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Seagram/Royal/Panasonic/Minolta Tower Attraction Type: Specialty Hotel/Gift Shop(s) Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Years Operational: 1962-Present Designer(s): Horton and Bell Architects, Byer's Construction Company The 325 foot tall Seagram Tower opened in 1962 in the Fallsview district, next to the pre-existing Burning Spring building. The small, long out of date observation tower (circa 1924) incorporated into the Burning Spring structure was demolished, and next door Niagara Falls would receive it's first major observation tower. A group of local businessesmen came together to form Niagara Tower Limited, with the majority of the funds being provided by the House of Seagram distillery, the Canadian alcohol company behind Crown Royal whisky and Seagram's Gin among other products. Ground was broken on March 15th, 1961, with the Tower being designed by Horton and Bell Architects of Kitchener, and Byer's Construction Company of Montreal leading the construction. The Tower would rise 325 feet tall, cost $1.2 million (in 1961 dollars), and weighs nineteen million pounds, being the first structure in North America built using the "Slipform" construction method that would later be used to build both the Skylon and CN Towers. A small fire occurred during construction in September of 1961, but resulted in little damage despite burning for six hours. The Tower under construction in 1961. The Tower complex in 1962, the tallest beacon in Niagara Falls at the time. Completed Tower in it's opening year in 1962. The Tower would open on June 1st, 1962, just in time for the height of the tourist season. The Tower was originally topped with a two-level outdoor observation deck, and the 25th floor indoor observation deck features special non-glare, floor to ceiling windows. The most luxurious experience in the Tower was the gourmet Pinnacle Restaurant located on the 26th floor, providing the highest indoor view in the complex. The Pinnacle won several awards over the years and was originally a renowned place to eat in Niagara Falls. The rest of the floors were dedicated to hotel rooms, save for the large gift shop that occupied the ground floor and the basement. Walt Disney meets with Mayor Franklin Miller atop the Tower in 1962. Rumor has it he was in town because The Falls was the first location considered for Walt Disney World, but the Canadian winters meant the park would only be seasonal, so the site was chosen in Florida instead. While somewhat lost amongst the modern Niagara skyline, the Tower was the first observation tower in the area, and at the time was the city's tallest structure. Due to being mostly financed by Seagram's, the Tower was deliberately shaped like a giant shot glass, being affectionately referred to by locals as "the world's biggest shot glass". While no secret upon opening, rather being part of the branding, it's just subliminal enough to go over the heads of people nowadays who don't know the building's history. The Burning Spring building next door was subsequently purchased by businessmen Malcolm Howe and Arthur White, and renovated into the Burning Springs Wax Museum the following year. In addition to the wax museum, White also constructed a large outdoor fountain between the wax museum and the Tower, but this fountain would be unlike any other that existed at the time. The fountain was known as Waltzing Waters , a large dancing fountain, even programmed with synchronized lights at night. It was a technological marvel at the time, unlike anything the world had ever seen, and at a time when computers were in their infancy. There was also the "World of Shops", a two-level indoor mall in a separate building on the other side of the Tower from the wax museum and Waltzing Waters. The World of Shops even had a miniature golf course located on the opposite side of it from the Tower, between the mall and Portage Rd. Flushed out complex featuring the mini golf, World of Shops, Waltzing Waters, Burning Springs Wax Museum, and Tower View Amusement Park, 1967. Across the street was also the small and short lived Tower View Amusement Park, and an incline railway on the hill leading down to Table Rock Centre below would be built in 1966 to connect the Tower complex with Queen Victoria Park. While the Tower instantly became an icon of Niagara Falls, it's long line of financial woes began early on. It would be absolutely dwarfed just a few short years after it's opening by the 520ft tall Skylon Tower just a few blocks away, which began construction in 1964 and opened in 1965. While the Skylon featured no hotel element, it became the new must-visit observation tower in the Falls. Whether this contributed to its first sale or not is unknown, but it was sold in 1966 to Louis Bolus and the aforementioned Arthur White. Incline Railway postcard, 1960's. White would buy the Tower completely in 1969 and rename it the Heritage Tower after Heritage Restaurants leased the dining options in the Tower. To coincide with this he constructed the National Marine Aquarium of Canada in the former World of Shops Mall, opening in 1970. The Tower View Amusement Park closed to make way for the new World of Shops as well as the Niagara Falls Bus Terminal, however the carousel initially remained inside the mall with the new structure built around it. Two high rise hotels flanking the Tower were planned but never materialized, ironic considering what surrounds the Tower now (see below.) White's full ownership of the Tower was short lived, selling it to Royal Inns Canada in 1971, however he would continue to own the other attractions around it. The Tower was renamed the "Royal Inn Tower", however Royal Inns' ownership of the Tower would be the shortest, going bankrupt the very next year in 1972 and ownership being reverted back to White and the Bolus family who owned the land the Tower and attractions around it were on, as well as the physical buildings. Artist's rendering of the original plan for the tower's remodel with the hotels. The Aquarium and relocated World of Shops would come to fruition however. The arcade (silver roof) and theatre (square building) to the left of it, behind the Aquarium, 1980's. The complex would now be known as the "Royal Centre Tower", with more of a focus put on the Tower being part of a complex of several attractions rather than attempting to draw people in using only the Tower itself in a changing tourist landscape. An arcade structure and a small theatre building would be added to the former parking lot between the Tower and the Aquarium around this time. The miniature golf course was removed to make way for the new parking area. A second arcade would also open in the basement level of the Tower's base, and a third in the World of Shops across the street. The name would be changed just a year later in 1973 when Panasonic leased the naming rights to the Tower, dubbing it the "Panasonic Tower". Large electronic clocks were added to the exterior. With the complex's unfortunate financial record still not improving, White would sell the Tower, Aquarium, and wax museum to Japanese-Canadian businessman Takeshi Shimizu in 1976, president of Panasonic Canada. Shimizu apparently couldn't make it work either however, and the Tower was closed by Bolus (who had continued to own the land and physical buildings) in 1977 due to it owing back taxes. It would manage to reopen however, but to no avail, and by 1980 the Tower owed over $320,000 to the City, who were actively threatening to take over the Tower. Shimizu would end up selling the Tower business (and other attractions) to the Bolus family in 1981, marking the first time they had owned the Tower business since 1969 despite owning the physical building and land the entire time. Sale of the complex in 1976. From left to right: Mr. Shimizu and his wife, Arthur White, and Mayor George Bukator. The renamed Panasonic Tower in 1976. For the first time, someone was actually able to turn the complex around. Minolta leased the naming rights to the Tower beginning in 1984, renaming it the Minolta Tower, the name it remains the most synonymous with to this day. Little change would occur over the next few years save the for the ownership of the wax museum shuffling around. Big changes came in the early 90's however. The wax museum closed first in 1991, being briefly replaced with the Dare Devil Gallery attraction that had relocated from Stanley Ave., before it closed as well in 1992 and the historic Burning Spring building was demolished in 1993. The theatre and arcade buildings in the parking lot were also demolished around this time. Arthur White sold Waltzing Waters, his final attraction in the complex, in 1992. It would later move across the street in 1995 and end up closing in 2000, with the Aquarium closing and being demolished in 1996. The bus terminal and World of Shops mall were replaced the same year with the Radisson Fallsview, however the structure was saved and incorporated into the new hotel tower built beside it. The structure home to the carousel since the Tower View Park days remains, although the carousel was removed. Minolta Tower decorated for Christmas, December 1992. Demolition of the old Burning Spring building in 1993. The cleared land around the Tower in the late 90's. The towering Marriot Fallsview and Embassy Suites would soon replace the former wax museum and aquarium. The Tower was sold to Rado-Mat Holdings in 1993, who owned the Radisson and Holiday Inn in Niagara Falls, NY. In 1995, the 2000 sq. ft Cybermind V.R. Centre leased out space in the arcade base of the Tower. It's unknown if they took over the entire arcade or just a portion of it. The V.R. arcade was part of a Canadian chain based out of the Toronto area, and featured various forms of "Virtuality" V.R. arcade machines running various games. Namco's massive 6-player "Galaxian 3" arcade machine was one element confirmed to be held over from the original arcade, implying Cybermind was perhaps only leasing a portion of the space. The Marriot Fallsview would eventually be constructed on the site of the former Burning Springs Wax Museum/Waltzing Waters in 1998, with the Embassy Suites being constructed on the former site of the Aquarium in 2003. The Embassy Suites is considerably taller than the Tower right next door, a clear representation of how the industry had changed so much by the 2000's that the once grand observation tower was now being overshadowed by regular hotels which weren't even considered specialty observation structures. Entrance to the complex featuring the Cybermind sign in the late 90's. The front desk of the Tower in the late 90's showing the admission-based attractions guests could buy tickets for. A guest plays a Virtuality machine in the only surfaced photo from inside the mural-covered walls of Cybermind, 1995. The Tower was renamed yet again to the Konica-Minolta Tower in 2003 following the merger of Konica and Minolta. Around the same time, Cybermind closed along with the other arcade in the Tower's base complex. The Pinnacle Restaurant finally closed after almost 50 years in the late 2000's, being replaced with Marilyn's Bistro and Lounge, a restaurant themed around Marilyn Monroe. In 2010, the clocks were removed from the Tower along with the Konica-Minolta branding, and it simply became known as the Tower Hotel. The former gift shop was finally removed completely at this time to create a more welcoming, expanded lobby. An IHOP replaced Marilyn's in the mid-2010's, the outdoor observation decks closed, and the indoor observation deck on the 25th floor became reserved solely for event bookings The Tower now sandwiched between the Marriot Fallsview and the massive Embassy Suites, as part of what's now deemed "Hotel Row". The story of the Tower is one of a complex that simultaneously revolutionized the Falls yet was also doomed to fail. It started the trend of observation towers in the Falls, revolutionized construction in North America, and kickstarted the expansion of the Fallsview district, yet was overshadowed by the Skylon Tower just two years after it opened. It's confusing identity issue due to the string of rapid name changes through the 1970's, resulting from bankruptcy after bankruptcy, led many in the City to think of the Tower as financially cursed. By the time it had finally found it's footing in the mid 80's, it was somewhat too late, as the other attractions in the complex aged and the rest of the tourism industry had long moved on from the Tower itself. The Tower, once one of the tallest structures in Canada, now peeks out from behind the sea of towering skyscrapers. Despite it's recent height disadvantage, it remains eye catching for it's unique design amongst this concrete jungle. The Tower remains a reflection of the changes in the area, as the Fallsview district is now known for its glamorous high-rise hotels, especially since the opening of the towering Fallsview Casino and it's attached hotel in 2004. While other areas like Clifton Hill have so far managed to keep their identity to a certain degree, the "Vegas-ification" of the Fallsview district leaves more accessible tourist offerings like the Tower either closed or in the dust. This leads to the reality that the fact the Tower remains open despite its past issues (and all the other attractions in the area closing to make way for luxury shopping and dining) a miracle. Perhaps it's simply because this spectacular feat of engineering is simply too difficult to demolish, or too ingrained in the public conscious. Either way, the Tower has certainly withstood whatever winds have blown its way no matter how strong, and this gorgeous, historic, structure will hopefully continue to do so for years to come.

The House of Frankenstein Attraction Type: Haunted Attraction Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Years Operational: 1971-Present Designer(s): Waxattract , Distortions Unlimited Postcard of the attraction in the late-1970's The House of Frankenstein is perhaps one of, if not the most important attraction discussed on this website. It played a pivotal role in the development of Clifton Hill, the world of special effects, the world of animatronics, the world of haunted attractions, and the greater amusement industry in general. The attraction was built in a second story added on to the pre-existing restaurant and gift shop of the Iannuzelli family's Hilltop Motel in 1971, and ran by the motel owner's brother Joe. Local artist Robert Dunham's Waxattract company developed the attraction, and went partners with the brothers in ownership as well like they had on the Royal London Wax Museum . Dunham had learned from his Fantasy Land attraction at Crystal Beach and his Royal London Wax Museum, or more specifically, the success of his Boris Karloff Wax Museum. The Boris Karloff was more popular than either of them despite being in a much less foot trafficked area, simply due to its horror theme. The Hilltop Motel Restaurant in the late-1960s. Hilltop Motel postcard (left, mid-1960's), and an early postcard for The House of Frankenstein (right, 1971) showing how the attraction was built in and atop the pre-existing restaurant building. The House of Frankenstein would take this a step further, rather than being a more museum-style attraction like the Boris Karloff, it would showcase various wax horror scenes from film and history in a much scarier way, somewhat similar to the haunted house dark rides or haunted fun houses at carnivals and amusement parks, but at the same time, not similar at all. In fact, it was lightyears ahead. I believe it to be one of the most important attractions in amusement history, rivaling the Pretzel Dark Ride, the Enchanted Tiki Room, and Chuck E. Cheese's in historical significance, yet totally overlooked by historians. From what I have been able to gather after years of research, it was the first instance of programmable animatronic figures outside of California's Disneyland, even beating out Disney World in Florida by a few months. It's official title would be "The House of Frankenstein Wax Museum", and while being a wax masterpiece, the word "museum" may have undersold just how incredible the attraction was for the time. It was simultaneously more than a wax museum and more than a haunted house, one could say it was the first modern walk-through haunted attraction, today an over $300 million USD a year industry. The word "museum" however would have probably been the closest possible pre-existing term at the time to give potential visitors an idea what kind of attraction this was. The House of Frankenstein would keep the gift shop and basement auction gallery of the Hilltop Motel intact, but now the merchandise in the gift shop would be mostly horror themed. Tons of custom merchandise was produced for the attraction (as it would also be for the later Castle Dracula locations), including but not limited to pennants, T-shirts, pins, buttons, patches, mugs, cups, frisbees, pens, scene guide books, View-Master reels, projector slides, and bottle openers. Waxattract would even self-produce latex monster masks and hands cast from the same molds as the figures in their attractions for sale in the gift shops, beginning at the House of Frankenstein. House of Frankenstein souvenir pin, 1970's. The attraction's lobby was in a small space in the front corner of the gift shop, leaving the stairs down to the auction gallery intact. The lobby proper had two entrances; one up a staircase on the corner of the building and one on the front of the building slightly up the Hill. There was also a second entrance to the gift shop (which also connected to the lobby) at the other end of the building up the Hill. The lobby held a display of a skeleton raising the lid of his coffin, and the Phantom of the Opera at his pipe organ in the window. This former lobby space is where the Beavertails now sits. The former restaurant would become the first floor of the attraction, with the second floor built above the whole building. The attraction itself was incredibly impressive, and unlike anything done at the time. It featured around 60 scenes, most of which were scenes behind plexiglass and others that were walk through scenes such as the "Twilight Zone" (a strobe mirror maze) or the "Strange Planet", an area with a squishy floor and blacklight eyes peering at you from the darkness, accompanied by Metaluna Mutant from "This Island Earth". Outside the lobby in the early-70's. The sign for the auction gallery above the staircase to the basement can be seen indside. The attraction's original brochure featuring a cut-out mask on the cover. While the design has been updated several times over the years, the attraction still uses this same style of brochure to this day, along with several similar phrases in the write-up. It was a combination of multiple age old concepts into something totally new. Wax museums had long had Chambers of Horror and horror themed sections, but they were never the whole museum, or particularly scary in the try-to-startle-you sense. Dark rides (like the primitive Laff in the Dark at Crystal Beach that Dunham found constantly eclipsing his much more detailed Fantasy Land) had also existed for decades and were the first haunted attractions, but they were rides and not self-guided experiences. Their displays were usually of the quick lighting nature as your car was in continuous motion, the individual scenes were not meant to have a story or be studied. For over half a century, funhouses had been around, providing illusions, startling noises and sometimes dark lighting. Since the mid-60's, dark ride legend Bill Tracy had been making walk-through haunted houses of a similar concept for small amusement parks across North America. Tracy was a visionary and an incredible artist, but his attractions didn't match the detail, atmosphere, and story the House of Frankenstein would later bring. The figures in the Tracy attractions were fiberglass or paper-mache, never the detail of wax, and the layouts were less focused on the scenes and more focused on the old funhouse style illusions. For example, there would be several illusion rooms like a diminishing endless hallway, a tilted room, or a vortex tunnel, with a small scene between each. The result was 6 or 7 scenes or "scares" throughout the experience, being more in line with a horror-themed-funhouse. These attractions were groundbreaking nonetheless, however the House of Frankenstein was packed with scenes, and took the detail, storytelling, and walk through nature of a wax museum, combined it with the scare factor and startling nature of a dark ride, and sprinkled in the illusions, floor tricks, and mazes of a funhouse. The cherry on top of it all was Waxattract's technology. By now, Waxattract was an entire family business, with Dunham's wife Betty doing all the costumes and seamstress work for the figures. They had 8 children, all of which would go on be involved in the family business in some way, their eldest son Jeff being the computer and programming mastermind, their son Fred becoming the main sculptor for the figures and painter of the props and backgrounds, their sons Brian and Chris handling the construction and carpentry for the attractions, and Robert himself well-versed and highly involved in all aspects. The Dunhams would pull off some incredible special effects that would still be considered impressive today. Before this, dark rides and funhouses used on/off switches that would trigger a one time action for startling animatronics, or use continuously running motors for displays, as had department store windows during the holidays. However none of these were programmable, at best, you could install a timer that let a motor run for a set amount of seconds, then shut off. It was systems like these which the figures in Dunham's Fantasy Land attraction at Crystal Beach and in the Boris Karloff Wax Museum had run off as well. The House of Frankenstein however would contain a first that Disneyland had previously held a monopoly on: programmable animatronic figures. Collage of some of the scenes in the attraction from the end of an opening year souvenir guide book. Chuck E. Cheese's wouldn't open their first store and kick off the animatronics + pizza trend until 1977. Creative Engineering, who would go on to be responsible for rival chain Showbiz Pizza in the 80's, wouldn't begin inventing animatronic figures for theme parks until the mid-late 70's, nor would other early animatronics manufacturers like Sally Corp or AVG. The Dunhams' invention and it's debut in the House of Frankenstein predate them all, harnessing technology to create and animate Frankenstein's Monster like the Doctor himself. The animatronics system ran on Q4 Quadraphonic Reel-to-Reel Tape. These tapes could also be used to control lights and audio, and many scenes required one of the control boxes to run due to how advanced the animation was. Rather than program an expensive room-sized (at the time) computer, the much more compact system of using analog frequency signals on tape made it possible to implement the system throughout the entire attraction in a number of ways. Going through an opening year guidebook for the attraction, you see how certain scenes couldn't even be possible without the programming system, and if you've seen many of the same scenes still present in the later Lake George location, it becomes even more apparent. Lighting, sound, and specific movements all come together to tell a story, groundbreaking for 1971. The "Wax Workshop" scene depicting a behind-the-scenes look at the supposed waxworks for The House of Frankenstein. This hilarious self-portrait went on to become a recurring gag in several Waxattract haunted attractions. "The Seance" A portion of "The Grotto" The original "Frankenstein's Monster" scene towards the end of the attraction. The Jacob's Ladder device, as well as The Bride of Frankenstein, are just out of the shot. Nobody could have expected what awaited them when they walked into the House of Frankenstein, here are some examples of some of the incredible scenes the attraction featured when it opened, keep in mind this is over 50 years ago. There was a Grotto of mummified corpses and circling bats with an echo effect, where guests would actually hear their own voice's echo seemingly chase them down the hallway. This was achieved via microphones hidden in the stucco rock cave walls and a surround sound audio system with heavy reverb. There was also a Seance room where the lights flickered, the table began to float, items began to seemingly move on their own, and air cannons blasted at you. Some other scenes included a smoking electric chair with carbon arcs, scenes of characters "morphing" into other creatures such as Dr. Jekyll becoming Mr. Hyde and Dracula turning into a bat, and even real electrical arcs in a massive Jacob's Ladder device in the Frankenstein scene. In another first, there was even a live actor in a Frankenstein suit outfront (usually one of Dunham's sons in the early years) who would stand perfectly still until a crowd was gathered around, then suddenly lunge forward to incite a large scream from the crowd. The commotion would draw more people to the doors of the attraction, and was a great example of Dunham's genius marketing, a reoccurring theme you'll find on this website. To take a tour of the attraction as it appeared in 1971 Button The Phantom of the Opera at his organ can be faintly seen in the background of the many photos people posed for with the popular Frankenstein's Monster walk-around. The House of Frankenstein tore Clifton Hill apart, and sent shockwaves through the industry. If Tussaud's had began the ball rolling 12 years earlier, the House of Frankenstein was the moment everything fell into place for the identity of Clifton Hill. Waxattract's brilliant artistry, figures, sets, paintings and technical wizardry amounted to an incredible experience. Photos of Clifton Hill in the 1970's shows lineups down the street to even get into the lobby. Soon after the massive success of the attraction, Dunham partnered with the Iannuzellis on a second location in the tourist town of Lake George, NY, which opened in 1973. Many of the figures were made from the same molds and sculpts as their Niagara counterparts, however the list of scenes contained within varied slightly. Waxattract and the Iannuzellis would continue to own the attractions as a partnership until the Iannuzellis, seeing their success, wanted to buy them outright, which Dunham eventually agreed to for the right price. The attraction drawing a crowd in 1975. In 1977, the large neon lightning bolt on the front of the building was removed and the giant Frankenstein head sign the lighting bolt "struck" was moved to the side of the building above the arcade. The five gargoyles were added to the facade at this time, which peer down on potential visitors to this day and have become icons of Clifton Hill. The Funland Arcade would be added in an expansion to the building's first floor and basement in 1979, bringing the building right to Oneida Ave. on its downhill most side. The basement auction gallery/motel offices were also expanded below. The glowing Monster head on the face of the building as it was "struck" by lightning, 1975. The Funland Arcade expansion, relocated Frankenstein's Monster head, and gargoyles as seen in a 1979 postcard. The remodeled attraction featuring Burger King in the former Funland Arcade space. The first major changes came in 1984, when Burger King was opened on the main floor. The gift shop and lobby remained, but its unclear if Burger King only initially replaced the former arcade space, or if the majority of the first floor of the attraction was removed at this time as well (as it would be later), creating the large Burger King space that exists today. The giant Frankenstein's Monster head sign on the side of the building was also removed. More changes came in 1986. The basement auction gallery was removed after the brother who ran it passed away, and it would be replaced with "Super Star Recording Studio", a souvenir recording studio where you could record karaoke, or insert yourself into a green screen music video to take home on VHS. At that time the House of Frankenstein lobby and gift shop were reversed, with the former gift shop space becoming much more open to the street and now holding the attraction's lobby, and the former lobby becoming a now smaller gift shop the attraction exited into. The attraction's path was altered certainly at this time, at least slightly. If the entire first floor of the attraction itself remained beside Burger King is unknown, but where you enter was rerouted to the new lobby (former gift shop), and the exit, which formerly exited to the old gift shop, now exited into the new one (former lobby.) It's also possible that the up and down staircases may have been reversed at this time, however if this ever occurred in the attraction's lifespan or not hasn't been confirmed. The new lobby featured a front window with a man lowering food down into a pit with Frankenstein's Monster in it, as well as a lobby scene with an animatronic Frankenstein's Monster and his bride. The Bride of Frankenstein figure in the scene was the original one relocated from the Frankenstein finale, which continued to run without the figure. It's unknown who created the rest of the new props however. Its at this point that the earliest confirmed appearance of the iconic, booming announcer voice outside appears. This was almost word for word the write up in the original brochures. This dialogue remains today, although it has been slightly altered over the years, and remains one of, if not the most recognizable sound of Clifton Hill to several generations of visitors. It may date back to even earlier than this, but sound footage of outside the attraction from earlier than this hasn't surfaced. Frequent Clifton Hill visitors will notice the voice sounds strikingly similar to Movieland 's talking Pharoah, however whether or not it's infact the same voice actor remains to be confirmed. A TV playing the 1932 Frankenstein film would eventually be added to the lobby at some point in the mid 1990s, next to the display of the Monster and his bride. The interior of Super Star Recording Studio, 1992. The "reversed" lobby and gift shop in the 1980's. The new lobby animatronics installed in 1986 as they appeared in 1992. Frankenstein's Monster remains in the pit below the window to this day. The 1998 remodel shown here in 2000. While the Monster eating the Whopper is constantly used by critics an example of Clifton Hill's tackiness, it's become a staple of the Hill's skyline and unique character for those able to appreciate it. In 1989, the copyright holder would switch to the Burland family's Niagara Clifton Group (then still called Beefeater Inc.) along with the Hilltop Motel behind it. It's possible the Iannuzellis sold it to them in '89, but there's evidence to suggest the Burlands bought it back in '86, and it just took the government's copyright records a while to finalize things and catch up. This would explain the heavy remodeling of the attraction in 1986 which the Iannuzellis didn't do to their Lake George location, and also explains a Niagara Clifton Group newspaper ad from 1986 which lists the House of Frankenstein and Super Star Recording Studio on it. The Burlands would sell the complex again in 1998 to Ian Paul, a cousin of the family. Paul added the iconic Frankenstein's Monster eating a Whopper to the roof. The sign on the side of building reading "This is the Original House of Frankenstein Wax Museum" was removed to make way, and the gargoyle that had sat on the roof on that corner of the building was relocated to the facade with the others. The gift shop was replaced with the Family Fun Arcade, which retained a stairs down to the former recording studio below. This basement now contained another, larger floor of the arcade. The games were operated by Cataract Amusements, who operated the games and rides at the Skylon Tower. The arcade included a large "Bonanza" style shooting gallery at the back, which may have been relocated from (or went to) another attraction. There have been several other Bonanza shooting galleries in Niagara Falls over the years, including in Circus World, the Skylon Tower, Maple Leaf Village, Pyramid Place, and the Midway . The main floor of the actual attraction portion was removed (save for a few scenes) for certain at this point if it hadn't already been before this, replacing it with more Burger King space. This left only the upstairs, and the entrance/exit right next to each other. The lobby scene was remodeled to feature an alligator jumping out of a sewer, a spider that dropped from the ceiling, and Frankenstein's Monster strapped to a stood-up operating table, which could be brought to life if guests flipped a lever. The TV playing the Frankenstein film was relocated to a room in the attraction which was then outfitted with benches, now using a new TV monitor (formerly used to show music videos at the front of Super Star Recording Studio) surrounded by mirrors to appear as a sphere. It's unknown what was located in this room prior, it may have been a large scene or several former scenes with the walls in between knocked out. The upper level entrance of the Family Fun Arcade in 2000. Upper level of the arcade seen in a 1998 tourist home video. The stairs down to the larger area below can be seen to the right. The lobby display in the late-90's. The attraction still features a heavily modified version of the same scene today. That brings us to the many changes made in the following years. What had already been removed up to this point remains a little hazy, but in addition to the majority of the main floor already being removed, the Creature From the Black Lagoon scene had already been replaced with the giant Distortions Unlimited Jack-in-the-Box. A hallway with blacklight carpeted walls and a squishy floor was also already there at this point, which may have been located in (and re-used the floor from) the former "Strange Planet" room. Several scenes would end up being replaced with new off-the-shelf props from popular prop companies like GAG Studios and the previously mentioned Distortions Unlimited, while others were left empty with varying degrees of decoration left behind in the darkness. The Bride of Frankenstein figure formerly in the lobby was relocated back inside the museum, now lying on a table in a large dead-end room resembling a crypt. It's unknown if this room was re-used from a former scene or area, or if it was a new addition around this time, as the attraction's original guidebook doesn't necessarily hint on any of the scenes original to that section resembling that theming. The older Frankenstein's Monster that had been added to the lobby back in 1986 was moved inside, and replaced the original Frankenstein scene at the end of the attraction when the new lobby display was installed. The impressive Jacob's Ladder was unfortunately removed at this time, as were the original 1971 animatronics of Frankenstein's Monster, Dr. Frankenstein, and his lab assistant, although their heads would all make re-appearances elsewhere in the attraction. The Frankenstein's Monster head ended up on the body of a figure which was placed in the same area as the Bride of Frankenstein, the Doctor's head ended up hanging from the ceiling (amongst others) in the guillotine scene, and the lab assistant's head ended up in a pot amongst lab equipment in the entranceway. (Left) Parts of the original Frankenstein's Monster relocated. Notice the motion sensors on the floor visible with the flash photography which make the props activate. (Top right) The Bride moved inside and laid on the table. ( Bottom right) Doctor Frankenstein's head hangs above the Guillotine amongst the other prop heads. Other additions around this time were a half-body figure of horror movie icon Pumpkinhead on a turntable in the aforementioned dead-end room, a static figure resembling the version of the Monster from the 1994 film "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein", and new floor tiles in the mirror maze filled with a gel that glows green under blacklight. A "Monster Bash" pinball machine was also added to the TV room with the benches. It's regarded as one of the best pinball machines of all time, and was later reproduced due to its popularity. The original 1998 version however, as would have been present in the House of Frankenstein, is now extremely valuable. A more mysterious addition came in the form of three wax mummified bodies hanging in a hallway which guests had to walk through. The figures appear to have been actual wax and fairly old, meaning they may have been relocated from an original scene. The mummy corridor, early-2010's. The once again updated lobby scene in 2000. The lobby scene was updated once again in 2000, with the Frankenstein's Monster receiving a new skin and costume, and the interactive flip switch behind replaced with an animatronic Dr. Frankenstein. The lunging alligator was also removed, the tunnel he slid from sealed off, and a talking skull placed on a shelf above it. The trio would now joke around and sing covers of various songs. The new animatronics were provided by Lifeformations. A 2002 remodel also replaced the original Wolfman figure, updated the facade to be more stone-like instead of the bright green walls, and replaced the two-level arcade (which had occupied a section of the main floor as well as the entire basement) with a gift shop. The Monster Bash pinball machine along the attraction's path was also removed around this time and replaced with a scene containing a coat rack monster prop from the Scarefactory company, hinting that the machine may have been a Cataract Amusements game that had been on the same contract as the arcade. The updated facade with the stone look shortly after it was installed, early-2000's. The stairs between the two floors of the gift shop were later removed, becoming two seperate stores. The basement would be a variety of different shops over the following years, including "Teddy Town Circus", a short lived teddy bear store for 2006, before reverting back to a regular souvenir store. In 2009, this basement became the Crystal Caves mirror maze attraction. The gift shop that remained at street level was replaced by Beavertails in 2019, which relocated from the former Hilltop Motel offices around the corner of the building. Also in 2019, the Frankencoaster would be added to the roof of the historic attraction The entrance to The Crystal Caves below Burger King, Oneida Ave., 2009. The coaster was bought from Sports Plus Entertainment Center in Lake Grove, New York, where it ran from 2004-2007 and then sat abandoned in a field for years. While the concept seemed like a great fit for Clifton Hill, harkening back to attractions like the WWE Piledriver and the Pink Panther Balloon Ride, it ended up removing even more of the actual haunted attraction's identity. Access to the roof already existed through an extra flight of closed-off employee stairs that led upwards, next to the staircase down at the end of the attraction. This is now utilized to access the coaster, but since they can't make guests to go in through the attraction's exit to access it, to get to the coaster you now walk through what little remains of the beginning portion of the attraction (now much more brightly lit for those who just wish to ride the coaster and not be scared) and climb the stairs to the second floor, where you're met by a plainclothes employee in a chair. From there you're directed through a former employee access doorway straight to the attraction's exit stairwell on the other side of the wall, which contains the stairs up to the coaster. The actual haunted attraction now doesn't begin until after you've climbed the stairs, passed several former scenes (on both floors), and passed the ticket-taker who directs other guests to the coaster. After this you get to the door to the actual attraction, where it's near half-way point would have been originally. The attraction as it appears today, with the admittedly attention-grabbing Frankencoaster on the roof. The same year the coaster was added, a shooting gallery named "Franken Frenzy" was added to the haunted attraction portion replacing the dead-end corridor (and the scene that wrapped around it). While another great concept (actually re-using several wax heads and props original to former scenes in the attraction), it seems like a somewhat out of place pit stop in the middle of the attraction which breaks up the pacing, and would probably be better suited for (and get more business in) the lobby or facing the street. The "Franken Frenzy" shooting gallery. Clever eyes will notice both the original Frankenstein's Monster head and the original Bride of Frankenstein head, disembodied, but fittingly re-united in the same scene once again. Perhaps this scene of the Doctor constructing the monsters could be considered a prequel. The only original scenes remaining as of writing this are the Guillotine and the Phantom of the Opera, however the Phantom's scene now has a body that flips up and hits the plexiglass to startle you, taking away from the eerie effect of the Phantom in the background. His organ music has also long since been shut off. While the attraction may not have its original charm, fear, and splendor, it has at least attempted to keep things fresh and up to date, which was more than could be said for Castle Dracula down the street until 2024. It was then bought by none other than Ian Paul, and restored in a much similar fashion as The House of Frankenstein. "Erik", author Gaston Leroux's "Phantom of the Opera", in The House of Frankenstein in 1971 (top), and the unchanged figure today (bottom). The House of Frankenstein may have had a lot of it's original props removed, but the place is clean as a whistle, effectively lit, run with love, and attempting to remain relevant. For these reasons it remains Niagara's most famous haunted attraction to this day (now that the social media craze of Nightmares Fear Factory photos has died down as it inevitably would) just as it was on the day it opened when it was the only one, and rightfully so. It has both entertained and terrified generations of visitors, passing it's 50th birthday in 2021. The House of Frankenstein on opening year in 1971 (left), and on it's 50th year in 2021 (right).

External Links and Resources Here you'll find links to various other websites containing information, photographs and videos on the amusement industry in Canada and abroad. While some this information is also available here, many of these sites offer a compelling different look or angle into the specific niche they fill. Access Niagara - A blog dedicated to the more day-to-day happenings in Niagara's tourism industry. While not dedicated specifically to attractions, they are often discussed here. Arcade Heroes - News site following updates in the classic arcade gaming world, including updates and closures to historic arcades and amusement centres. Best Edmonton Mall - A website dedicated to the history of Canada's largest shopping and amusement centre. Matthew Dutczak has done some incredible research to create this phenomenal site. Bill Tracy Project - Website dedicated to American dark ride legend Bill Tracy, which also chronicles some of his projects here in Canada. Tons of great information on his props and story can be found here. Canadian Coaster Enthusiasts - A great history and database website focusing on the history of roller coasters in Canada. Many of the rides and parks discussed on this site predate parks we talk about here at Canadian Amusement History, so if you're a history buff, be sure to give this site a visit. Classic Arcade Game Locations - This massive online database is a user-submitted list of locations of physically-playable classic arcade machines across North America. This site features not only arcades, but also one-off machines that have managed to hang on in the corners of pizza parlours and laundromats through the years. Dark Ride Archive - A Facebook page and YouTube channel documenting the history of both permanent haunted attractions and temporary Halloween haunts. Creator Adam Lee's incredible archival work covers both the U.S. and Canada, and was he was incredibly generous by providing images and media for Canadian Amusement History. Please consider supporting his project. Laff in the Dark - Named after the early mass-produced dark ride of the same name, this website features several articles and resources on dark ride history specifically. Niagara Falls Public Library - The Niagara Falls Public Library and their incredible archives have been by far one of the largest resources in the creation of this website, please consider browsing their collections, which date back much farther than the information you'll find discussed here, or donating if you're able. Pinball Map - A crowdsourced map of Pinball machines at a variety of locations across the world. It currently consists of over 40,000 machines across almost 10,000 locations. Retrontario - Archival website focused on preserving Ontario-specific media. This incredible website's creators have put an amazing amount of time and effort into it, with most of their content coming from tapes and materials they found themselves in the attics and storage rooms of donators. Roller Coaster Database - A global archive of former and current roller coasters, their histories, locations, and dates of opening/closure. ShowbizPizza.com - Named after the American chain of Family Entertainment Centres of the same name, this site is an archive of animatronic shows in various F.E.C.s, restaurants, amusement parks and more.

Cont ac t Submissions Welcome Have an old box of family vacation photos you've been meaning to scan? A dusty VHS tape with footage of an obscure attraction? Maybe you worked at, frequented, or even owned a place discussed on this site and have some info to share. Much of our information, content and inspiration comes from those who have been kind enough to share it with us. If you have any submissions, questions, or comments, please fill out the contact form below and we'll get back to you soon as we're able. Contact/Submissions - Let's Chat! Social Media First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

All Attractions by Region On these pages you'll find lists of all attractions categorized by the region they were/are located in. Regions more sparsely populated with attractions are divided into provinces or even entire sections of the country, whereas regions heavily dotted with attractions are divided into areas of a province or even greater metro areas. These regions are listed on this page by density of attractions, with each section being alphabetized. Button Niagara Region Button Greater Toronto Area Lake Huron and Georgian Bay Ontario - Other Areas Alberta Manitoba and Saskatchewan British Columbia (and Northern Canada) Quebec Atlantic Canada (East of Quebec)

News Blog Occasional updates on current industry happenings related to the site, important research breakthroughs, and behind the scenes information. Recent FOUND FOOTAGE: Captain Carnival Television Segment Feartek Catalog Surfaces The Search for the Lost Animatronic Shows of Enter-Tech FOUND FOOTAGE: Skylon Tower Amusement Park, Minolta Tower Arcade, Waltzing Waters, and more! Is this the find of the year? September 2025 (1) 1 post June 2025 (1) 1 post January 2025 (1) 1 post November 2024 (3) 3 posts July 2024 (1) 1 post

Marvel Super Heroes Adventure City/Adventure City Attraction Type: Family Entertainment Centre Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Years Operational: 2004-2009 (as Marvel Superheroes Adventure City), 2009-Present (as Adventure Cty) Designer(s): Blacklght Attractions/Dark Rider The attraction as seen from Clifton Hill, 2004. When the government of Ontario was selecting the location for the government-run Casino Niagara in the mid 90's, the Harry Oakes Company (HOCO) who owns the attractions on the south-west side of Clifton Hill apparently put in a bid to get the casino on their land, however it ended up going to the Falls Ave. Company, replacing the Maple Leaf Village mall between the Sheraton Foxhead and Sheraton Brock Hotels. This ended up being a financial injection large enough to start a bit of an attraction arms race against HOCO. After the rebranding of all the hotels in the Falls Ave. complex, the opening of Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood, and a massive 2002 expansion to the complex consisting of Rainforest Cafe, WWE Niagara Falls, and the Extreme 4D Motion Theatre, the Falls Ave. Company was well into a several-stage redevelopment plan. The plan also featured upcoming additions of more attractions to fill out the already built, and soon-to-be-named, MGM Studios Plaza that the 4D Motion Theatre sat in the basement of, as well as an indoor Family Entertainment Centre (F.E.C.) to replace the mall on the second floor of the now-renamed Sheraton Fallsview. "La Piazza" restaurant formerly located in the Sheraton's second-level mall as seen in 2003, shortly before the remodel of the entire level into Adventure City. Captain America Games Zone, 2004. Above: Captain America Games Zone, 2004. Notice the Dr. Doom helment replica located on the right hand side of this image. Right: The attraction as seen from the corner of Falls Ave. and Clifton Hill, an eye-catching footing to the famous street of fun. In 2002 HOCO would open the Great Canadian Midway, forever changing Clifton Hill and giving it a focal point. It's unclear when exactly the Falls Ave. Company came up with certain elements of their plan, however the impact and influence of the Midway was clear. The F.E.C. that eventually replaced the mall would be an attraction officially licensed from Marvel Comics, dubbed Marvel Super Heroes Adventure City. Designed mostly by Blacklight Attractions who had designed the MGM Great Movie Journey in the MGM Studios Plaza, it was a sprawling arcade and amusement centre that encompassed the entire second floor of the hotel, from Clifton Hill all the way to the Hard Rock Cafe, to which it connected. It also connected to the MGM Studios Store and Rainforest Cafe. The main, massive arcade area was home to the Captain America Games Zone, adorned with neon, murals of cityscapes, prop replicas, and various easter egg references to Marvel. The attractions lined the area somewhat similar to the layout of the mall the attraction replaced. Spiderman: The Ultimate Ride was the crown jewel of these, an interactive laser shooting, blacklight, dark ride. Riders would assist Spiderman with rounding up villains from the series, and ride aboard a vehicle equipped with "web shooting" devices. Riders would battle Scorpion, The Lizard, Electro, and the Green Goblin moving through a themed area for each. They would then have to face off with Dr. Octopus in a climatic final battle. Other attractions included Mr. Fantastic's Candy Laboratory (a fill-your-own-cup candy counter), X-Men Combat Cars (bumper cars), Daredevil's Obstacle Challenge (a timed obstacle course), and the Spidey and Friends Funhouse (a small children's funhouse themed to the Avengers characters, complete with ball-shooting machine.) There was also a Marvel Shop selling both new and vintage Marvel collectables ranging from t-shirts, to comic books, to action figures. Clockwise from top left: Entrance to the que for "Spider-Man: The Ultimate Ride" interactive dark ride, Mr. Fantastic's Candy Laboratory, The Daredevil Obstacle Challenge, and X-Men Combat Cars. One attraction however was unlike anything else done at the time: The Incredible Hulk Encounter. It was a walk-through haunted attraction themed to the Incredible Hulk, a truly theme-park quality attraction which incorporated an otherwise family friendly intellectual property into a haunted attraction seamlessly. The attraction featured a blend of animatronics and live actors, with the live actors playing scientists who were guiding you on your journey. Most of the scary elements were startles as the recently-transformed Hulk breached containment and went on a rampage, which the would-be hero has not necessarily directed at you, but you find yourself in the firing line of. A similar attraction, the Incredible Hulk Mini Golf, also existed in the complex. There's evidence to support that this attraction may have replaced the Incredible Hulk Encounter, however there's also evidence they both exited at the same time. The two never appear on the same brochure or advertisement for the complex, with the haunted attraction being mentioned in ealier brochures and the mini golf replacing it's mention in later brochures. The course contained interactive animatronics and special effects triggered by different actions on the course, such as making a hole or hitting an obstacle. It also utilized several of the same props as the haunted attraction, hinting that it may have recycled them and the actual space. On the other hand, it's possible these props were produced in multiples by Blacklight Attractions, as photos from the company's studio during the attractions' development show duplicates in the studio. There's also images dated 2004 where the edge of the mini golf sign can be made out, which means if dated correctly, they both existed at the same time when the attraction opened, and the former Hulk Encounter appears to have since become the relocated arcade prize counter, not the mini golf. Employees at the entrance to the Incredible Hulk Encounter, 2004. Left: Duplicates of a Hulk figure at Blacklight Attractions' studios providing proof that multiples were infact created. Above: The letters "olf" can be seen in the top left corner of this image supposedly taken in 2004, adding evidence that the mini golf was there from opening year. Above: Spider-Man rotates to talk to the Green Goblin, suspended above the pre-purchase ticket booths along Clifton Hill for the attractions inside. Right: The fully raised Green Goblin floats above the pit on his hoverboard, addressing Spider-Man and taunting guests to take a crack at defeating him inside the attraction. Outfront Adventure City on Clifton Hill, an animatronic Spider Man hung upside down from the ceiling. He would turn to face a pit next to the stairs up to the attraction which a figure of the Green Goblin would rise up out of on his hoverboard. The two bantered outfront, beckoning customers in. In addition to signage along Clifton Hill, Falls Ave., and the corner of the two streets facing the Falls, a massive several-story tall sign on the side of the hotel was constructed. The complex was full of neon and bright signage, themed in the colourful, cartoonish, comic book style that the Marvel brand had at the time, before the more serious turn the franchise would take later in the 2000s. However, that same distinct style that made it so appealing ended up leading to the downfall of this amazing attraction. Despite being hugely popular, the attraction lost its Marvel license due to no fault of it's own after the cost dramatically increased in 2009. There were very few new Marvel films coming out at the time, so the decision not to renew was a justified one. It of course would later come out that Disney had bought Marvel, and it would go on to become the biggest film franchise in the world, explaining the drastic preemptive price increase. The entertainment centre simply became known as Adventure City. The Hulk Mini Golf became jungle themed, and Spider-Man references were (poorly) removed from the dark ride. Initially, the words "Spider" and "Ultimate" were just removed from the sign, becoming "The Man Ride" for a season, then the "Super Hero Laser Ride." It's been abandoned and used for stoage since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and doesn't appear to be reopening any time soon, now blocked off entirely with games and being used for storage with the blacklights eerily still on. The X-Men references were (also poorly) removed from the bumper cars, with the large "X" logo still visible on the gaurd rails around the attraction. The Hulk Encounter, Daredevil Obstacle Challenge, Mr. Fantastic's Candy Laboratory, and Marvel Shop were all removed entirely. Above Top: The re-themed mini golf, the "Mini Golf" neon being recycled from the Hulk days. Above Bottom: The suspiciously named Super Hero Laser Ride stands dormant behind a wall of arcade games. Left: The former que and load station for the dark ride being used a storage area in 2023, mostly for arcade prizes. It's unknown if similar clutter stretches through the attraction's halls. References to Marvel could still be found in the arcade up until the 2020's, such as Spider-Man's face carved into a tree that was only covered up a few years ago, a severely downsized and repainted section of the Spidey and Friends Funhouse, and several mass-produced Marvel themed coin-operated children's rides. The doorhandles into the arcade are even still shaped as a giant letter "M", for Marvel. The pit that the Green Goblin animatronic formerly rose from outfront the attraction was left empty and abandoned, eventually being sealed off when a bumper car was placed on top of it (which has also since been removed.) Left: The stripped down building when it first became simply "Adventure City" in 2009. Right: This strange T-posing "Mario" inflatable has recently been placed on top of the sealed pit fromerly housing the Green Goblin. Above: The massive Incredible Hulk sign promoting the differnet attractions within as seen from up the Hill in the late 2000's. Right: The Games Zone during the glory days in the mid 2000's, with several other attractions seen in the background. Of the many attractions that have come and gone in The Falls over the years, Marvel Superheroes Adventure City is one of the most sorely missed and nostalgically beloved by fans. Despite only being open for five years in its original glory, it's theme made it a highlight of the childhoods of Marvel fans everywhere, and it's uniqueness and clever design even made it a highlight for those who didn't know anything about the brand. It had a nearly universal appeal, with it's timeless characters drawing in the young and old alike, and its variety of attractions and over-the-top-theming even appealing to those uninterested in the franchise. Adventure City made a lasting impression on those who were lucky enough to experience it during the short 5 years that it had the Marvel Super Heroes name attached, and it's original iteration won't be forgotten anytime soon.

Atlantic Canada (East of Quebec) Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. While these provinces are smaller in size they've contained a wide variety of attractions over the years due to population centers like St. John's, Moncton, Halifax and the tourist hotspot of Cavendish Beach. Amusement and Theme Parks Atlantic Playland/Atlantic Splash Adventure - Lucasville, NS Axtion - St. John's, NL Crystal Palace - Champlain Place, Dieppe (Moncton), NB Magic Mountain - Magnetic Hill (Moncton), NB Magic Valley Fun Park - Greenhill, NS Rainbow Valley - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Sandspit Cavendish Beach - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Shining Waters Family Fun Park - Hunter River (Cavendish Beach), P.E.I. Upper Clements Park(s) - Upper Clements, NS Arcades, Mini Golf and F.E.C.s AJ's Bar & Billiards - Corner Brook, NL Backstreet Amusements - Prince St., Halifax, NS Breakers Sports Lounge - Torbay Rd., St. John's, NL Burlington Go Karts - Kensington (Burlington), P.E.I. The Boardwalk - Magnetic Hill (Moncton), NB Buccaneer's Cove Mini Golf - Gage Golf and Curling Club, Oromocto, NB Carmen Creek Mini Putt - Carmen Creek Golf Course, Fredericton, NB Cavendish Beach Adventure Zone - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Classic Cue - Grand Falls-Windsor, NL Corner Pocket - Airport Blvd., Gander, NL Cybermind V.R. Centre - Halifax, NS Cybermind V.R. Centre - Moncton, NB Darnley Greens & The Red Zone - Darnley, P.E.I. Doolys - Amherst, NS Doolys - Antigonish, NS Doolys - Caraquet, NS Doolys - Causeway Shopping Centre, Port Hawkesbury, NS Doolys (Elmwood Dr. location) - Moncton, NB Dooly's - Greenwood, NS Doolys (Main St. location) - Fredericton, NB Doolys (McDonald St. location) - Saint John, NB Doolys - Mirimachi, NB Doolys - (Mountain Rd. location) - Moncton, NB Doolys - North Sydney, NS Doolys - Oromocto, NB Doolys - Parkway Mall, Saint John, NB Doolys - Prince Edward Square, Saint John, NB Doolys (Prospect St. location) - Fredericton, NB Doolys - Riverview (Moncton), NB Doolys - St. Stephen, NB Doolys - Summerside, P.E.I. Doolys - Sydney, NS Doolys - Truro, NS Doolys (Wilmot Alley location) - Fredericton, NB Drive-U-Crazy Mini Golf - New Glasgow, P.E.I. East Coast Karting - Greater Lakeburn (Moncton), NB Eastside Billiards & Lounge - Chain Lake Dr., Halifax, NS Electric Avenue - Sobeys Square, St. John's, NL Electric Avenue - Village Square Shopping Centre (later moved to Hamlyn Rd.), St. John's, NL Exit 88 Go-Kart Racing - Grand Falls, NB Fantasy 2000 - Dartmouth, NS Fire Fly Recreation - Hampton, NB GeForce Funderdome - Mt. Pearl, NL Go-Karts - Atlantic Playland/Atlantic Splash Adventure, Lucasville, NS The Golden Cue - Corner Brook, NL Good Guys Golf - Fredericton, NB Goodwood family Golf Centre - Goodwood, NS Gypsy Mini Golf - Centre (Lunenburg), NS Hartt Island Mini Golf - Springhill (Fredericton), NB Hi-Ball Bar & Billiards - Stephenville, NL Ironwood Pitch & Putt - St. John's, NL JJ's Billiards & Lounge - Main St., Burin, NL Kartbahn Racing - Halifax, NS King's Billiards - Yarmouth, NS Kingswood Entertainment Centre - Hanwell (Fredericton), NB Locas Billiards - George St., Halifax, NS Magic Mountain GolfZone - Magic Mountain, Magnetic Hill (Moncton), NB Mariner's Cove Miniature Golf - Mariner's Cove Boardwalk, P.E.I. Maurie's Mini-Putt & Ice Cream - Morrison Cove (Miramichi), NB McNally's Billiards - Commonwealth Ave., Mount Pearls, NL McNally's Billiards - Powell Dr., Carbonear, NL Mini Golf - Atlantic Playland/Atlantic Splash Adventure, Lucasville, NS Miss Cue - Mountain Rd., Moncton, NB Musgrave Harbour Amusements - Musgrave Harbour Municipal Park, Musgrave Harbour, NL Pit Stop Karting - Sandspit Cavendish Beach, Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. PonyBoat Social Club - Kent St., Charlottetown, P.E.I. Putting Edge - Halifax, NS Quinpool Amusement - Quinpool Rd., Dartmouth, NS Quinpool Billiards - Quinpool Rd., Dartmouth, NS The Rack Bar and Billiards - Stewart St., New Glasgow, NS Riverdale Fun Centre - Conception Bay South, NL Rockhouse Pub - St. John's, NL Sandpit Miniature Golf - Sandspit Cavendish Beach, Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Shooter's Bar and Billiards - Main St., Burin, NL Sir Admiral John's Adventure Golf - St. John's, NL Snow Queen Leisure World - Antigonish, NS Splash "n" Putt Resort - Traytown, NL Starcade - Avalon Mall, St. John's, NL Super Cue Billiards - Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville, NS Sussex Adventure Mini Golf - Sussex, NB Tables Billiard Lounge - Bay Roberts, NL 21st Century Billiards - Carten St., Liverpool, NS Union Bar & Billiards - Corner Brook, NL Vegas Family Entertainment Centre - Saint John, NB West Side Charlie's - Bay Roberts, NL West Side Charlie's - Carbonear, NL West Side Charlie's - Clarenville, NL West Side Charlie's - Conception Bay South, NL West Side Charlie's - Mount Pearl, NL West Side Charlie's - New Minas, NS West Side Charlie's - Paradise, NL West Side Charlie's (Torbay Road location) - St John's, NL West Side Charlie's (Kenmount Rd) - St John's, NL West Side Charlie's (Topsail Road location) - St John's, NL Dark Attractions, Wax Museums and Exhibits Enchanted Castle - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Haunted Castle - Atlantic Playland/Atlantic Splash Adventure, Lucasville, NS Musée de Cire d'Acadie (Acadian Wax Museum) - Village Historique Acadien, Bertrand, NB Halifax Wax Museum - Halifax, NS The Haunted House - Upper Clements Park(s), Upper Clements, NS Pioneer Museum - (Name Unconfirmed, Location Unknown, same as Musée de Cire d'Acadie?) Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Route 6 Haunted Motel - Cavendish Beach Adventure Zone, Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Royal Atlantic Wax Museum - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Rum Runners - Rainbow Valley, Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Wax World of the Stars - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Witch's Cave - Rainbow Valley (Later moved to Shining Waters Family Fun Park), Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Woodleigh Replicas - Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Specialty Hotels and Gift Shops Best Western/Ramada Plaza Dieppe/Moncton Crystal Palace - Crystal Palace, Champlain Place, Dieppe (Moncton), NB Theatres, Bowling Alleys and Miscellaneous Acadian Bowling Lanes & 9th Lane Lounge - Little Brook, NS Alley 4 Bowling Alley - Belliveaus Cove, NS The Alley Restaurant and Bowling Alley - Charlottetown, P.E.I. Animaland Park - Penobsquis, NB Avon Valley Lanes - Windsor, NS Bowlacade - Bible Hill, NS Bowlacade - Woodstock, NB Bowlarama - Dartmouth, NS Bowlarama - Dieppe (Moncton), NB Bowlarama - Halifax, NS Bowlarama - Spryfield (Halifax), NS Bowl-More Lanes - Bridgewater, NS Brackley Drive-In - Brackley Beach, P.E.I. Brunswick Lanes - Yarmouth, NS Cape Breton Drive-In Theatre - Grand Lake Road (Sydney), NS Castle Bowling Centre - Miramichi, NB Cine-Parc Satellite Ltee - Bois-Blanc, NB Clarenville Twin Cinemas/Caribou Lanes Bowling Alley - Clarenville, NL Corner Brook Centre Bowl - Corner Brook, NL The Drome by Trailway - Fredericton, NB Exploits Lanes - Grand Falls-Windsor, NL Fairlanes Bowling Centre - Moncton, NB Fairview Lanes - Saint John, NB Greenwood Bowling Centre - Greenwood, NS The Hangar Laser Tag Arena - Cavendish Beach Adventure Zone, Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Heather Bowling Lanes - New Glasgow, NS Holiday Lanes - St. John's. NL Holy Bowly - Riverview (Moncton), NB King Pin Bowling - Amherst, NS Lanes at Membertou - Membertou (Sydney), NS Liverpool Bowling Centre - Liverpool, NS Old Mill Fun Centre - Bay Roberts, NL Pajo's Bowling Alley - Lunenburg, NS Paradise Bowl - Paradise, NL Peyton's Pins/Andy's Alleys - Gander, NL Pins Bowling Centre - Antigonish, NS Plaza Bowl - St. John's, NL Riverdale Fun Centre - Conception Bay South, NL Seaside Bowling Centre - Shediac, NB Shoebox Drive-In - Westville, NS St. Pat's Bowling Lanes and Lounge - St. John's, NL Strand Bowling Alley - Sydney Mines (Sydney), NS Super Bowl - Lower Sackville (Halifax), NS Supernova XD Theatre - Splash " n" Putt Resort, Traytown, NL Sussex Drive-In - Sussex, NB Swansburg's Bowling Alley - Shelburne, NS Town Center Lanes - Glace Bay, NS UnBOWLievable Lanes - Musquodoboit Harbour, NS Valley Drive-In Theatre - Cambridge Station, NS Wilson's Bowling Centre - Digby, NS Winter Games Lanes - Lewisporte, NL Maze (Name Unknown) - Mariner's Cove Boardwalk, Cavendish Beach, P.E.I. Water Parks and Attractions Atlantic Splash Adventure - Atlantic Playland/Atlantic Splash Adventure, Lucasville, NS Shining Waters Water Park - Shining Waters Family Fun Park, Hunter River (Cavendish Beach), P.E.I. SplashZone - Magic Mountain, Magnetic Hill (Moncton), NB "360ft Water Slide"/Pools - Splash " n" Putt Resort, Traytown, NL Thunderland Amusement Park - Badger, NL

History View All Attractions by Region View Artists and Developers Amusement and Theme Parks Amusement and Theme Parks Canadian amusement and theme parks from the mid 20th-century onward. The histories and uncovered details of the forgotten, famous, abandoned and still operational. GO > GO > Arcades, Mini Golf and Family Entertainment Centres Here you'll find every kind of arcade imaginable, as well as miniatu re golf courses and Family Entertainment Centres. These are grouped together for convenience, since many mini golf courses also had large arcades, and many F.E.C.s contained both. Arcades, Mini Golf and Family Entertainment Centres Dark Attractions, Wax Museums and Exhibits Dark Attractions, Wax Museums and Exhibits Haunted Attractions, Wax Museums, Dark Rides, Fun Houses, and Walk-Through Exhibits. Wax monsters, celebrities, and oddities. GO > GO > Water Parks and Attractions Dedicated water parks as well as stand-alone water slides and attractions. Water Parks and Attractions Themed Restaurants, Bars and Stores Themed Restaurants, Bars and Stores Immersive dining and shopping experiences now largely seen as a nostalgic product of their time. The ones that are gone are sorely missed, and those that remain are beloved. GO > GO > Theatres, Bowling Alleys and Miscellaneous Various forms of theatre shows including ride theatres, animatronic show theatres, lightshows and movie theatres with special theming or significance. In this section you'll also find all other miscellaneous attractions such as bowling alleys, roller rinks, laser-tag arenas and more. Theatres, Bowling Alleys and Miscellaneous Specialty Hotels and Gift Shops Hotels and Gift Shops with some sort of unique theming, attraction, or relevance. Significant hotels, motels and souvenir stores in amusement districts will also be included in this section. GO > Specialty Hotels and Gift Shops

MGM Studios Plaza & MGM Great Movie Journey Attraction Type: Gift Shop/Exhibit Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Years Operational: 2002-Present (Extreme Movie Ride 4D only), 2003-early 2010's (full complex). Designer(s): Blacklight Attractions/Dark Rider, Iwerks When the government of Ontario was selecting the location for the government-run Casino Niagara in the mid 90's, the Harry Oakes Company (HOCO) who owns the attractions on the south-west side of Clifton Hill apparently put in a bid to get the casino on their land, however it ended up going to the Falls Ave. Company, replacing the Maple Leaf Village mall between the Sheraton Foxhead and Sheraton Brock Hotels. This ended up being a financial injection large enough to start a bit of an attraction arms race against HOCO. After the rebranding of all the hotels in the Falls Ave. complex, the opening of Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood, and the additions of Hershey's Chocolate World and the Coca Cola Store, a massive 2002 expansion would be the next addition to the complex. This expansion would focus more on new attractions to face Clifton Hill, consisting of Rainforest Cafe and WWE Niagara Falls. Bigger plans were in store for the Sheraton Fallsview however, which was connected to the former Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum building, dating back to an original section of the 1920 Foxhead hotel. Most of the Tussaud's building was completely demolished, little of which was saved and remodeled into a new structure as part of the 2002 expansion. The structure work for the new building was done done by architecture firm Raimondo + Associates. The same year, the basement of this new building would become a 4D motion theatre while work continued on the three floors above, as well as on the former mall that filled the second floor of the neighboring, now-renamed Sheraton Fallsview. The Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum building which the structure for the MGM Studios Plaza would replace shortly after this photo was taken. Deemed the "Extreme Movie Ride 4D", the theatre is a ride simulator built by SimEx-Iwerks, the leading name in motion theatre technology at the time, who was also building the Ride Theatre for the soon-to-open Great Canadian Midway at the same time. The ride is a moving theatre on a tilting platform which guests board to watch a 3D ride film, with the motion being the fourth dimension. A temporary attraction while the building was still being completed was a live magic show located above the theatre. The details of this show are extremely vague, as it only ran for one year. The theatre opened with the film "Dino Island II", which would remain a constant in the theatre for years alongside a revolving door of other secondary films. The first of these secondary films remains a bit of mystery. The MGM Studios Plaza under construction in the former Tussaud's location, Fall 2002. Three banners originally located on the side of the building featured Spiderman, the Cat in the Hat, and a dinosaur. Spiderman's banner featured the words "Live! Performances" on it, implying he was either part of the magic show or a walk around character near the complex. The Cat in the Hat and dinosaur banners both read "Box Office", implying that the original secondary ride film was based on the Dr. Seuss character. However, no evidence of this film's existence is available online, which would be incredibly strange for something based on an IP and officially licensed from one major company to another. By Fall of that year, the banners had been removed and "Mad Racers" was being shown as the secondary film, despite the building still not being completed. It's very possible that the original secondary film was Mad Racers from the start, and the Cat in the Hat was perhaps incorporated into the magic show, and Spiderman simply a walk around character, thus explaining the taglines on the advertisements. Shots of the building under construction with the ride theatre and magic show already in operation, Summer 2002. The MGM logo on the front of the building, 2004. In 2003 the three levels above the theatre were completed, and the building officially opened as the MGM Studios Plaza. A large fiberglass sculpture of the MGM logo and the famous Leo the Lion replaced the banners on the side of the building, letting tourists know this was the officially licensed, real deal. The building would house the MGM Studio Store on the first floor, where guests could buy movie themed merchandise and memorabilia. This gift shop would later be connected through to Marvel Superheroes Adventure City when it opened next door in the Sheraton the following year. A two level walkthrough interactive museum called the MGM Great Movie Journey was located on floors 2 and 3. The museum held many real movie props, and was designed by Blacklight Attractions. In addition to showcasing screen-used props, it also acted as a behind-the scenes glimpse into movie magic, letting guests experience many special effects. Entrance to the MGM Studio Store in 2004. After watching a pre show on a small movie screen, the screen would open, and guests would walk through. Features of the experience itself are vague, but one detail the attraction's designers heavily promoted was a recreation of M's office from the 007 franchise, complete with a sliding bookcase revealing a hidden FX control room. Located on the roof of the building would be the Pink Panther Balloon Ride, a Zamperla Rides "Samba Tower" ride model themed to the Pink Panther painting the neighboring building, seated atop the ride's center tower. The ride cars were themed to balloons attached to bucket of paint. Despite being a relatively slow moving, tame attraction, the elevation at which it existed and winds it would usually experience made it quite thrilling. Despite the Sheraton towering above it right next door, it actually provided spectacular views of the Falls, which weren't blocked by the structure. The sliding bookcase revealing behind-the-scenes movie magic in the Great Movie Journey, 2003. The Pink Panther Balloon Ride atop the plaza. Connecting all the attractions in the plaza was a large spiral staircase located at the front of the building, accessed from the MGM Store. The stairwell ran from the basement to the roof, although the ride theatre in the basement had its own additional entrance just down the Hill. Movie posters for various MGM films were placed along the stairwell and equipped with motion sensors. When a group of guests walked past, the poster would light up and play a sound clip of a quote from the matching film. The impressive completed plaza in 2004. The sign for the Pink Panther Balloon Ride. Judging by the poor condition of the neon signage below, this image was taken later in the attraction's life. Despite being one of the most high-profile intellectual properties to ever have an attraction based off it in the Falls, it never matched the popularity of the other additions to the Falls Ave. Complex. Rainforest Cafe, WWE Niagara Falls, Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, and Marvel Superheroes Adventure City are all far more frequently reminisced about, and (in the case of those that have also since closed) more vividly remembered. Very little documentation of the MGM Studios Plaza exists, aside for exterior shots of the building and a short promo from Blacklight Attractions discussing their work on the Great Movie Journey. While it would stick around longer than Adventure City next door held on to its Marvel branding, Adventure City lost its branding due to the fallout of Disney's purchase of Marvel, whereas the MGM Studios Plaza simply seemed to quickly fizzle out when the area began to change once the 2010's hit. In the early 2010's, The MGM Studio Store became a generic gift shop despite retaining the MGM theming, and the Great Movie Journey shuttered. This was exceptionally strange considering the giant MGM logo, as well as the occasionally operational Pink Panther Balloon Ride, remained on the exterior of the building. This meant that despite the walkthrough closing and the store ceasing to sell MGM merchandise, the Falls Ave. Company was still paying the licensing fee (or MGM simply wasn't aware). A ride film based on the movie Happy Feet finally replaced the long running Dino Island II in the 4D Theatre in 2013, which was quickly replaced with another dinosaur themed film named "Terrapolis" in 2015. As mentioned above, the Pink Panther Balloon Ride's operating schedule became increasingly sporadic and random, likely running for the final time around 2014. For the years it was open past the Great Movie Journey, the staircase up to the ride actually took riders past the entrance and exit of the closed museum. Around the time the Pink Panther ride stopped running in 2014, the gift shop became expanded arcade space for the connected Adventure City, with the MGM Great Movie Journey walkthrough above on floors 2 and 3 ending up being abandoned for almost 10 years. One somewhat creepy fact is that once the gift shop was replaced with the arcade and there was no employee monitoring the area, guests could easily slip upstairs to the abandoned attractions. But that's not all: the motion-activated movie posters along the staircase still worked, their once charming movie quotes now startling and eerie as they cut through the totally silent building, located just mere feet away from one of the busiest locations on earth. Things sat this way until the building became the Niagara Distillery bar and barbecue restaurant in 2019, which occupies all 3 floors of the building (not including the basement). The Pink Panther Balloon Ride remained abandoned on the roof until after the pandemic in 2021, a horribly out of place relic of another time in the tourism industry, decaying in plain sight as the Hill changed around it. It was eventually sold to an unknown buyer in Europe and dismantled that October. By this point you might be wondering what the fate of the motion theatre was, but that's because there hasn't been one. The ride still operates, with its secondary entrance right on the Hill allowing it to operate without the rest of the MGM plaza. In fact, it even recently received a new animatronic dinosaur head on the front of the building, promoting the Terrapolis film, which has now been running for almost 10 years. The theatre is now all that remains of this once grand attraction that brought behind the scenes movie magic to The Falls. Like the theatre itself, it's original sign is now the final remnant of the building's former glory. The building as it appears today, complete void of colour and personality, especially compared to it's former self.

Royal London Wax Museum (Niagara) Attraction Type: Wax Museum Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Years Operational: 1971?-1975 Designer(s): Waxattract , Universal Android Robert Dunham's Waxattract constructed the Royal London Wax Museum in the early 1970's. It replaced the Antique Auto Museum on Falls Ave. (located in the parking garage building attached to the Sheraton Foxhead hotel) when it moved to Clifton Hill and became the Cars of the Greats Museum. The Royal London was themed after the royal family and was a Waxattract built and owned attraction, but was a co-project of sorts, with some of the scenes and figures being created by Bruce Randall's Universal Android. The attraction was also co-owned, likely being Waxattract's first partnership with the Iannuzelli family who Waxattract would go on to build both House of Frankenstein locations for, as well as co-own with them for several years. Details on it's exact opening year a little hazy however. The Dunhams themselves recount that it opened in 1971 just before the first House of Frankenstein on Clifton Hill, which makes sense considering Waxattract shifted their focus to haunted attractions after the House of Frankenstein's massive success and began to move away from the more traditional historical wax museums. 1971 also lines up with the year the Antique Auto Museum closed, adding validity to that being the opening year as there's no record of anything occupying the space in between. That being said, newspaper articles discuss it as a soon-to-open attraction in 1973, however it could be that the publication is referring to a "new" updated version of the attraction or simply it's grand opening for that tourist season, if seasonal. The only style of brochure that has surfaced for the attraction. Due to it's short lifespan, it's quite possible it was the only kind produced. The building was adorned with regal neon signage, and in the front window sat a beautiful recreation of the Queen's royal stagecoach. The Dunham family allegedly had the coach sitting in their home's driveway when it was awaiting it's transfer to the attraction. Despite its gorgeous displays, it faced one problem: at the time, the Western world had no interest in the royal family. The museum was very well received by those lucky enough to experience it, but it simply was not a topic most people were willing to tour an entire museum on. Dunham's Boris Karloff Wax Museum he built and managed was performing much better simply due to its theme, despite being in a much less trafficked area of The Falls, whereas the underperforming Royal London was in perhaps one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the whole country. Dunham took note of this as well, and an attraction was on its way that would change Niagara Falls, and the amusement industry, forever. The lesson of the importance of a horror theme, as well as establishing Waxattract's product quality with the Iannuzellis, would have made the Royal London an important step in the eventual creation of the House of Frankenstein(s), if the attraction did infact debut first. (Left): The Royal London Wax Museum seen in this digitally-enhanced shot from a blurry 1973 8mm film reel. (Right): The Queen's ornate stagecoach that sat in the window. The small building that would eventually become home to the Tower of London Wax Museum as it looked many, many years prior in the 1930's. In 1975, with the Iannuzellis now seeing high returns from the House of Frankenstein(s), as well as Dunham finding success with Castle Dracula and shifting his focus to building attractions in the U.S., the decision was made to close the Royal London Wax Museum. It's collection was sold to the upcoming but ill-fated Tower of London Wax Museum on Clifton Hill, which opened in 1976. It's unknown how much of the collection was purchased by the Tower of London, but if the Royal London Wax Museum had occupied the entirety of the former Antique Auto Museum space, the entire collection likely wouldn't have fit into the small, 1925 building at the front of the Darling Motel property which the Tower of London was built in. The building was two floors and a basement, however the gift shop that had previously existed in the basement remained, meaning the museum only occupied two small floors at the maximum, or one if the motel offices remained upstairs and weren't relocated. Regardless, the less that ended up there the better, as it would suffer a suspicious fire just a few months after it opened, destroying the entire museum. The once glorious stagecoach can be seen charred in the window in photos taken after the blaze, a far cry from how it would have looked rolling out of the Dunhams' driveway. The sad, charred end of the collection and the royal stagecoach in the window of the (former) Tower of London Wax Museum, 1976.

All Video Galleries Here you'll find galleries of footage, film clips, tourist-shot videos, commercials and more pertaining to all attractions. This list is categorized by region due to many videos containing panoramic shots of several attractions in an area at a time. Videos of attractions located inside an amusement park, F.E.C., or other complex are located in the video gallery for the wider complex, as other attractions are also usually featured in these videos. More about these attractions specifically can be found on their respective History pages. Video sources are credited in these galleries, and fall under fair use copyright law as they are being used for research/study. Niagara Region Circus World 1981 Section Under Construction