Abandoned Amusement Park (Joyland in Wichita) [ITW]

Joyland amusement park in wichita Kansas was founded in 1949 by Lester Ottaway and his sons. It was in continuous operation for 55 years, at one point being the largest theme park in central kansas.
In the early 1970s the Ottaway brothers retired and sold the park to stanley and Margaret Nelson who were the driving force behind the park for over 30 years. At the beginning of the 2003 season, they sold the park to investor David Rohr.
In the 2004 season the park closed it's doors mid-season citing financial issues, saftey concerns and a dispute with the insurance company. David Rohr ended up defaulting on payments and failed to pay employees who worked at the park.
Later that year The nelsons repurchased the park from a sherriff's autction using collateral owed to them by David Rohr.
In 2006 a 3rd party group leased it to restore and open portions of it. the park went through extensive renovations to rides as well as to cosmetically bring it up to date. The park opened breifly in 2006, but again closed it's doors before the season was over -- the doors never re-opened.
Since then, the park was left to decay.
For more information including photo galleries, historical images, etc visit the website @
itw.crustlandia.com
Twitter: @shafepunx
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[@kevinintheusa8984]

I worked at Joyland from 1972 until the end of the Summer in 1976. My entire last summer, I was almost always running the Whacky Shack which was fun for everyone. I remember going upstairs and getting my check from the Nelsons; they were great people to work for back in those days. My best friend was hired to run the go-cart track and he never ran anything else. Still, I was lucky enough to get trained on all the rides and can remember some summer days, walking groups of patrons from one ride to another and running them because we didn't have enough operators on hand some days. At night we had operators on all the rides and it seems as soon as it got dark, it was time to close up. When my dad retired to Myrtle Beach, SC, in 1976, I got a job at the MB Pavilion Amusement Park using my experience at Joyland, and in 1977, I met my girlfriend who became my wife in 1978 when we both went off to college. We both have fond memories of working in an amusement park but unfortunately, both Joyland and the Pavilion are gone now.

[@rudyarellano4089]

I remember going there back in the 90's for the fire work shows for the fourth of July's.

[@faeriegoth]

I grew up in Wichita Kansas. In the 70s and the 80s I went to this park and had many happy memories about it with my cousins, my mom, and my aunt and still have pictures of us as kids. It absolutely broke my heart when I found that this place of Joy had closed and that people we're slowly destroying it through arson out of stupidity. The last time before moving to the state of Tennessee with my mother that I got to go to this place was 1988.

[@busterschannel4794]

Brings back childhood memories I was born in Wichita in the early 70's and would frequently visit the park. I remember riding nightmare multiple times in a row until someone else got in line.

[@janetduncan87]

I remember in the 1970s local radio station KLEO advertisement for Joyland. In the summer if you brought your grade card to the park you were rewarded discounts on pretty much all of the rides. For every A you got a discount, free pass, or 1/2 price rides for every B, and C. In 1988, we took our 3 children on the 4th of July and stayed for the fireworks. It was an amazing show and lasted almost an hour. The following years weren't so good. It was sad when it shut down. The rollercoaster wasn't in the best condition, so I remember it not running. Some of the children's rides were open, but not much more than that. We still had fun being with our children.

[@stormgirl09]

im from Chicago and i dont know that much about Kansas. I just like to watch videos about old or abandoned parks. but I assume Kansas is one of those states that doesnt have much...including amusement parks. when they say this is the largest i assume its pretty much the ONLY park in that area or in the entire state! lets get real here...those putt putt golf-family fun centers or trampoline parks that seem to be popular now arnt real amusement parks....so its a real shame for them when this park was gone...there is now probably nothing to do but the kiddie casino putt-putt parks....

[@kennytheghostbuster9582]

Kansan here! We actually do have some pretty cool stuff here. We have a Great Wolf Lodge (a resort with a huge indoor water park), large zoos, many MANY water parks, Paradise Park, and World's of Fun.

[@janetduncan87]

@@kennytheghostbuster9582 world's of fun is in Kansas City. Near the Royals base ball stadium. It's true that if you live in further parts of the state, travel is expected for family fun. There's also a huge water park in Derby,KS, just South of Wichita, about 7 miles.

[@lenniesatterlee3685]

I went there a lot when I was a kid . It was fun. It's. Jest sad.

[@garyfletcher844]

When I worked at Wichita State, we went to Joyland to pick up an old ticket booth to have for the Shocker baseball field when it was still bare-bones in 1979.

[@TooDazedTJ]

I was there a few months ago. There’s nothing left but trees. I like to investigate abandoned places too. I hate I missed this one.

[@7smr]

Sad to see this go. I used to go to as a kid in the mid 70's. We used to get free tickets with our report cards. The more A's you had, the more tickets.

[@elizabethhorner1762]

I remember going every summer. It was such a great time!!

[@kevinpaul4873]

Lizzie Horner me too

[@mackenzieprideaux5418]

it's sad i'm 13 never will get experience this stuff i have lived here my whole life. are drive in aka Star Light Drive In just shut down but i'm happy that i got to experience that. i love wichita but there is really nothing you can do as a teen all of skating ranks are crap. i'm a 70's, 80's, 90's kid at heart i collect records and all that kinda stuff. Wichita i feel like is more focused on like the things for younger kids to do. i just want to do what my parents did when they where teens. but instead all i do is worry because all the crime in wichita update star lite drive in has been bought by a Anonymous buyer he is from wichita but he want no one to know who they are but they are having someone from tulsa ok run it so thankfully it has been saved

[@81silversiren]

Use to go there with my dad & step mom and had fun there.. its sad its not there nomore..

[@clairefunnell8481]

Well done video. Sad though. Looked like a real fun place. I saw that last footage of the coaster being pulled down. Greetings from Toronto Canada. June 2020.

[@Rubi.Otero.]

Fantastic journey in Amarillo Texas at wonderland Park is the same as of those in Erie Pennsylvania and the wacky shack

[@Formulastreet]

I was here in 1997.

[@KitoTodd]

It's very sad😢looks like it was a lovely park❤I'm from Ohio and I know what feels like to loose an amusement park 💔that ya grew up going to every summer!!!

[@Gearheaddeluxe]

Crazy there are no other comments on this park from Wichitans.

[@judithhstevens126]

I have on other joyland social media videos on here

[@theclassicvacuumcleanersfa2377]

It's really sad what happened to this place Wichita Kansas has always been known to let great things go downhill what a terrible place to live but lucky for me I left Wichita Kansas when I was 19 and never looked back we have six flags here in Dallas Texas well taken care of Wichita Kansas should really take notes on how to take care of a theme park rest in peace joyland I went there quite a few times back in my day as well

[@stephencross8678]

I shot the demolition footage at 16:45 ....thanks for the name credit.

[@rockinrobin7105]

I just seen it today all sprayed painted up sad

[@coltonsupergame]

Came here from one of Mr. Nightmare's episodes where they go into this place.

[@gf_djacobi]

Another reason for the park to close so many times before the end of the season was because of deaths. One man was killed on the rollercoaster. A little girl was kidnapped, raped and murdered in the park, and other said, but undocumented deaths. Some who go there during fall, or at night, say they can hear a little girl calling out for her dad. Others say they see a clown with messy makeup and red eyes walking around with a popped balloon dragging behind him.

[@judithhstevens126]

There was a death on it . That was no myth.

[@allyhallie1415]

That 2nd death was my bf father's best friend.. He was weed eating under the roller coaster and the man running the coaster had sent it for a test run... RIP

[@inheritthewasteland7264]

Wow... so terrible, thanks for the clarification!

[@allyhallie1415]

Btw Thanks !! That story always broke my heart.. A good man was lost, but it's never been really spoken about!! So thanks for actually doing your research!!

[@jettasmith8243]

Was he wearing ear phones with his radio I heard if this story it wasnt parks fault

[@donnieporter7890]

The boy killed in 76 was my best friends brother he reached for his hat and fell.. frankie if u see this i hope your well my friend.. if anybody knows frankie please show him this comment he can get ahold of me i would like to see him thank u

[@lost_places_global9008]

Wacky shack is gone.... Just disgusting.... This whole vandalism stuff... People who have a fetish burning things down or just make it because they are frustrated in life need to go to hell....

[@inheritthewasteland7264]

Couldn't Agree with you more!

[@jettasmith8243]

Contact city of Wichita demand a amusement park again stop all contracts on unnecessary damm ball parks

[@jettasmith8243]

I want joy land back let's start somthing back up make city of Wichita bring it back and stop wasting money on all the new baseball parks that's not family that's for there own money fall we need our families to enjoy what once was Wichita kansas family fun someone doe something dont let it fade away

[@billyy7960]

Another Witchita KS Joyland video thats using the facade of Joyland in Lubbock TX which had nothing to do with Joyland in Witchita