Enchanted Forest: The Little Theme Park That Could | A Koaster Mania Documentary

This nearly feature-length documentary tells the incredible story of this little amusement park located in Salem, Oregon!
This project was a massive undertaking that took just over 100 hours of work, so I hope you appreciate it!
If you do find yourself in the area, be sure to visit this amazing little theme park to celebrate its wonderful story!
Special thanks to Susan Vaslev and Evan Merklin for the music used in this video!
Footage captured with the permission of the Enchanted Forest Marketing Department!
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[@rosscalhoun3389]

I grew up and live in Portland, but my extended family live more southward in Oregon. Every time we'd go to see the family I'd keep an eye out for Enchanted Forest and beg to go (though my parents would only take us there if it was already in their plan). I have only fleeting childhood memories, but a powerful sense of nostalgia. Now when my brother comes to town with his son, they sometimes go to Enchanted Forest. I hope I'm available to go with them the next time they do. It might not be a Disney or Six Flags, but I absolutely love Enchanted Forest.

[@joshuaevans4301]

I'm so pleased this place is still going. I would go all the time when I was a little kid and absolutely loved it

[@mintyrainbow6994]

My family moved to Salem in about 1972 and I lived on Battle Creek Road for about 11 years, which is only 2-3 miles away from this place. We went there all the time, it was our favorite place. I kinda got to watch it grow up, it was always exciting to see new things added to the park. It was quite small the first few times we visited.

[@BubblyOasis]

This is a wonderful way to preserve the history of the park, particularly when the people who first built it are still around to be interviewed! As a theme park fan of all experiences big and small it's so heartwarming to know that places like this still exist! I want to bring my loved ones someday soon since I live in the Pacific Northwest! Thank you for making this documentary and sharing it with the world!

[@Hitcharoo]

Love this place. Discovered it by accident on a roadtrip. After that it became a destination stop on roadtrips!!

[@KoasterMania]

It really is one of a kind

[@Codyheart1]

Made a huge impression on me when I was very little. Hold it with the highest regard.

[@dougyeager6812]

I worked for Disney Attractions for 9 years. I am impressed with this place. I am also impressed with your presentation. I get so tired of the influencers and their so called knowledge. Your presentation captures the spirit of the place.

[@0524cami]

This will be 1 of my stops when I drive thru Oregon next year

[@jarvisfrederick4315]

What a generation. Worked 3 jobs and built a theme park.BY HAND!!!

[@littlesnapgirl2705]

I adore this park so much. I just went again a few days ago after not being there since my kids were little, 20 years ago. I took my 21 year old step daughter and we had the most amazing time! We did all the things, like dig for gold, got our face painted, crawled through the tunnels.... Wonderful, magical place! I hope to take my future grandchildren here, too!

[@chaos9620]

Passed it so many times always wanted to see what the inside looks like reminds me of Efteling in the Netherlands

[@theGingerAutist]

Absolutely stunning documentary. Your hard work shows!! This is the park responsible for my obsession with theme parks and coasters!! 🫶

[@KoasterMania]

Wow, thank you!

[@Gnarkkotik_TTV]

I live in chelan WA (originally from California and then lived in Yakima then moved here) and I used to go to California every summer for rides and stuff and well I’m an adult now with kids and me being disabled now as well so I can’t do all the crazy stuff like that anymore and we only have one darn theme park here and it gets old after awhile I’ve never known of this! Definitely taking my kids this summer! Seems so well deserved for them.

[@mahochberg]

Thank you for this documentary! It was great seeing so many of the family talk about it. We have been going there every few years, especially when we have out of state visitors.

[@pjwallace1006]

When my kids, my mother and I first moved up to [Yamhill County] OR from CA back in 2005, we saw this place whilst in transition. My kids were 12 (my daughter and her twin brother) and 10 (my youngest son) at the time. Back in SoCal, we had Annual Passports to Disneyland, but discontinued em in 2007. By then, we had relaid our roots in the NW, and allowed ourselves to be “absorbed” into the culture that is the Pacific Wonderland… 😊💚💛💙. Once we were “assimilated” and settled in, we’d try to get back down to Enchanted Forest at least once a month. On occasion, their school (my kids went to a private K-12 school) or our church would organize field trips to EFTP, and me and their grandma would help chaperone these excursions. One of my younger brothers and his family still live in SoCal (he and his wife have a son (b. 2007) and twins (a boy and girl, b. 2011). For a couple weeks every summer, and every other Thanksgiving, they would get up to visit. My daughter and sons loved hanging out w/ their “little cousins”, and they would take em to EFTP when it was open (during Thanksgiving visits, they would go the Evergreen Aviation Museum Indoor Waterpark (near McMinnville). Today, I’m happily married again, and my kids are all grown up and doing VERY WELL in life. My daughter is a teacher at her and her brothers’ old alma mater. Every so often, the school will organize fields trips or weekend excursions. Sometimes, they’ll organize an outing to EFTP. My boys and their sister also volunteer at our church, in addition to summer day camps. And YEP 👍🏻, EFTP is usually on the “will-do” list. So… Yeah…😄… I’m inclined to agree with my fellow commenters, and recommend a detour to EFTP, if y’all are up OR/WA way…💚💛💙 Peace ☮️ out…🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻

[@TedSeeber]

You used Susan's music!!!!! Very good! I've been going since I was 18 months, off and on. I'm 52 now. When I was 6, Hansel and Gretel visited me in Salem Hospital.

[@danieldenucci3089]

Enchanted forest has a place in my heart..never forget the first time I went. Was in another world and it blew my mind. Unfortunately my kid doesn't feel the same..

[@RRW359]

Been to this quite a few times as a kid but learned recently that a lot of people from the rest of the country think it's so weird and it's interesting to see their perspectives.

[@ryanmiller4890]

Thank you Roger.

[@genius_1302]

Such a wonderful documentary! My family has been going to Enchanted Forest every summer since I was five and now I’m a college student who works there in the summers. One of my favorite places! I also totally love that you used the music from the park as your soundtrack; it really helps capture the vibe of the park

[@KoasterMania]

Glad you enjoyed it! There really was no other soundtrack to use!

[@Amber-xu4fy]

Every summer growing up was not complete without a trip to The Enchanted Forest. I have brought my kids here and am excited for the day when I can share this place my grandkids.

[@gamebrogaming10111]

It's been a second since I've been there and I had been there many times as a kid, hearing the park music gave me such a nostalgia rush

[@joannedyer7206]

Terrific video! I love this story.

[@ericmillen7840]

i loved this documentary! i wish the part on Roger Tofte creating the park for seven years was longer, like three hours, haha, i want to know everything about that journey! any chance of something like that out later?? such a fascinating story!

[@Angiebanagie]

My wife grew up down the road in Albany Oregon. She and her best friend would dropped by parents to spend the day there. Our family has been there on visits to family in Oregon. Very interesting place

[@user-vw9vk6em9c]

W❤hat a beautiful park. I wish 🤞 more success. Hope you continue to grow for all the next generations. 😊

[@kimg7989]

This was fantastic!!!! Such a great documentary. I had no idea this existed! I live in Idaho so this is not too far away and this is definitely our next vacation ☺️☺️

[@KoasterMania]

Glad you enjoyed it! It is such an awesome little place! If you see any of the family, make sure to say hi and that you recognized them from this documentary!

[@charliedupree3110]

Amazing! ❤🧙🧚‍♀️🍄🛖🔮

[@cocoaorange1]

I just saw a paranormal series about The Enchanted Forest. Very sweet and inspiring story of never giving up.

[@brettmurphy8523]

So glad you did a documentary that encompassed their Covid and Ice storm period. I went there a lot as a child but only started going again last year to introduce my 2 year old. I learned then about their struggles and I’m glad to learn even more about that period of time. We buy a brick every year now to help what little we can. I can’t wait to see what the expansions to the park will be when they can get to it. Overall a very well made documentary. Thank you

[@KoasterMania]

That’s so awesome to hear! I felt the story wouldn’t be complete without this part

[@TorchMechanics]

I love this video. This place was amazing to go to every summer as a kid. It felt like our own little theme park. My family even bought a brick to help them through Covid. This documentary was professional level work and you did a fantastic job on it. I don't understand how you only have 1.3k subscribers you deserve far more. Thank you so much for making this.

[@KoasterMania]

I hope you know that comments like these are truly what keep me going! It’s a tough website to compete on, and I am very hopeful that if I keep working at it, I will continue hitting my goals! My next current goal is to hit 1,500 subs. Then 2,000

[@amandalorenzo9897]

The intense burst of nostalgia from the intro music

[@beveledblade]

I worked in a Major Park for 2 years and a family park for 12..this was a great video that answered questions as they popped up in my head. Well done.

[@donchaput8278]

With the title I had thought this was about the one in Upstate NY but I know they don't have any coasters. This looks neat too!

[@chrisdorr5786]

Perfect! I haven't watched it yet but I've been saying for the past few weeks (since revisiting EF recently) that there NEEDS to be a modern documentary about it! Looking forward to diving in. Thank you!

[@KoasterMania]

Hopefully this will satisfy!

[@chrisdorr5786]

LOVED IT!! Seriously, wonderful job. So great to hear from all of the family members. Got teary many times. We donated to the gofundme during the lockdown because...how could we not? A drop in the bucket compared to what they’ve given our family.

[@jaybird089]

Great documentary! I’m a little surprised they didn’t touch on the fires and the tragedy that came along with that but that must be immeasurably hard to talk about. All in all great job! I’m already planning to visit again before they close for the winter.❤

[@jeffanderson3962]

Memories. The slide, the crooked house, the mine, etc. And of course the haunted house which gave me one of the great jump scares of '80s childhood.

[@shadowlessxpan]

It’s been a dream of mine to build a theme park in Eugene, Or for a long time. On another note, I just discovered this channel. I am a theme park enthusiast, and follow a lot of other channels. Your content is very well produced, and is truly very refreshing. Keep up the good work.

[@mrbeaverstate]

Took my son there in the Early 90's.

[@billreinl3324]

Informative, interesting, authentic and looks like a nice way to spend a day Bill

[@jarvisfrederick4315]

Out of this world photo ops

[@TwilightLink77]

Hopefully they could expand the park. Although I never been to the park I only knew of it from Ghost Adventures.

[@Rileydelp_34L]

Went here earlier today

[@poletooke4691]

This is an insanely good documentary, especially for a channel that only has 1,000 subs. Shocked you managed to get interviews with them all?? Were they receptive or skeptical cuz of your small subscriber base or? How did this get made? I'm so curious

[@KoasterMania]

I got really lucky and was able to secure a more informative style documentary with an even smaller local park, Oaks Park. After doing that, I emailed Enchanted Forest about doing a similar video at their park and sent the link to the oaks park video. Apparently Susan was so impressed by that video and got really excited at the prospect of me coming and doing something similar! She went around to the whole family and shared the Oaks Park video and her excitement about me coming down to do that for them!

[@poletooke4691]

@@KoasterMania that is SO awesome! So glad you're making content like this. Keep it up!

[@mrbeaverstate]

20 acres for $4,000 just south of Salem and on I-5. Imagine what that would cost now.

[@carlholt8771]

'Promo sm'

[@stephaniebarker7105]

I grew up going there, and worked there for most of a season. Sadly, my allergies got the best of me. The Tofte family has been through some serious loss, but they are all amazing! I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked there.