Top 13+ Nostalgic Photos of Vintage Amusement Parks

Amusement parks have been providing tons of fun for visitors of all ages for decades. Although amusement parks have roots that date all the way back to the “pleasure gardens” of the 1500s, these attractions really began to take off in the early 1900s when it seemed as if every major city in the country had at least a few of them. These parks were, and remain, places where people can hang out with friends, enjoy rides, and play games. Not to mention, they also usually have some pretty delicious food, like cotton candy, funnel cake, and ice cream.

If you’re interested in seeing what amusement parks looked like decades ago, read ahead. From old shots of Disneyland dating back over 50 years to now-defunct spots that will forever be remembered, here are 13 nostalgic photos of amusement parks. These may just make you want to ride a rollercoaster or hop on a carousel in your near future.

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

Here’s an aerial 1940s shot of some of Coney Island’s popular rides at the time, including the Virginia Reel roller coaster, one of ten that were made, and the Whirlaway.

2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

A New Jersey couple can be seen here standing next to the Tunnel of Love at Palisades Amusement Park.

3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

Two models strike a pose while standing on the carousel at Rockaways Playland in New York City. The beloved amusement park, which was open for over 80 years, was shut down in 1986 and demolished for condos.

4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

A mother joins her children on the Haunted Castle ride at Beverly Park Kiddieland in Los Angeles during the 1950s. The amusement park was open from 1943 until 1974 and was said to have inspired Walt Disney.

5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

Disneyland’s Storybook Land Canal Boat, pictured here in 1956, allows visitors to go through a miniature-sized version of some of their favorite Disney story locations. Some featured places are the quaint English village from Alice in Wonderland, Agrabah from Aladdin, and the mountaintop castle from Cinderella.

6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

Princess Margaretha of Sweden, Princess Margaretha of Denmark (who was crowned Queen), and Princess Astrid of Norway rode the teacups at Disneyland together in 1960.

7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

One of Tomorrowland’s amusement park characters poses for a photo in front of a ride in 1963.

8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

Two children wait to get on a carousel at Hershey Park in the 1960s. The candy-themed amusement park opened in 1906.

9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

In 1975, 17-year-old Michael Bondley, shown here, rode the Cyclone at Coney Island in Brooklyn a whopping 1,001 times over 45 hours.

10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

New Jersey’s boardwalk amusement parks have always been a fun place to hop on rides, pick up festival treats, and play games.

11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

A group screams while riding the Loch Ness Monster roller coaster at Busch Gardens in the early 1980s. The ride opened in 1978 and was deemed a landmark by the American Roller Coaster Enthusiasts organization.

12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

Paragon Park, situated on Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts, was open from 1905 to 1984.

13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

1) 1948: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 2) 1949: Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, NJ, 3) 1950: Rockaways Playland, Rockaway Beach, NY, 4) 1955: Beverly Park Kiddieland, Los Angeles, CA, 5) 1956: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 6) 1960: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 7) 1963: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, 8) 1965: Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, 9) 1975: Luna Park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY, 10) 1978: Morey’s and Hunt’s Piers, Wildwood, NJ, 11) 1981: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 12) 1985: Paragon Park, Hull, MA, 13) 1987: Disneyland, Anaheim, CA

The famous It’s A Small World ride, which a family is pictured here on their way to in the 1980s, was first launched at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. Walt Disney was such a fan of the ride that he had it shipped over to his California amusement park in 1966.

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