Nothing invokes child-like joy and excitement more than a visit to a theme park. The decorations, food variety, and fun rides are all worth the experience.
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, and some of these amusement parks fall to ruin and disrepair. It becomes a spooky adventure for those who dare visit these abandoned locations.
The 7 Spooky Abandoned Theme Parks In The World
The typical features of all the spooky abandoned theme parks worldwide are dilapidated buildings, rusty roller coasters, and overgrown food stands.
Although these abandoned theme parks have lost their glory, people visit them to capture images of their eerie silence.
If you want a one-of-a-kind tour, here is a list of 7 spooky abandoned theme parks worldwide.
1. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, West Virginia-USA
The creepy old clown structure and the chill at Lake Shawnee are enough to send shivers down your spine.
Although the Park is quiet and peaceful, it has a spooky effect on visitors due to the overgrown grass on the structures.
Visitors love to take daytime and nighttime tours before Halloween, but you can stop by anytime.
When you visit, the local tour guide will ask you to leave a respect and peace offering to the Shawnee people.
As a result, old toys and dolls are scattered all over, left by visitors for the children that died on the land.
Fun Facts about Lake Shawnee Amusement Park
- The Park began operations in 1926 and closed in the early 80s due to high insurance costs.
- It was a burial site in the 1700s for over 3,000 Native Americans, the Shawnee tribe.
- The first English settler, the Clay family, in the late 1700s, lost three children to murder by the tribe.
- Two children died when the Park was in operation. A girl on one of the swings and a boy who drowned in the artificial lake.
- Lake Shawnee’s grounds have appeared in hundreds of films and TV shows. The numerous deaths on the property cause visitors to believe the Park is haunted.
- The Park remains private property, and guided tours are available all year by some staff that worked there when it was operational.
What to expect when you visit
If you want to participate in their Halloween carnival and tours, ensure you buy a ticket in advance.
In addition, overnight visits can be fun, so if you dare, consider camping on-site or booking a nearby hotel.
2. Pripyat Amusement Park, Pripyat-Ukraine
Besides being a reminder of the worst nuclear disaster, the history of this modern model town never happened.
Pripyat Amusement Park lies abandoned, with all its attractions remaining intact.
The bumper cars and Ferris wheel that were never ridden are frozen in time, gathering rust and overgrown grass around them.
After the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion, the area was evacuated, and the Park is considered to have some radiation.
Visitors to the Park must avoid touching anything and stay away from any unsafe zones.
Fun Facts about Pripyat Amusement Park
- The Park was never officially opened as the nuclear plant explosion happened five days before its official opening ceremony in May 1986.
- The school next door remains intact, with gas masks and books scattered over the floors.
- The soil in the Park and surrounding areas still has radiation and will remain so for years.
What to expect when you visit
If you want close and affordable accommodation, stay at the backpacker’s hostel in Kyiv, which offers park tours.
The Pripyat Park tour package also includes the rest of the buildings, the school, the homes, and the hospital.
However, you cannot enter any of these buildings as the structures are unstable.
While you may also visit the Chernobyl site, tourists must stay clear of the number 4 nuclear reactor.
The government still considers the area contaminated, and at the end of the tour, every visitor will undergo radiation screening.
3. Ho Thuy Tien Water Park, Hue-Vietnam
The Ho Thuy Tien water park opened its doors in 2004. But it was closed shortly after, and the reasons are a mystery.
Speculations say it was due to safety concerns, but no one has the facts.
Access to the Park today is more complicated than it was several years ago, as it is guarded throughout.
Fun Facts about Ho Thuy Tien Water Park
- The dragon building is the most visited area despite it being off-bounds.
- There was an aquarium inside the building that has since been removed.
- The view of the lake from the dragon’s mouth is breathtaking.
What to expect when you visit
The best way to visit is to drive there. However, you will pay a parking fee outside the main entrance, and the guards may allow you to enter or decline.
If you are lucky to access the Park, avoid climbing over the water slides, as they are unstable from years of neglect.
4. Spreepark, Berlin-Germany
Shut down in 2002, Spreepark was once a hub of entertainment with numerous children’s rides and large dinosaur-like statues.
Today, the Park remains abandoned, with the attractions getting lost in the overgrowth of grass and shrubs.
Fun Facts about Spreepark
- The 1991 park operator, Norbert White, was charged with criminal activities. He was caught smuggling cocaine together with the Park’s equipment.
- In 2014, the Park caught fire due to arson leading to the construction of a new fence and permanent guards.
- Today, the Park is owned by the city of Berlin, which intends to transform it into a cultural arts center.
What to expect when you visit
You can access the Park easily from Berlin City by train to Planterwald station. Once you get to the site, the guards will guide you in purchasing a ticket.
Alternatively, use a tour company, as they also have weekend visits.
5. Dadipark, Antwerp-Belgium
Opened in 1950 by a local pastor for children visiting the church, the playground became a theme park in the 80s.
The 800m suspension bridge was the longest in Europe, bringing millions of visitors to the Park.
However, due to poor maintenance of the children’s rides, accidents became common, with the worst being in 2000 when a boy lost an arm.
After that, numerous safety complaints led to low visitor turnout and its closure in 2002.
Fun Facts about Dadipark
- Several companies have attempted to revive the Park, but regulations and the costs required hinder them.
- In 2012, demolition of the Park began, and what remains is a shell of the original Dadipark.
- It is now a green residential and recreational area.
6. Takakanonuma Greenland, Hobara-Japan
Hidden in a mountainous rural part of Japan, the Takakanonuma Greenland theme park was opened in 1973 and closed in 1975.
It briefly re-opened in 1986 before closing for good in 1999.
Some say it was due to low sales, while others claim there were deaths on the rides and the closure was for renovation.
Fun Facts about Takakanonuma Greenland
- Due to its location, a fog looms over the abandoned roller coaster and Ferris wheel, giving it a freakish vibe.
- The Park’s location seems to have disappeared as the available coordinates take you to Hobara town center.
- It is alleged that the Park was destroyed in 2007, but pictures of it are available online.
7. Fantasy World, Lemery-Philippines
The abandoned, colorful castle-like structure at Fantasy World is a reminder of Disneyland, which never opened in the Philippines.
The developer ran into financial challenges leaving it incomplete.
Today, the castle’s exterior and interior walls show disrepair, with paint fading and peeling off in most areas.
What to expect when you visit Fantasy World
Even though Fantasy World is abandoned, you will pay a fee to tour the place.
The main attraction is a rope bridge to a tree house from where you have a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
Conclusion
To be safe, avoid climbing the structures as they can crumble from little weight due to years of neglect and decay.
Remember to carry a camera to capture the spooky buildings and rusty rides. They are a reminder of the laughter it brought families and evidence of the consequences of mismanagement.
