I was impressed by the amount of original International Fiberglass figures there, Baker says. Jimmys magic show was the highlight of our visit. Amazing! Gillette sold Magic Forest in Lake George in 2019 and retired. Dino Roar Valley is so fun its prehistoric! These are rides that we as children went on growing up and rides we brought our children to go on when they were little but at different amusement parks. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. Santa is actually there in an air conditioned log house. 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. We missed the magic show but will catch it next time. 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. 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." Our son loved it and so did we, will definitely be back! The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. Its different, he said. That means the array of memories up for auction come from a variety of other fairs, carnivals and fun lands. Plenty of parking. A great park. 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. Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. WebLake George, New York. I was there last week nothing was unsafe it is one of the best children's parks around. The fella Im buying stuff from says, We gotta leave some stuff for the auction.'. 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. My son had nightmares for a few days after that. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. We are located on the seasonal Greater Glens Falls Transit Trolley route. 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. Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions The full, 700+ lot posting will stay online until the end of September. 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. Close. All rights reserved. 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. Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. WebStatues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. 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. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. The animals were severely underfed. That was a bit disturbing to me. They had visited the Magic Forest for years and always taken their kids photo with that particular bear. This is by far the greatest place whether you are old or young. 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." A very well run park. The kids thought the place was greatmy husband and I thought it could be better. But some of the once-over 700 sculptures that once called the park home are just now resurfacing. 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. The Magic Forest felt like it was from a different time not only physically, but spiritually. 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. Get a piece of your childhood now! I thought it was really just time to get it out of their way, Gilette said in a phone interview on Thursday. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. Its fiberglass figures had long ago dug in their collective heelsand hoovesas the world evolved around them. We were there 4 years ago. 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. June 27 - Sept. 5 When I visited the Magic Forest in 2015, the woman at the ticket counter tried to dissuade ustwo adults with nary a child in sightfrom entering. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. Each ride had info about when and where it was made, when it was bought and info about the hydraulics. We left & renamed it "bizzaro world". Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. There are also a petting zoo, magic shows, and stunt shows with the last remaining diving horse, Lightning. For Military (Vets, Active, Retired) 2 dollars off the price of admission. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. 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. 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 Park is small enough to walk and not get too tired out. UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. The people who worked there were either teenagers from Europe or seniors. Learn more about Roadpass accounts here. WebCompare 721 hotels close to Magic Forest Park with room rates, reviews, and availability. I have no place to store it, he said. 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. He says to me, Do you know Charlie Woods? 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. So many rides. This place was perfect for my 4 and 6 year old. WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. In the 1950s, his uncle took that carnival to the Danbury Fair, where it played through the fairs final years. Never ever again will we return. But its hard not to become despondent and dig in your heels when it feels as if the world you love is rapidly disappearing. Or, if I do forget, perhaps my lapse in memory is due to the literal high we got as we were nearly asphyxiated by fumes from the diesel tractor pulling us through the park. They include paint-chipped animals, old theme park legends, and quite a few broken fae folk. 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. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud. Start here.Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip. 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. We spot their blistered, sagging entry gates on lonely back roads, or squeezed between the Amusements of the Month in some overdeveloped Mecca. The day we were there, a summer camp group was there and they had their own food item stored in coolers. 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. Probably nowhere else is the disturbing world of children's' fairy tales brought to life more vividly. We strive to insure accuracy on Lakegeorge.com however accuracy cannot be guaranteed. 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! Are you associated with this business? Both are protected with Clear Coat, as are all the statues in the Magic Forest. You just dont get that opportunity every day, says Baker. Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions Again the kids enjoyed itand that is the most important part. 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.. All stuff geared towards Christmas which also explains the Christmas songs played in the mix of music. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. There is so much potential to this park. Most hotels are fully refundable. Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! A bean pole droops, a gingerbread house caves in, a Humpty Dumpty falls one last time. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Still gives me creeps every night to look back on it. No, I would say age 8 max. Ellsworth plans to reopen the space as Lake George Expedition Park with all-new attractions, including dinosaurs. People normally club together Water Slide World and Lumberjack Pass Miniature Golf while planning their visit to Magic Forest. The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. Keep exploring with the Roadtrippers mobile apps. We took our almost 3 year old and she loved it. These reviews are the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. He kept my kids entertained the whole show and that is a true magic trick. I have no place to store it, he said. Most of the rides are "kiddie rides" and a 10 year old would be bored. Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions 51. WebExperience a journey through time. Rex the Diving Horse leaped on cue into a pool for many years; now his son, Lightning, takes the plunge twice a day. RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. No souvenirs though. 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. Also cant beat the setting, they are carefully dispersed through a beautiful forest. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. Undeterred, we assured her that we were willing participants in the charade that the park was still a viable tourist destination. Baker is surprisingly sanguine as he watches the collection split up and scatter around the country. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George 51. I hope the utilize this theme in the fall. The information in this post is a record of the parks previous incarnation. The Gillettes bought so many items from the Danbury grounds, in fact, that at one point they were cut off. Train ride wasn't running which was disappointing.