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Joyland Park in Wichita, Kansas is a small amusement park tucked away from the town. It rests behind some trees off of South Hillside road and the only thing park guests can see as they approach is the retro sign that proclaims "Joyland" and the turn-around of the amusement park's classic out-and-back roller coaster. The wooden beams are painted a bright white and make it look like the ride opened last year instead of 1949. |
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The coaster leaves the
station with another trainload of passengers. |
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This park is the quintessential traditional
amusement park. Walking through the gates you will see rides
from days gone by such as the Hrubetz Paratrooper & Round-Up,
Eli Bridge Scrambler & Aristocrat Series Ferris wheel and the
first Chance Rides C.P. Huntington Train (the Chance manufacturing
plant is only a few minutes away). The park retains much of
the charm it has developed since it was opened by Herb &
Harold Ottaway in 1949. With time the park has added
attractions like the O.D. Hopkins log flume and go-karts, but its
soul (and most popular ride) remains the post-war coaster. |
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Most of the coaster is visible at this view from the top of the lift hill. The turn-around is in the distance. |
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Joyland needed an anchor when it opened in 1949 and the Roller Coaster was chosen as the attraction that would draw guests for years to come. During the growth period after World War II many amusement parks had two things: a wooden roller coaster and a carousel. This park followed suit and also purchased an Allan Herschell carousel that opened for the 1949 or '50 season. Joyland chose Philadelphia Toboggan Company to design and build the roller coaster. The ride cost $75,000 and was the brainchild of P.T.C. in-house designer Herbert Schmeck. He created a standard dogleg out & back wooden coaster with a few minor changes to the traditional design. The first drop was parabolic and gave riders a wonderful floating sensation as the train dove toward the ground. In addition, Schmeck designed the first drop to cross a creek that ran through the property. Noted roller coaster designer John Allen was working under Schmeck at this time and according to historian Torrence V. Jenkins, Jr., Allen provided input to Schmeck on the coaster's design. |
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The coaster leaves the station with another trainload of passengers. |
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Those used to the standard theme park experience of long ramps and pay-to-cut systems find a refreshing change at Joyland. Here the wait for the coaster is the way it was in many parks- a zigzag ramp that leads up to the boarding platform. As the train pulls forward guests notice that this isn't the typical roller coaster rolling stock, either. These cars are the only existing set of the "permanent lap bar" trains from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company that are still running. The rolling stock originally came with grab bars only, but in time the park added seat belts. The trains have more of a rounded front than the P.T.C. trains of today and metal hoops that serve as hand-grabs and line the sides of the train. According to the website
Theme Parks
Online, the entire train was rebuilt in-house for the 1996 season and is still well cared for. |
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After guests board and buckle themselves in the operator manually releases the skid brakes and the train picks up speed. The anti-rollbacks engage and passengers slowly climb out of the wooded canopy. Factories can be seen in the distance, but most riders are concentrating on the 76-foot drop that looms just beyond the sign that reads, "Last Warning: Do Not Stand Up. Sit Down." Riders throughout the train are tossed into the seatbelts as the train dives down the first drop. The cars burst up and out of the overhanging trees into sunlight as the rocket over the second rise and dive back down again. After a bunny hop the train rises into a left-hand turn. Here things slow down a bit as guests enjoy a leisurely dogleg turn-around. However, after the train makes a right-hand turn back towards the station it gets wild again. The metal springs connecting the cars have a unique push-pull effect over the last few bunny hops. Guests towards the front of the train feel a unique floating sensation as they are "pushed" over the top while those towards the back of train are yanked down with a great moment of airtime. A few more bunny hops speed by and the skid brakes in the station gently slows riders. |
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Joyland is a fun park with a unique attraction in the Roller Coaster. While there be sure not to miss out on the other sights like one of two Louie at the Wurlitzer (the only one in public view) and a classic Bill Tracy dark ride. Coaster lovers can stop in as they drive from Worlds of Fun to Oklahoma or those visiting Wichita can spend a relaxing afternoon in the wooded glen of Joyland Park. |
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Ride Statistics:
Opening Year: 1949
Length: 2,600 feet
Height: 70 feet Height of Drop: 76 feet
Designer: Herbert Schmeck of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Source: "The Guide to Ride" |
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Works Cited:
Jacques, Charles J., Jr. The Amusement Park Journal: The Roller Coasters of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company Volume 6, Issue 1. 1984.
Jenkins, Torrence V., Jr. "John Allen: The Coaster Renaissance Man." Rollercoaster! Summer, 1996. 22-27.
Theme Parks Online <http://www.themeparksonline.com>
Waddell, Ray. Amusement
Business. "Good Weather, Promotions Boost Joyland Attendance over 1997 Mark."
Wichita State University Libraries Special Collections <http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/>: The staff at the Wichita State University Library was kind enough to let us use two images from their collection and was very helpful & responsive.
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Amusement Park History, Copyright
2003.
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