If you’re a horror movie buff, you’ll probably love the idea of exploring these parks.
Walking into one of these parks, some claim to be able to hear the echoes of fun and the louder silence of decay. Overturned bumper cars, dusty arcade consoles and rusting coaster rides lie in wait for the next time they will be brought back to life. Except that they might never be used again.
During the 60s and 70s, amusement parks in Asia were a growing trend, but a series of factors have left many of these parks broke and very soon, out of business. As a lot of these closed parks are on private-owned lands, or cost a lot of money to demolish; most of them have been left as it is.
Forsaken as they are, many curious cats (of the human kind) have managed to make their way into the parks, and captured the current state of its disuse. Most are covered by vastly overgrown greenery, and rusting from the elements – but they are all beautiful, albeit creepy, sights to behold. We believe that this is the perfect adventure for the brave of heart.
Extreme rides may be out of the question, but are you up for a different sort of adrenaline rush?
Nara Dreamland, Nara, Japan
Opened in 1961
Shut down in 2006
This was the park that was created to mimic Disneyland (before it came to Japan) and it used to be one of the best theme parks in the 60s. It wasn’t up until 1983 when the real Disneyland opened in Tokyo, that Nara Dreamland’s popularity started to dwindle as the crowds flocked away. Miraculously, there were no freak accidents or incidents that caused the park to shut down, which explained why it lasted well into the early 2000s. The place is pretty easy to find and one could easily slip in. Various explorers had already climbed to the peak of its wooden roller coaster, The Aska, for some pretty stomach-jerking shots
Encore Garden, Taichung, Taiwan
Opened in the early 80s
Shut down in 1999
Once, this park drew in millions of visitors to Taiwan annually but now, it sits in dust and emptiness swallows it whole. An unfortunate earthquake in 1999 had a death toll of over 2,000 visitors, which lead to it being shut down permanently. The lands are reportedly haunted by its past, which is the reason why it’s still here to this day. However, this has not stopped daredevils from going in to photograph its vast remains. Inside, one would find rides that have been caked in dust, overgrown greens and dark buildings that once housed live exhibits – leaving many with a feeling of foreboding. Oh, and let’s not forget the display of scary Chinese shaman masks
Mimaland, Gombak, Malaysia
Opened in 1971
Shut down in 1994
Mimaland once had a large water park, hotels and chalets, and life-size dinosaur figures within its vast compound. Its unfortunate end began when someone had drowned in the pool, followed by a landslide a year later. After a court battle, the park had to be shut down with immediate effect. Till this day, it has been forsaken and left for nature to take it back, lending the life-size dinosaurs a sinister air. It takes a 3km trek to get into the park, and it can get quite dark due to the dense foliage. Keen explorers should be cautious, as a wild tiger was said to be spotted lurking about.
Wonderland Amusement Park, Beijing, China
Construction bagan 1998
Shut down in 2008
This is the only amusement park on the list that never saw its grand opening. It sits as an unfinished castle on a sparse bit of land with nothing else in sight. If you look a little further out, you will see that the land is in fact, surrounded by farms, and you can often see farmers passing by the castle with their shovels. Despite safety warnings, this place has been visited by numerous photographers and curious explorers who venture into the various levels of the structure. No accidents have been reported yet, but if you do make a trip there, just be mindful of the partially completed construction
Takanonuma Greenland, Fukushima, Japan
Opened in 1973
Shut down in 1999
This park is a little hard to locate because its exact location has been taken off the map, but you can find an exact GPS coordinate to the amusement park on the web. The park had shut down once in 1975 due to several deaths involving the rollercoaster, but reopened again 11 years later. It didn’t do well, which led to it being shut down forever. Those looking to explore Takanonuma Greenland can expect loads of rust and a broken rollercoaster. The creepy part is the lingering fog that surrounds the park, giving it a real horror-movie like atmosphere.
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