Theme parks are supposed to make your day fun, not haunting. As a little kid, nothing would excite me more than going to Holiday World in Santa Caluse Indiana as I didn’t live too far from it and was one of my favorite places to be. But many amusement parks across the world will give you chills, not thrills.
Dadipark in Belgium
Dadipark, located south of Antwerp, in Belgium opened in 1950, making it the oldest amusement park in Europe! Early on, it was a normal playground until it evolved later into a theme park. Swings, bumper cars, carousels and slides (like the one above) were all included to entertain and bring about affordable and budget entertainment!
But not all good things last in the case…
Many accidents occurred due to the rides continuous malfunctioning, which I have to say is one of my worst nightmares! The most horrific accident occurred in 2000 when a 9-year old boy riding the Nautic Jet ride swiftly lost an arm. It not only turned away visitors, causing a rapid decline, leading to its closure. However, it was stated they closed for renovation reasons. Throughout the years that followed, numerous attempts were made to renew the park and it’s rides, though each time, failure followed. And in 2012, demolition began for Dadipark. Almost nothing remains of the original park and you know, maybe that’s for the best?
There are urban explorers that visit the grounds today, and while there are no reported hauntings, I can’t help but wonder…
Gulliver’s Kingdom in Japan
Located near Mount Fiji in Japan, Gulliver’s Kingdom is pretty infamous for the statue of Lemuel Gulliver, a character in the 18th-century story, Gulliver’s Travels. The tied-down statue stretches to reach about 147 feet and is represented in great detail and remarkable artistic talent! It opened in 1997 but the park only remained open for four years. It closed in 2001 due to lack of revenue. But it’s not the park itself that detoured visitors. It was where it was located. Near Gulliver’s Kingdom is the macabre and creepy Aokigahara Forest. If you are unfamiliar with this forest, it’s referred mostly as Suicide Forest. Read more HERE. While that may have prevented a majority of the sales, it’s not the only place that frightens people nearby. There is also Kamikuishiki Village, best known for being the meeting spot of a ‘doomsday cult’ and was once a production facility for nerve gas.
Though that doesn’t stop the courageous and curious from taking a look around now. While doing so, some have reported feeling that they’re constantly being watched, and not just by the Lemuel Gulliver statue…
The Pripyat Amusement Park In Russia
Pripyat likely rings a bell. It was the site of the tragic Chernobyl Nuclear Explosion that occurred on April of 1986 in Ukraine. Due to the accident, the plans to open The Pripyat Amusement park the following month never came to fruition. Rides included the infamous Ferris wheel (pictured above), bumper cars, a paratrooper ride, and swing boats. The radiation that still lingers today is still considered very dangerous, especially concreted areas (due to helicopters that carried radioactive materials using the site as a makeshift landing strip) and it will likely be many more years before its safe to inhabit again.
Six Flags New Orleans in Louisiana
While starting my search, the first and most prominent result was Six Flags in the well-loved city of New Orleans. The park (formally known as Jazzland) opened in 2000 though met its demise due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Over 80 percent of New Orleans was flooded in the wake of this disaster. While there have been many attempts to renovate and redevelop the park (one idea was to turn it into a large mall), none had been successful and in 2019, a proposal was made to actually demolish the site instead which would cost about $1.3 million dollars. Demolition seemed like a viable option. The park had been disturbing residents in the area as it became more desolate, an eerie reminder of the devastation Katrina left behind. But the park stayed for awhile longer. And not everyone was deterred. As with almost all abandoned locations, many still tried to explore and witness the desolate park for themselves, though I wouldn’t advise it. The city pays close attention to the security as police officers have been patrolling to arrest those who dare to trespass. Upon updating this post, demolition has been set for late 2025.
Have you been to any of these locations? Let me know in the comments and stick around for more spookiness to come!
I know my posts have been very spaced out and lacking, though I wholeheartedly appreciate the support you guys have been giving me so far, thank you!
Paranormal Addict 