Rockowheel
  •  Rockowheel
  • 57.34% (Neutral)
  • Maintenance Supervisor Topic Starter
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:22:17 AM
It is being announced on the Chicago area news today that this season will be indeed the last for the venerable Kiddieland in the Chicago suburb of Melrose Park. There have been rumors of this in recent years, from the loss of their lease to infighting amoung the owners. No one ever thought a Chicago institution like this would ever die, just like decades ago we all thought Riverview would be around forever. Kiddieland was unique in that it had a good number of vintage rides that were impeccably maintained including an antique MGR, the wood Little Dipper Coaster, and the live steam and diesel trains. With Santa's Village history, the loss of Kiddieland will leave only Great America left in this huge metropolitan area.
What a loss!
Ryan
  •  Ryan
  • 57.38% (Neutral)
  • Lot Foreman
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:30:17 AM
sad to see it finnaly end. They have some very nice older classic rides,
www.modernmidways.com 
"If life was fair elvis would be alive and the impersonators would be dead"-carson
Disney Fan
  •  rhino
  • 64.76% (Friendly)
  • Operations Foreman
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:17:55 AM
Do they have a website? Id like to see some pics of the trains.
Matt C.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:35:30 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by rhino

Do they have a website? Id like to see some pics of the trains.



http://www.kiddieland.com/ 
Matt Cook
Matt's Carnival Warehouse / Matt's Web Design
http://www.carnivalwarehouse.com 
http://www.mwdwebdesign.com 
Disney Fan
  •  rhino
  • 64.76% (Friendly)
  • Operations Foreman
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:52:40 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Matt C.

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by rhino

Do they have a website? Id like to see some pics of the trains.



http://www.kiddieland.com/ 

Thanks, boss. Wow, 81 years, and its going away, what a shame. There goes the free drinks !
ringmaster
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 1:36:53 PM
This usually happens when an estate gets split too minny ways. and reletives who never contributied anything to the business get gready for THEIR money.
Predatorocks
Thursday, May 21, 2009 3:38:03 AM
I'm shocked they aren't going to just try and sell it as it is. It's possible that some group of people can bid for a park that understands that this park makes money, and has enough attendance yearly. Just 2 years ago, Indiana Beach was bought out, and that park is in the order of size this park is. Hard Rock Park was bought out, but that was for much cheaper, and that park was a failure.

I really don't know who would buy most the stuff at this park. What park doesn't have a Merry-Go-Round? The Tornado's (other ones) are for sale, and I don't see many people buying them. The Polyp seems to be broken every year, or every other year, so why buy that? Scramblers seem to be at every amusement park, and it's not portable. The log flume isn't portable. Antique cars run on gas, and probably wouldn't be a hot seller. I don't think the ferris wheel is portable either. They have bumper cars that are awesome, but who needs non-portable bumper cars? I'm sure the train would go at least to a collector of trains.

I'm going to miss the park, but it would much better if it was still an amusement park instead of Super Wal-Mart even though I think Super Wal-Mart is pretty awesome, but put that store or whatever would come in there in a different location. (I'm not saying that Super Wal-Mart is taking over - just an example).

How about even a carnival company for the season go in there like Murphy Brothers was trying to do for Wild West World?
circusguy
Thursday, May 21, 2009 4:01:16 AM
Maybe there will be a NORTON Auction.
Rockowheel
  •  Rockowheel
  • 57.34% (Neutral)
  • Maintenance Supervisor Topic Starter
Thursday, May 21, 2009 7:54:05 AM
They are admitting on the news today that it is officially family infighting that has caused this. One part of the family has the lease on the land which Kiddieland sits, which runs out this year, and another part of the family owns all the assets, rides, etc. They can't come to an agreement so that's it. 81 years of entertaining millions of Chicagoans all going down the tubes because of a family disagreement. This is inexcusable. Period.
Scott
  •  Scott
  • 87% (Honored)
  • Operations Foreman
Thursday, May 21, 2009 3:46:29 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by circusguy

Maybe there will be a NORTON Auction.

[;)]
Scott
  •  Scott
  • 87% (Honored)
  • Operations Foreman
Thursday, May 21, 2009 3:47:31 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Predatorocks

I'm shocked they aren't going to just try and sell it as it is. It's possible that some group of people can bid for a park that understands that this park makes money, and has enough attendance yearly. Just 2 years ago, Indiana Beach was bought out, and that park is in the order of size this park is. Hard Rock Park was bought out, but that was for much cheaper, and that park was a failure.

I really don't know who would buy most the stuff at this park. What park doesn't have a Merry-Go-Round? The Tornado's (other ones) are for sale, and I don't see many people buying them. The Polyp seems to be broken every year, or every other year, so why buy that? Scramblers seem to be at every amusement park, and it's not portable. The log flume isn't portable. Antique cars run on gas, and probably wouldn't be a hot seller. I don't think the ferris wheel is portable either. They have bumper cars that are awesome, but who needs non-portable bumper cars? I'm sure the train would go at least to a collector of trains.

I'm going to miss the park, but it would much better if it was still an amusement park instead of Super Wal-Mart even though I think Super Wal-Mart is pretty awesome, but put that store or whatever would come in there in a different location. (I'm not saying that Super Wal-Mart is taking over - just an example).

How about even a carnival company for the season go in there like Murphy Brothers was trying to do for Wild West World?



ha ha .. man you sound like Micky Rooney on 60 minutes.
Ryan
  •  Ryan
  • 57.38% (Neutral)
  • Lot Foreman
Sunday, May 24, 2009 2:52:20 PM
read the story online if you can find one, father died, split the park up in the will, mom and one of the kids sued the other kids, some of the kids own the land with mom, and think the land is worth millions, other kids own physical assests in the park.......
www.modernmidways.com 
"If life was fair elvis would be alive and the impersonators would be dead"-carson
Ryan
  •  Ryan
  • 57.38% (Neutral)
  • Lot Foreman
Monday, May 25, 2009 8:29:34 PM
pics of the place

http://www.themeparkreview.com/...um/viewtopic.php?t=50807 
www.modernmidways.com 
"If life was fair elvis would be alive and the impersonators would be dead"-carson