned down in 1968. This upset many locals who have fond memories of the park. The last owner didn’t know how to run an amusement park to where it became run down and went bankrupt. There was also a fatal accident on Jack Rabbit in the 1960’s. An employee working on the ride was hit by a train. I think the coaster debuted with PTC trains then later switched to NAD trains. The area the park operated at is now a mobile home park. The only remnants of this park is the trolley car tracks. I know a local ride designer/seller who lives in Spokane who worked at the park. He has several cool old school ride parts in his backyard sheds including cars from mouse rides. He sells (rides4u), delivers, and sets up rides to parks in the region.
I love collecting memorabilia from historical defunct parks in the PNW of which I’m a native of. I was even given an old wooden seat from one of the original trains that operated on Colossus when it debuted in 1978 at Magic Mountain. An older couple used to be ACE members and needed to take it out of storage. They attended an ACE event at the park in 1985 and the park manager saved them a seat from the coaster. They were able to transport it back home with a trailer. It’s really the seat’s shell with the ride’s logo on the sides along with the front of the seat that holds the handle bar. The funny thing is I never got to ride Colossus. I was at the park in 1989 but the line was 3 hours. At least I have a part of that beautiful coaster of when it operated at its finest.
Thanks in letting me share my passion. I can easily digress when it comes to talking about historical old parks and coasters. LOL.
All amazing suggestions
I used to go to Bland's Park as a kid every summer, and rode this coaster (known as Zyklon at the time), HUNDREDS of times.
I never knew it had so much history, and I always wondered where it went when the Crazy Mouse was installed in its place. This is crazy.
I'm from Arizona and I've never heard of that whole history of amusement parks in Phoenix! I want to learn more!
I knew this coaster as the Zyklon at Bland's Park in during its time in Tipton PA. I rode it many, many times in the 90's during my childhood as Bland's Park was 1 of 2 family own parks in the area (see also, Lakemont Park). I had always wondered where it went and why Bland's Park got rid of it. I had heard it had a derailment somewhere along the line. A rocking pirate ship ride sat in its place last time I was in the area. RIP old friend, you were a blast to ride back then.
I have a Zyklon Z64 model at my home park so this one hits close to home I love these rides even though there are better coasters there tons of fun and im sure acted as stepping stones for the first coaster many people ridden
It's crazy that this coaster was operated in, what was it, six? seven? locations, when lots of _good_ coasters don't even get a _second_ chance to thrill the public!
What an interesting story! Another brilliant and informative video- thanks Sam!
Thank you so much
Yeah *push-start* roller coasters are gonna be a 'no' for me, dawg
push to start the whip but not the coaster? cmon open up your mind
Yikes. I'm glad no one lost their life. What a terrible end to a long run for the coaster!
Yeah a real sad ending
@@ExpeditionThemePark It could have been much worse. I mean did no one in the company think about the implications of naming the problematic coaster after something even worse that came before it?
@@MovieFan1912 Zyklon is a pesticide, my guy.
It's sad what happened to this roller-coaster I hope something From this roller-coaster is in a Museum as it is an historic Item.
I have a picture on this coaster when it sat abandoned for a few years in blue diamond park
They really missed out on the chance to call it "Bland Land".
Haha right
lol
I used to live in Altoona, PA which is withing driving distance to Blands/DelGrosso's Amusement park, I have lots of great memories riding the Zyklon at the park. I never understood why they got rid of it for a wild mouse ride, and it seems like had the coaster stayed in PA it might still be around today with no issues as I recall the rollercoaster being very well maintained. I always wondered what happened to the Zyklon and now that I know it's actually pretty sad. I got suspicious in the first few minutes of the video thinking this may be the same coaster based on the very distinctive lights at the top of the lift hill and around the corner into the first drop. Thanks for making this video, as someone who rode it during it's time in Tipton, PA It was interesting to see what happened to it after it's removal.
Geez, I went to this park in Delaware once and rode this coaster. I liked it!
The stock merry go round music from rollercoaster tycoon hits just right
this series is great! i love it! keep up the great work and super interesting video!
Thank you so much
@@ExpeditionThemePark :D
I love the wildly hyperbolic drawing of it in the Adventureland promos.
These old portable Pinfari Zyklons and SDC Galaxis used to be all over when I was a kid and I never rode any of them because I was scared of roller coasters. Now they're mostly gone. The Galaxi that used to be at Canobie Lake Park is a cred my wife has that I don't.
I was going to comment something like your ultimate conclusion--that this isn't so much a cursed roller coaster as a low-cost ride that got passed around between a lot of marginal parks until it landed at one that was dangerously negligent--but I'm glad I watched to the end. It kind of reminds me of a low-rent version of the story of Quimera/Dreier Looping, except that Dreier Looping is somehow getting another chance.
damn man, that ending was a tear jerker! 😢
Laughing at Rick Scott trying to cut that ribbon.
Happy to see you back - hope the time off was good for you!
I'd like to see something about Maple Leaf Village in Niagara Falls.
Thank you so much! Always good to take a break now and then and I had some exciting things happening! That is actually on my list to do in the future
I'm sitting at work next to Delgrossos Park watching this! I loved Zyklon when it was there. The park ran a contest the first year where if you rode Zyklon 10x in on e day, you won a free T-Shirt that said "I survived the Zyklon"
Your content is THE BEST!!!!!!!!! at 50 years old, I just love it, what detective work! Thank you.
Thank you so much!
Negligence doesn't go unpunished!
I think I actually rode this coaster while it was at Bland's Park. My grandmother lived out in Tyrone, PA, which is not far from Tipton. My family would travel from NJ to visit her pretty much every summer, and we'd pretty much always spend a day at Bland's Park.
always do enjoy the level of info and care you do for these type of videos!
Thank you so much
The fact that they named rides after Zyclon-B is equally hilarious as it is tasteless
alright my friend now this is what I'm talking keep up the great work
Thank you!
I rode it at Blue Diamond!!! It was such a short lived park. The coaster was nothing special honestly. I remember being excited they put a park in Delaware and not far from where I lived. But it was expensive, and short lived, you had to buy a ticket to each specific ride and there was a fairly decent mini golf setup. Shame they never did anything with the land
Rode the Zyklon at Blands in PA. A fun ride reminded me of a wild mouse on steroids.
I would say a lot of its problems was due to the owners failing to due proper upkeep of the ride.
Exactly
What a fascinating story. Thanks for documenting it!
It’s so crazy to hear about Bland’s Park/DelGrosso’s Park in a video like this!!! I went there many times as a kid. I always imagine it as being a park in the middle of nowhere...which, I suppose it is. Hardly anyone outside of PA has heard of it.
Been waiting for a new post from you guys. Thanks for a new video! The internet is down here at work, nice to have this to help pass the time!
Aha perfect timing!
I love all of your videos! Always learn a bunch, keep up the great work!
Thank you so much!
I think whoever built the bloody thing must've had their factory on a Ancient Native American Burial Ground or something like that.
Hahah could be
With a name like Zyklon, coming out of Italy, I sense big red flags!
@@MovieFan1912 Quite. Sometimes you need to think before you name something.
@@larrylaffer3246 I know, right?
@ Is that true?
That one thing. Man, what a painful way to go.
A real shame