Exploring The Abandoned Joyland Amusment Park RUINS

Joyland amusement park is all but gone in 2019. It's been vandalized and plagued by arson for years so the owners started knocking down all the structures on site. The park recently sold so this is likely one of that last times it will be explored before they start clearing the property. We explore the entire park including the Log Jam, the old Olympic sized swimming pool, and the generator filled power plant. Sadly Roller Coaster has been knocked down, the Wacky Shack was burnt down, and all the carnival rides have been removed.
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#URBEX #UrbanExploring #Abandoned

[@CarWizard]

I worked there 1994-1997. So odd to see places where I remember working, just be all weeds and stuff now. Thanks for the video John Ross

[@JGarcia2016]

Wow who would of knew the car wizard used to worked here and now he is big star KZbinr like taylor hoover lol 😅😂

[@janedalton4558]

My husband worked as a life guard at the pool when it first open in about 1953. My Dad was a plumber and worked on installing equipment at the same time. My Dad met my now husband of 64 years before I did while they worked.

[@MrAlliecaulfield]

What a great story. Went there is a kid in the mid50s

[@badbowtie70]

Thanks for posting this video. I worked at Joyland for 2 summers in the late 90s and this brings back a ton of memories. I spent many summer days running the roller coaster, or sitting on top of the log jam hill.

[@kevinintheusa8984]

I worked at Joyland from 1972 until the end of the Summer in 1976. The Whacky Shack was the ride I worked on my entire last Summer there. Great times back then and the Nelsons were great people to work with at the park. My dad retired and we moved to Myrtle Beach SC and I got a job at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement park and worked there from 1977 until 1978 and then I went off to college with my wife (who I met at the park in 1977).

[@gamewizardks]

So many great memories here in the late 70's and throughout the 80's I cried while watching this.

[@watchjaredwork1487]

What’s crazy about the power plant is that they were actually forced to build that because the power company refused to give them power during WW2 because they thought the park wasn’t a necessary use of power.

[@alanm2842]

i don't understand how that worked, joyland opened in 1949

[@koda3943]

Thanks for the Memories I grew up by the go cart track, I worked there from 87-92 good times.

[@asundermom]

I worked front gate and games back in 91.

[@PSJBL]

This is so sad. I spent many happy times there in the 50s and 60s. Thanks for filming it.

[@HaVoCevo]

I was fortunate enough to go there and ride the legendary rollercoaster back in '96. Such a shame it's all gone.

[@64onehotmama]

I still remember the sound of the rollercoaster as it climbed first big hill..

[@redneckbryon]

I would imagine there’s still a fair bit of scrap in this place everything under the ground should be there still. Most people who explore don’t necessarily know what things are, it’s good to be able to watch somebody who actually knows what they are talking about and who is willing to go the extra mile.

[@edwardmcdevitt790]

Thank you! I look forward to more abandoned amusement parks! I am a roller coaster nut!!! Yay, you!!!

[@loopyloo6498]

My husband and I are so impressed with your video. We Grew up in the '70s together in this world. Your integrity and intelligence blew us away. We never even thought about the mechanics . joyland was our whole childhood. wholeheartedly, we thank you for this ❤

[@silverscreenmedia2203]

I was born exactly a month before they closed, I still have pictures of my mom and dad holding little baby me in front of the coaster, but I still feel attached to it even though I remember nothing

[@mikehueter3982]

Climbing that coaster ruin was CRAZY!

[@asundermom]

This breaks my heart, joyland was my childhood and my 1st job. In 1991

[@wyb80]

Great film, so sad to see Amusement Parks in this state.... once full with the sound of fun and laughter...now quiet and abandoned 😔

[@texfromkansas]

I hated the clown. That thing creeped me out.

[@kdawson020279]

Pure evil. Brought to you by Wurlitzer and the inspiration for Pennywise in IT probably.

[@asundermom]

Louie was awesome, he had more clothes than Barbie, all hand made.

[@thecman26]

It's a shame to see it today! Compared to what it used to be! Dang crackheads squatting... Burned down places. The go cart track is pretty cool! You're crazy JR, climbing that roller coaster remnant. You're more brave than I am!

[@kdawson020279]

It is right there by Planeview, which was crucial to its initial success but poverty doesn't sell Ride-o-Rama bracelets.

[@thecman26]

@@kdawson020279 I actually used to live just down the street. You are correct, location killed it eventually!

[@jamieku513]

Wow!! Great video!! Brings back many memories of my childhood in South Wichita. I think the ultimate demise of Joyland was it’s location. Back in the 40’s and 50’s, South Hillside was a booming location and housed many families with young children. However, over time, that area of Wichita died and became a very low-income area. Families stopped moving into that area of Wichita.

[@daniellemccabe1253]

As I live 2 miles away from this location 😅

[@Ieatpeople2]

been looking forward to the first vid from this channel! great work JR!

[@limoboy27]

Awesome seeing one of JRs videos that was this long! Great content!

[@paulratzlaff2935]

So sad! When we were kids ; A once a year trip plus a picnic lunch Mom made! GREAT Memories! ! We were 60 miles NW of Wichita!

[@snaprestyling5681]

RIP Joyland. Was great trying to piece together what you used to be.

[@zxggwrt]

Very good! The powerhouse was worth the trip.

[@JohnDoe_88]

Cool man, exploring abandoned places is always cool. One day youll run into an abandoned car with potential and youll know what to do..

[@watchjaredwork1487]

Behind closed doors, huh? Sounds like you and Zach had a little too much fun there 😂

[@centennialanimation1159]

The second one you looked at, the burnt down one, was the wacky shack. Some arsonist burnt it down not long before this was posted.

[@randomfixesrestorations6772]

Wow... This really seemed to be an Awesome place to be at back in the day as a Child. It's really a shame to see it like that, falling apart, being torn down. Seems like, the Amusement Park era long over. It's really sad to see that. I remember being as a little Kid about every 2 or 3 weekend over at a local one in my town with my cousins. Man, we had some fun. Man, that's about 20 years ago by now. Wow... I wonder how it will all look like in about two decades. Will there even be amusement Parks anymore or will it be just a relict of an long gone era? Well, we'll all see soon enough.

[@kdawson020279]

Wacky Shack was cool. The animatronic clown playing the organ was freaking creepy. I last delivered mail in that area before switching positions at the USPS and remember when it got vandalized and torn down.

[@cameronstone6850]

Used to come here all the time in middle school and high school. Crazy to see it all overgrown and broke down. Makes me sad to see something that had such a presence in my history completely gone.

[@sleepyhollow783]

This is a great idea; exploring lost sites. Hope JR & Co. are never is given grief from " authorities" for attempting to capture historical places before they completely disappear. Thank you for sharing! Next stop, Chernobyl! 😁

[@rainbowrailroadcrossing7798]

Man it’s really sad to see the wacky shack burned down completely. Man it would’ve been an interesting project to re-locate and restore. To be fair there is it’s older clone the Waldameer version in Eerie PA.

[@maddymooo]

It's unfortunate the Wacky Shack burned down. I saw it about a month before it burned down. I could barely see it in the tall grass (looked from outside the gate). I saw the very top half of it. I want to go back before it's nothing.

[@dave1135]

Hey John, good video. If you can maybe mix in pics and videos of the park when it was running? Some when they show the ruins of a ride or building, they will edit in a pic of it when it was open. It helps put it in context. I'm sure as you were describing things you were seeing how it was in your mind.

[@asundermom]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4vVkoKfaLOjr5Y

[@dave1135]

@@asundermom thanks for adding this, was really great to see how it used to be

[@asundermom]

Most welcome, I really miss Joyland.

[@newmanoutdoors1564]

Guys you did a great job on this exploration , enjoyed very much

[@64onehotmama]

Had Koch Engineering company picnic there back in the day. Best place as a 1960's kid in Wichita. So sad it's destroyed.

[@wayslow]

I'd love to see you go somewhere foreign, like Chernobyl/Pripyat to explore some of their old tech, that would be amazing. On the other hand, that'd probably interfere with my favorite daily dose of WatchJRDestroyVWs, so maybe not 😃

[@Reallymissthe80s]

Memories! Had so much fun as a kid.

[@Not-Great-at-Gaming]

Wow, I apparently watched this and subscribed, then forgot it even existed. I was looking through my subs and was thinking, that looks like John Ross!

[@dadsstashmusic5]

Your so knowledgeable love the new channel....

[@FrenchToastMashedPotatoes]

Awesome video, I just subbed. I love places like this in places like witchita.

[@aeoliankid1]

Outstanding video, especially the powerhouse! What a shame these vintage engines are totally wasted, these were all candidates for an antique engine museum. Too bad none were preserved, or saved. Too bad the generators were destroyed, for the greed of a few pounds of copper. I think those who would preserve these machines could, under the table, pay the scrappers to leave the generators alone, and negotiate with the landowners to save these machines. It's very sad ---- one can imagine the pride someone took with these generators over the years, only to end up as junk. The whole video is a sad story of what has happened to our country, and to our priorities. At least the Wurlitzer 160 band organ and the carousel were saved. But the generator sets are gone, which were a symbol of what we could build in America in past.

[@008Birdman]

My daughter rode the roller coaster in 05 as her very first roller coaster. She loved the Wacky House. She called it a fooky house. My grandparents lived at Pawnee & Hillside on the north side of Pawnee. When I visited we would go to Joyland all the time. The clown scared me as a kid. In the 90’s I rode the sky coaster swing. It was fun!

[@b0b0-]

The plant they pointed out as poison ivy wasn't poison ivy at all. At 23:51 his neck brushes on poison ivy. Most young people are immune to the stuff though.

[@jefferybrumley819]

Congrats on the new channel, would have liked to see some videos or pics from the heydays and bit more background on what happened. Still fun to WatchJRGo but not. Look forward to the next one.

[@kencarp57]

I grew up in Wichita in the 1960s, and we lived on the west side of the canal. I walked to Sowers Elementary across a concrete foot bridge every day. Joyland was across the south side of Wassell from Sowers. I spent a LOT of time at Joyland in the 60s, and seeing the ruins of the park in this video brought back a lot of memories. It’s very, very sad to see the ruined remains of the park where I had so much fun as a kid. Back then, they had an electric dodge cars ride, and next to it a spook house that was converted into the “Safari” ride. I remember a cannibal in there, “stirring” an explorer’s head in a big pot. They had the Rock-O-Plane ride that always TERRIFIED me. My big brother would pull back on the ring in the car and hold us upside down at the top of the ride when they were loading, scaring me to death! They also had a “Paratrooper” ride - a big tilted wheel with 2-person cars around it that had metal mesh “parachutes” over them, and they would swing out as the big wheel turned. I loved that ride. One year they also brought in a temporary “Sky Diver” ride that had enclosed cars along a big wheel that were mounted in line with the wheel, and each car could spin 360 degrees in line with the wheel. That ride was fun, too! The remains of the roller coaster really got to me. I could literally remember myself on that concrete queueing ramp as 10-year-old boy, waiting to ride. I never knew that big generator building behjnd the coaster was even there. That was very interesting to watch! Next to the roller coaster where that slide is (it was not there back then), they had the Octopus ride (one of my faves), and a Tilt-O-Whirl ride, if I remember correctly. They also had a Scrambler ride in the park somewhere. The Log Ride must have been added later, because it was not there in the 60s. I loved the big Wurlitzer organ in the middle of the park and spent a lot of time watching Louie the clown playing it. I remember vivid details about that organ, and I still remember the songs it played and I can still sing them to myself. Louie never creeped me out like he did others... I just thought he was cool, and I liked looking at his face through that little mirror. There’s an interesting story about Louie, involving a park employee stealing him and keeping him in his house for some years. Pretty creepy! I also remember the big “Porky The Paper Eater” trash eating machine, the C P Huntington train, the “Wild West” area with its “Cellar Cooled” theater, the Ferris Wheel, the skating rink where we had many skating nights, and many other things about Joyland. Anyway, thanks for the vivid memories! It’s impossible to put into words the simultaneously sad and happy emotions I felt watching this video. THANK YOU for taking the time and making the effort to make it!

[@jerrymunroe4089]

I was there in 1965-66 when my Dad was stationed at McConnell AFB and I was 10 years old. loved Kansas. I rode my first roller coaster ride as a kid. I am 65 years old now and we moved from there long ago. You know memories stay with you until you die.

[@timmillan6701]

Hi Ken. Like you, I lived very close to Joyland in 64-65. I was just south of the park on East Sunnybrook. Although I was very young, I remember that in the days immediately before I left, there was much land clearing to the west of our neighborhood- right about where 35 is now. My dad walked us over to look on the day before we left the area and relocated to Virginia. I had always assumed that what we saw was the construction of 35. Do you recall what year that road was built- and did the footbridge go over the road in addition to the canal? It could have been some other project, but there’s really nothing else in that area even now. ( Maybe the go-cart track). Although I was only 4 at the time, I remember that there were piles of burning wood all around and I stepped on an ember ( barefoot) and that caused a large blister to develop on my foot on the road to our new home the next day. I can’t imagine what else the construction would have been. I do also remember a little about going to Joyland on numerous occasions. These are my earliest memories of my life

[@jerrymunroe4089]

I rode my first roller coaster ride in 1966 when my father was stationed at McConnell AFB. We moved long ago.

[@buckyc.9069]

You may not know it, but in summer of 1980, "Alabama" played that amphitheater about the time their first records started hittin the shelves. They probably never played such a small venue again.

[@irishmccabe3365]

Frequented this park many times around 1977 to 1983, My first roller-coaster ride.

[@chrismoody1342]

Old fart here; Joyland was a huge part of any kids school year. Twice a year, particular nights were set aside for I’d say a half dozen schools own fun night. Eventually rotating thru all the schools. I’m mean to tell you, it was well attended probably a thousand some Wichita kids all dashing back a forth from ride to ride. All for sure one price admission for all. Back then parents just drove you there and cut you loose to run wild. I can’t tell how many girls were courted and were kissed in the various attractions and darker corners of the park. LOL. Nothing but good memories for me. Even though it was privately owned, the city had no foresight and let the whole thing collapse. They could of helped subsidize the place and pulled in a little bit of revenue. I mean the city has thrown money at stupider things; with regularity.

[@judithhstevens126]

Beyond the train area at the end of the park is where the go cart area. In the go cart area is where we watched fireworks

[@micoasters]

Are any of the ptc cars for the coaster still there?

[@bentstrider]

Real Ghost Stories Online. podcast and channel made me aware of this spot. I only get as far into Kansas as Hutch when delivering milk tankers. But this definitely sounds like a place I would've driven down for it of just to get my spooky on. Although I'm sure it was quite the spot back in its heyday. These regional amusement parks have a special warmth about them. Thanks for the explore!!!

[@tworodsdownunder]

This channel is as abandoned as the ruined parks.

[@VidTubeWatch]

Will you and Zach do anymore urbex videos in the future? I had forgotten I had subscribed to this channel and found the link at the bottom of your watch jr go page. LOL

[@judithhstevens126]

There was a skating rink and other water rides replaced the pool.

[@waxonjaxonflaxoniii4814]

Grew up going to joyland. Had my first non filtered cigarette under the bridge at the beginning of the video(that was our hangout spot) and we used to sneak in during the fall and winter. I got stuck in the BB gun booth while trying to steal BB guns lol.

[@garyfletcher844]

Climbing that steep log ride doesn't even make you out ofbreath. Not me.

[@jsb1964]

Any new videos coming?

[@Chris-hw4mq]

Bring this channel back not bad video

[@trainmanbob]

You could always call the channel.....Watch where JRwent.

[@janabuck173]

I remember going here in the 70s. That's sad.

[@peggymcnabb5198]

Thank you. My sisters and I spent many happy hours at joyland

[@becomingmacy]

They say once the power plant was stripped there was no selling/saving the park.

[@Spookyweasel99]

It’s kinda crazy that there was an amusement park in my town crazy

[@garyfletcher844]

That narrow slide used carpets to slide down on. No water on that ride

[@transdetendal]

found it on maps and they have the shots from when it was open in 2007

[@Logan_Barnes43]

U guys explored it right before the destroyed the roller coasters ( I think ) I live so close to here

[@karrar2122]

I loved this place as a kid.

[@watchjaredwork1487]

The Ottoways really had something going back then! They sure did a lot for Wichita!

[@MrSuperior670]

The Ottoway's? That family hasn't owned joyland since the 50's. Stan Nelson bought it from the Ottoway's back then. Actually maybe earlier.

[@judithhstevens126]

Just one roller coaster still there when it permanently closed. Wood people complained it never got repaired like it should have. I know because we when my family and I drove south on hillside. We see it from the road .

[@b0b0-]

We're creeping around the ruins of this abandoned KZbin channel.

[@mattbrown1865]

They put the generators in because the power company was banging them over the head, If you know anything about the way they rate three phase power. Only being open three nights a week, and it was costing them thousands of dollars... So they pulled the park from the power grid and put this power station in. Most people don't know it's back there. Also if you remember the big pool, was a pool, it Closed and then turned into a ride called the bumper boats, It was never open. The burned out car in the last Building, That's a wacky shack car. So sad.

[@jasong3652]

Please don't die climbing roller coasters JR!

[@HappyHarryHardon]

I had my first kiss in the Wacky Shack.

[@baldmann81850]

Congratulations to the Ruin’d Family

[@stanleypalmer7895]

The one thing I did find out I took my wife to Joyland the summer of 84 found out she was pregnant because she loved the rides and she got sick on the rides

[@judithhstevens126]

They had a pool in the 1970s early by the time I was in 5th joyland had no pool. Reason I remember is because I wanted to go to it in my teens because it was the neighborhood.

[@delano62]

I never knew you had this channel. Thought all you did was cars.

[@judithhstevens126]

No new ownership came in and leveled it because there had been fires so the neighborhood wanted them to get rid of the buildings .

[@ShinyRedGrapple]

"$180,000... the price of a house." *cries in Californian*

[@judithhstevens126]

There should be no showers after the 1970s after they took out the swimming pool. There was no pool after that .

[@danielgloates5903]

This is sad but dope

[@judithhstevens126]

The animals would get into the park area after the cowtown closed early before I came into to it in the 1970s

[@stevekeyes8445]

Where is the video from 10 yeas ago?

[@brandonlewick2242]

Log jam was my favorite

[@stanleypalmer7895]

A lot of places like front Lambert or Sherwin-Williams international code storage Rainbow Bakery they should have a lot of pictures of that place cuz there's a lot of parties work parties there Beach aircraft parties

[@FACEBOOKS-WBDS]

THE FIRST PLACE WAS THE BUMPER CARS SECOND WAS THE WACKY SHACK, THEN THE TEA CUP RIDE WAS WHAT HE CALLED THE TITLT A WHIL

[@ellen6725]

Didn’t they have a skating rink there at one time!

[@unknown_person-_-7065]

I never got to see it in action but seen it get destroyed and rot

[@rosenovotny8173]

I used to work there what ashame

[@thegooglyeyeswatchyou6854]

I'm more sad that the forest will be torn down for housing projects.

[@addieford8406]

My parents used to go there as kids

[@Bicketybam68]

So, why did it shut down? Competition or just proof that after a while people can just be fickle creatures and desire something different?

[@jakbos2377]

I think its more the ladder. Joyland didnt have any comp. It was the only amusement park in KS. It shut down before wild west world opended, then closed. It was in the worst neighborhood in wichita. I heard they tryed to sell it before it closed. Then South high tryed to raise money to save it, but then the kid who was running it was accused of embezzling soo that died too.

[@watchjaredwork1487]

Unfortunately Wichita has proved several times that for whatever reason, we can’t support a theme park. Yet.

[@MrSuperior670]

It did sell. Margurite Nelson sold it and "carried the note". The gay dude who bought it scrapped everything he could before bailing and paying Margurite nothing. Margurite tried to re-sell Joyland but wanted way too much money for it, like 2 mil but later dropped the price to 1mil after a bunch of theft and vandalism.

[@rsgirrl]

@@MrSuperior670 nice name boogie nights

[@judithhstevens126]

Also to starting in the 90s fir sure everyone I knew in Wichita wanted to go to Kansas City to worlds of fun etc so that why joyland didn’t do so hit later on before the year 2000. I heard people in Wichita going to Kansas City Missouri Kansas.

[@OhhowHelovesus777]

Closed 8 years before 2006? It was open all the way to 2004, closed for a year or so, then opened again in 05-06. Then closed permanently. My time was its last years in mid/late 90s and early 2000s. So no, it never had a closure like that until its last closure. If my memory and knowledge can be trusted.

[@judithhstevens126]

Cowtown area became eating place and park to have like kfdi radio park there.

[@17buckrogers]

sad it had to go i hear it has been a swap meet location for years

[@judithhstevens126]

Yes there was a fire . It’s supposed to be empty now.

[@RavagHer]

I would take the slide and that's it