History of the Amusement Park Industry

As a child, you, like millions of other children, enjoyed going to a nearby amusement park. I know it did. For me, it was Kennywood Park in the Pittsburgh area.

Here is a short history of the amusement park industry, which is reprinted from the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) website. All credit is due the NAPHA.

The amusement park industry is a major economic generator. Click here to see some industry statistics.

"The roots of the amusement park industry go back to medieval Europe when pleasure gardens began to spring up on the outskirts of major European cities. These gardens were a forerunner of today's amusement parks, featuring live entertainment, fireworks, dancing, games, and even primitive amusement rides. Pleasure gardens remained extremely popular until the 1700's, when political unrest caused many of these parks to close. However, one of these parks remains: Bakken, north of Copenhagen, which opened in 1583 and now enjoys the status of the world's oldest operating amusement park.

In the late 1800's , the growth of the industry shifted to America. Following the American Civil War increased urbanization gave rise to electric traction (trolley) companies. At that time, utility companies charged the trolley companies a flat fee for the use of their electricity. As a result, the transportation companies looked for a way to stimulate weekend ridership. This resulted in the amusement park. Typically built at the end of the trolley line, amusement parks initially were simple operations consisting of picnic facilities, dance halls, restaurants, games, and a few amusement rides often located on the shores of a lake or river. These parks were immediately successful and soon opened across America.

The amusement park entered its golden era with the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This World's Fair introduced theand the amusement midway to the world. The midway, with its wide array of rides and concessions, was a huge success and dictated amusement park design for the next sixty years. The following year, Capt. Paul Boyton borrowed the midway concept and opened the world's first modern amusement park -on Chicago's South side. Unlike the primitive trolley parks, the Water Chutes was the first amusement park to charge admission and use rides as its main draw rather than picnic facilities or a lake. The success of his Chicago park inspired him to open a similar facility at the fledgling Coney Island resort in New York in 1895.

The amusement park industry grew tremendously over the next three decades. The center of the industry was Coney Island in New York, which at its peak was home to three of America's most elaborate amusement parks along with dozens of smaller attractions. Around the world, hundreds of new amusement parks opened, while many early trolley parks expanded by adding new rides and attractions. New innovations provided greater and more intense thrills to the growing crowds. By 1919, over 1,500 amusement parks were in operation in the United States. Unfortunately, this glory did not last.

In 1929, America entered the Depression, and by 1935 only 400 amusement parks still remained; many struggling to survive. World War II further hurt the industry, when many parks closed and others refrained from adding new attractions due to rationing.

With the end of World War II, America and the amusement park industry enjoyed post war prosperity. Attendance and revenues grew to new records as new parks opened across America. A new concept, the Kiddieland, took advantage of the post-war baby boom, introducing a new generation to the joys of the amusement park in the rapidly growing suburbs. Unfortunately, this resurgence was short lived.

As the 1950's dawned, television, urban decay, desegregation, and suburban growth began to take a heavy toll on the aging, urban amusement park. The industry was again in distress as the public turned elsewhere for entertainment. What was needed was a new concept and that new concept was Disneyland.

When Disneyland first opened in 1955, many people were skeptical that an amusement park without any of the traditional attractions would succeed. But Disneyland was different. Instead of a midway, Disneyland offered five distinct themed areas, providing "guests" with the fantasy of travel to different lands and times. Disneyland was an immediate success, and as a result, the theme park era was born.

Over the next several years, there were many unsuccessful attempts to copy Disneyland's success. It wasn't until 1961, when Six Flags Over Texas opened, that another theme park was successful. Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, theme parks were built in many major cities across America. Unfortunately, while theme parks were opening across the country, many of the grand old traditional amusement parks continued to close in the face of increased competition and urban decay. However, some of the traditional parks were able to thrive during the theme park era because the renewed interest in amusement parks brought people back to their local park. In addition, many older traditional parks were able to borrow ideas from theme parks and introduce new rides and attractions to their long-time patrons.

As the 1980's dawned, the theme park boom began spreading around the world. Meanwhile, theme park growth slowed considerably in the United States due to escalating costs and a lack of markets large enough to support a theme park.

Today the amusement park remains an international favorite. Many developing nations are experiencing the joys of the amusement park for the first time, while the older, more established amusement parks continue to search for new and different ways to keep their customers happy. Rides are taking advantage of technology to reach heights and speeds that thrill seekers only dreamt about not too long ago. Perhaps this is a new golden age."