The History of The Weird Construction Theme Park: Diggerland | Expedition Extinct

Join us on a new Expedition Extinct as we look at the weird history of the construction-based theme park - Diggerland. Here kids anyone can operate full-size excavators and diggers. With multiple locations around the world, 2021 saw the first of the Diggerland Parks go extinct.
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Credits -
www.diggerland.com
Balmesh - • Vintage Excavators at ...
StealthFan - • Sky Shuttle Full HD PO...
Wild Willows - • Diggerland Yorkshire V...
OackThePJs - • Diggerland, Kent
See Shaun Vlog - • Diggerland - A Constru...
Fun - • JCB Twin Looper Americ...
In The Loop - • Diggerland Constructio...
Carrs And Caravan - • Diggerland Devon

[@ExpeditionThemePark]

What and where is your local park that you made amazing memories at?

[@startedtech]

I suppose a plus side of closing down a Diggerland vs a normal theme park is that they can just drive the rides away, and put them back to use in construction.

[@tails123iyg]

Oh this park, My dad used to work there for awhile years ago, he would sometimes take me there when it's closed and allowed me to ride some of the diggers. Those were fun times.

[@justinvzu01]

The whole concept of Diggerland is insane, but you can see they people behind it really had a passion for bringing diggers to those not fortunate enough to be OSHA-Certified. Them having such a positive safety record is incredible.

[@isaacjosephh]

another thing i just realized is how this celebrates such an essential job! i feel like most folks these days (at least from what ive seen on the internet) look down upon construction jobs, but they’re so important and necessary and deserve to be recognized 💛🚜

[@CorgisRunTheWorld]

My fiancé genuinely had an end of university day out at Diggerland with his whole course and loved it, I was and continue to be baffled by the existence of Diggerland! 😂

[@speedbird7471]

I went to Diggerland Devon soon as it opened in 2001, and many more times after that when I was young. Operating a digger and driving cars at the age of 7 was literally the best thing I had ever done lol. The early 2000s was such a good time to be a kid.

[@zachcoastercrazy4032]

This seems like a place I would have LOVED when I was a bit younger, and maybe even today! Looks like a good time for younger kids.

[@MrMattumbo]

As someone who grew up driving heavy equipment on my grandparents' farm I can see why the park has been such a success, and why its safe. That equipment is dangerous but it's really easy to limit that danger, especially for the operator. I can remember one time I had a load high in the bucket on a skidsteer and managed to flip it forward... well besides knocking me around and scaring the shit out of me it didn't hurt me or the machine and being that it caught itself with the hydraulic arm I just pushed it back upright and scooped back up the load that spilled.

[@callmepuddles]

On a whim my Dad took me and my sister to diggerland. He wasnt sure it was going to be any good so he packed swimming costumes expecting us to get bored and want to go swimming nearby. We ended up staying at diggerland until closing, it was honestly awesome. The rides were great. I drove my first car there. Ill never forget this totally odd but fun park!

[@Datadog-1]

Watching this I think I finally understand how most people feel about Disneyland. I’ve been lucky enough to operate heavy equipment since I was very young, but having an entire park dedicated to it is a dream.

[@pummeluffpapa]

I took my daughter to Diggerland in Kent nearly 10 years ago. She loved it! She drove a car for the first time there (an ex-police car, no less) and chauffeured me around in a massive tractor. We had dumper races too! The Spindizzy is ace.

[@Charlie-pu9bx]

Diggerland looks like such a weird theme park. But good on the guy for creating it - I hope things get better for him and his business ventures 👍

[@AwkwardKidAdventures]

I'm so baffled by this. 😂 Of all the things one could make a park out of, somehow "construction equipment" never would have crossed my mind! I really liked that jingle though. >_>

[@medea27]

Totally sold, booking the next available tickets to the UK! 🚜 You're 100% right about the draw of Diggerland....

[@franciscodanconia4324]

I never realized I had my own personal theme park as a kid. I just thought my parents and grandparents were making me work on the farm. My personal favorite was the auger ride, where you stand on the three point hitch to act as extra ballast while your dad digs post holes. Make sure to keep your arms inside the ride at all times, lest the auger rip them off.

[@kieran2k8lol]

As someone from Durham it just feels wild having so many people have no idea this exists, i guess i was kind of ignorant to the fact it's pretty unique. Side note, only ever heard amazing things about the place but never been myself (:

[@hannahp1108]

This concept is honestly kind of genius, considering how much kids (and adults) love the idea of playing with construction equipment

[@alex220101]

This has unlocked a memory i forgot existed. I remember spinning around on that large digger arm as a kid.

[@timecircuits88]

My local Diggerland was the one in Devon, I never went as when I was a kid it was Verbeer Manor and I seem to remember blaming Diggerland for its closure (most likely they had nothing to do with it) but they had the most awesome death slides, got some serious friction burns off those! 😂