The Legacy of Joyland, Wichita's favorite amusement park

Many remember Joyland as a place where memories were made, but now its a place where nature has overtaken industry. Opening in 1949, the park was a raging success, but that all changed as costs went up and people started to travel farther away for vacations. Joyland eventually closed, leaving criminals to destroy the park and any future Wichitans had to reopen it. This report aired on KPTS on December 14, 2018

[@snoboardz1972]

To the owners of the park, if you happened to read this. I grew up on the same street that you lived on off of Hillside Ave. just down from the park. Those days of my youth could never be forgotten. On a calm summer night in the 80's you could hear the shouts and screams of joy and fear coming from Joyland even from nearly a mile away. I empathize with you deeply and can only imagine what it feels like for you all these years later. There are still many of us out there still living in Wichita and others scattered across the country who will always remember the "joys" of Joyland. Thank you.

[@nutrinutbob]

I was there, working as a floor guard at the roller rink. Around 1980 I believe! I never forget the little Filappina kid could go under the limbo bar when it was only about 4" off the floor!

[@billykkutter]

One thing I never hear anyone talk about is the smells of the park. Very unique smells of heated timber, axle grease, vegetation, sno-cones, cotton candy, popcorn, and hotdogs. Screaching machinery falling into place, and that sudden sound you could hear anywhere in the park: The exciting screams of roller coaster riders on the 75 foot descent.

[@peggymcnabb7343]

We lived K 15 right where 31st street comes to a dead end, BUT just a little bit east of there, Hilllside came to a dead end on 31st street, so we would just walk to it. so many wonderful memories of there. going to the KFDI radeo concerts. WOW, sad it is all gone

[@gsxrlonewolf4088]

I remember if you were lucky enough to go in the whacky shack with a pretty girl, chances were pretty good you were going to get a kiss 🤣, the log jam....the big slide....the creepy clown that played the piano.....man I wish my kids got to experience all the good times I had there as a kid.

[@mikelisadebolt1604]

Man i do miss joyland alot i had a lot of great memories has a kid going there eating popcorn and enjoying the sno cones and riding the rollercoaster but my favorite was rhe go carts my friends and i had a blast and of course i cant forget about the bumber carts we had a blast on those but my friends and we always went to see Louie the clown and watch him play the piano and that my fond memories of joyland hanging out with friends chilling out and having fun but all good thing come to a end i just wish it stayed a little bit longer

[@tonyatyree9149]

I had my very first coaster ride there..I loved that park in 1980/ 1981... Alot of fun memories.. Sad thats its not enjoyed anymore

[@faeriegoth]

I grew up in the 70s. In 1979 I was 5 years old and I remember me, my mom, my aunt, and my two cousins going to Joyland a lot in the summer and I remember the ride a rama and I remember discounted tickets for good grades. And still have old color photographs from the 70s and early 80s. And when I learned what it happened to Joyland in my heart was broken.

[@peggymcnabb5198]

We spent many happy hours at Joyland in the 60's

[@andrewmartin6217]

I feel so lucky to have been able to go there many times. Wish it could have been saved.

[@HLK_Prod]

Just rebuild it somewhere else we need this excitement here

[@SusanIseman-eh6me]

I wish that Joyland Amusement Park was still available and still open for people to still come to it and have wonderful time and carry on the joy and excitement the fun and joy and the excitement happiness and the fond memories of the Park was still there and I wish I could have gone to it with my friends and family and have a wonderful memberal time fun time to share those memories in years to come with other people. But now we will never have that chance to because the park was really unsafe in the years to come people were getting hurt really badly and not to mention it filed for bankruptcy and changing ownership as the years passed on. I wish the park was still but it’s not. It will always be a memory to those who have had the opportunity and the chance to experience the time in Joyland Park they will have those experiences and memories to for years to come. But as for me and many others will never get to have a chance to experience it for ourselves with our family and friends it’s to bad it’s gone now gone forever but live on in memory and in people’s hearts and minds too. That had the time to stay and spend together for a day or so at Joyland Park. In Wichtah Kanas. Sincerely Susan Iseman From Upstate New York

[@cabamama]

My aunt and uncle lived in Springfield, Md. and when I was little, my family of 7 would drive to see them and visit an amusement park Called Glen Echo near Washington, D.C. It, too became desolate and abandoned but the Carousel was salvaged and re-esablished just as the one in Joyland was. I have grand childhood memories of Glen Echo just as many Wichita residents do of Joyland.

[@chrismoody1342]

Nothing but good memories for me. I grew up in the 60’s and Joyland was a big part of each school year. As a master of fact I got my first kiss from my sweetheart in darkness of the haunted house, followed by another at the top of the Ferris wheel. It’s a shame that the city didn’t step in and help out keeping the park going.

[@rhondagdesignsrhondagwellm4337]

Breaks my heart.

[@musicman257]

so sad you don't see a whole lot of amusement parks anymore

[@Spookyweasel99]

I was born after joy land was closed and it always seemed like one of the most coolest amusement parks ever made and once I found this video I never knew I rode the og joy land Carousel at botanica

[@manuelkong10]

honestly, what happened to Joyland is SO like Wichita....you turn your back for a second and stuff is stolen vandalized and totally destroyed

[@barrywelch1562]

My first job was there in 76 & 77. I was a game operator and started at $1.60 an hour! 2nd year it was bumped up to $1.70! Makin' big money back then and having a great time doing it! Loved the Corn Dogs!!! So sad that part of my personal history only exists through youtube now...

[@chaspool1906]

Miss it

[@aleeahahmad4865]

I'm 13 and wish I had been there 😭

[@sofiasebok1958]

Aleeah Ahmad Same, my mom said it was amazing. Her heart broke when it closed. I felt so bad

[@robertpolnicky7702]

It's awfully sad rough seeing the shape it's in. It was sad when kiddiekand closed but we still had joyland and the mall replaced it. The standard of living for the working class appears to be declining every where. People can't afford fun.

[@kevinintheusa8984]

I worked there from 1972 until the end of the Summer in 1976. I ran the Wacky Shack my last Summer there and loved every minute of it. I remember the Nelson's and I wish I had kept my shirts from back then but I didn't. I remember starting in the games and then the next year, I ran the rides and I can remember gathering up patrons in groups and going from ride to ride with the group. I was lucky enough to move to Myrtle Beach, SC and I got a job at the MB Pavilion from 1977 to 1978. I met my wife there and we have been happily married since 1978. Alas, the MB Pavilion is also no more just like Joyland.

[@benspencer9016]

Grew up in wichita road that old roller coaster a few times..someone got their head cut off by it.

[@robertpolnicky7702]

I heard a rattlesnake bit a little girl on the train around 1953. Always wondered if she survived.

[@NimrodClover]

I saw my first KZbin video about Joyland way back in 2008. At the time it made it sound like the place had been closed for years and it looked like it had. Turns out the last continuous season was in 2004 and it actually closed permanently in 2006! After realizing that, I find it too easy to blame vandals, trespassers, and arsonists from the 2010s for the obvious neglect that had been happening for many years prior. It is sad that it is not till the place is not salvageable that there is one last cry of nostalgia and "save the park". Where was the community back in 2005? Seeing all these vintage photos and grainy film from the 70s and garbled video from the 80s makes it feel like Joyland died back then... and maybe it actually did and nobody in town noticed. I am glad to hear that the carousel is being retained and installed at a new home. I moved to Kansas City in 1994 and visited Wichita for the first time in the summer of 1995, ten years before the park closed. We even visited friends that actually lived one neighborhood away from the park. I never heard about the place, saw no signs, and don't recall any awareness of the park and I was in town for several days looking for places to visit. It was NOT on the radar in the minds of people in town. Nobody suggested it. As another video about the place said, "It is as if it was a victim of time... and its time had come and gone."

[@davedennis6042]

Silver Dollar City started with just a train ride and a cave attraction. If you build it, they will come.

[@kevinintheusa8984]

We used to go to Silver Dollar City every two years or so from when I was 7 until I was 12 years old. We usually alternated with Dog Patch. Good times.

[@robertpolnicky7702]

I can remember when dog patch was on the east side of Wichita off central. Wonder if it's still there. Live in Tennessee now.

[@dck4863]

I'll never forget the time I refuse to go on the wacky shack with the girl that had a crush on me in grade school. Unfortunately, we live in a country now where we cannot have nice things. I'm appalled at the youth today. We were on me when we were young, but never would we do something like tearing amusement park down by vandalizing and destroying it. Very heartbreaking to see this place is gone.

[@liztrainer895]

So sad people have nothing better to do with there time than to destroy property.

[@coasterconscious478]

Wonderful storytelling. Well paced. Nice music change and use of black. Vintage footage is always great. Of course love how the carousel is being preserved. Was there any ride cars saved or just signs and statues?

[@johnlysle]

I lived in Wichita for a while and Joyland was the best part of living there. Wasn't the clown at the Wurlitzer called Louie? Loved that music. I was so sad when I heard what happened to it. How could the city let it close? What's left, malls and Cowtown?

[@manuelkong10]

clown was stolen

[@johnlysle]

@@manuelkong10 figures

[@slowedsongs8628]

Yeah as someone who currently lives here, I literally forgot about cow town. Honestly I don’t think it’s going to last much longer

[@robertpolnicky7702]

I wonder if anyone remembers the zipper. That one shook me up pretty good.

[@delano62]

Who remembers Jerry Ottaway from Carousel Skating rink?

[@JasPlun]

There is one very similar to this one with the same name in Lubbock,TX and its struggling to stay open thanks to Covid.

[@montedyoung]

#GoKartTrack!

[@kevinintheusa8984]

A friend of mine ran the Go Cart Track starting in 1973 or 74. Unfortunately, he passed on recently. He worked there until he graduated HS and then he joined the service. We both got jobs there on a lark and I ended up working there from 1972 until the end of Summer in 1976. The Nelson's owned it then and I remember going upstairs to get my check. I think I ended up moving away before I picked up my last check from them. Good times.

[@drewnitchoff]

Where can I get a copy of this music.

[@295g295]

Now you go to Worlds of Fun instead.

[@msg63bretired82]

How short sighted to ask why. List all the things that changed between then and now and their origin, then look in the mirror.