The Abandoned History of The Two Miracle Strip Amusement Parks & Florida's Lost/First Rollercoaster

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

What’s the oldest rollercoaster you have been on?

[@kofi4759]

Big dipper at the pleasure beach

[@Danielvarndell3981]

Vampire it cwoa in the uk

[@djsugarc1075]

Coney Island Cyclone or Zippin Pippin (i dont really count ZP as being over 100 years old although some do)

[@keithsutton4350]

Jackrabbit at Kennywood 101 years this year

[@PupRiku]

The Big Dipper for me too. Still a bloody good time.

[@tfromcleveland3741]

Your inclusion of period video and ads truly elevates these videos to the next level. Always super enthused when one appears in my feed!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Good pun I like it. Thanks for watching

[@TheJoecb]

I agree. They're top-notch

[@christyhubbard8074]

Truly a shame. People will never know the pure joy of going to MSAP and then end the night walking up and down the Strip with a unobstructed view of the most beautiful beaches and water!! Cheers to all my Brothers and Sisters who got to enjoy it!!!

[@zacshubert7520]

I say the same thing every time I go to PCB now. We went to MSAP every year growing up. I loved that place!

[@drumrgrl4oneweve]

I'm a Panama City native and Starliner was my first coaster ever. I'm so sad that it has disappeared 🥺

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

it's a big shame

[@bigbiscuit6751]

Exactly I’m a native also

[@slikvik59]

Native PC too. Live in East Tennessee now. That was the one and only roller coaster I’ve ever been on. I lived there for 32 years. I had the time of my life at Miracle Strip back in the day.

[@PhantomPanic]

Now we have riots on the beach. SMH I had a lot of fun times crusin the strip as a kid.

[@thewickedraven33]

I am native aswell but I assure you the Starliner will rise from the ashes again like a Phoenix and be built again someday and rise to it's former glory and beyond🌠

[@bradleyjohnson1702]

I've literally ridden the Starliner hundreds of times. It was my very first coaster and will always be one of my favorites because it, and all of Miracle Strip will always hold a special place in my heart. This coaster and park represent some of my fondest childhood memories.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Glad you got to ride it

[@Clay3613]

It's so sad and frustrating that most small parks can no longer stay afloat due to greedy landowners and developers.

[@larrylaffer3246]

Honestly the Lego Group should've kept the StarLiner. Because of how old it was it should've been considered a historical site of sorts.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Agreed!

[@funfairs__uk]

Lego don't have much to do with legoland parks they are run by merlin entertainments

[@99sharkbate]

That was true until a year or two ago where Lego then bought Merlin entertainment so they actually own their parks again

[@funfairs__uk]

@@99sharkbate oh

[@hereliescj]

@@99sharkbate The lego investing group bought a stake, but the Lego group still does not operate the parks. Legoland employees are still Merlin employees.

[@skittles92485]

Man, I worked at Miracle Strip my senior year of high school in 2003. Such a fun job, so many great memories from that place. Still have my goofy "yearbook" that they gave all the workers at the end of the season.

[@EricGarringer]

I’m pleased I got to ride Starliner in the early-1990s, when it was still at the original Miracle Strip Amusement Park. Miracle Strip was a great amusement park. Their take on enclosing common rides like scrambler and trabant in a sculpted building that looked like an abominable snowman and devil, and adding mirrors, disco lights and loud music, made for a unique ride experience not found anywhere else. What a wonderful place Miracle Strip was.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

It had some classic for sure

[@shelbynichols6741]

I got to ride it as well as a child. This video brought back some nostalgia!

[@bigbiscuit6751]

Exactly Brings back memories

[@caseykod4406]

Oh wow, you knocked some memories loose. My grandparents lived in Panama City in the '90s and I spent a couple of summers there and went to Miracle Strip a LOT. That devil head was so iconic and the dragon mouth on Star Liner was a Total Recall moment for me.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Awesome you got to ride it at Panama

[@pimpontheline]

The devil's head was called Dante's Inferno fyi

[@e-manr.486]

I am always impressed how you make such well documented stories about theme parks and rides that i don't even know about. I had no nostalgic investment in this story, but you really captured a satisfying emotional narrative about a historic ride.

[@rixrobin]

He actually did this one! Was super excited for it.

[@kelseybush5893]

Thank you so much for making this video! I grew up in the Panama City area and it was a treat to get to go to Miracle Strip. It really is a shame that Miracle Strip couldn't be revived. Panama City Beach has been trying to rebrand itself as a family friendly destination for years and lose the spring break image.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

I’m glad you enjoyed it!!

[@dengdesigns]

Luckily Shipwreck Island is still doing well.

[@zaroatmeal3494]

This video had so much nostalgia! I grew up 3 minutes down the road from Cypress Gardens. I was 9 in 2004 when the hurricanes hit. We used to go to Cypress Gardens all the time. I rode Starliner plenty of times! Legoland is cool and all but man, Cypress Gardens was so much fun

[@adambraun1990]

I live in Panama City and I absolutely hate that we got rid of Miracle Strip and especially the Starliner. Also Dante’s Inferno was an amazing ride as well.

[@coastersandcars]

Its a shame they couldn’t keep the starliner in Legoland. It would have been a great option for the older crowd. Also is it just me or does starliner 2.0 look very similar to white lightning at funspot orlando

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

It really does. Real shame they didn't keep it.

[@coastersandcars]

@@ExpeditionThemePark i wonder if GCI took the idea to funspot

[@UptownWatta]

I bet it would have a lot to do with maintenance, esp on a wooden coaster in a high humidity area.

[@Whatchamawhozit]

That is what they did... FUnspot wanted a woodie, and GCI had the plans for Starliner 2.0 already drawn up, FUnspot greenlit and planned on using the original trains, but GCI track is too twisted for PTC trains and they installed Millennium FLyer trains. @@coastersandcars

[@ImTaryn]

I grew up going to Panama City Beach every year until i was 24! Rode the ride and have so many happy memories. I live in Navarre Beach now (about 1.5 hrs away) and wish it were still open! At least if we want we can still go to Shipwreck Island!

[@WesleyTheus]

INCREDIBLE video my friend!!! Watching it brung back so many incredible memories of spending endless summers in that park!! Road The Starliner many of times!! That was actually the first rollercoaster I ever road on!! 🤘🏽🤘🏽🔥🔥

[@TwoTicketsToAdventure]

You had me all ready to jump on a plane to go ride this only to hear it never happened. You had me crying. Such an amazing video but I'm also glad that the museum picked up one of the cars at least. It's always sad when an old theme/amusement park closes down. Thank you once again Sam for your gorgeous documentaries. 🥰

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thank you for your kind words :)

[@arposkraft3616]

Incredible history, great footage, sad for the starliner and the two magic strips but i am glad cypress gardens found a new future, I always have a extra weak spot for the more special parks with iconic scenery

[@SoyOdell84]

Aw this was a great trip down memory lane. This was my very first roller coaster! Thanks for the great video!

[@thomaschavers7218]

Thank you so much for making this video. Miracle Strip Amusement Park was my home park from the day I was born until the day it closed. I always lived no more than 2 hours from the park. I loved The Starliner. It was such a fun coaster. I never remember it being a rough ride. I miss the park, too. I have a lot of great memories attached to it. I actually own a piece of The Starliner. The people who were planning on bringing it back to it's home were selling off pieces of it to help bring it back to PCB.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

I did hear that but couldn’t find any confirmation. Thank you so much for watching

[@thomaschavers7218]

@@ExpeditionThemePark, you are very welcome. I really enjoy your content. Keep up the great work. The pieces of The Starliner they sold also came with a handwritten letter/note.

[@courtneythames5718]

Thank you so much for doing this video. I grew up close by and used to go to this amusement park as a child, it was my first roller coaster experience. Lots of great memories. Its sad to see how it turned out.

[@lesliecalvert3458]

I spent my childhood at miracle strip amusement park and water park and loved every minute of it..

[@jynxed151]

I was unaware of this history of this coaster. I was born in Fort Walton Beach and made many trips over to PCB and Miracle Strip Amusement Park over the years. Personally I always found it to be a rather rough coaster ride.

[@navyplumberboy8274]

I loved this place as a kid. I think i went around the 2005 era. Loved dantes and abomidable and star liner.

[@Lsp1968]

It was a great park and a great roller coaster many great memories from my youth

[@apexalpha4947]

I rode that one Once and the one at Petticoat junction several times...it was a few miles East of this one, and also had a Steam engine Train.

[@Swordfeather]

You handled this topic with dignity and grace.

[@brian_b_music]

Panama City Beach used to be a tourist town with charm. Sadly it’s tried so hard to be like Destin, FL that it has lost it’s identity. Panama City Beach is a shadow of it’s former self.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

a shame!

[@bigbiscuit6751]

PCB had to move away from their spring break image

[@brian_b_music]

@@bigbiscuit6751 That it did, but lost it’s charm a long time ago chasing after MTV in the first place.

[@Elavator66]

i visited miracle strip @ pier park countless time throughout my childhood, i really loved the park and enjoyed watching the rides, especially sea dragon it's a shame that the meeks failed to bring back starliner, i never visited the original park but i can understand why they wanted to bring it back.

[@nyki5756]

My husband is a fisherman (has a channel) and photographer. We live in Pensacola. His dad took him there as a kid and fell in love with the place. So we are gonna have to take a drive and see what we can find, if there is anything left.

[@spacedrivefilms]

Would be nice to open a new park with the dark carnival rides theme

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Always!

[@eliasmertens9313]

I mean there is a new park on the site of the 2nd Miracle Strip. This one is called Swampy Jack’s and it is a small FEC that has an indoor scrambler like the old Miracle Strip with some other little attractions. It is slowly growing.

[@richardking2762]

Nicely done Sam

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thanks Richard

[@MrNicsthere]

i worked this ride and many other at Miracle strip rides the final year it was open, it was my first job! boy i miss those days! great video

[@CoasterMan13Official]

My mom went to this park when she was on vacation one time in the early 2000s. She rode the Starliner. She also went to Ghost Town In The Sky when she was very little.

[@mikefitchNYC1971]

Awesome job on this video! I remember that park fondly.

[@joydunn2109]

It's a Damn shame that Miracle Strip was torn down to begin with. I will always CHERISH Miracle Strip Amusement park and Petticoat Junction Amusement park. 1979 I was 17 about to turn 18, One of the Best weeks of my Life. Me and my friend Debbie went to Miracle Strip in our Bikinis, No shoes either Just Bare feet ha ha ha, It was June, 1979 It had more of a Carnival like feel. The Guys operating the Rides Looked Rough, Like they were out on Parole or something.there were 5 of us Another friend offered to take us all down to Panama City Beach We all went on the spur of the moment. It was AMAZING!! Thank you Bill wherever you are. ❤❤

[@bradleyjohnson1702]

Miracle Strip was my childhood park! I loved this park so much! I still miss it to this day!

[@nielsen145]

its really suprising that Lego, the company that was formed here, where i live, did not keep the starliner, because we have 2 of the oldest wooden rollercoaters here and still running to this day, both has been procted as history landmarks here and due to strict rules here, i was about 16, when the first coaster here, had a loop in it, thats 20years ago. the 1 of the 2, coasters has an operator in the middle of the cars, handling the breaking.

[@elevatoralarmcoasterandarc1214]

Hey, Theme Park History! Please do the History of Lights, Motors, Action: Extreme Stunt Show at Disney's Hollywood Studios!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

I will! Not sure when

[@metropod]

​@@ExpeditionThemePark You know... I only got to see the show in it's entirety ONCE. every other time, the building had to be evacuated because a storm was rolling it.

[@turdferguson1819]

I loved going there. Lots of good memories at that park.

[@thealabamiangirl]

So I came to this after I googled the park(2nd❤) I was 5 when it closed and I loved it and remeber crying about it bc I lived like 2 hrs away plus we had a beach house in pcb so we went all the time

[@bigbiscuit6751]

I’m from Panama!!!! I used to love venturing to miracle strip as a kid😊😊😊

[@Susie_Floozie]

I had to click because of the thumbnail. I have a pic from 1987 from my honeymoon trip to Florida of my new husband and me posing on the tongue of the devil head seen at 3:27. That thing was a work of freaking art! The detail and technique were excellent. Even seen as wreckage, the devil head is captivating.

[@bittabivvy]

I remember riding The Starliner in Cypress Gardens, one Sunday back in 2007. The elderly female operator gave us three concurrent cycles, telling us “The third time is a charm!” We also rode the ‘Storm Surge’ that day, which was relocated to Thorpe Park.

[@cdybft9050]

The Old House was my favorite. It had an a/c and was cold. Also the yeti ride cause of the a/c

[@lindseyroselights2306]

That’s my hometown!! Very hotel California as a place to live.

[@SingleRiderReak]

One thing that wasn't mentioned was that the 2nd Miracle Strip in Pier Park has already been occupied by another park, Swampy Jack's Wongo Adventure. Independently operated by Del Lee, this park takes a much safer approach than Miracle Strip 2.0, as it only contains 6 rides as of 2021, with multiple expansions planned for future development. As a former worker of this newer park, I highly recommend taking a look at it, especially for its indoor scrambler, the Swamp Ape.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thank you for the info

[@mikedethlefs6326]

The Miracle Strip's Musik Express ended up in Albuquerque at Cliff's Amusement Park.

[@TheBeast490]

Yep rode this one at Miracle Strip back in the 90s on vacation at Panama City.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I rode this when it was Triple Hurricane and my family had season passes to Cypress Gardens for a year. I didn't know or anticipate that it had any historical significance at the time, but it's neat to see it mentioned. I see why Cypress Gardens failed though. It was a underwhelming park located far too close to Orlando to ever survive.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Nice you got to ride it

[@tangledtori]

WHAT NO WAY THIS IS WHERE I LIVE!!!! never would've imagined this video on your page. i miss miracle strip soooo much :-(

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikelawsonmusic]

My first summer job, running those bumper cars and paratrooper. 40 years ago. Sad demise.

[@realduox]

my first coaster, do a video on Shipwreck island !

[@BumpintheNightTV]

In 2005 , Many of Miracle Strip's rides (The Bumble Bees, The Free Whale, Kiddie Boats and The Ferris Wheel) ended up in Rossville, Georgia at Lake Winnepesauka.

[@Innovation_inc]

Love the vids. Have you heard about Lake Compounce? It’s the US’s longest-operating amusement park and has some pretty interesting history. Like how it opened in 1846, changed its name to “Hershey Lake Compounce” in the 80s, then back to normal later on. It’s a neat little place

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

A really cool place.‘I would like to head up that way sometime

[@doreenbonosconi879]

We always called it Death Compound! Lots of accidents occurred and felt it was cursed.

[@sirraf23]

I rode the Starliner countless times as a kid. I knew it was old but honestly had no idea it was Florida's first rollercoaster.

[@Whatchamawhozit]

SOme trivia about Starliner... The head of Knoebel's Amusement Resort, John Fetterman, was hired by Cypress to project manage the relocation of the Starliner. John Fetterman, has maintained Knoebel's Phoenix for 20 years at that point and took the original blueprints of Elitch Gardens Mr. Twister, Modified them and Knoebels built Twister all in house in 1998/1999. The original plan was to remove and relocate Mr. Twister, but the rides footprint was too large for the space Knoebels wanted to build it, so the modification included mirroring the design and folding the lift hill, so the first part of the lift goes directly under the main and tallest part. The new Tsiter stands 102' with a drop of 90ft' which made it 10ft taller than the original Mr. Twister. WHen John came on board the Starliner project he did a front to back evaluation of the coaster as it stood at MSAP... it was determined that large sections of the coaster would need new bents, ledgers and tracks as the high humidity in florida and it SBNO for many years took its toll on the ride, which drove the relocation and reconstruction costs up to the $5,000,000 figure. Originally the relocation was supposed to cost $2.5million. Then with Cypress experiencing the Hurricane it zapped the owners wallets to the point they claimed Bankruptcy. When the park closed and Legoland took over, the decision to remove Starliner was made, before RIde Werks was given the option, Legoland reached out to Dick Knoebels to see if he would be interested in taking it because of his history of relocating coasters or preserving older classic rides... sadly Dick Knoebels had to decline as they were in the middle of bring back a classic coaster system not seen in 40 years, the wooden bobsled coaster. FLying Turns as it was named was another John Fetterman Designed but because a wooden bobsled hadn't operated in over 40 years there were no existing blueprints to review and the ride was built through trial and error. It took 7 years to finally bring FLying Turns to life. After a lot of testing, train re-designed and track reprofiling.... FLying Turns opened in 2013, construction started in 2005. If the Starliner frame is still around I am sure someone would take it if it was sold cheap enough. As far as Knoebels being that park it most likely will not happen as Dick Knoebel has taken a backseat to day to day operations and his son RIck has now taken 75% control of the park since 2015. The addition of Impulse was a testament to that change. However, dick knoebels still had tricks up his sleeve, he rescued the last two known complete Bayern Curves, they began refurbishing them in 2022, with plans to open in 2023, but a lot of new parts had to be fabricated as the designer and manufacturer has been out of business since the 1980's, and with these being the last two fully complete rides although decommissioned for sometime it will be 2024 before they open, but Knoebels said they will do their best to operate them at their designed intention, which was capable of 70mph, although most bayern curves only operated at 40mph, they were capable of 70mph.

[@Curbjaw]

Best part of the Starliner was riding in the back car and the last couple of humps you could feel it bouncing off the tracks. Fun times

[@krh5081]

Now do Ship Wreck Island please.

[@shf030]

How about doing a vlog on the old Petticoat junction in Panama City Beach

[@jackcapell8471]

Roller coaster at Lagoon turned 100 this year. That and Blue Steak and cedar point gotta be the oldest I have been on...

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

That’s a good milestone!

[@princesskristan]

The oldest coaster I've ever been on is Montezooma's Revenge and it was so much fun! But this was really interesting to learn about

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

A classic!

[@Thadva]

My first coaster. Thank you.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thanks for watching

[@andrewapel3604]

I plucking love Legoland they keep just enough

[@oiram9466]

I remember miracle strip before its demolition. I was maybe 4 or 5 when I went and that devil head scared me so much at night.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

I can imagine!

[@michailokeefeMooMoo]

Very interesting video

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Thank you

[@PhantomPanic]

Pretty sure that rollercoaster is the reason for my back problems now. lol

[@pattycrosby7029]

I remember my first air brush t-shirt

[@kommandantgalileo]

we can only hope the parts are still around, somewhere.

[@sonimatic]

Following up on a promise the very next video. We love to see it.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Aha I did say I would talk about it soon 😃

[@mgrella63]

Sad Starliner is no more

[@aquadragondavanin6745]

hearing wild adventures be mentioned caught me off guard lol, i used to go there all the time as a kid

[@rgs8970]

That Legoland announcement was 👌🏻

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

The best kept secret!

[@charliem02]

i was today years old when i learned that there's a rollercoaster museum in PLAINVIEW of all places (i got confused for a minute wondering if there was a Plain(s)view somewhere else in the state, there's no "s" in Plainview!) like, northwestern texas isn't really known for that stuff, but still cool! i don't live too far from there 🤔

[@smallthings6590]

Do one about lake side park in Roanoke VA and it's coaster the Shooting Star. The cars went to Myrtle Beach and the track became a huge stage at Floyd Fest after setting behind a grocery store for decades. Iirc they helped fund the project with ink pens that were made from the coasters wood.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Interesting will take a look!

[@coleslaw8493]

god i live near there and i still wish it was running.... closest park to me rn is 4 hours away in atlanta (or an hour away, a single Zamperla thunderbolt clone that is very unpleasant)

[@rebelkush420sterl5]

If I’m not mistaken they still haven’t put condos there and some of the rides are still there

[@sreed8570]

There's and old saying, you can't fight city hall. It really should have been updated in the 70s to , you can't fight Walt Disney. After Disneyworld opened many part's of Florida turned into ghost towns. Then when the super highways went up it was the finale nail in the coffin for a lot of small parks and attraction's. Many still rotting away today.

[@JasonTrew2018]

My park, Lake Winnie, is famous for The Cannonball

[@LiveSilence3]

This channel is great! I must shit 💩 before I watch this great thing!

[@SuperNuclearUnicorn]

Imagine living in a time where you could just decide to build a coaster and throw it together with some people who have no idea what they're doing

[@FairlySadPanda]

The upside is that there is still a fantastic wooden coaster in Florida at Fun Spot USA. White Lightning is great.

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

It’s actually mostly steel but valid!

[@FairlySadPanda]

@@ExpeditionThemePark Fair, but it doesn't detract from its feel IMO

[@thadbarkett9882]

My oldest is leap the dips,n the rolller coaster at miracle strip was my first coaster in 1972,73 not sure the year,good memories

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Good credit to have that one!

[@michaelfitts6812]

Rode it many times!

[@christosvoskresye]

The emotional phase is not yet over for me.

[@mistermadmachine6311]

What was that one attraction with the entrance that’s also a devils head supposed to be

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

They enclosed carnival rides in the dark

[@paggasnaan]

When can we expect a new expedition efteling?

[@coasterblocks3420]

Shame on Merlin Entertainment/Lego for not seeing the value in the Starliner coaster.

[@501rivet]

..While making money is the goal of most projects like an amusement park, these social entertainment gems are usually created out of a passion for amusement rides and imagery for people to enjoy. To manage an amusement park as a financial "formula" is a flawed perspective. Thats what happened here w/Miracle Strip Amusement Park. The last owners wanted the 15 million rather than "entertain", and preserve a vintage essence of the classic amusement park. Shame on them. I wonder if the family still has ANY of the 15 million to show for their sale, and demolishing of this classic park. I was there in 1969 through to 1974 visiting from the midwest every winter season. It was a clean, colorful, and very family friendly w/no Walt Disney World fakeness (talk about formula manipulation). Regardless, visit your local amusement park, classic simplified entertainment....even if it does not have "mascots", and the rides might be more tried and true thrill. Not everyone wants to bungee jump, or be spun upside down at 25 revolutions a minute. And the condos were never built.....

[@Randomperson-zt3il]

Hey man!! Will u ever vlog or not? I think it’ll be good especially with YOUR narration!

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

Naaa but check out Super Enthused channel I’m on there

[@Randomperson-zt3il]

@@ExpeditionThemePark oh ok! I’ll check them out :D

[@sandrawinkelmann4030]

Hurricane Opal did a lot of damage to the Miracle Strip. I am native Bay Countian.

[@andrewedwards7545]

I love your videos, always interesting but 1st in Florida? Come on, the Pippin (or Beach Coaster) opened in Jacksonville Beach in 1924 and ran until 1949 there were also numerous coasters in the Miami, Tampa & Jacksonville areas both Steel and Wood in parks that pre-date the Starliner....

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

It’s called that because the park marketed it as that.

[@katherinealvarez9216]

I don’t know but maybe we need another movie or horror special set in an amusement park. Anyone else listened to Mockery manor?

[@unrooolie]

That clown looked drunk

[@mcmonkeythemepark5604]

Next for flamingo land how about mumbo jumbo

[@coolcoastercreations7680]

Coney Island Cyclone

[@Drummerchick2003]

Hold up, you have to remember that all the Apollo astronauts lived there, until they migrated to Texas and made their own mission control?

[@hayleywaalen2612]

This was Legoland Flordia's birth story