wordpress-seo
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action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/themepa1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114Hidden away in North Carolina\u2019s Blue Ridge Mountains rests the Land of Oz, a Wizard of Oz theme park with a rocky history. The Wizard of Oz has been an icon of film history since its debut in 1939 with its cast of colorful characters and unique, immersive world. Based on the original book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1900 by author L. Frank Baum as part of a fourteen-book series of journeys through Oz. Although the original book was planned as a one-shot, but after being flooded with messages from children requesting more stories from Oz, a sequel was created four years later\u2014making the world of the wizard a beloved creation for generations to come.<\/p>\n
Although the Wizard of Oz had a niche audience following the publishing of the book, it did not solidify itself as a cultural icon until ten years later following a re-release and a debut on television in 1956. Despite rave reviews from critics at the time of the movie\u2019s release, the production\u2019s hefty budget ($2.7 million, which would be around $50 million today) prevented the film from seeing any financial success until years later.<\/p>\n
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After the death of Judy Garland in 1969, public interest in the Wizard of Oz was reinvigorated, and a massive auction was held the following year by MGM Studios. Among the items up for sale were props, costumes, and set pieces from film history. Many of these items were props used for the Wizard of Oz including Dorothy\u2019s blue gingham dress. The owner of the soon-to-be theme park, Spencer, Robbins, acquired a number of these Hollywood props through negotiations with actress Debbie Reynolds who willingly opted out of bidding in exchange for Robbins lending the items to Reynolds\u2019s museum of film memorabilia during the park\u2019s off season.<\/p>\n
Reynolds was also personally invited to the opening of the Land of Oz theme park where she and her daughter Carrie Fisher cut the ribbon on opening day. This would be seven years before Carrie Fisher performed her iconic role of Princess Leia in the Star Wars.<\/p>\n
Inspired by the film\u2019s lasting legacy, the Land of Oz was opened to the public in 1970, welcoming guests to Oz and guiding them down a real yellow brick road. Located in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, this park featured walkaround characters of Dorothy and the rest of the cast, recreations of locations such as the Emerald City and the witch\u2019s castle, and a collection of screen-used props and costumes. <\/p>\n