Comments on: Niagara Falls Question: What used to be in Niagara Falls that you now miss?

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:19:49 +0000

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??

By: niagara

niagara — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:56:36 +0000

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.

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:29:21 +0000

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…

By: kirk

kirk — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:55:35 +0000

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.

By: sue

sue — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 22:43:03 +0000

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

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:08:35 +0000

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.

By: BensonsMom

BensonsMom — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 01:17:31 +0000

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.

By: BensonsMom

BensonsMom — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 01:15:39 +0000

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!

By: Dawg

Dawg — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:02:39 +0000

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.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:31:01 +0000

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).