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. Magic Forest Many lots share a common origin: the now long-defunct Danbury Fair in Danbury, Connecticut. We could see things in the woods by they are roped off. 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. $$ Photos See all photos Connect with Magic Forest on Facebook Log In or Create new account A very well run park. Uncle Sam is Out & Dinosaurs are The Gillettes bought so many items from the Danbury grounds, in fact, that at one point they were cut off. Get in Touch Things to Know Before Visiting Magic Forest How popular is Magic Forest? 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. After Ellsworth decided to take the park in a different direction, Gillette contacted Joel Baker, owner of the Muffler Man restoration company American Giants, to help facilitate the sale of all of those fiberglass figures. Magic Forest She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. It's perfect. You just dont get that opportunity every day, says Baker. The former safari area will see the most changes. when we went santa wasn't there and hadn't been for days. RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. The Muffler Mena Paul Bunyan, a Mortimer Snerd, a clown, and Pecos Billwere among the first items to sell. Gillettes own connection to the Danbury Fair comes from a family background in show business. Reddit Staff throughout park are great with the kids and very friendly! Hours and dates subject to change. Having trouble using this site? It opened in 2019, and incorporates the Magic Forest, which opened in 1963, along with a new attraction entitled Dino Roar Valley. All four of us had a really awesome day. The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. The Magic Forest, a storybook amusement park located in Lake George, New York, looked abandoned for years before it officially closed. Get expert advice, handpicked recommendations, and tips for your family all year round! Magic Forest (Lake George) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, Hotels near House of Frankenstein Wax Museum, Hotels near SUNY Adirondack Community College Queensbury, NY, Adrenaline & Extreme Tours in Lake George, Game & Entertainment Centers in Lake George, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Lake George, Maui Nui Luau at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, St Maarten Sailing and Snorkeling to St Barts, Bryce Canyon National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour, Paris Tootbus Discovery Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, Adirondack Cottage, Escape, Relax, and Enjoy, View all hotels near Magic Forest on Tripadvisor, View all restaurants near Magic Forest on Tripadvisor. 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. Anyone know if I will be towed for parking there after hours? The park is very clean and the employees are patient and friendly. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. Magic Forest WebYour visit to the park will be a walking tour; for our visitors with mobility difficulties, we will provide alternative means. Returning the statue to its original home was part of the deal. The stable and manger are not in use. Gillettes over 700 nostalgic lots are all up for the bidding now, and can be seen in-person by appointment. WebLake George Expedition Park is an amusement park located in Lake George, NY along Route 9. Magic Forest 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. Prices range from a few hundred dollars into the tens of thousands. Is the park recommend for children 7-10 years old? Lake George Expedition Park - Magic Forest One family contacted him about a fiberglass teddy bear. Embark on a ride that will take you sky high or take the scenic route through the forest on our park train. 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. 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. Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions 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). 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. There is so much potential to this park. Lake George Expedition Its also shady as it is indeed in a forest. Will go again when were in the area. Statues from Magic Forest in Lake George are up for sale. I thought it was really just time to get it out of their way, Gilette said in a phone interview on Thursday. The creepy part is the statues. Magic Forest Magic Forest is the park of your childhood dreams! 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. One, a giant clown, has to be the most remodeled MM in the world. The other is a Happy Halfwit with an Amish beard and hat, holding an ax just opposite the Little Miss Muffet display. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. 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. Hes believed to be the largest Uncle Sam statue in the world. 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. All the classic cautionary tales are here, displayed in miniature within wooden shelters, or lurking in the woods along serpentine trails. Gilette was something of a collector, amassing his estimated over 700 items over decades while running Magic Forest, which first opened in 1963. He says to me, Do you know Charlie Woods? Contents 1 Magic Forest 2 Dino Roar Valley 3 References 4 External links Magic Forest [ edit] 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. WebCompare 721 hotels close to Magic Forest Park with room rates, reviews, and availability. Again the kids enjoyed itand that is the most important part. When I visited the Magic Forest in 2015, the woman at the ticket counter tried to dissuade ustwo adults with nary a child in sightfrom entering. This park is a cute stop and great for small kids without the meltdowns that come with large parks when theyre beyond exhausted. Restoration specialists will be working to spruce him up from the wear and tear hes endured over the years. Water available for sale all throughout. Dino Roar Valley is so fun its prehistoric! Learn more about Roadpass accounts here. Magic Forest UPDATE 06/2019: The Magic Forest has been taken over by new owners and is now known as the Lake George Expedition Park. Was wondering about parking at magic forest theme park (parking is free) and taking the trolley to great escape. We are located on the seasonal Greater Glens Falls Transit Trolley route. 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. Magic Forest Park His father and uncle started a carnival together. That means the array of memories up for auction come from a variety of other fairs, carnivals and fun lands. Take time to enjoy the rides - the merry-go-round, you-drive car track, sail in the boats, and others. Best Western of Lake George 2452 State Route 9N, Lake George, NY, 12845 $77 per night Mar 1 - Mar 2 Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Lake George. "His head is the way we got him. 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. Is this worth it for a 2 year old? Ever. Close. But its hard not to become despondent and dig in your heels when it feels as if the world you love is rapidly disappearing. Magic Forest Lake George It was clean, very clean. Get in Touch Things to Know Before Visiting Magic Forest How popular is Magic Forest? 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. Also cant beat the setting, they are carefully dispersed through a beautiful forest. Get in Touch Things to Know Before Visiting Magic Forest How popular is Magic Forest? Luckily, anyone with the money and means to drive to Lake George can still own a piece of history. Most of them sit at a starting price of $25. More, Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. RoadsideAmerica.comYour Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. 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. $$ - $$$ American Steakhouse Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ Italian Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$ - $$$ American Bar Vegetarian Friendly, $ American Diner Vegetarian Friendly, $ American Cafe Vegetarian Friendly, Points of Interest & Landmarks Civic Centres. 8.6 Fabulous 813 reviews Price from 102 per night Check availability Best Western of Lake George Since putting those larger fiberglass statues up for sale in 2019, Gillette says hes been impressed over and over by the kindness and care of the interested buyers hes met along the way. Kids enjoyed it a lot. Cookies are used for measurement, ads, and optimization. WebExperience a journey through time. Two Muffler Men are particularly disturbing. The theme park reopened in 2019 with a new owner and a new name: Lake George Expedition Park. Magic Forest It wasn't the least bit crowded and they would run the rides for just our two granddaughters. I think that you would probably be towed. One, a giant clown, has to be the most remodeled MM in the world. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Lake George Expedition Park - Magic Forest Magic Forest enchanted forest water safari where the fun never stops is up in old forge, this place was near Lake George. He says that all of the figures lived diverseand sometimes manypast lives before they came to the Magic Forest. $$ Photos See all photos Connect with Magic Forest on Facebook Log In or Create new account Magic Forest Visit Family Vacation Critic on Facebook! Start here.Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! When Gillette came back down to Danbury, intending to pick up the last of what he had already paid for, he caught the seller while he was still in a bad mood from that conversation. 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 hope the utilize this theme in the fall. The only thing that I was disappointed in is the fact that the dinosaur are on a section that you have to walk done a steep section and up again therefore my sister and I couldn't go down. Anyone who wants to be one of Gillettes next buyers has a month to do it. Are you associated with this business? Love the nostalgia of Magic Forest and really like the new Dino Roar Valley addition. 10am5pm | 7 Days a Week Both are protected with Clear Coat, as are all the statues in the Magic Forest. All stuff geared towards Christmas which also explains the Christmas songs played in the mix of music. Went there with 3 toddlers and spent almost 4 hours. For other uses, see, "Dinosaurs coming to Lake George this summer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_George_Expedition_Park&oldid=1074053798, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2022, at 04:51. As a separate park, it featured the largest Uncle Sam statue in the world (as of May 9, 2019, the statue has since moved back home to Danbury, CT), a magic show, and cottages and attractions which tell the story of the Three Little Pigs, Jack Sprat, Hansel and Gretel, various princesses, Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, the Statue of Liberty, and the Spider Man. Memories of Magic Forest up for auction The 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam has been returned to its original location in Danbury, Connecticut. Copyright 1996-2023 Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, Mike Wilkins. 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. 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Magic Forest I have no place to store it, he said. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission. "Magic Forest" redirects here. Rides were available for all ages and the Dino roar exhibits were entertaining as much as they were informative. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. They came from Woodys Fiberglass in Tennessee, Bensons Wild Animal Farm in New Hampshire, a mini-golf course in Ohio, and the Danbury Fair in Connecticut. May 28 - June 26 Muffler Men and fiberglass figures are notorious for moving around the country. Is there a live Santa the kids can visit with? There was this crazy little tiny squirrel that was literally the smallest figure I listed and everyone wanted that thing, he says. Information is subject to change. 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. The pace has slowed, but each week he continues to get inquiries. 92% of travelers recommend this experience. All of that was fine. The rides are very old school, and my kids. The park was somewhat enjoyable but I would not return because of the use of the animal in this manner, and it ruined our time at the park. 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. 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. Along the shaded trails, attractions feature fairy tale characters like Hansel and Gretel and Paul Bunyan. WebMagic Forest Route 9, Lake George, NY Best For: Infants 0-2 Little Kids 3-6 Big Kids 7-9 Tweens 10-12 Teens 13-17 Best suited for the very young, or anyone with a penchant for quirky roadside attractions, this small amusement park opened in Ronald McDonald Vacation Home Coming to Lake George, Check Out Weekend Events With Barrel Fest & More in Lake George, Dont Miss Your Last Chance for Winter Carnival & Ice Bar Fun in Lake George, Winter Carnivals, Fireworks & Fun: See Whats Happening in Lake George This Weekend, Get Into a Valentines Day Mood in Lake George This Weekend, Bundle Up for All the Frozen Fun Going On Around Lake George This Weekend. 7.1/10 Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. 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! The next button will take you to Roadpass to create a free Roadpass account and finish the process. Two Muffler Men are particularly disturbing. Yes, it is small and management is aware it needs work. I was especially concerned about "Lightening" the diving horse. Information 1912 US Route 9 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-7627 Memorial Day - October Visit Website Posted in Family Fun, Group Attractions The Dinosaur park is amazing!! WebExperience a journey through time. She doesn't understand our concern, and is probably wondering why grown men traveling without children are in her park in the first place. We did go early in the season. 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. Just perfect for grandparents with two little ones 5 and 6. We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors. She dreams of visiting every state in the U.S. and will always stop for a Muffler Man. For Military (Vets, Active, Retired) 2 dollars off the price of admission.