Niagara Falls has changed over the years. In fact, the tourist area looks significantly different now compared to before the casinos opened up. So this week’s question is:
What used to be in Niagara Falls that you now miss?
This is your chance to think back on the places that are no longer. Was it the old Houidini musuem? How about the old Tussaud’s or Maple Leaf Village? Or perhaps it was an old restaurant or hotel. Leave your comments and let us know.
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Without a doubt I miss seeing the turning Houdini Museum Sign, and the old downstairs retail store below where Tim Horton’s and the Glow in the Dark golf now sit. I also miss the old metal buses you could find at all the tourist retail stores up and down Clifton Hill. I also really miss the old Elvis porcelain heads that sat in the window where I believe the Harley Davidson store is now located. I could go on and on, but there are far to many things to mention! Perhaps the one thing I miss the most besides the Houdini Museum, is the Great Blondin tightrope walking across Clifton Hill. Thanks for the chance to walk down memory lane Graham it’s a really nice touch!
I think I speak for a lot of people when I say Maple Leaf Village. Pyramid place to some extent. I enjoy Zappi’s Pizza now - but miss the original place on Dunn. Loyalist Village at Niagara-on-the-Lake. A great breakfast place my husband and I used to enjoy at NOTL - that is now a Leather store.
I miss Blondin,too. It’s just not the same where he is now.
Most of all, I miss knowing that every tourist I see came for the glory of Niagara itself - and not the casino.
There’s oodles of changes at the ‘Falls… but most of them have been for the better.
The Skywheel replaces the long missed (and rapidly detorriating) Maple wheel that was in Maple Leaf Village.
The only thing I truly miss, is the little mall that is where the Casino Niagara now occupies. I like how they kept the facade indoors in the entrance, but the mall was rather unique, despite it being rather empty & losing a lot of retailers.
I liked the original Dinoland Miniature golf… but it’s still there, just moved.
Otherwise, most of the moves the Niagara Falls area have done have been for the better.
Maple Leaf Village (although I believe if Casino Niagara ever closes, we will get a new version). The Elvis museum inside of it was tacky, but fun. Blondin on the hill I agree with. And I actually think Toussads isnt as good now as it was before closing in Sept. 2000. I loved the torture chamber. I think its great you can stand next to the figures now, but I preferred the old museum better. I was actually in attendance the day it reopened in June 2005, so thats cool to be able to say. The railroad tracks at the top of clifton hill, when a train would be coming in (dont ask me why i miss that). Hard Times restaurant, and Pizza Hut instead of gross, disgusting pizza pizza on clifton hill.
The little cafe/souvenir shop at the bottom of Clifton Hill where the MOTM center is now. My dad used to take my brothers and me there after Sunday School for hot chocolate and cookies.
The Red Barn on Victoria Ave. where hamburgers and fries were each 15 cents.
The Foxhead Inn and its Tudor style appearance.
I miss not being able to park along the railing, get out of your car, and just enjoy the Wonder of the Falls….but, then again, I’m an old person!!!
Definately Maple Lead Village for me. It’s a little hard to remember since I was young, but of all the memories I had a kid, those stand out the most. I remember everytime my family went to the falls, I’d BEG to go to Maple Leaf Village.\
At least the new Niagara Falls is forward thinkning (in the tourism sense) and we will see a new amusement park across the street (with a wooden coaster might I add).
If HOCO ever decides to built their so-called amusement park, I’m sure that Maple Leaf Village will be a distant memory. They may have had a couple original flats, but overall… despite my fuzzy memory, it was really was very carnie-like with little to no landscaping. The only thing good about MLV was the “free” entrance fee. Of all the years there, my parents too me on the Maple wheel once I think in ‘91 before they knew it was not going to last too long. That was the only ride I ever went on there.
I’m glad what Clifton Hill is now… much improved each & every year, with all the tacky additions.
What I miss more-so are the American-side attractions, such as the Wintergarden, ice-skating rink, & Rainbow Centre.
I miss Blondin tightroping across the street too. There was a gap between my visit in the late 80’s till hubby and I started coming up and that was the first thing I mentioned to him as we hit the Hill. No tightrope walker!! I think I’ll miss the tower when we make it up again, though I CAN’T WAIT to see the Skywheel!
And Wintergarden on the American side, but then, that was one of the few things we ever did on the American side. That, and the Aqarium.
For me, it most definitly is Maple Leaf Village. Spent the last 4 years there in the park, and much like many of the other former employees i run into, have to say that it was one of the best jobs i ever had. Met lots of people, had a lot of fun, and in my case, worked most of the jobs available, from rides, to games, to maintenance. I also had the opportunity to be the operator of the Giant Wheel on it’s final weekend day in operation (at the end of the shift, i shut’er down) (of course, there may have been demonstration operations for prospective buyers) All in all, it was a great place to work, and despite the people who put the place down, it is truly missed by many.
oh!!..where to start on this subject…lol..but the best one i think for sure is maple leaf village..it was always the perfect place to take the kids when they were young..(the oldest was about 3)..the village and the masterhost so close together was great when we had to drag tired kids back to the room….i remember that every time we went..there was always at least one empty store with bars across…good thing!!..we had the kids convinced that they were *kiddie* jails and that’s where they would have to go if they were bad..well..they always behaved…lol..and believe it or not..our kids are 21 and 24..and they STILL talk about the kiddie jail…gonna have to go to the skylon for a *kiddie* jail and try it on our granddaughter…lol..also..evry time we stayed..it was a race to see who yelled *TRAIN*!!! first when we heard one comming across the top of the hill..and..yup..we all still do it whenever we hear a train…it was a long time ago..but it’s really kewl that yur kids still remember that stuff and how much fun they had..something they’ll never forget
A few of the things I miss are the That’s Incredible Museum, The old Niagara Falls Museum (where the Birds of Lost Kingdom is now) and the underground souvenir place. And I am sure I will miss the Tower Ride. However, Niagara Falls is still my favorite place to go. I really enjoy the Birds of The Lost Kingdom and I was very pleased to
see Madame Tussad’s reopen. And I will try out the new sky wheel. The falls is still a magical place that my family loves to go to.
There’s definitely a lot of things I miss in Niagara, but like most others, Maple Leaf Village is the one I miss most. Three floors of shops, arcades, and museums made for a great afternoon of fun. Nightmares even got its start here. I remember riding the SR-2 simulator, talking to the genie in the bottle at the That’s Incredible! museum (who was very good at getting people to enter the museum), playing Pac Man and Galaga in one of the two arcades, going up in the Kodak Tower one year when it had free admission, throwing pennies into the pond with the mill wheel, and ending a visit by riding the Dixie Dangler and Giant Wheel outside. It truly was a fun place in its glory days.
I do unfortunately remember my final visit to MLV in 1994. The park was closed, the wheel was missing some of its cars and looked rusty, and the “mall” consisted of a 50’s diner, “Screamers” (the house that could never be as good as Nightmares), and Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club. The rest of the place was a creepy Ghost Town. It was really sad to see a once great place fall into decay. But most of the changes in Niagara over the past several years have been for the better.
And while not in Niagara Falls proper, I also miss Crystal Beach…
I must admit, I didnt expect MLV to be the overwhelming response as most missed attraction. I think I posted this previously, but outside of two or three websites, the lack of MLV info on the net is amazing. Anyone think HOCO’s amusement park area will mirror what MLV was? (obviously not the run down stages). And not to split threads, but if you visit Skylon right now, it has a VERY similar feel to what MLV was in the latter stages.
Amusement parks deliver great moments - families together laughing, smiling, just having a great time. I think that was such an exciting thing to do in Niagara Falls that was timeless, crossed all age barriers, and was a valued attraction that lasted more than today’s 1/2 hour attractions.
I think HOCO’s will bring back a lot of memories and start many new ones. HOCO has been in the area for years and they know what they’re doing so I see a lot of success with the new park. Not to mention the park is being designed with lots of landscaping so it won’t just be carny attractions here and there. It is modeled after Tivoli in Europe.
I also noticed Quality Inn is no longer taking reservations after mid-October… could this be the start of the amusement park??