Top 10 Scariest Abandoned Theme Parks
#10: Spreepark , Germany
Debt is a big reason behind the closure of many amusement parks, with the first entry on our list being no exception. Spreepark thrived in former East Germany both before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, only to face insurmountable financial woes during the turn of the millennium. The park's new owners couldn't keep Spreepark afloat after 2002, with many of the rides, including a giant Ferris Wheel, rusting away on park grounds. What's worse, the park’s recent owner, Norbert Witte, was later jailed for attempted drug smuggling within one of the rides, effectively ending any hopes of Spreepark being in business.
#9: Blobbyland, England
Non-English viewers can be forgiven for being ignorant of Mr. Blobby, a breakout star from the hit nineties BBC variety series "Noel's House Party." In an attempt to capitalize on his popularity, this monosyllabic blob opened his own group of theme parks, which were based upon his fictional home town of Crinkley Bottom. As with most things associated with a fad, these parks didn’t last long, although their colorful remains still stand for explorers desperate for a little bit of Blobby nostalgia. The once colorful buildings are now faded, dirty and beyond repair. They stand as a creepy reminder of that brief moment in time when "Blobbyland" was actually a thing.
#8: Dogpatch USA, Arkansas
Raise your hand if you remember "Lil' Abner". Although it's true that Al Capp's hillbilly comic strip was once incredibly popular, the idea to build an entire theme park around its fictional town, Dogpatch, just doesn't seem very logical from an economic perspective. Perhaps this is why Dogpatch USA didn't make it in the Marble Falls area of Arkansas, although vestiges of its former southern glory still remain. The confusing stories behind Dogpatch's ownership and operation would take days to cover, but, in short, the park was essentially mismanaged to hell despite initially achieving success thanks to public interest in shows like "Green Acres" and "The Beverly Hillbillies." Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, and Dogpatch USA closed for good in 1993.
#7: Gulliver's Kingdom, Japan
Where should we start when it comes to the creep factor of Gulliver's Kingdom? First off, this abandoned theme park is located in close proximity to Japan's infamous "suicide forest" of Aokigahara. Second, the giant-sized model of the park's Gulliver namesake lies at the center, with a thousand yard stare that practically begs visitors to run away in terror. To make matters worse, Gulliver's Kingdom wasn't far from where Japan's infamous doomsday cult, Aum Shinrikyo, held its headquarters. Is it any wonder why no one wanted to take a trip to this park for a day full of fun and frolicking? Today, Gulliver's Kingdom reminds us about the importance of these three famous real estate rules: location, location location.
#6: Discovery Island and River Country, Walt Disney World, Florida
A Bizarre Discovery in the Arctic Circle
Those in charge of Walt Disney World wouldn't just let things rot, now would they? Well, they did just that with River Country and Discovery Island. River Country was once a water park that experienced a number of deaths before being closed down for good in 2001. Overrun with vegetation, it was eventually demolished in April of 2019. Although Discovery Island, a space where Disney World visitors could observe wildlife, still stands, it is officially "off limits" to visitors. However, that hasn't stopped some from sneaking in and taking pictures, however, documenting how much of Discovery's animal facilities still exist, peppered with cages, coolers, incubators and decayed remains.
#5: Western Village, Japan
Top 10 Must-See Destinations on a Western Road Trip
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as exemplified by the next abandoned theme park on our list, Japan's Western Village. This frontier-themed park has been buried by time and dust for years, although some find this aspect more calming and thoughtful than scary. Then again, the fact that much of the park's wild west saloons and stands still exist-including some mannequins-could give others pause should they prowl around Western Village at night. Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not you see a once bustling theme park...or a haunted ghost town.
#4: Parque Albanoel, Brazil
Top 10 DESAFÍOS Para Gestionar un PARQUE TEMÁTICO JURÁSICO
Do you find Santa, well....creepy? How about a village FULL of empty-eyed Saint Nicks, all there to wish you a very scary Christmas? If so, then perhaps it's best that you avoid Brazil's Parque Albanoel at all costs. The semi-finished theme park wasn't completely indebted to Christmas, but it did possess a Santa-section that was patterned, in part, after its creator, Antonio Albano Reis. Unfortunately, Reis died in a car accident before the park could ever be finished, resulting in most of the rides and attractions being either abandoned or forgotten. Today, the area is overrun by vegetation and decay, and is a sad reminder of what could have been.
#3: Six Flags, New Orleans
Top 10 Scariest Theme Park Rides
Nothing can stand in the way of Mother Nature, especially not a theme park. Case in point? Six Flags New Orleans, which was completely devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The water and wind damage was so severe that the park was unable to reopen, and remained frozen in time, with its welcome sign still indicating that the park is "Closed For Storm." Today, Six Flags New Orleans defies demolition with its graffiti-ridden stands, broken rides and moldy walls, while alligators have even taken to prowling the park's deeper areas. Although the area has been used for some movie shoots over the years, don't expect this park to reopen to the public any time soon.
#2: Pripyat Amusement Park, Ukraine
There’s no one to blame but ourselves for the downfall of this theme park. The Pripyat Amusement Park wasn't abandoned due to weather, debt or mismanagement, but instead the infamous Chernobyl Disaster of April 26, 1986. The park grand opening was actually scheduled for the first of May, and there were reports and photographic evidence which indicate that Pripyat Park did open a day after the Disaster, perhaps to help locals cope with the tragedy. Today, the park remains abandoned, with high levels of radiation present in the moss and surrounding soil.
#1: Dunaujvarosi Vidampark, Hungary
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 meant many different things for generations of people. It also signified the end for Dunaujvarosi Vidampark in Hungary, which opened way back in the 1950s. The park was State-run and even offered free entry to its citizens, but closed its doors only two years after the USSR was dissolved. Today, its rides are rusted and broken, with vegetation having infested nearly every aspect of the park. Meanwhile, modern photographs still show communist slogans and propaganda painted on the walls of what remains of Dunaujvarosi Vidampark, the ghosts of history preserved for all to see.
