There’s something peculiarly fascinating about abandoned amusement parks. Perhaps it’s because they were designed as places of fun, but now stand empty. Maybe it’s because rusting rides look incredible. Or maybe it allows us to imagine what the entire world would look like if humans were to go extinct.
Either way, some incredible images have been captured of abandoned parks over the years. Every month, we plan to pick out some of the creepiest, most haunting photos of these decaying fun zones to share with you.
Photos 1-6: Tianjin Amusement Park, China
Captured in 2009 by Edwin Lee, these images show the abandoned Tianjin Amusement Park China, which operated from around 1996 to earlier in 2009.
Boasting four roller coasters, the park was just one of a number of developments in Tianjin to be abandoned following the financial crisis in 2008. An entire 40-square-mile “eco city”, Jing Jin, suffered the same fate.
Photos 7-8: Aquaria Park, Italy
Popular during the 1990s, Aquaria Park in Cervia, Italy was a water park boasting slides, various pools, a jacuzzi and sporting facilities. At it is heart was a natural pond with a sandy beach, and the park also opened late at night to allow guests to enjoy its on-site disco.
By 2010, the park lay abandoned, allowing Emiliano Iko to take these great shots of its decaying attractions.
Photos 9-10: Six Flags New Orleans, USA
There’s an almost inexhaustible supply of photos of Six Flags New Orleans, arguably the most famous abandoned theme park in the world. Abandoned by Six Flags following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the park stands as a testament to the destructive power of nature.
While several proposals have been put forward to make use of the site, much of Six Flags New Orleans still remains in place. This has made it an ideal filming location for movies, with scenes for Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes having been shot there. Next up is Jurassic World, the fourth movie in the Jurassic Park series.
Photos 11-15: Spendid China, Florida, USA
Reported to have cost $100 million to build, Splendid China was designed as a sister park to Splendid China in Shenzhen, China. It opened in 1993, and allowed guests to explore more than 60 replica landmarks, each recreated at one-tenth scale. Nearly seven million 1-inch-long bricks were used to create its Great Wall of China scene.
These great photos of the remains of the park were taken in 2010 by Flickr user Rhys Asplundh.
The park operated for a decade before eventually shutting down. After being pillaged by vandals and thieves, it was torn down in 2013.
Photos 16-20: Camelot Theme Park, Derbyshire, England
After several years of financial struggles and question marks over its long-term future, the Camelot Theme Park in Lancashire, England finally confirmed that it would close for good at the end of the 2012 season. The park’s Managing Director, Roy Page, blamed a combination of the impact of the unusually wet summer weather, the London Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee for another year of weak revenues.
The shuttered park is located close to the village of Charnock Richard. Despite its long-running issues, at the time of its closure it was still home to some popular attractions, including the dizzying Whirlwind roller coaster and Excalibur 2 spinning inverter thrill ride. Several of these have been procured by and relocated to other parks.
We’ve taken a look at the remains of Camelot before, in this extensive photo round-up. But here are few more great shots, captured by Flickr user Tina T-Spoon (nice Button Moon reference, there) in April 2014.
Camelot first opened back in 1983, on the site of the former “Lake of Sir Lancelot”. This inspired the park’s theme, which saw a number of King Arthur-themed attractions installed. For a long period, the park was twinned with the American Adventure in Derbyshire, which closed in 2007. Camelot had long been expected to meet the same fate, having suffered from declining attendances from 2006 onwards.
The Story Group has put forward a plan to build a 450-home “green” development dubbed “Park Hall Village” on the site, complete with fitness trails, allotments and woodland areas. Local residents have opposed the plan, claiming that it does not include enough supporting facilities.
