He kept my kids entertained the whole show and that is a true magic trick. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. Almost all of the quirky attractions of Magic Forest described below -- including the diving horse, the gigantic Uncle Sam, and the Muffler Men -- have been removed. We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates. Plenty of parking. Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. The former Magic Forest amusement park, located at the corner of Route 9 and Bloody Pond Road, has since shed the towering fiberglass giants that once loomed over its parking lot. For what he does for them, that poor guy is not taken care of very well in return (matted mane, hooves not properly trimmed, SMALL paddock that he is just put back into after his dive, soken wet), and he doesn't seem to enjoy what he's made to do. Officials ended up tipping Uncle Sam onto a 40-foot flatbed truck, and had to remove one of his hands to avoid it getting torn off by a bridge along the route. A bean pole droops, a gingerbread house caves in, a Humpty Dumpty falls one last time. Gillette sold Magic Forest in Lake George in 2019 and retired. WebLake George, New York. "His head is the way we got him. Plan your journey, find amazing places, and take fascinating detours with our app. Sign up for our newsletter & stay up to date. When the Fair went out of business, Jack Gillette bought him in April 1982 (along with dozens of other statues) and stood him in the Magic Forest parking lot. I was impressed by the amount of original International Fiberglass figures there, Baker says. I was there last week nothing was unsafe it is one of the best children's parks around. Its a miracle that the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, outlived its expiration date by several yearsmaybe even decadesbut nothing lasts forever. Modern amusement parks just cant compete with the thrill we got when we realizedperhaps too latethat our body weight was testing the load-bearing limits of one of five rides said to accommodate adults. Not for family but for the individual. Amazing! Restoration specialists will be working to spruce him up from the wear and tear hes endured over the years. Its a great park to bring the kids without the stress of a typical amusement park (parents, youll understand what I mean). Dino Roar Valley is so fun its prehistoric! He cataloged the items, helped set prices, and listed them on his website. The Magic Forest, a storybook amusement park located in Lake George, New York, looked abandoned for years before it officially closed. Actually, that helps to explain a lot about this place. WebCompare 721 hotels close to Magic Forest Park with room rates, reviews, and availability. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Visitors passing through the garish fairyland entrance building are inundated with choices, as paths curve away into clusters of statues, rides and brightly painted cottages. Take your kids to the Magic Forest to let them have a perfect time in this retro themed amusement park filled with around 25 fun rides including the kiddie rides that are perfect for both the toddlers and the older kids. One family contacted him about a fiberglass teddy bear. For just $12,000, you can literally be the old lady who lived in a (20-foot-tall) shoeold lady and five fiberglass children included. Prices range from a few hundred dollars into the tens of thousands. Jack Collins is slated to be the General Manager and COO of the new park; he brings experience working as the General Manager of the Great Escape and has also consulted with Santas Workshop in Wilmington. The park collected hundreds of fiberglass figures through the years, sourced from the Danbury Fair, mini-golf courses, and other amusement parks. WebMagic Forest - Lake George Expedition Park FUN TO MAKE YOU SOAR Enter a world of nostalgia and wonder Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! [1] Magic Forest also has a small petting zoo where children can feed the animals. Sometimes I wonder if we really saw Lightning, the last remaining diving horse in the country, take his famous (and some may say inhumane) dive twice the day we visited, or if it was all a mirage. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. Gillette can be reached at 518-895-8150 to schedule an appointment. more, A family fun park, in the Adirondacks, that features 25 amusement rides, including the Safari Ride, plus live animal performances, magic shows and the ever-popular "Rex the Diving Horse. I have no place to store it, he said. I was especially concerned about "Lightening" the diving horse. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. It was an amazing collection of original piecesthe largest I knew to exist.. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. Still gives me creeps every night to look back on it. Posted by 3 years ago. But then there is a whole dinosaur park with animatronic dinosaurs throughout the forest. Best suited for the very young, or anyone with a penchant for quirky roadside attractions, this small amusement park opened in 1963, and retains some of its retro charm. Yes. This was very nastalgic for us because the rides here were bought from different parks over the years and brought to this one. Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions I think that you would probably be towed. But we bet this up close encounter will come back in someone's nightmares. Uncle Sam is 38 feet tall and formerly stood at the Danbury Fairgrounds in Connecticut. The magic show by Jimmy Brown was incredible, full of laughs, both of my girls got to go on stage and participate. Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you when you hit the road! Ever. All stuff geared towards Christmas which also explains the Christmas songs played in the mix of music. Was wondering about parking at magic forest theme park (parking is free) and taking the trolley to great escape. tourist attractions and odd sights in New York, World's Highest and Longest Pedestrian Bridge. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. Most hotels are fully refundable. I thought it was really just time to get it out of their way, Gilette said in a phone interview on Thursday. live santa only comes out when the weather isn't too hot. Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in New York. There are plenty of unnerving fairy tale statues along the wooded trails of Magic Forest -- an impressive collection of contorted bodies, asymmetrical faces, weird leers, and bulging eyes. Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. Tall tales, trip guides, and the weird and wonderful. In addition to Danbury Fair and Carson City, other items come from places like Lake Georges own Gaslight Village; Charles R. Woods Story Town; as well as amusement parks with names like Animal Land, Hoffmans Play Land and Land of Make Believe. Also cant beat the setting, they are carefully dispersed through a beautiful forest. Magic Forest probably has the longest running permanent "Diving Horse" show since Atlantic City's Steel Pier burned down. All rights reserved. WebMagic Forest 3.5 461 #10 of 27 things to do in Lake George Amusement & Theme Parks Closed now 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Visit website Call Write a review About A family fun park, in the Adirondacks, that features 25 amusement rides, including the Safari Ride, plus live animal performances, magic shows and the ever-popular "Rex the Diving Horse." Our website found buyers who truly have a passion for saving these kinds of things.. Again the kids enjoyed itand that is the most important part. Try My Sights, Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. Contents 1 Magic Forest 2 Dino Roar Valley 3 References 4 External links Magic Forest [ edit] WebLake George (0.7 miles from Magic Forest) Situated off Interstate 87 and set in the heart of the Adirondack Park Preserve, this Holiday Inn Resort Lake George offers indoor and outdoor pools and an on-site restaurant and lounge. WebMagic Forest - Lake George Expedition Park FUN TO MAKE YOU SOAR Enter a world of nostalgia and wonder Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. About 20 dioramas -- accompanied by audio at the push of a button -- bring to life the Three Little Pigs, Jack Sprat, Hansel & Gretel, assorted princesses and woodsmen Magic Forest opened in 1963, the brainchild of Arthur Gillette, who wisely built his fairyland along a major highway (Route 9) and just south of the town of Lake George, a magnet for summertime and weekend crowds from New York City. No masks were required even for the kids as it's all outside. There are adult rides and family rides too. The Magic Forest was originally opened in 1963 by Arthur Gillette. In the beginning, I was getting over 30 emails a day, he says. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. The park's famous Santa Claus overlooks the parking lot. 100% of travelers recommend this experience. 3. He says that all of the figures lived diverseand sometimes manypast lives before they came to the Magic Forest. We are located on the seasonal Greater Glens Falls Transit Trolley route. Theyve added Dino valley and are working on updates around magic forest. Transferring the giant statue from Lake George to Danbury, roughly a three hour ride, was reportedly difficult. For as long as I live, I wont forget how it felt to teeter on the brink of death, slowly ascending on a rickety Ferris wheel that appeared to have been built from the mismatched pieces of a garage sale Erector set. Copyright 1996-2023 Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, Mike Wilkins. In fact, kids seem oblivious to the creepiness of this place, and so do the adults, for that matter. Are you associated with this business? Rides were available for all ages and the Dino roar exhibits were entertaining as much as they were informative. All the classic cautionary tales are here, displayed in miniature within wooden shelters, or lurking in the woods along serpentine trails. The train ride was a Diesel engine that kept throwing black smoke in our faces, and at the end of it the animation & recording say that they are going to blow the train up, which really scared our 5 year old son. And how the Magic Forest park will be incorporated into this new park? The World's Largest Uncle Sam looms in the center of the parking lot, and other friendly icons beckon from the heavily wooded knoll where the Magic Forest lives. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud. The Muffler Mena Paul Bunyan, a Mortimer Snerd, a clown, and Pecos Billwere among the first items to sell. Explore the unknown as you traverse the Dino Nest and uncover the world sleeping beneath our feet as you excavate colossal dinosaurs in the Fossil Dig Site. Pass on this one. I didnt want to go to six flags or another big park that would take the entire day waiting in lines. Hes come to the buyers, too. They had visited the Magic Forest for years and always taken their kids photo with that particular bear. The former Magic Forest amusement park, located at the corner of Route 9 and Bloody Pond Road, has since shed the towering fiberglass giants that once loomed over its parking lot. I was buying stuff and bringing it back up here and just putting it in my parking lot, wherever I could, Gillette recounted. RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. 92% of travelers recommend this experience. By continuing to use our site you agree to ourprivacy policy. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. The park is almost completed shaded. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. But the future doesnt have to be dark for analog attractions like the Magic Forest: I feel like disappearing Americana is not as much a problem as it was just 10 years ago, Baker says. When the Fair went out of business, Jack Gillette bought him in April 1982 (along with dozens of other statues) and stood him in the Magic Forest parking lot. My husband told me he was creeped out & felt like the statues were following is with their eyes. Its fiberglass figures had long ago dug in their collective heelsand hoovesas the world evolved around them. Its also shady as it is indeed in a forest. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George We have an awkward moment -- not uncommon for us -- when we ask a passing manager why the grimacing, Amishized Alfred E. Neuman holds an ax. Our son loved it and so did we, will definitely be back! Simple fun and a great day. All the classic cautionary tales are here, displayed in miniature within wooden shelters, or lurking in the woods along serpentine trails. The worlds largest Uncle Sam statue greets you in the parking lot. Baker first visited the park in 2012 while he was researching Muffler Men (the park had four). Attraction status, hours and prices change without notice; call ahead! Not the first time for the boys. WebMagic Forest Address: 1912 U.S. 9, Lake George, NY 12845, USA, United States Magic Forest Contact Number: +1-5186682448 Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary! We left & renamed it "bizzaro world". Then there are the fairy tale worlds blessed with good fortune, as if every child who ever visited used up a secret wish on its behalf. 51. It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. WebExperience a journey through time. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Along the shaded trails, attractions feature fairy tale characters like Hansel and Gretel and Paul Bunyan. More, National Cryptologic Museum, Annapolis Junction, Maryland (Feb 27-Mar 5, 2023). I have no place to store it, he said. ClickSwipe through our gallery for a preview of everything there is to explore when you visit Magic Forest. "Magic Forest" redirects here. The best animatronic dinosaurs Ive ever seen, better than the Bronx zoo and several other parks weve been too. Rides are fun and seeing Santa was really great! Will go again when were in the area. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. Get in Touch Things to Know Before Visiting Magic Forest How popular is Magic Forest? Id gladly trade a few more brain cells to take that so-called safari ride again and spend a few more precious moments with the mangy menagerie of animals scattered throughout the woods. Baker is surprisingly sanguine as he watches the collection split up and scatter around the country. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. The day we were there, a summer camp group was there and they had their own food item stored in coolers. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. I didnt want to go to six flags or another big park that would take the entire day waiting in lines. We did go early in the season. Posted by 3 years ago. They first went 3 years ago. However, not long after, Gillette got another chance; all thanks, unknowingly, to another local entertainer, whose name lives on in nearby Glens Falls. Ruben Ellsworth, owner of Ellsworth & Son Excavating in Fort Ann, purchased the Magic Forest amusement park from the Gillette family, who has operated the park for nearly 60 years. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. A lion-head drinking fountain (and lion-head trash can), a caveman family, Ma and Pa Kettle, an Esso tiger, a 15-foot Santa, a one-hump camel, a skull, and several other pieces are still up for sale. Magic Forest probably has the longest running permanent "Diving Horse" show since Atlantic City's Steel Pier burned down. $$ Photos See all photos Connect with Magic Forest on Facebook Log In or Create new account I am very grateful to the Magic Forest for essentially saving all this original fiberglass all these years, and also for calling us rather than an auction house who could care less about anything other than the money, says Baker. The pace has slowed, but each week he continues to get inquiries. Gillette sold Magic Forest in Lake George in 2019 and retired. A bit dirty, rides seem OLD and somewhat banged up, and the animals are not taken care of very well (they seem well fed but cages are dirty and small). Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Train ride wasn't running which was disappointing. WebMagic Forest (Gone) Lake George, New York The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. Anyone who wants to be one of Gillettes next buyers has a month to do it. I even went as far as Kansas this summer, and everybody I have met has been nice, friendly and very appreciative. You may have heard about a new, dinosaur-themed park coming to Lake George, but do you know whats happened to the iconic Uncle Sam statue? Get in Touch Things to Know Before Visiting Magic Forest How popular is Magic Forest? One, a giant clown, has to be the most remodeled MM in the world. WebStatues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. WebMagic Forest Address: 1912 U.S. 9, Lake George, NY 12845, USA, United States Magic Forest Contact Number: +1-5186682448 Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary! Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Fun for the kids and nostalgic for us babyboomers! The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. 95% of travelers recommend this experience. The train ride was quite fun. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Actually, that helps to explain a lot about this place. Please alert us if there is any inaccurate information here. The Dinosaur park is amazing!! Are rides being disinfected after each use? The dark, woodsy allure of classic fairy tales is part of Magic Forest's charm. The creepy part is the statues. Most of these giants had already stood at a handful of locations before coming here so it is not surprising they are on the move again.. We could see things in the woods by they are roped off. Although they eventually paid the ultimate price, maybe the lesson is that we should celebrate the parks existence and persistenceand not ignore the consequences of resolutely resisting change. The Gillettes bought so many items from the Danbury grounds, in fact, that at one point they were cut off. Explore the unknown as you traverse the Dino Nest and uncover the world sleeping beneath our feet as you excavate colossal dinosaurs in the Fossil Dig Site. Rex the Diving Horse leaped on cue into a pool for many years; now his son, Lightning, takes the plunge twice a day. There are plenty of unnerving fairy tale statues along the wooded trails of Magic Forest -- an impressive collection of contorted bodies, asymmetrical faces, weird leers, and bulging eyes. Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. There are also a petting zoo, magic shows, and stunt shows with the last remaining diving horse, Lightning. Kids enjoyed it a lot. Contents 1 Magic Forest 2 Dino Roar Valley 3 References 4 External links Magic Forest [ edit] The it in questions runs the amusement part gamut, from typical equipment like a heater and a store product stand to any number of stranger things. 3. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. Soon we will require you to update your account to a Roadpass account as it will be the only way to log in to Roadtrippers. For Everything Lake George, It's On LakeGeorge.com, LakeGeorge.com All Rights Reserved 2023, Uncle Sam is Out & Dinosaurs are In at the Magic Forest, Find more amusement parks and attractions in Lake George >>. By that point, Gillettes father had broken off from the fair to found Carson City, an amusement park in the Catskills themed around the American wild west, and which also has relics in the auction lot. This used to be Santa's Workshop and they've kept parts of it. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. Exhibits like Cinderellas Castle and Santas House as well as the snack bar and the gift shop are also great. The Magic Forest felt like it was from a different time not only physically, but spiritually. Web1912 State Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 Visit Site Adirondacks Region Details Since 1963, Magic Forest has entertained young park goers and their families, creating memories for all. This place is great! Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions Hundreds of fiberglass figures strewn about the heavily-wooded park were faded by decades of sun and exposure to the elements, covered in spider webs and other forest detritus. Undeterred, we assured her that we were willing participants in the charade that the park was still a viable tourist destination. We couldn't find an existing Roadtrippers account using that service. My son had nightmares for a few days after that. 10am5pm | 7 Days a Week The fella Im buying stuff from says, We gotta leave some stuff for the auction.'. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Fear not, Magic Forest lovers the new Lake George Expedition Park will be adding onto the Magic Forest park along Route 9 between Lake George and Queensbury. Jack Gillette, the longtime owner of Magic Forest, initially purchased Uncle Sam (and other pieces) at auction from the Danbury Fair decades ago when the fair closed its doors in 1981. The use of the diving horse is not nor should it be an attraction for children or adults. My guess is that you can, but I'd ask at the entrance. This place is great if you are into any of the following, all others beware: Unsafe broken rides, uneducated senior citizens running rides, creepy overall, sad use and abuse of a horse forced to walk up an inclosure and dive down into a pool multiple times a day, dirty sad animals in cages, safari train ride of ceramic animal heads with choking fumes from extremely slow moving ride, permanent carnival. These are rides that we as children went on growing up and rides we brought our children to go on when they were little but at different amusement parks. Mixed among the dioramas are giant statues of American icons, several of them reworked Muffler Men: Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, Smokey Bear, the Statue of Liberty, a big Indian, a couple of space-walking astronauts. All rights reserved. 7.1/10 Many lots share a common origin: the now long-defunct Danbury Fair in Danbury, Connecticut. The women at the snack bar were putting together a puzzle in between filling orders, and when we found that the gift shop had closed before the park did, they allowed us to come back the next day (for free) to shop for souvenirs. The former safari area will see the most changes. The magic finally ran out last year when longtime owner Jack Gillette sold the park to a local contractor, Ruben Ellsworth. Enjoy the 20 minute train ride to watch the life-size animal statues with kids. Love that it is geared for younger kids and that all of the vintage rides have a brief history displayed. Its different, he said. 51. All four of us had a really awesome day. The rides are very old school, and my kids. The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. tourist attractions and odd sights in New York, World's Highest and Longest Pedestrian Bridge. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George We have a couple of similar parks here in NH that are WAY ahead of Magic Forest. WebLake George Expedition Park is an amusement park located in Lake George, NY along Route 9. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. WebMagic Forest 3.5 461 #10 of 27 things to do in Lake George Amusement & Theme Parks Closed now 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Visit website Call Write a review About A family fun park, in the Adirondacks, that features 25 amusement rides, including the Safari Ride, plus live animal performances, magic shows and the ever-popular "Rex the Diving Horse." You just dont get that opportunity every day, says Baker. A very well run park. Most hotels are fully refundable. Probably nowhere else is the disturbing world of children's' fairy tales brought to life more vividly. Since putting those larger fiberglass statues up for sale in 2019, Gillette says hes been impressed over and over by the kindness and care of the interested buyers hes met along the way. Read on to find out the details. Jimmy Brown the magician is fantastic and I love that they have Santa there. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission. She dreams of visiting every state in the U.S. and will always stop for a Muffler Man. UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. One, a giant clown, has to be the most remodeled MM in the world. The majority of the items have now sold and most of the well-known, larger items are gonelike the big animals and Muffler Menbut there are still plenty of items online for those that are interested.. Dino Roar Valley is so fun its prehistoric! She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. Start here.Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip. A bean pole droops, a gingerbread house caves in, a Humpty Dumpty falls one last time. So many rides. The stable and manger are not in use. 51. Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. Many recycled rides from other parks. Jimmys magic show was the highlight of our visit. Get a piece of your childhood now! The sale began last November, and Baker was shocked with the level of interest. LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) Up until just a couple years ago, a drive up Route 9 toward the village of Lake George would take visitors past, among other things, Paul Bunyan and Uncle Sam. This place was perfect for my 4 and 6 year old. Before Chuck E. Cheese, video games, Six Flags, or Disney World, parks like the Magic Forest used to be the place to take your kids. One account for all of our road travel apps. Almost all of the quirky attractions of Magic Forest described below -- including the diving horse, the gigantic Uncle Sam, and the Muffler Men -- have been removed. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! Sometimes, Baker would get ten emails expressing interest in a single item before he could even list it as sold. Visitors passing through the garish fairyland entrance building are inundated with choices, as paths curve away into clusters of statues, rides and brightly painted cottages. Food is cheap. They were nice. WebExperience a journey through time. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. With magically delicious food and shows so good you wont believe your eyes, one trip to the Magic Forest will have you checking for vacancies in the Old Womans shoe. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Magic Forest is one, aided by a combination of prime location and classic clean kid fun. Trip Planning Caution: RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. Most fairy tale theme parks eventually suffer the fate of a fabled cursed kingdom. Like most relics of another time, however, these low-tech parksif they still exist at allare becoming harder to find. This was our first time. Having trouble using this site? A great park. WebMagic Forest (Gone) Lake George, New York The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Today, many roar obliviously north on the interstate, but enough families exit to keep MF hopping, under the management of Arthur's successor, Jack Gillette, since 1988.