Story Land
Encyclopedia
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
located in Glen, New Hampshire
Glen, New Hampshire
Glen is an unincorporated village in the town of Bartlett in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The village is the home of Story Land, a popular amusement park in the Mount Washington Valley region, a resort area that also includes the communities of North Conway and Jackson.Glen is found at...
.
In the few years prior to opening, the founders, Bob and Ruth Morrell, had purchased a large number of dolls from Germany based on storybook characters. This was the basis for the park. When it opened, it had just one ride: a ride on an old fire truck. By the end of the 20th century, the park spanned some 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) and had over 20 rides.
Story Land was operated by the family-owned Morrell Corporation from 1954 to 2007. After Stoney Morrell, son of the original owners, died, the park was sold to The Kennywood Entertainment Company
Kennywood Entertainment Company
The Kennywood Entertainment Company was the operator of five United States amusement parks in Western Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Hampshire.-History:...
. Kennywood
Kennywood Entertainment Company
The Kennywood Entertainment Company was the operator of five United States amusement parks in Western Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Hampshire.-History:...
was in turn bought by Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos is an international entertainment operator based in Madrid, Spain. The group operates over 50 parks in almost a dozen countries. Parques Reunidos operates theme and amusement parks, zoos, water parks, family entertainment centers, and cable cars...
the following year. In 2009, it was placed under Parques Reunidos American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
division, Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment is an American amusement and entertainment company owned by Parques Reunidos. The company was established in 1998 after the acquisition of four independently owned family entertainment companies with the five brands Camelot Parks, Palace Park, Boomers!, Grand Prix Race-O-Rama...
.
Rides
- The Huff, Puff & Whistle Railroad train rideTrain rideA train ride in an amusement park, or a municipal park setting, is a small ride consisting of a miniature train, often running on a permanent or portable track, but sometimes without any track whatsoever. In the latter case, the "trains" are simulated by connecting railroad-like cars behind an...
, which serves both as an attraction and as a shuttle service through the park. The trains include Train #2 with six red cars, Train #4 with six green cars, Train #47 with six blue cars and Train #18 with six purple cars used as a backup. - Alice's Tea Cups
- Cinderella'sCinderella"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
Pumpkin Coach - Story Land Queen
- Pirate ship Buccaneer
- Antique German CarouselCarouselA carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
- Los Bravos Silver Mine Tours
- Turtle TwirlTilt-A-WhirlTilt-A-Whirl is one of the best-known flat rides, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs and carnivals in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Sellner Manufacturing of Faribault, Minnesota...
- Bamboo ChutesLog flumeA log flume is a flume specifically constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. These watertight trough-like channels could be built to span a long distance across chasms and down steep mountain slopes...
- Polar CoasterRoller coasterThe roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
- Great Balloon ChaseFerris wheelA Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
- Crazy Barn
- Dr. Geysers Remarkable Raft Ride
- Flying Fish
- Antique Cars
- Swan Boats
- Eggs-traordinary Farm Tractors
- Cuckoo Clockenspiel
- Whirling Whales
- Slipshod Safari Tour
- Dutch Flying Shoes
- Pharaoh's Reign Splash Battle
Attractions
- Grandfather Tree (Interactive Playground)
- Ball Pit
- Pirate Ship Playground
- Horse Race Game (A themed Bob's Space Racers Roll-a-Ball game)
- Shooting Gallery (featuring Cameras instead of rifles)
- Dutch Milking Cow
- Oceans of Fun sprayground
- King Neptune's Crab Crawl (A themed Bob's Space Racers Ramped Water game)
- Professor Bigglestep's Loopy Lab (play area and show area)
- Dr Geyser's Mini Geysers
- Little Dreamers Nursery Rhyme Play area
Featured interactive nursery rhymes and fairy tales
- "Humpty Dumpty"
- "Mary Mary, Quite Contrary"
- "The Old Woman in the Shoe" (Shoe and Character)
- "Goldilocks and The Three Bears" (House)
- "Little Red Riding Hood" (Grandmother's House)
- "Mary Had a Little Lamb" (School House)
- "1,2 Buckle My Shoe"
- "Little Miss Muffet"
- "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater"
- "Cinderella" (Castle & Character)
- "Heidi" (Grandfather's House)
Animal attractions
- "Mary Had a Little Lamb" lambs
- "Peter Rabbit" rabbit
- "Three Billy Goats Gruff" goats
- "Heidi" goats
- "Goosey Goosey Gander" geese
- "Chicken Little" Chickens
A complete lists of Story Land rides can be found at their website.
Shows
- The Farm Follies is a live and animatronic interactive show describing the process of growing vegetables in a New England garden. It's hosted by Mr. Scarecrow.
- The Adventures of Molly Molecule is a live interactive show about a wacky science adventure with Molly Molecule (while Prof. Bigglestep is out at lunch) and her loopy lab assistants (Polly Proton and Beaker the Dog). Together the scientists discover the importance of Friendship.
- Hilltop Harmony is a live interactive show about Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, Little Bo Peep, and a Eugene the Train Conductor, and being a good friend.
- Blake Daring Storybook Adventure is a live show featuring Susie Norman who has discovered Blake Daring's old Journal and as she reads the journal she finds herself on a musical adventure meeting all of the same crazy characters Blake did. They teach the audience that your imagination is a passport to an amazing adventure.
- ' Melody Farm Follies-A show first shown at the South Florida Fair for the 2011 season and is hosted by Hap the Happy Farm Boy and this show was also known as Good Time Jamboree by the annoucer. Good Time Jamboree puts on a nursery rhymes and farm show singing with Hap and his friends
- Foot-Tapping Jam-A toe-tapping experience featuring animatronics from Chuck E Cheese Studio C and 2 Stage
Heritage New Hampshire
Heritage New Hampshire, an attraction owned by the Morrell family and dedicated to New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
history, was located next to Story Land for many years, but closed in 2006. The building still stands, unchanged and seemingly unused.
Heritage New Hampshire was an interactive museum that featured several actors that would play the role of a person who impacted New Hampshire's history. There was the captain of a tall ship from England, a woodsman, a newspaper printer, Mathew Brady
Mathew Brady
Mathew B. Brady was one of the most celebrated 19th century American photographers, best known for his portraits of celebrities and his documentation of the American Civil War...
(famous Civil War photographer), an engineer of a steam train through Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch is the steep and narrow gorge of the Saco River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, located almost entirely within the town of Hart's Location...
, and others. The Morrell family often directly employed British university graduates as actors under the auspices of the BUNAC
BUNAC
The British Universities North America Club is an organisation, the objectives of which are:BUNAC now also works towards the same objectives in countries other than those mentioned above. Where frameworks are already in existence to permit work exchanges between countries, BUNAC aims to increase...
"Work America" work exchange programme for the summer season; this was a reciprocal arrangement which thus allowed American graduates to work in the UK during their vacations. The family were known for their hospitality and their foreign employees often featured in the Story Land Yearbooks.
As guests would move in between different sections of the museum, they would see some video footage, some animatronics
Animatronics
Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than robotic. Animatronic creations include animals , plants and even mythical creatures...
, and some exhibits. There was a gift shop at the end of the museum tours.