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Themed Restaurants, Bars, and Stores Niagara Region Themed dining and retail can come in a wide variety of both themes and levels of theming. While most stores and restaurants from the 80's-early 2000's had some sort of unique decoration and style, a truly "themed" dining or shopping experience is defined as one where the theming goes beyond just simple decor, being the core identity and draw. These themed establishments are immersive experiences, with themes ranging from popular brands to the depths of the jungle. Animatronic arcade/pizza restaurants are not listed on this page as they are technically Family Entertainment Centres containing several attractions, and can instead be found here . Boston Pizza Clifton Hill (and Sports Zone) - Niagara Falls Beefeater/Coachlight Restaurant (and Jolly Brewer)/Ruby Tuesday's - Honeymoon City Motel/Travelodge, Niagara Falls Coca-Cola Store - Falls Ave. Complex, Niagara Falls Fun Factory - Movieland Wax Museum, Niagara Falls Hard Rock Cafe - Falls Ave. Complex, Niagara Falls Harley Davidson Store - Niagara Falls Hershey's Chocolate World - Falls Ave. Complex, Niagara Falls Julio's Pizza and Spaghetti Factory Plant One - St. Catherines Julio's Pizza and Spaghetti Factory Plant Two - St. Catherines MGM Studios Store - MGM Studios Plaza, Falls Ave. Complex, Niagara Falls Mr. Fantastic's Candy Laboratory - Marvel Superheroes Adventure City, Niagara Falls Planet Hollywood - Falls Ave. Complex, Niagara Falls Rainforest Cafe - Falls Ave. Complex, Niagara Falls Terrace Cafe/Kelsey's Clifton Hill - Park Motor/Venture/Comfort Inn, Niagara Falls Turf 'n Surf - Niagara Falls WWE Niagara Falls - Falls Ave. Complex, Niagara Falls The Yard/Rathskeller Pub/Rumors Nightclub - Park Motor/Venture/Comfort Inn, Niagara Falls Greater Toronto Area The Disney Store - Eaton Centre, Toronto The Disney Store - Fairview Mall, North York (Toronto) The Disney Store - Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough (Toronto) The Disney Store - Square One Shopping Centre, Mississauga The Disney Store - Vaughn Mills, Vaughn The Disney Store - Yorkdale Shopping Centre, North York (Toronto) Frankie Tomatto's - Markham Hard Rock Cafe - Toronto Lime Rickey's - Eaton Centre, Toronto Lime Rickey's - Sussex Centre, Mississauga Lime Rickey's - Yonge/Eglington, Toronto The Old Spaghetti Factory - Toronto The Organ Grinder - Toronto Planet Hollywood - Toronto Rainforest Cafe - Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough (Toronto) Rainforest Cafe - Yorkdale Mall, North York (Toronto) Ontario - Other Areas The Disney Store - Georgian Mall, Barrie The Disney Store - Lime Ridge Mall, Hamilton The Disney Store - Masonville Place, London The Disney Store - Rideau Centre, Ottawa The Disney Store - Upper Canada Mall, Newmarket Hard Rock Cafe - Ottawa Alberta Cafe Orleans - Bourbon Street, West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton The Disney Store - CrossIron Mills, Rocky View The Disney Store - Kingsway Mall, Edmonton The Disney Store - Market Mall, Calgary The Disney Store - South Centre Mall, Calgary The Disney Store - West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton Fantasyland Nightclub - West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton The Fossil Shop - Drumheller Hard Rock Cafe - Bourbon Street, West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton Hard Rock Cafe - Calgary Julio's Barrio - Calgary Julio's Barrio (82nd Ave. NW location) - Edmonton Julio's Barrio (WEM location) - Bourbon Street, West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton Jungle Jim's - Bourbon Street, West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton The Old Spaghetti Factory - Bourbon Street, West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton Planet Hollywood - West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton Manitoba and Saskatchewan The Disney Store - Polo Park Mall, Winnipeg, MB British Columbia (and Northern Canada) The Disney Store - Guildford Town Centre, Surrey The Disney Store - Metropolis at Metrotown, Burnaby The Disney Store - Pacific Centre, Vancouver Hard Rock Cafe - Hard Rock Casino, Coquitlam Hard Rock Cafe - Vancouver Hard Rock Cafe - Victoria Hard Rock Cafe - Whistler Planet Hollywood - Vancouver Rainforest Cafe - Metropolis at Metrotown, Burnaby White Spot Dinersaurus - Bedrock City/Dinotown, Chilliwack Quebec Hard Rock Cafe - Montreal Planet Hollywood - Montreal

1971 "Tour" A Canadian Amusement History Special Feature This "tour" through the House of Frankenstein as it would have been the year it opened is made possible by an old souvenir guide book provided by Donald Deveau, as well as countless recounts of former staff and guests. A huge thank you to members of the Dunham family of the Waxattract company who's artistry, creativity, and passion built the attraction, and were kind enough to share information that also made this article possible. Here you'll see just how impressive the original version of this attraction remains today, but keep in mind this was over a whopping 50 years ago. "Come in... and 'kill a little time' with us..." Guests were met with terror before even entering the building, which was a large gothic manor, complete with an imposing clock tower featuring a working clock. The originally grey and red building stood out on the street, and strobe lights flashed in the second-story faux windows to simulate lighting inside bringing the titular Monster to life. A large Frankenstein's Monster head sign flashed red as it was struck by a large neon lightning bolt, and a live actor playing the character roamed under an awning, weeding out the weak before they were even able to near the doors. After passing the Phantom of the Opera in the front window and the skeleton escaping his coffin in the lobby (as well as a display of antique guns, apparently), guests would purchase their ticket and enter a door next to the counter. The Monster outside was terrifying to some, and a great photo-op for thousands of others who got their photo taken with the Monster. A portion of "The Grotto". The echo effect apparently sent several guests running straight back out the door. "The Comte De Lorge" glares menacingly from his cave-like prison. Guests would immediately find themselves in "The Grotto", with cave rock walls and the sound effects of a vast cave. They would soon come to an opening of mummified corpses, stalagmites, and circling bats. There was also 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. Sent running by the sound of their own voice, guests would be met with perhaps the most gruesome and detailed area in the museum: the torture scenes. The "Comte De Lorge", imprisoned in the Bastille and forgotten about for over 30 years, raised his head and outstretched his arms in desperation at the sight of another human being. The massive "Medieval Torture Chamber" was next: a large room-sized scene with prison-bar walls on three sides that guests would walk around. Many met their bitter end in the torture chamber as guests looked on in horror. There was a flaying alive where a victim's skin was ripped off their body, a branding with a hot coal between tongs, a hanging by the thumbs, the stocks, a bed of nails where heavy stones were lowered into the victim via pulley, an "Iron Maiden", a man with his head in a cage of hungry rats, a man chained to rotating platform, and the infamous Rack stretching a victim in two, among several other unfortunate ends. The next scene was originally various artifacts likely tying into a torture or punishment theme, however this scene didn't last long (as even evidenced in the guide book by: "This scene will be changed and added to over time.") It's likely this was quickly replaced with one of the torture scenes later found in the Lake George location or the Castle Dracula attractions, such as the Druid sacrifice. Next guests would discover "The Forgotten Prisoner", a writhing skeletal figure chained to the wall of his cell, and then pass the "Barrel Drowning" where a man was dunked in and out of a barrel, an always lethal precursor of sorts to waterboarding. Next guests would enter the modern crime and punishment area, where very real, still relevant horrors held domain. The uncaught "Machete Murderer" of California showed off his collection of severed heads (and machete), "Charles Manson" attempted to escape his straight jacket, loud starling machine guns echoed from a recreation of the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre", and the "Boston Strangler" peered menacingly at guest's necks. Guests would also see the "Bird Man of Alcatraz", "Jesse James", "Wyatt Earp" in a violent shootout at the OK Corral, "Bonnie and Clyde", and "Sherlock Holmes" discovering a cadaver. A postcard of the torture chamber from the later Lake George location with the lights on. Many, if not all of these figures would have been created from the same sculpts and molds as those in the original Niagara location. To give an idea of the size of this area, only about half of it's contents can be seen in this image. The "Barrel Drowning" (left), "Wyatt Earp" about to draw his gun at the infamous Doc Holiday OK Corral shootout (right) "Sherlock Holmes", although the frightening scene he's examining unfortunately can't be clearly seen in this image. The "Electric Chair" scene as it appeared up until 2020 in the Lake George location. The original victim has since been replaced with an off-the-shelf prop. "Canada's First Hangman" was next, a death row prisoner himself who volunteered to do the dirty work for the government in exchange for his life. He operated a detailed gallows which guests also activated. On the same note of gruesome punishments, the half-eaten remains of a man being devoured by hungry ants protruded from the sand in the next scene: the "Ant Torture", which was uncomfortably located at eye-level. The punishments were rounded out by the towering, famous Guillotine scene which gained the attraction fame, a witch burning where a judge sentenced a screaming woman to be burnt at the stake (complete with fake flames), and "The Axe Man" sharpening his axe at a grinding wheel in front of his next victim. Fittingly bridging the gap between fiction and reality, the last scene in the crime and punishment area (or first scene in the fiction section, if you look at it that way), was Jack the Ripper gruesomely "ripping" his victim with his blade. In Lake George, "The Axe Man" scene is known as "A 17th Century Beheading", where it's still located today. It's likely this scene is identical to it's long-removed Niagara counterpart. Sometime around this point in the attraction, guests would ascend to the second floor. The present-day staircase up has a scene on the landing halfway up the staircase, however the staircase up and the staircase down may have been reversed at some point since the attraction opened (see main article on the attraction.) If this was indeed the original stairs up, which scene would have been on the stair landing, or if it was listed in the guide book off which this "tour" is based, isn't clear. That being said, the next scene after Sherlock Holmes was the Electric Chair, which the U.S. had only discontinued use of 8 years prior to the attraction's debut. Guests activated it at the push of the button, for an added sense of unease and remorse. The incredibly realistic effect featured the man jolting around in the chair and screaming wildly, accompanied by stobe lights and real carbon arcs causing smoke. The "Ant Torture" "The Guillotine" in 1998 shortly after it's made a cut. This remains one of only two original scenes in the attraction today. "Jack the Ripper" plunges a knife into his victim in a claustrophobic London abbey. By now guests were certainly upstairs if they had not already been for several scenes, and the Phantom of the Opera sat playing his organ, his wild and frantic music playing through the hall. Next the "Mutant", man's possible future if it continues its self-destructive path, gobbled on human flesh in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Next was the "Witch of Endor", followed by Poe's "Pit and the Pendulum" torture device, where the endlessly swinging pendulum blade cut a seemingly ever-deeper gorge in a victim's stomach. The next scene was perhaps one of the most impressive: "The Seance." Three people sat a table along with a medium and her crystal ball. Upon activation, the ball would begin glowing as the table began to float. Items in the room began to violently move and bang on their own as the lights flickered, air cannons blasted at guests, and air-powered ankle whips along the bottoms of the walls tickled at guest's feet (these were later relocated earlier in the attraction when the scene was removed.) Clockwise from left: The "Phantom of the Opera" (above) plays his pained organ music. Along with the aforementioned Guillotine, these remain the only two original scenes in the attraction. Timelapse shot of the "The Pit and the Pendulum" scene swinging (top right), and the popular "Seance" room (bottom right). "The Edinborough Body Snatchers" Running scared away from the spirits summoned by the Seance, guests found themselves face to face with the "Edinborough Body Snatchers" robbing a grave. The next classic film monster guests would encounter would be "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Guests would then find themselves in the "Crypt", and then in "Hell" itself. Exiting a taste of damnation, guests would find "Edgar Allan Poe" reciting and scribbling his horror works on a page. Next was the "Twilight Zone": a mirror maze lit with strobe lights and the familiar black-and-white stripe pattern from the series of the same name painted on the floor. Exiting the mirror maze guests encountered Count Dracula himself, who slowly transformed into a bat via a light and mirror trick. Another classic film monster immediately followed: The "Creature From the Black Lagoon" in his swamp. In a welcome (yet still distributing) break for humans, the next scene featured the "Death of a Vampire", impaled with a stake through the heart, taking it's last gasping breaths. Guests would witness the godfather of horror himself at work in the "Edgar Allan Poe" scene. The vampire Count Dracula (left) who would seem to transform into a bat at your very eyes. But fear not, after a quick journey through the swamp to meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon, guests would witness the "Death of a Vampire" (right) via a stake through it's heart. The next scene was "The Attic Ghost": the supposed ghost of a bride killed by her jealous lover, who is then sentenced to spend eternity being haunted by her. The ghost herself was a hovering animatronic figure with a glowing head. After escaping the ghost, guests would walk past "The Room of Rats", where a man lay on a bed being eaten alive by rats, his chest slowly rising and falling. They would then find themselves face to face with the "Wolfman", who came lurching around a corner to grab them. Dodging the Wolfman's grasp, guests would flee into the Mummy's tomb, where the Mummy would slowly open his sarcophagus to rejoin the living. The next scene was a bit of comic relief, the House of Frankenstein "Wax Workshop", where a mad wax maker dunked a severed human head into a vat of wax in a supposed explanation of how the attraction's wax figures were really made. It's safe to say the actual Waxattract studios were probably a much more friendly place. A man hopelessly devoured alive in "The Room of Rats." (Above): The original "Wolfman" in 1998 shortly prior to it's replacement four years later. This blurry VHS capture between strobe flashes has been digitally enhanced to show as much detail as available. (Left):"The Wax Workshop" ("No Admittance") offers some comic relief to the attraction. Narrowly avoiding becoming permanent residents of the House of Frankenstein, guests then found themselves on the "Strange Planet", a room with a squishy floor and trippy music playing. Countless blacklight eyes peered from the darkness, as well an animatronic figure of Metaluna Mutant from "This Island Earth". Returning to Earth, guests now walked past a graveyard featuring "The Undead" corpses rising from their graves. Next was the mad "Dr. Jekyll", who would transform into the evil "Mr. Hyde" at the press of a button via the same mirror trick as the Dracula transformation. A more natural scare, a massive "Gorilla" would be the next scene guests encountered. "The Undead" rise from the graveyard. "Dr. Jekyll" (left) and his transformation into the hideous "Mr. Hyde" (right). 2016. The scene's push button had already been modified several years prior to these photos to activate a corpse which slams into the plexiglass. The Doctor's transformation remained operational in some form in the background until it was shut off in 2018. Doctor Frankenstein and his assistant peer over their creation just prior to resurrecting the Monster. The giant Jacob's Ladder effect as well as The Bride of Frankenstein are just out of frame. Could this be the dress in question? By the point this capture was taken, the figure had already been moved to the lobby display, and then laid down elsewhere in the attraction. It didn't sport this dress in the lobby rather wearing a large sheet, however it may have been underneath the entire time. The figure was sadly removed from the attraction except for the head in 2019. The final scene in the attraction would be "Your Host" (a grotesque hooded man) saying goodbye, giving you an invitation to return, and showing you the door. If the up and down staircases have been reversed at some point in the attraction's lifespan (as mentioned earlier), it's possible this scene was the one on the stairs landing. Guests would descend the stairs back to the first floor and come out in the gift shop, where they could buy a variety of monster themed and House of Frankenstein branded merchandise, as well as masks and latex hands of authentic House of Frankenstein monsters made from the same molds as the characters in the attraction. Finally guests would reach the laboratory of Dr. Frankenstein himself. The doctor stood in front of a wall of elaborate machinery, his Igor-esque lab assistant at his side. In front of them was an operating table parallel to the window into the scene, and on it was "Frankenstein's Monster". Standing in the corner with a look of horror on her face was the Bride of Frankenstein, already brought to life, awaiting her future husband's re-awakening. The dress worn by the Bride was actually Betty Dunham's wedding dress, and it would manage to remain with the figure until she was removed from the attraction (save for the head) in 2019. Above the operating table the Monster lay upon was a massive Jacob's Ladder device in a ray gun suspended from the ceiling, pointed at the table. The Jacob's Ladder used actual electricity, and was a highlight of the attraction. At the push of a button, the Doctor and his assistant would flip the switches and levers, causing the Jacob's Ladder to intensify from it's resting state. As strobe lights illuminated the room, the Bride would scream in horror as the Monster would sit up on the table and turn it's head to look at the guests. The impressive scene was a fitting climax for an equally impressive attraction. "Your Host" finally shows you to the door. The collage featuring (top to bottom) "The Garrote" execution, "The Grotto", the lobby coffin display, the "Witch Burning", "The Mummy", a portion of the "Medieval Torture Chamber", "Canada's First Hangman", "The Machete Murders", The Bird Man of Alcatraz", Metaluna Mutant in the "Strange Planet" room, the mysterious ape-man, and the giant "Gorilla". It's likely there were more scenes featured in the attraction that simply weren't listed in the guide book. Some can even be seen in a collage of images at the end of the book, such as the Garrote wire execution and a scene with a hairy ape-like man popping out from behind something. It's possible this was some sort of "Planet of the Apes" scene. The same collage also features a photo of what's presumably the Gorilla scene, however the figure looks strikingly similar to one in the Lake George location which held a Barbie doll and was placed in a miniature set to give it the appearance of King Kong. It's unclear in the photo of the gorilla figure if he's holding a Barbie doll or something else due to the image quality, but if he is, it's possible this is either infact not the Gorilla scene but rather an unlisted Kong scene, or that this is the Gorilla scene simply named that for copyright reasons, however the former would be more likely. The attraction's original brochure also mentions more scenes absent from the book like the "Mysterious Motel", the "Iron Lady", and the "Snake Pit"'. It's also possible that several of the other scenes originally found in the later Lake George location ("The Hatchet Man", "The Bathtub Murder", "The Grim Reaper", "The Price of Infidelity", "The Zombies", etc.) were also originally in the Niagara one, however the two attractions weren't exact carbon copies despite being nearly identical Needless to say, the attraction was incredible and years ahead of it's time in technology, special effects, and concept. It's not hard to see from this description of the experience why it had the impact it did. Click here to return to the main House of Frankenstein page and read more about the attraction's impact on Niagara Falls and the greater amusement industry, as well as how the attraction has changed over time.

Photo and Video Archive Welcome to the Canadian Amusement History archives. This archive is the result of over a decade of searching through old photographs, tourist home videos, public libraries, newspaper archives, advertising, and more. Here you'll find images and footage of both former attractions and ones that have changed over the years. You can also find old postcards, brochures, guide books, newspaper articles, commercials, and more. All sources are provided when applicable. This section will always be a work in progress. Due to the scope and size of our personal archive collection, the entirety of it will never fully be featured here, so if you're after something you don't find here, please contact us as we might have it in our collections! All Photo Galleries All Video Galleries Lost Media

Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum Attraction Type: Wax Museum Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Year(s) Operational: 1959-2001 (Clifton Hill location), 2005-Present (Victoria Ave. location) Designer(s): Stubergh-Keller/Ripley's Wax Studios, Louis Tussaud's Waxworks, Deroy & Associates, Waxattract By the 1950s, it had become clear that using Clifton Hill as a series of budget, away from The Falls tourist camps wasn't nearly as lucrative as the land could potentially be. Welland Securities had opened the Quality Inn Fallsway where Dinosaur Adventure Golf now sits in 1955, and the Park Motor Inn where Niagara Speedway now is in 1956. The Clifton Inn had also torn down it's old structure and built anew as the Pilgrim Hotel. Darling Cabins had torn down most of their cabins to make way for a low-rise motel building and rebranded as the Darling Motel. Change was afoot in the wake of Marilyn Monroe's breakthrough film "Niagara" in 1953, both cementing The Falls as a honeymoon destination and creating further general interest in visiting the city. Architects McPhit & Kelly's original 1925 sketch of the Clifton Hill side of the Foxhead Hotel, 1925. Tussaud's in the former section of the Foxhead, opening year. In 1959, Clifton Hill's first amusement attraction came onto the scene, Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum, located in a former section of the Foxhead Hotel that was just up Clifton Hill from the main building. The first floor, second floor and basement would become the museum with the third floor remaining the accounting offices for the neighboring hotel. The story behind the museum's early ownership and licensing is a bit hazy. It was an officially licensed franchise of the original Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum in Blackpool Beach, England, who also had their own art department dating back to the titular member of the Tussaud family in the late 19th century. That being said, the story goes that most of the Niagara museum's detailed figures were designed by Stubergh-Keller Wax Models, of Niagara Falls, NY who also owned the attraction. There's evidence to support both Louis Tussaud's and Stubergh-Keller studios contributing to the museum since day one, suggesting that perhaps Stubergh-Keller owned the museum but licensed the Tussaud's name, with Stubergh-Keller producing more work for the attraction simply due to it being much closer to home. The background and set design however was originally provided by Deroy & Associates of Toronto. The Foxhead and the museum in 1960. Guests were greeted with impressive displays before even entering the lobby. The attraction's sign would be a 22ft tall rotating Louis Tussaud himself, adorned in vibrant, colourful neon. There was also massive billboard-esque neon signage on the roof reading "Louis Tussaud Wax Museum." The signs were created and leased to the attraction by Pattison Signs, a large corporation who specializes in signs and billboards to this day. A figure of daredevil Charles Blondin was also suspended across Clifton Hill from the attraction to a pole across the street, actually appearing to be crossing over the road as if it were the Niagara Gorge. Though the figure was static and didn't move or cross the wire, this was still incredibly impressive for the time, and remains an incredibly unique feature today. Looking up Clifton Hill towards Blondin and the iconic sign, mid 1960's. 1960's advertisement showing only a handful of the royalty on display. Originally upon entering the museum, guests would see a depiction of Robert Cavalier De La Salle and Louis Hennepin overlooking The Falls, as their record of it is one of the earliest found. Next was a figure of Madame Marie Tussaud herself, the famed 17th and 18th century wax artist. Marie Tussaud is who the popular global chain of historic Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum attractions is based off, Louis Tussaud was her great grandson and the two chains share zero relation. One could argue the Louis Tussaud's chain may have been trying to get a slice of that pie, as "Stubergh-Keller Wax Museum" (as the Niagara location perhaps more accurately should have been called) doesn't have quite the same ring to it, despite the studio's artwork being gorgeous all the same. Other original scenes included Beethoven, Gandhi, Nikita Khrushchev (then premier of the U.S.S.R.), Joan of Arc, Mark Antony, Robin Hood and Friar Tuck, Winston Churchill, Cleopatra, Christopher Columbus, Niagara daredevil Red Hill Jr., and the assassination of Lincoln. The "Hall of Kings" was popular, featuring Henry VII, George III, Charles I (and VII), Edward VII, William III, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth I (and II) among others. Lincoln assassination, 1960's. Red Hill Jr., 1960's. Construction of the Robin Hood scene in June 1959. In this image from left to right, architect William Cartmel Jr., manager of Louis Tussaud's England William Cartmel Sr., and set designer Derek Deroy. Completed Robin Hood scene, 1960's The finale of the museum was the dim, dark Chambers of Horror in the basement. It included depictions of fictional monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster, and things loosely based on history like the "Streetsville Ghouls" or the "Compte De Lorge." The real show however were the real torture and execution methods showcased in the museum. These included the "Algerian Hook", a scalping scene, the "Cell of Little Ease", the "Woman in the Iron Cage", and burning of the eyes. While there was no motion featured in the figures and the gore wasn't as intense as it would be in later years (more on that later), it was still unlike anything most people had seen at the time, especially at that level of realism. Early scenes from the original Chamber of Horrors. From left to right: Entrance to the area, an incredible Count Dracula figure sculpted by Ron Booker of Stubergh Wax Models, and Frankenstein's Monster courtesy of Timothy Randall of Waxipedia. Tussaud's next to the rebuilt Foxhead, early 70s. The attraction was a smash hit, and kicked off the future of Clifton Hill, becoming Niagara's must visit location second only to The Falls itself. It opened the tourism floodgates further, and by 1960, all the cabin courts in the area had been demolished to make way for new motels, hotels, restaurants, and souvenir stores. In 1964 the Foxhead Hotel officially rebranded as the Sheraton Foxhead, demolishing the original structure and building a high-rise hotel in its place, but leaving the part of the building housing Tussaud's the same as the English Tudor style matched the theme of the museum. When the second wax museum in The Falls, the Burning Springs Wax Museum opened in the Fallsview district in 1963, Tussaud's attempted to sue the attraction for the giant words "Wax Museum" painted on the side of the building overlooking the busy Queen Victoria Park below, arguing it was knowingly causing confusion over which wax museum was Niagara's original. The case was obviously thrown out, as Tussaud's didn't have monopoly over the term Wax Museum (and the chain had even somewhat stolen their own Tussaud family name themselves.) Tussaud's losing the case (unknowingly then) forever changed the path of the Niagara Falls tourism industry. By the end of the 60s, there were six other wax museums/oddity museums with wax figures in the Clifton Hill area, with two more over in the Fallsview district. To stay above this new competition, change was necessary. Things would be shuffled around often to remain relevant and keep up to date. In 1964, the local Niagara Falls Women's Institute petitioned to get a figure of local hero Laura Secord placed in the museum. The museum accepted whole-heartedly, and the figure was one of the ones confirmed to have been sculpted by Louis Tussaud's wax studios back in England by 45 different artists. The figure was sent to Tussaud's in Niagara, and unveiled first to members of the Women's Institute who made the figure possible. The death of Lee Harvey Oswald was added as one of the museum's first scenes, and a "Hall of Assinated Leaders" later in the attraction. Marie Tussaud was eventually made the museum's first figure upon entering, and Charles VII the second. Whoever the current Canadian Prime Minister or U.S. President was also got a figure in the attraction during their time in office. Waxattract , Robert Dunham's company which was still in its infancy at the time, was also commissioned to create certain figures and displays for the attraction between the late 60s and early 70s after the success of his impressive Boris Karloff Wax Museum. Museum guide Phyllis Reese presenting the Laura Secord figure to reporter A. E. Huggens, and Wilfred Stewart of the Women's Institute who made it possible. Sidewalk advertisements outfront the museum, 1964. A fire broke out in the attraction the morning of February 16th, 1967 which destroyed the Streetsville Ghouls scene in the Chamber of Horrors. The flames were extinguished by the attraction's sprinkler system which also automatically notified fire crews, and limited the damage to the one scene. The attraction was extremely lucky, sprinkler systems wouldn't be mandatory in commercial businesses for nearly another 50 years, and their foresight paid off. If it were not for the sprinkler system, the attraction would have likely been lost, and clicking around on this site you'll find several other wax museums and attractions both in Niagara Falls (and abroad) weren't so lucky. The damage capped out at a relatively low $4,000, and was theorized by fire crews to have been started by a lit cigarette butt tossed into the scene (a usual culprit), however the fire alarm was tripped at 4:53 A.M. while the building was empty, so if that was the case it must have certainly been a slow, smoldering start. Many different displays would grace Tussaud's front window over the years, however perhaps it's most memorable would be added at this time to keep the attraction eye-catching. In 1970, local artist and engineer Derek Costello created a moving riser platform for the front window, which was decorated using Stubergh-Keller figures depicting the moon landing and set to music. This scene was later moved inside. A booth offering horoscope readings was constructed along the sidewalk and attached to the front of the building in the late-70s. It eventually became a discount photo developer in the late-80s and expanded in the early-90s, but was eventually later removed when Tussaud's got a new facade coinciding with the Sheraton next door remodeling in 1997. The discount photo booth and building facade in the late 80s. Ripley's International had bought out Stubergh-Keller Wax Studios back in 1970, and therefore the museum with it. This provides further evidence that the original Tussaud's in England had no stake in the attraction at all and simply licensed the name/provided some of the early figures. Ripley's eventually moved the Stubergh-Keller studios to the former Sheraton Foxhead accounting offices on the third floor of the attraction's building later in the decade. The 80s would understandably be a turbulent time for the attraction, with figures being shuffled around, refreshed and switched out constantly partially due to the ease of the studios being located in the same building. A 1982 Niagara Falls Review article talks about Ron Booker, one of the wax artists employed on the third floor, being interviewed for an episode of an unnamed U.S. morning show hosted by film critic Steve Reid. At the time Booker was working on a figure of Princess Diana destined for the Ripley's-owned Louis Tussaud's location in Copenhagen. Footage of this T.V. episode has yet to surface and remains lost media, but would be a fantastic glimpse into both the original Tussaud's and the legendary waxworks above it. The attraction underwent a massive overhaul in 1991 which debuted in June of that year, adding more pop culture figures in exchange for many of the remaining historical figures. Other historical scenes were updated such as a new Hall of Presidents, or new higher-tech ones added such as a projection effect in an ice cave showcasing indigenous peoples' story of Niagara Falls. The real update however, came to the Chamber of Horrors. The Ice Cave projection, 1991. Gone were the tamer fiction displays like Frankenstein's Monster and the Streetsville Ghouls, and in their place was a bloody, gory, pulls-no-puches torture chamber, completely historically accurate as well just in case guests wanted to try and brush it off as fiction. Several of the more brutal scenes that already existed were retained and updated to be more detailed, turning the basement into an extremely gruesome torture chamber that still haunts the minds of those who experienced it. While still featuring no animation other than a switch-activated electric chair and a shaking wooden trunk with screams emanating from it, the eerie atmosphere of the basement coupled with the Gregorian chanting that echoed through the halls added to the area's creep factor. The scenes were also particularly brutal, including updated eyeball torture and Algerian Hook scenes, the rack, flaying alive, starving prisoners, and a variety of severed heads that had met brutal ends, all in stunning realism. Local artist Bruce Randall, who had been employed by Stubergh-Keller in the 60's and rejoined them when they moved the studio to the Canadian side, was an integral part of the remodel. Above: Torture scenes seen in photos courtesy of Timothy Randall (son of artist Bruce Randall) of Waxipedia, who grew up running freely in the halls of the museum below his father's office. Top left: the original eyeball torture before the remodel. Bottom left: the much more graphic updated eyeball torture after the remodel. Above: The gruesome Algerian Hook. Another part of the remodel would be updates to the exterior, as the lease with Pattinson Signs ended. Local sign shop Signatures Signs would be asked by Tussaud's to rebuild the signage from scratch using only photographs of the old sign for reference. They did a fantastic job on making it identical to the original, and the giant neon Tussaud remains at Tussaud's current location. The rooftop billboard signage however would not be remade identical and would now be updated. While still reading "Louis Tussaud's Waxworks", the sign now had an updated font resembling the attraction's logo, and was on a black background to stand out more over the steel grid board used formerly. The same updated logo was also placed below the giant neon Tussaud. Ripley's International art department on the third floor would eventually be moved down to Florida in the 90's. While some materials were saved, many of the department's archives dating back to the Stubergh-Keller days were destroyed. The attraction meanwhile would remain popular until 2001, when the lease would be up with the Sheraton Foxhead Left: Jeff Wallis of Signature Signs installing neon on the new iconic cavalier, 1991. Right: The original Clifton Hill location in it's final days in the early 2000's. Sheraton didn't give Ripley's the option to renew the lease, as they had plans to completely revitalize the area around the Sheraton Foxhead and Sheraton Brock into the Falls Ave. entertainment complex in order to stay relevant with other major developments in the area. The original Tussaud's closed after nearly 42 years on The Hill, and the almost century old building originally part of the first Foxhead Hotel was essentially completely demolished. Very little of the structure was saved, and the building later home to the Extreme Movie Ride 4D and the MGM Great Movie Journey was built in it's place. Today the building is home to Niagara Distillery and BBQ (while the 4D Ride remains in the basement.) Niagara Distillery in place of the former location of the museum, late 2010s. The museum would rise again however after a four year hiatus in 2005, now reopening on Victoria Ave. in a former restaurant. It wasn't the first attraction in the space however, as the building was briefly home to the Wonderful World of Fantasy from 1974-1981. The old signage would be retained from the Clifton Hill location, as well as Blondin now crossing over Victoria Ave. The new location would be two floors rather than three, but in a much larger building. The new attraction would retain very little of the original collection, and while some figures would make a re-appearance, the majority would replaced with new scenes comprised of the computer-created figures (wax content debatable) that Ripley's uses in present day. Very few of the original figures from Stubergh-Keller and Louis Tussaud's studios remain, being mostly relegated to the historical figures on the balcony above the lobby. The museum, Blondin, and neon Tussaud relocated to Victoria Ave,, early 2010's. The Chamber of Horrors would now be more inspired by pop culture and fiction, and feature an animatronic zombie in a chair created by Lifeformations at the entrance to the area. The new building originally resembled the original style of the old Foxhead Hotel section the original museum occupied, but it was repainted in the mid-2010's to be more eye catching and given new lighting. It remains Canada's largest wax museum to this day, and while quite different than it's original form, Niagara's first amusement attraction is now entertaining it's sixth decade of visitors. The historic museum as it appears today.

Tower of London Wax Museum Attraction Type: Wax Museum Location: Darling Motel, Niagara Falls, Ontario Year(s) Operational: May-September 26, 1976 Designer(s): Waxattract , Universal Android The Tower of London Wax Museum was perhaps one of (if not) Niagara's shortest lived attractions. That being said, it sits in a uniquely important spot in history due to being closely intertwined with both the House of Frankenstein and Castle Dracula in unique ways. It opened in late spring of 1976, purchasing a portion of the collection of the former Royal London Wax Museum on Falls Ave., which had closed in 1975. The Royal London was a Waxattract -built attraction co-owned between Waxattract's Robert Dunham and the Iannuzelli family, who owned the Hilltop Motel that they would commission Dunham to build the House of Frankenstein atop less than a year after the Royal London opened. The Royal London had also featured figures and scenery from local artist Bruce Randall and his Universal Android company as well. The attraction's sign, 1976. (Top): The building later home to the Tower of London as it appeared before the museum. (Bottom): The building being remodeled into a castle for the new attraction. (Right): The royal stagecoach in the attraction's front window, 1976. The Tower of London would utilize the circa 1925 building at the front of the Darling Motel plot on Clifton Hill. The building had housed a restaurant on the main floor as well as the motel offices (and cabin court offices before that) on the second since it's construction. The basement had later been dug out to add a gift shop below. The motel was formerly owned by the Reinhardt family, but was purchased by the Cade family in 1976. It's unknown how much of the structure was used for the new wax museum. The basement gift shop remained, and the restaurant was removed for the entire first floor to become museum space, however if any museum existed in the former motel offices upstairs and the offices relocated remains a mystery. Even if it did occupy two floors, the collection in the museum likely wasn't the entire contents of the Royal London, as the space that attraction occupied had been much larger. The building was remodeled to feature a castle facade, complete with turrets and archways. On September 26th, 1976, just a few months after the attraction opened, flames were seen coming from the side of the building in an alleyway between it and the Niagara Clifton Motel, which was promptly evacuated. Shortly after the flames erupted at 1 A.M., a large explosion blew the front window of the attraction out completely, sending broken glass sailing across the street. Fire Sgt. Raymond Crown remarked that "It was a good thing nobody was walking past or they would have been killed." One firefighter even had to be hospitalized and taken off the scene on a stretcher for smoke inhalation while battling the blaze. During the fire, firefighters also apparently had to fight off local teenagers who kept trying to dart in the front window to steal fake jewels off the figures in the lobby. Imagine running into a building engulfed in flames to steal a plastic crown jewel? The power of realistic figure design I suppose. Flames shot 25 feet into the air in a two-alarm fire that completely gutted the building, however the firefighters' quick response prevented the historic 1925 building's structure from being lost. (Left): A firefighter gets removed from the scene of the blaze on a stretcher. (Right): The Queen peers with melancholy from her once-royal, now smoldering stagecoach in the aftermath of the fire. Astonishingly, the structure could be saved, and after the fire was put out, the building was boarded up and left abandoned for the remainder of the year and into early 1977. The fire was deemed extremely suspicious, with detectives heavily hinting the explosion which accelerated the fire was the deliberate result of some sort of propellant, however nothing ever publically materialized of this. Damage was estimated at $250,000, with $150,000 of that coming from the contents alone. The owners said they were insured and initially said they planned to rebuild, but unsurprisingly, they eventually decided to sell the land instead. Take all that information as you will and come to your own conclusions, but there are rumors floating out there. Even more surprising than the structure's survival is the survival of the plywood castle facade and towers. It was this that would serve as the basis for Castle Dracula's iconic castle facade once the attraction would move there in 1977 from it's original home on Victoria Ave. It was when Castle Dracula moved in that the Darling Motel closed. What remained of the motel's historic cabins were demolished, so all that was left was the two story motel building running along the back of the property, and the former Tower of London building at the front of the property facing Clifton Hill. A new structure was built connecting the two in the middle, to create one long two story building running from the front to the back of the property. This can be clearly seen from satellite images as well as from the Skywheel looking down. The castle being remodeled in early 1977. The fact that Castle Dracula's bones date back to 1925 is shocking enough, but when coupled with the fact that the building has survived a raging fire as well, it becomes downright unbelievable. There's a poetic irony to the building being filled with relocated Waxattract figures from a defunct nearby attraction during the Tower of London's short run, and the exact same thing happening again when the building was resurrected as Castle Dracula, the Waxattract figures from the original incarnation of that attraction being relocated there. We can only hope the building, (which has finally received a renovation after years of neglect due to Castle Dracula's new owners), lasts for a second century. The castle as it appears today, no longer home to the Queen, but to the Count.

Greater Toronto Area Amusement and Theme Parks The most densely populated metro area in Canada has understandably been home to a massive number of amusement attractions over the years, simply due to the sheer number of consumers. This area includes Toronto, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughn, Brampton, Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington. Canada's Wonderland - Vaughn Centreville Amusement Park - Toronto Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village - Whitby Fantasy Fair - Woodbine Centre, Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario Place - Toronto Sunnyside Amusement Park - Toronto Arcades, Mini Golf and F.E.C.s Amuse-O-Matic Centre - Union Station, Toronto Annex Billiards - Toronto Arcadia - Square One Shopping Centre, Mississauga Arcadium - Canada's Wonderland, Vaughn Bathgate Golf Centre Mini Putt - Bathgate Golf Centre, Mississauga Big Slick Bar & Billiards - Mississauga Bijou Club - Bayview Village Shopping Centre, North York (Toronto) Break & Play Billiards and Bar - Brampton Bridlewood Mall Games (Mall run game area) - Bridlewood Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Captains Snooker Club - 966 Dundas Plaza, Mississauga Centennial Park Golf Centre Mini Golf - Centennial Park Golf Centre, Mississauga Central Billiards Pool Hall - Mississauga Centreville Miniature Golf - Centreville Amusement Park, Toronto Century Billiards - Brampton Chuck E. Cheese's - Mississauga Chuck E. Cheese's - Vaughn Chuck E. Cheese's - Whitby Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre - Burlington Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre (Jane/Wilson location) - North York (Toronto) Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre - Kennedy Square, Brampton Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre (Victoria Park/Sheppard location) - North York (Toronto) Claw World - Woodside Square, Toronto Club Kennedy - Scarborough (Toronto) Club 33 Teen Lounge - Chelsea Hotel, Toronto The Crooked Cue - Etobicoke (Toronto) The Crooked Cue - Port Credit (Mississauga) Crystal Palace Arcade - Canada's Wonderland, Vaughn CyberMind V.R. Centre (CN Tower location)- CN Tower, Toronto CyberMind V.R. Centre (Yonge St. location) - Toronto Dave & Buster's - Oakville Dave & Buster's - Vaughn Diamonds Billiards and Lounge - Pickering Electronic Playworld - Yonge/Grenville, Toronto Embassy Billiards - Bloor/Bellair, Toronto Endless Fun - Ajax Epic Planet Fun - Eglington Town Centre, Scarborough (Toronto) Fantasy Station Arcade - Woodbine Centre, Etobicoke (Toronto) Fairtee Golf Centre - Markham Fun & Games - Bramalea City Centre, Brampton Fun & Games - Sherway Gardens, Missi ssauga Fun & Games - Shopper's World, Brampton Fun City - North York Centre Station, North York (Toronto) Funland Arcade (Yonge/Breadalbane location) - Toronto Funland Arcade (Yonge/Dundas location AKA "Pinball Games We Are Open Just For Fun") - Toronto Funland Arcade ( Yonge/Elm location AKA "Prizes Prizes Prizes" ) - Toronto Funland Arcade (Yonge/Gould location) - Toronto Funstation Mini Golf - Jane/Finch, North York (Toronto) Fun Time - Pacific Mall, Markham Futureworld/Space World - Shopper's World, Brampton The Games - Erin Mills Town Centre, Mississauga GameTime Social - Burlington GJ's Arcade - Lakeshore/Kerr, Oakville GlowZone 360 (Eglington/Dixie location) - Mississauga GlowZone 360 (McLaughlin Rd. location) - Mississauga Guidion's Pinball and Billiard Arcade - Finch West Mall, North York (Toronto) Hangout Lounge - Whitby Happy Kingdom - York (Toronto) Happy Landing Putt Putt/Peanuts Putt Putt - Canada's Wonderland, Vaughn Harry Putter Golf Academy - Woodbridge (Vaughn) JJQ's Billiards and Lounge - Mississauga John's Arcade - Victoria Park/O'Connor, Scarborough (Toronto) Kart Town - Parkway Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Kerr St. Billiards/Arnold's Funland - Kerr St. (later moved to multiple locations on Speers Rd., then 485 Morden Rd.), Oakville The Last Cue Billiard Club - Brampton Le Cue Lounge - Markham Le Spot Billiards - 4531 Sheppard Plaza, Scarborough (Toronto) Mad Hatter - Scarborough (Toronto) Marina Arcade - Ontario Place, Toronto Master Q Snooker, Billiards and Lounge - Markham Mickey's Arcade - Dundas St., Mississauga Michelle's Billiards and Lounge - Whitby Minigolf - Ontario Place, Toronto Mini Greens - Ontario Place, Toronto Mister 8 Billiards - Toronto Monte Carlo Billiards - Missis sauga Mystery Billiards - Vaughn Nascar Speedpark - Vaughn Mills, Vaughn NEB's Fun World - Oshawa Ninth Line Family Golf Academy - Oakville Oshawa Creek Family Golf - Oshawa Orbit - Pacific Mall, Markham Petrina Billiards - Pickering Pickering Playing Fields - Pickering Pinball Arcade - Yonge/Isabella, Toronto The Pin Ball Spot - Yonge/Gould, Toronto Pro Putt - Canada's Wonderland, Vaughn Putting Edge - Etobicoke (Toronto) Putting Edge - Oakville Putting Edge - Richmond Hill Putting Edge - Scarborough (Toronto) Putting Edge - Vaughn Putting Edge - Whitby The Q - Bloor/Yonge Station, Toronto QB Sports Bar Grill Games - Appleview Square Plaza, Burlington Quater Land - Morningside Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Rock Chapel Mini Putt - Rock Chapel Golf Centre, Burlington Rivoli Pool Hall - Toronto Sega City/Playdium - Mississauga Shooterville Billiards Bar & Grill - Burlington Shoxs Billiard Lounge - York (Toronto) Sky Games - Fairview Mall, North York (Toronto) Skygames - Markville Shopping Centre, Markham Splitsville - Burlington Splitsville - Richmond Hill The Sting - Yonge/Major Mackenzie Dr., Richmond Hill Striker's Pool and Bar - Brampton Studio 81 - Yonge/Cummer, North York (Toronto) Super Computer Hour - Malvern Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Times Square Billiards - Yonge/Elm, Toronto Undercurrent - CN Tower, Toronto United Billiards - Yonge/Temperance, Toronto Vegas Room - Finch Ave., North York (Toronto) Video Funland - 2654 Eglington Plaza, Scarborough (Toronto) Video Invasion (Wilson Heights Blvd. location) - North York (Toronto) Video Invasion (Bathurst St. location) - North York (Toronto) Video Pinball Amusement Arcade - Knob Hill Plaza, Scarborough (Toronto) V.I.P. Billiards (North York location) - North York (Toronto) V.I.P. Billiards (Scarborough location) - Scarborough (Toronto) V.I.P. Billiards (Yonge/Gerrard location) - Yonge St., Toronto Vinnie's Midway - Adelaide/John, Toronto Wedgewood Golf Centre - Burlington The Wizard - Centerpoint Mall, North York (Toronto) Wizard's Castle - Agincourt Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Wizard's Castle - Bramalea City Centre, Brampton Wizard's Castle - Cloverdale Mall, Etobicoke (Toronto) Wizard's Castle - Dufferin Mall, Toronto Wizard's Castle - Fairview Mall, North York (Toronto) Wizard's Castle - Meadowvale Town Centre, Mississauga Wizard's Castle - Westdale Mall, Brampton Wizard's Castle/Fx5 - Pickering Town Centre, Pickering Wizard's Castle/Games Maximus - Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough (Toronto) Wizard's Castle/Sky Games - Woodbine Centre, Etobicoke (Toronto) Wizard's Enchanted Castle - Yorkdale Mall, North York (Toronto) Woodie Woodchuck's - Mississauga Woodie Woodchuck's - Scarborough (Toronto) Woodlands Mini-Putt Golf - Cullen Gardens and Miniature World, Whitby World Cup - North York Sheridan Mall, North York (Toronto) Zodiac - Eglington Town Centre, Scarborough (Toronto) Arcade (Name Unknown) - Burlington Centre, Burlington Arcade (Name Unknown) - Cedarbrae Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Arcade (Name Unknown) - Dundas St., Mississauga Arcade (Name Unknown) - Erindale Plaza, Mississauga Arcade (Name Unknown) - Hillcrest Mall, Richmond Hill Arcade (Name Unknown) - Hopedale Mall, Oakville Arcade (Name Unknown) - Honeydale Mall, Etobicoke (Toronto) Arcade (Name Unkkown) - Lawrence Plaza, North York (Toronto) Arcade (Name Unknown) - Royal York Hotel PATH System, Toronto Arcade (Name Unknown) - Trafalgar Village, Oakville Arcade (Name Unknown) - Whitby Mall, Whitby Arcade (Name Unknown) - Yonge/Finch, North York (Toronto) Arcade (Name Unknown) - Yonge/Queen, Toronto Mini Golf (Name Unknown) - Sunshine Beach/Wild Water Kingdom/Wet 'n Wild, Brampton Dark Attractions, Wax Museums and Exhibits The Haunted Barrel Works - Centreville Amusement Park, Toronto Laff In The Dark - Canadian National Exhibition grounds (permanent structure), Toronto Ontario North Now/Mirror Maze - Ontario Place, Toronto Ripley's Aquarium of Canada - Bremmer Blvd., Toronto Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion/Boo Blasters on Boo Hill - Canada's Wonderland, Vaughn Fun Land/Fun House/Spook Castle - Sunnyside Amusement Park, Toronto 13 Rooms of Terror - Warden/Steeles, Markham Toronto Wax Museum - Yonge/Gerrard, Toronto Wonder Mountain Walkway - Canada's Wonderland, Vaughn Wilderness Adventure Ride - Ontario Place, Toronto Yogi's Cave/Smurf Cave/Treasure Cave - Canada's Wonderland, Vaughn Specialty Hotels and Gift Shops Chelsea Hotel - Toronto Delta Toronto East - Scarborough (Toronto) Theatres, Bowling Alleys and Miscellaneous AMC Interchange 30 - Vaughn Bowlerama - Bathurst St., North York (Toronto) Bowlerama - Cedarbrae Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Bowlerama - Dundas St., Etobicoke (Toronto) Bowlerama - Yonge St., North York (Toronto) Bowlerama - Jane Park Plaza, North York (Toronto) Bowlerama/Kennedy Bowl - Scarborough (Toronto) Bowlerama/Parkway Bowl - Parkway Mall, Scarborough (Toronto) Bowlerama - Overlea Blvd., East York (Toronto) Bowlerama - Rexdale Blvd., Etobicoke (Toronto) Bowlerama - Trafalgar Village, Oakville Bowlero - Brampton Burlington Bowl - Burlington C4 Centre - Eastown Plaza, Scarborough (Toronto) Cinesphere - Ontario Place, Toronto Danforth Bowl - East York (Toronto) Don Mills Bowl - Don Mills Centre, North York (Toronto) Famous Players/Rainbow/SilverCity/Cineplex Cinema - Fairview Mall, North York (Toronto) The 5 Drive-In - Oakville FX Adventure Theatre - Ontario Place, Toronto Laser Quest - Mississauga Laser Quest - Richmond Hill Laser Quest - Scarborough Markham Bowl - Markham O'Connor Bowl - Scarborough (Toronto) Planet Laser - Oakville Playtime Bowl - York (Toronto) The Roller Palace - Warden/Finch, Scarborough (Toronto) Rollerpony - Etobicoke (Toronto) Roller World - Glen Watford/Sheppard, Scarborough (Toronto) Richmond Hill Pro Bowl - Richmond Hill Scooter's Roller Palace - Mississauga SilverCity Cinemas - Brampton SilverCity Cinemas - Mississauga SilverCity Cinemas - Richmond Hill SilverCity/Cineplex Colossus - Vaughn SuSO Skate - Brampton Tour of the Universe/Ride Theatre - CN Tower, Toronto Ultimate Laser Tag - Oakville Webb Bowl - Royal York Plaza, Etobicoke (Toronto) Ride Theatre (Name Unknown) - Sega City/Playdium, Mississauga Themed Restaurants, Bars and Stores The Disney Store - Eaton Centre, Toronto The Disney Store - Fairview Mall, North York (Toronto) The Disney Store - Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough (Toronto) The Disney Store - Square One Shopping Centre, Mississauga The Disney Store - Vaughn Mills, Vaughn The Disney Store - Yorkdale Shopping Centre, North York (Toronto) Frankie Tomatto's - Markham Hard Rock Cafe - Toronto Lime Rickey's - Eaton Centre, Toronto Lime Rickey's - Sussex Centre, Mississauga Lime Rickey's - Yonge/Eglington, Toronto The Old Spaghetti Factory - Toronto The Organ Grinder - Toronto Planet Hollywood - Toronto Rainforest Cafe - Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough (Toronto) Rainforest Cafe - Yorkdale Mall, North York (Toronto) Water Parks and Attractions Children's Village Waterpark/Soak City - Ontario Place, Toronto Splash Works - Canada's Wonderland, Toronto Sunshine Beach/Wild Water Kingdom/Wet 'n Wild - Brampton White Water - Shopper's World, Brampton

Amusement and Theme Parks Niagara Region Many don't realize that amusement parks and theme parks are actually two different things. A theme park is themed to one or several subjects, and may or may not contain any actual rides. An amusement park however always contains rides, but has either little or no theming. With several evolving into one another over the years, both are listed on this page for convenience. Canadia - Niagara Falls Crystal Beach Amusement Park - Crystal Beach Indian Village - Niagara Falls Maple Leaf Village - Niagara Falls Marineland - Niagara Falls Prudhomme's Landing - Lincoln Pyramid Place - Niagara Falls Skylon Indoor Amusement Park - Niagara Falls Storybook Land - Niagara Falls Tivoli Miniature World/Miniature Golf - Lincoln (Later moved to Niagara Falls) Tower View Amusement Park - Niagara Falls Greater Toronto Area Canada's Wonderland - Vaughn Centreville Amusement Park - Toronto Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village - Whitby Fantasy Fair - Woodbine Centre, Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario Place - Toronto Sunnyside Amusement Park - Toronto Lake Huron and Georgian Bay Castle Village Enchanted Kingdom - Balm Beach/Midland Dinosaur Valley - Wasaga Beach Grand Bend Amusement Park - Grand Bend Playland Park - Wasaga Beach Sauble Beach Fun World - Sauble Beach Ontario - Other Areas Boblo Island Amusement Park - Amherstburg Santa's Village - Bracebridge Storybook Gardens - London Storyland - Renfrew Wild Zone - Wheels Inn, Chatham Alberta Barney's Adventure Park - Drumheller Calaway Park - Calgary Fantasyland/Galaxyland - West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton Funland Amusement Park - Drumheller Heritage Park - Calgary 1920s Midway & Exhibition - Fort Edmonton Park, Edmonton Whitemud Amusement Park - Edmonton Manitoba and Saskatchewan Kiddieland - Regina, SK Playland - Grand Marais, MB Sunset Park - Regina, SK Tinkertown Family Fun Park - Springfield (Winnipeg), MB British Columbia (and Northern Canada) Bedrock City/Dinotown - Chilliwack Bedrock City - Kelowna Cultus Lake Adventure Park - Cultus Lake Dyck's Dinosaur Park - Maple Ridge Fantasy Gardens/Fantasy Garden World - Richmond Happyland/Playland at the PNE - Vancouver Rattlesnake Canyon - Osoyoos Quebec Belmont Park - Montreal La Ronde - Montreal Mega Parc - Galeries de la Capitale, Quebec City Le Village du Pere Noel (The Village of Father Christmas/Santa's Village) - Val-David Atlantic Canada (East of Quebec) Atlantic Playland/Atlantic Splash Adventure - Lucasville, NS Axtion - St. John's, NL Crystal Palace - Champlain Place, 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

Artists and Developers Here you'll find the most important page on this site, the names and stories of the incredible artists and developers who have helped bring Canada's amusement industry to life. This list includes individual artists, design studios, and business owners who specialized in the amusement industry. The majority of these artists/companies are naturally Canadian, but several talented artists from around the globe have lent their hand to the industry here and are therefore also included on this page. Each section of this list is ordered by number of . The number of attractions in Canada either created or owned (sometimes both) by each party it's stated they were involved in on this page simply refers to confirmed projects discussed on this website, and they may have been involved in more that have gone undocumented. These often unsung heroes shaped and sculpted lifelong memories, brought joy to millions using pencil and paper, and lent their creativities and imaginations to the spirit of having fun. Artists/Designers Advanced Animations (USA) - (2 attractions) Amusement Products (USA) - (4 attractions) Armando Tamignini (Italy) - (4 attractions) Art Attack FX - (2000+ attractions globally) AVG (USA) - (2 attractions) Bill Tracy/Outdoor Dimensional Display/This Is, Inc. (USA) - (4 attractions) Blacklight Attractions (USA) - (3 attractions) Bruce Randall/Universal Android - (7+ attractions) Costello Productions (Derek Costello) - (20+ attractions) Distortions Unlimited (USA) Dorfman Studios (USA) Enlicky Enterprises (USA) - (2 attractions) Eric McMillan Feartek Inc. (USA) - (2 attractions) Forrec Inc. Funni-Frite Inc. (division of Philadelphia Toboggan Co., USA) Gianfranco Avignoni - (1 attraction) Josephine Tussaud's Wax Studios/King's Cross Waxworks (England) - (3 attractions) Louis Tussaud's Wax Studios (England) - (1 attraction) Mack Rides (Germany) - (4 attractions) Nick Dyck - (2 attractions) Pasquale Ramunno - (1 attraction) Pretzel Rides Co. (USA) - (3 attractions) Proslide Technology Inc. Robert (Bobber) Gibbs - (5 attractions) Rockscapes Canada Rolly Crump (USA) Sally Corporation (USA) - (3 attractions) Sawatzky's Imagination Corporation Stubergh Wax Models/Stubergh-Keller Wax Studios/Ripley's Wax Studios Studio Enterprises Travers Engineering Co. (USA) - (1 attraction) Waxattract/Enter-Tech (Dunham family) - (30+attractions) White-Hutchinson Leisure Learning Group (WHLLG, USA) WhiteWater West Owners/Developers Arthur White Beefeater Inc./Niagara Clifton Group (Burland family) Charlie Lavey IPCO (Ian Paul Company) Falls Ave. Company Ghermezian family Harry Riley Herbert (Herb) Cowan Janda Products/New Way Sales Joe Camisa Little Joe Malcom Howe Ricci family Walt Wang Welland Securities/HOCO (Harry Oakes Company)

Rekindling Memories & Smiles The Only Digital Museum of its Kind View History Pages Button About Welcome to Canadian Amusement History. We're an online museum with the goal to serve as a historical resource on the rich, often untold history of the amusement and attractions industry in Canada. Here you will find written history, links to our documentary series, image and video galleries, current news relevant to historic attractions still in operation, and more. While this site attempts to comprehensively archive and collect information on attractions nationwide, our focus is on the Niagara Falls area due to it's tourism landscape being unlike any other on Earth. From your local mall arcade to amusement parks, haunted attractions to themed restaurants, mini golf courses to animatronic shows, and every kind of amusement attraction in between, you'll be able to find information on it here. We hope we can help you discover a lost memory, relive a fond one, learn something new, or find a photograph of something you thought you'd never see again. Don't see something you've been searching for? Feel free to contact us using the contact form below. Recent Updates History Page Updated: Castle Dracula 2024 Remodel The history page for Castle Dracula/Dracula's Haunted Castle has been updated following a 2024 remodel and change in ownership. This attraction has truly risen from the dead like The Count himself. New Documentary Video: The History and Abandonment of Castle Village Enchanted KIngdom With several explore videos of this park already on YouTube, I noticed none dive into it's incredible history. Join us as we not only explore what's left of this beautiful park, but also share it's amazing story. History Page Added: Wizard's Castle Arcade (and Affiliate Chains) Main history page added for the Wizard's Castle Arcade chain. The story of Canada's largest, beloved, and sorely missed mall arcade chain, including a list of confirmed former locations. This also serves as the main history page for all other chains and arcades owned by the Wizard's brand, including Sky Games, The Games, and Games Maximus. Site Launch: Welcome Welcome to all, whether you were searching for this website, something on it, or stumbled upon it by accident. A handful of special feature articles and a good chunk of the history pages are up, mostly for Niagara Region attractions, with several more on the way. There will also be more added to the photo gallery section as time goes on and the website's massive historical photo collection is sorted. We're excited to grow the website with you and see where this goes! Never Miss a Site Update Enter your email Subscribe Thanks for subscribing! About the Author I grew up in Southern Ontario visiting Niagara Falls often. The attractions in the area (as well as those elsewhere in the province) gave me the desire to pass on the joy they bring and pursue thematic amusement design as a career from an early age. The landscape of attractions in Niagara Falls began to shift along with the rest of the amusement industry as a whole starting in the late 2000's. By the mid-2010's, I found myself curious about the history of attractions I remembered from my childhood, ones before my time, and ones across the country, only to find it existed nowhere online except for clues scattered to the corners of the internet and public library archives. Not only that, the stories I began to uncover were more interesting than I ever could have imagined. I would occasionally post my findings on social media and various forums, and quickly learned I was not alone in my curiosity. This site and mini-documentary series are the culmination of over a decade of searching through old photographs, tourist home videos, business records, government databases, public libraries, newspaper archives and peoples' recollections. This is my love letter to the places that inspired me, and I feel it's my duty to make sure these incredible stories of incredible attractions get told instead of lost to time. - Alex Crew, Canadian Amusement Historian Contact First Name Last Name Email Message... Submit Thanks for submitting!

Wizard's Castle Arcades (and Affiliate Chains) Attraction Type: Arcade Location: Various (See list below) Years Operational: Late 70's-2006 Designer(s): Various, Unknown Wizard's Castle was Canada's largest chain of amusement arcades, active from the mid-late 70's until 2006. The chain was exclusive to Canada and owned by Janda Products/New Way Sales of Rexdale, a west-end suburb of Toronto. Janda Products was a rental company which rented out vending, video game, pinball, redemption, and change machines in addition to pool tables, jukeboxes, air hockey tables and coin-operated kiddie rides. New Way Sales was their sales division. Wizard's Castle fell somewhere between the two, being more owned by the company in general. The Wizard's brand was extremely popular, with at least over 60 locations, being as common in Canadian malls in the 80's and 90's as other mall chains like Foot Locker, Orange Julius, Music World, and Kernels Popcorn. It wasn't limited to malls however, and did also have a small handful of locations in downtown cores and suburban strip plazas. The classic logo that appeared on most arcade cabinet stickers and merchandise. With none of the American mall arcade chains like Time Out, Aladdin's Castle, Tilt, Fun-N-Games, Space Port, or Jolly Roger ever being franchised to Canada, Janda/New Way had near domination over the mall arcade market with Wizard's, and an even further slice of the general arcade pie with their rental and sales divisions providing games to several other arcades. The chain dwarfed the other Canadian arcade chains at the time such as Fun & Games (unrelated to American chain Fun-N-Games), Circuit Circus, Little Joe's, and Laser Illusions, being the only one to go cross-country. Wizard's Castle token. This bold bubble-font logo could also be found on the red, light up coin slots of many of the games. The first location opened in the back corner of the Scarborough Town Centre food court some time in the mid-late 70's and began as a mostly pinball arcade, however whether it opened with name Wizard's Castle or gained it later is unknown, with the copyright for the name not being filed until 1979. It expanded in 1979 from 16 games to 32, and would expand further in the early-80's as the arcade market hit it's peak. It featured a large orange neon sign reading "Wizard's Castle" outside, casting it's neon spell over the food court. The interior was decked out in fantasy theming, as well as wall murals and plenty more neon. The chain expanded quickly, with 24 locations by June of 1982. The chain would survive the video game crash of 1983, which in the end proved to more harshly damage the up-and-coming home console market, and reset the industry back in favor of the technologically superior arcade machines once the dust settled. Most of the chain's locations would follow the same design as the Scarborough original, which remained the chain's flagship location. Many rare and prototype games that were never mass-produced were tested at the STC arcade (which was one of the best performing arcades in the country) through Janda/New Way's industry contacts, and it was also the first place in the city for many new game releases. Most of the chain's locations would open in the mid-late 80's, when the chain was at its peak. In 1992 the flagship location was converted to the ancient Greek-themed Games Maximus along with a handful of other locations. It was adorned with pillars and fake marble, with a general "arena" feel. This made thematic sense based on the games in arcades at the time, as games had shifted away from single-player quests and pinball, and moved more in the direction of competitive fighting, racing, sports, and head-to-head vehicle combat games. While the STC location would remain Games Maximus until the end of it's life, the rebranding never really took off company-wide as the Wizard's brand remained more recognizable, being a borderline household name in Canada at that time. Left: The STC Games Maximus seen in the corner of the food court in this blurry 1992 VHS recording of the mall. Right: One of "The Wizard Commands" rule signs that could be found hanging in the game rooms, now owned by a private collector. There were several other arcade chains owned by Janda/New Way such as Sky Games (which had an airplane hangar theme), The Games, World Cup, and Video Gym, with some of these theorized to be rebrandings of former Wizard's locations. It's also unlcear if any of these were pre-existing brands absorbed by Janda/New Way. Around the turn of the millennium, several of the company's older games from the late 70's/early 80's were phased out along with many of the pinball machines both new and old, also leaving the company's rental/sales inventory. The early-mid 2000's would be the last hurrah for arcades until the retro/nostalgia trend would begin nearly 20 years later. Games like Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Big Buck Hunter, Initial D, Gauntlet Dark Legacy, Arctic Thunder, Soul Calibur III, Out Run 2, Dance Dance Revolution, and Tekken 5 would be the last wave of popular money-makers until the industry would be faced with the option to either become entirely redemption arcades or go the wayside by the time the 2010's hit. Frank Pavlovic (left) and John Paul Wright (right) play Midway's "Mortal Kombat 2" at the Conestoga Mall Wizard's Castle in March 1994. This photograph was taken for a now somewhat-comical Waterloo newspaper article on rising violence in video games. The Fairview Mall (North York) Sky Games in Februrary of 1998. Underperforming locations began closing around the early-2000's, with most of the Wizard's Castle/Games Maximus/Sky Games/other locations being shuttered by the time Janda/New Way went out of business in 2006, save for a small handful. The few remaining locations at the time the company disappeared included the flagship STC Games Maximus, the West Edmonton Mall and Kingsway Garden Mall Wizard's Castles, and the Sky Games locations in North York's Fairview Mall and Rexdale's Woodbine Centre. The reason the Woodbine Sky Games lasted so long despite there being another arcade and an amusement park in the mall, may purely have been due to its proximity to Janda/New Way's offices, which were located just behind the mall (one of the roads into the mall even being named Janda Way.) After the final locations were shuttered, Janda/New Way was sold to rival machine rental company and F.E.C. chain Playdium, with the Janda family leaving the company behind and New Way becoming a division of Playdium, which itself was later sold to Cineplex. Upon the Cineplex acquisition the final assets and records of Janda/New Way (and Wizard's Castle with it) were absorbed into the mega-corporate fog, and lost to time. You can still find games all over Canada in arcades, private collections, and even being rented out by Playdium/Cineplex that have a Wizard's Castle sticker, or more commonly the logo printed on the coin slots. The chain is remembered by it's dedicated fanbase of former patrons and staff, however it lies largely in obscurity in terms of documentation with the only known photographs of bonafide Wizard's Castle locations being one of the Barrie location in the Kozlov Centre (albeit after the arcade was cut down to half the size and it's original signage was removed), and one of the STC food court where the original Wizard's can be seen in the background, glowing in all it's neon glory. Above: The Kozlov Centre (Barrie) Wizard's Castle around 2004 after it was significantly downsized. This space was quite deep, and the white temporary wall with merchandising slats seen here previously didn't exist, with the location originally occupying the adjacent unit as well. Many of these games would be shuffled around the food court by the mall in later years, with the lack of branding seen here hinting that the mall likely bought out the location from Janda back when it downsized around 2002. Confirmed Locations Above: The iconic Wizard's Castle neon can be seen in the back-right corner of this photo of the STC food court, 1983. Wizard's locations either had this sign or a similar, smaller neon with script font. This space became a variety of takeout restaurants over the years following the closure of Games Maximus in 2006, and is currently the large Jollibee location with it's own dining area. Toronto Wizard's Castle (later Games Maximus) Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough (1977? - 2006, became various fast food places over the years, now Jollibee) Wizard's Enchanted Castle Yorkdale Mall, North York (1979? - mid 2000's) Wizard's Castle Dufferin Mall (early 80's - early 2000's, now a McDonald's) Wizard's Castle Cloverdale Mall (early 80's - mid 2000's) Wizard's Castle Agincourt Mall (? - early 2000's) The Wizard Centerpoint Mall (? - mid 2000's, affiliation unconfirmed. May have been GTA test for separate Ottawa chain "The Wizard") Wizard's Castle Fairview Mall (1983? - late 90's) Sky Games Fairview Mall (separate location from Wizard's Castle elsewhere in the mall?) (? - 2006) Sky Games Woodbine Centre (1986 - 2006) World Cup North York Sheridan Mall (? - mid 2000's) Greater Ontario Wizard's Castle Meadowvale Town Centre, Mississauga (1981 - ?) Wizard's Castle Kozlov Shopping Centre, Barrie (August 1986 - early 2000's, became increasingly downsized mall-run arcade lasting to 2012) Wizard's Castle Heritage Place Mall, Owen Sound (1987 - early 2000's) Wizard's Castle Conestoga Mall, Waterloo (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Seawway Mall, Welland (? - early 2000's) Wizard's Castle Bramalea City Centre, Brampton (early 80's - mid 2000's) Wizard's Castle Westdale Mall, Brampton (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Centre Mall, Hamilton (? - mid 2000's) Wizard's 184 Dundas St., London (early 80's - 2006) Wizard's Castle Downtown London (separate location which operated simultaneously to Dundas St.), location unknown (early 80's - ?) Fx5 (formerly Wizard's Castle) Pickering Town Centre, Pickering (? - 2006?) The Wiz (affiliation unconfirmed) White Oakes Mall, London (? - ?) Skygames Markville Shopping Centre, Markham (? - 2006) The Games Lime Ridge Mall, Hamilton (1981 - mid 2000's) The Games Eastgate Square Shopping Centre, Hamilton (early 80's - mid 2000's) The Games Erin Mills Town Centre, Mississauga (1989 - mid 2000's) Admirals Cup Masonville Place, London (January 2, 1985 - mid 2000's) Saskatchewan Wizard's Castle Circle Park Mall/The Centre, Saskatoon (?-?) Wizard's Castle Lawson Heights Mall, Saskatoon (? - ?) Alberta Wizard's Castle West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton (1985 - 2006, now Newplay) Wizard's Castle Millwoods Town Centre, Edmonton (1988 - mid 2000's) Wizard's Castle Heritage Place Mall, Edmonton (June 1988 - mid 2000s) Wizard's Castle Northgate Mall. Edmonton (? - early 2000's) Wizard's Castle Londonderry Mall. Edmonton (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Capilano Mall, Edmonton (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Deer Valley Centre, Calgary (1981 - early 2000's?) Wizard's Castle Park Place Mall, Lethbridge (1988 - ?) Wizard's Castle St. Albert Centre, St. Albert (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Bower Mall, Red Deer (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Downtown Red Deer, location unknown (early 80's - ?) Wizard's Castle Lloyd Mall, Lloydminster (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Southcentre Mall, Calgary (? - mid 2000's) Wizard's Castle Kingswood Garden Mall, Edmonton (? - 2006) Wizard's Castle University of Alberta Hub International Marketplace, Edmonton (? - mid 2000's) Wizard's Castle Marlborough Mall, Calgary (? - mid 2000's) Wizard's Castle Chinook Centre, Calgary (? - early 2000's) Wizard's Castle Circle Park Mall, Calgary (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Market Mall, Calgary (? - ?) Wizard's Castle Sunridge Mall, Calgary (? - ?) Video Gym Southgate Shopping Centre, Edmonton (? - 2006?) British Columbia Wizard's Castle Richmond Square Mall, Vancouver (? -?) Wizard's Castle Rutherford Village, Nanaimo (1980 - ?) Neon sign, roughly four feet in diameter, theorized to be from a Wizard's Castle. This sign appeared briefly in the background of an arcade collection in an episode of "Canadian Pickers". This art style and neon aligns with the murals and lighting that could be found in the locations.

Screamers (Top Level Location)/ Haunted Asylum/Screaming Tunnels Attraction Type: Haunted Attraction Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Years Operational: 1985-1996 (Maple Leaf Village location), 1996-2013 (Victoria Ave. location), 2013-2015 (as Haunted Asylum), 2015-2018 (as Screaming Tunnels) Designer(s): ?, Distortions Unlimited Screamers was a walk through haunted house attraction which first opened in the mall portion of Maple Leaf Village in 1985, being located on the top floor across from Shaboom's Diner/Pool Hall. The attraction had deeper roots however, being started by an ex-employee of the similar Nightmares haunted house owned by Bobber Gibbs, who had opened his attraction in the mall in 1984 after two years of owning the Haunted House at Prudhomme's Landing in nearby Lincoln, ON. Screamers opened the following year after the owner had a dispute with Gibbs, and the two attractions would be in constant competition for the entire lifespan of Screamers. The attraction's original slogan even directly one-upped Nightmares, with the tagline being "Screamers... Where nightmares become reality!" Screamers in Maple Leaf Village, 1995. The attraction would be a mix of live actors, fun house style mazes and floor tricks, animatronic props, and illusions. While the focus was more on the rooms and actors rather than the scenes and props such as other attractions like The House of Frankenstein and Castle Dracula , it was still carefully crafted and of high quality, bringing in props from professional prop studios, a practice many haunted attractions wouldn't begin for nearly a decade. Much like Nightmares, the attraction was nearly pitch-black, with red lights high on the wall near the ceiling acting as guide for guests journeying from room to room. A favorite (or least favorite, depending how you look at it) among guests was "Tony the Tongue", an unseen entity which would lick your face, an element the attraction had borrowed from Nightmares' "Tommy the Tongue". Tony was in reality a wet sponge on a pole which employees would poke guests faces with in the pitch blackness, accompanied by a licking sound effect. Other elements included a dead-end room which guests would be trapped in for 10 minutes before the door to the next room opened, a giant Mack truck which would chase you down the hall in a shrinking room, and a live actor with a chainsaw nicknamed "Chainsaw Charlie." Much like Nightmares before it, the live actors actually touched guests, with zero warning or waiver, which was incredibly unexpected. This was at a time where the caution-to-the-wind spooky houses touching guests was becoming a thing of the past, but the trendy "you must sign a waiver" system many modern haunts implement wasn't a thing yet. This resulted in an incredibly intense experience, especially when combined with clever planning, timing and psychological elements behind it. The attraction did well in the mall alongside Nightmares, even into the mid 90's as the mall declined around them. By then Nightmares had opened three (or two depending on how you look at it) more attractions in the mall. The first of these had been Nightmares Part II, which was just a separate-ticket addition to the original. The second was Nightmares the Black Journey, a horror themed obstacle course, and the final was Nightmares Fore, an indoor horror themed mini golf. Despite the overwhelming presence Nightmares held in the mall, Screamers continued to do well, even opening a second attraction in Maple Leaf Village themselves in 1995. This would be facing the former amusement park at the back of the mall, now facing the parking lot that replaced the park. Since the space formerly faced the park and was originally part of it rather than the mall (despite being located in the mall building), it had formerly been the park's haunted attraction, which had a variety of re-themes over the years. It began as Showboat, (possibly) became the short-lived Creep Show attraction, then became the Haunted House, then became the Mysterious Mansion, finally becoming the second Screamers in 1995 after the park had closed the previous year. The space later home to the second Screamers as the Mysterious Mansion in the mid 80's (top) and 1987 (bottom). The plaza wrapping up construction before Screamers moved in. Very little is known about this attraction, however the speculation is that it was essentially a sister attraction to the original, a practice Screamers would implement again in the future with Creatures of the Night (more on that later.) The entire Maple Leaf Village mall would close in 1996, rendering the Maple Leaf Village complex itself entirely no more to make way for Casino Niagara. Screamers would move up to Victoria Ave., following in the footsteps of Nightmares who had done so five years earlier when the writing on the wall was clear for the mall (and Maple Leaf Village as a whole), after the closure of the complex's amusement park. It's not clear what props and elements from the second Screamers would be recycled for the new location, but the majority of the original location's contents would make the move. While Nightmares operated on Victoria Ave. between Clifton Hill and Bender St. in the building formerly home to the original Castle Dracula, Screamers would be located on Victoria Ave. the in other direction, between Clifton Hill and Ferry Rd. It was now located in a strip plaza constructed the same year on the former site of a portion of Jungleland Mini Golf/Tivoli Miniature Golf. Screamers on Victoria Ave., early 2000's. Now with the tagline "Screamers House of Horrors", the attraction would sever it's references to Nightmares, but the competition would grow ever stronger. While Nightmares had combined elements of all its attractions into one super-attraction in the massive Victoria Ave. building and started gaining global fame, the smaller Screamers was located in the much more highly trafficked area of the two, creating a sort of balance between the attractions. They were also very different in ethos, while Nightmares was almost entirely focused psychological horror and phobias, and Screamers ever more focused on props and movie magic. The lobby especially was themed to the maximum with props from Distortions Unlimited and references to slasher movies, including a graveyard scene, a coffin and a variety of ghosts and demons suspended from the ceiling. There was even a small gift shop/head shop in the lobby, something Nightmares also featured. Original graveyard scene in 1999. The tombstone to the right appears to be honoring the late wrestler Owen Hart. Entrance, Chicken Exit, and camera feed on the T.V. monitor showing the live reactions of guests inside. Merchandise and ticket counter, 1999. Prop suspended from the ceiling. Shortly after opening, a small sequel attraction would open next door in a space formerly occupied by a souvenir store. It would be named the "Torture Chamber", and be a similar attraction that was more focused on claustrophobia. Screamers would once again attempt the concept of a sister attraction in 1998, when it opened Creatures of the Night further down Victoria Ave. at the other end of the same plaza, right at the bend where it becomes Ferry Rd. It had the same basis of "follow the red lights", but leaned even further into the props and scenery than Screamers, resulting in many scenes containing then-modern, high tech props. Despite it being one of the furthest attractions in the Clifton Hill district from the heart of the area, being the furthest East attraction from Clifton Hill which was still technically located in the district, it managed to perform well as a more visual sequel to Screamers and the Torture Chamber. The same year the owners opened "Dino Rampage 4D", a motion theatre attraction beside Screamers. Joint brochure for Dino Rampage and the Torture Chamber, early 2000's. Creatures did so well infact that the owners actually saw it fit to open a third (fourth if you count the Torture Chamber as seperate from Screamers) haunted attraction in the area at the top of The Hill, this time located on Centre St., the street which Clifton Hill becomes up past Victoria Ave. This attraction would open in 2000 and be known as Horror Manor, located in a nearly century old building. The first floor would be home to the "Chambers of Terror" walk through, consisting of similar fare to the other attractions in the Screamers chain and even including a walk through vortex tunnel named the "Black Hole". The top floor, which was formerly apartments, was converted into the "Zombie Zoo", a horror themed nightclub catering mainly to the goth, punk, metal and new wave crowds. Creatures of the Night (left) and Horror Manor (right) in the early 2000's. Between the Screamers chain of attractions, the Criminals Hall of Fame, Rockworld/Rock Legends Wax Museum, Nightmares, Alien Encounter (later Classic Iron Motorcycle Museum), and the many smoke shops, head shops, t-shirt stores and gag gift stores that perhaps weren't suited for the heart of family friendly Clifton Hill, a bit of a thematically darker, more teenage and young adult-oriented district at the top of The Hill had emerged. The major artery for this sort of sub-district was Victoria Ave. between Clifton Hill and the Ferry Rd. bend, and was what the street was known for in the late 90's to mid 2000's. The Screamers chain was no doubt the center of all this, and was integral in keeping Victoria Ave. and the surrounding area at the top of The Hill relevant as the generation of attractions which first occupied the street in the 70's had all since closed (with the exception of the Criminals Hall of Fame.) Screamers would even receive an updated lobby in the early 2000's with repainted walls and more detailed props. Screamers and Dino Rampage at the height of their popularity, early 2000's. Updated lobby, early 2000's. In the mid 2000's, the amusement industry began taking major turns, felt especially in tourist destinations like Niagara Falls. While these wouldn't really come to a head until the 2010's, with five attractions (again, seven counting the Torture Chamber and Zombie Zoo as separate experiences from the attractions they were housed in) the Screamers chain would begin to be affected as soon as the industry's turning point began. The similarities between Screamers, Creatures, and Horror Manor couldn't have helped either in causing an over-saturation, with Horror Manor closing first in 2005, making it the first attraction of many in the area to close in this time period. Creatures would follow a year later in 2006, while Dino Rampage remained operating until 2011, leaving Screamers (now with the Torture Chamber absorbed into part of the main attraction) the sole attraction left in the Screamers portfolio. It would be presumably sold in 2013 when all the Screamers signage, references and merchandise was removed, and the attraction renamed Haunted Asylum. The interior would change very little however, retaining most of the features of Screamers. The case would be the same when the attraction was renamed again (with another possible ownership change occurring) in 2015 to Screaming Tunnels Haunted Playground, a reference to the internationally infamous tunnel of the same name elsewhere in the city of Niagara Falls which is alleged to be haunted. The gift shop was replaced with a zombie themed paintball shooting range facing the street. The attraction would finally close for good in 2018, ending 33 years of at least some version Screamers operating. The attraction as the Haunted Asylum. The much less themed Screaming Tunnels. The former Screamers space on Victoria Ave. today, divided into fast food joints. While the attraction never hit the level of notoriety with the general public that some of it's peers like Castle Dracula or Nightmares have, it's nearly worshipped among fans of haunted attractions. It was a truly intense experience that was the best offering for the niche it was trying to fill, being more direct than the drawn-out and sometimes implied terror of Nightmares, yet still more psychological than any of the other attractions in the area. It's also remembered fondly by fans of horror and slasher movies, due to it's incorporation of movie themed scenery and live actors portraying horror characters. It was constantly rated among the scariest haunted attractions in Niagara time and time again, and terrified at least hundreds of thousands in it's lifespan.

Manitoba and Saskatchewan Amusement and Theme Parks Don't let these prairie provinces' mostly rural nature fool, they're still home to major cities and several regionally-oriented tourism getaways. Several small towns also contain a small attraction or two such as a mini golf course or arcade that's a beloved cornerstone of the community, due to providing a space for people to come together. Kiddieland - Regina, SK Playland - Grand Marais, MB Sunset Park - Regina, SK Tinkertown Family Fun Park - Springfield (Winnipeg), MB Arcades, Mini Golf and F.E.C.s Adventure Mini Golf Clear Lake - Wasagaming, MB Amanda Pizza + More - Service Rd. #2, Shellbrook, SK Arcade - Canarama Shopping Centre, Saskatoon, SK ATS Amusements - Winnipeg Square, Winnipeg, MB Baller's Recroom - Dewdney Ave., Regina, SK Battle Creek Adventure Park - Moose Jaw, SK Beach Corners Ice Cream & Mini Golf - Loon Lake, SK Big Putts Mini Golf - Onanole, MB Blue Room Billiards - Notre Dame Ave., Winnipeg, MB Bobo’s Arcade - Confederation Mall, Saskatoon, SK Break Billiards - Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg, MB Brightsand Mini Putt - Brightsand Lake, SK Broken Rack Billiards - Albert St., Regina, SK Buffalo Bill's - Normanview/Southland, Regina, SK Bugsy's Hideout - Central Ave., Saskatoon, SK Captain Silver's - Campbell Ave., Saskatoon, SK Cherrydale Golf - Yorkton, SK Chuck E. Cheese's - Regina, SK Chuck E. Cheese's - Winnipeg, MB Circuit Circus - Saskatoon, SK CJs Snack Shack and Mini Golf - Rivers, MB Classic Billiards Bar & Grill - Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB Command HQ/LVR Games - Circle Park Mall/The Centre, Saskatoon, SK Command HQ - Lawson Heights Mall, Saskatoon, SK The Corner Pocket Billiards - Sherritt Ave., Lynn Lake, MB The Corner Pocket Restaurant - Broadway St., Cartwright, MB The Cove - University of Saskatchewan Shops, Saskatoon, SK Crazy 8 Billiards & Lounge - Berry St., Winnipeg, MB Crystal Palace - Donald/Ellice, Winnipeg, MB DJ's Arcade/Sand Dunes Fun and Games - St. Clements Row, Grand Marais, MB DJ’s Video - Primrose Dr., Saskatoon, SK Dooly's - Main St. N., Moose Jaw, SK Duffer’s - 22nd St. (later moved to 24th/Wall), Saskatoon Dutch Treat Mini Golf - Greig Lake, SK Echo Par Mini Golf - B-Say-Tah, SK Emma Lake Mini Golf - Emma Lake, SK Excalibur - Garden City Mall, Winnipeg, MB, Fairhaven Billiards - Saskatoon, SK Falcon Lake Mini Golf - Falcon Lake Golf Club, Falcon Beach, MB Family Leisure Centre - Albert/?, Regina, SK Flea Whiskey's - Erin St., Winnipeg, MB The Fun Factory - Quebec Ave., Saskatoon, SK Fungoes Golf Centre - East Saint Paul (Winnipeg), MB Fun Land Arcade - Regina, SK Fun Park Amusement Centre - Winnipeg, MB Funstrip - Broadway Ave., Saskatoon, SK Games on the Avenue - Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MN GameWorld International - Primrose Dr., Saskatoon, SK Geppetto's Mini Golf - Richer, MB Gobbles Putt For Par - Shell Lake, SK Golden Mile Arcade - Regina, SK Goldwave - Main St., Moose Jaw, SK The Golf Dome - Winnipeg, MB Grand Prix Amusements - Springfield (Winnipeg), MB Gravity Zone - Broadway Ave., Saskatoon, SK Grenfell Little Greens Mini Putt - Grenfell, SK Gull Lake & District Kinette Club Mini Golf Course - Gull Lake, SK Jack Pott's Thrill Zone - Regent Ave. W., Winnipeg, MB Judy's - Main St., Canwood, SK Hackers & Smackers Mini Golf - Hackers & Smackers Golf Driving Range, Winnipeg, MB The Hanger Billiards and Sports Lounge - Scurfield Blvd., Winnipeg, MB Harbourview Mini Golf - Harbour View Golf Course, Winnipeg, MB HI Bar - Cardinal Crescent, Saskatoon, SK Hidden Valley Mini Golf - Hidden Valley Golf & RV Resort, Estevan, SK Highland Miniature Golf - Brandon, MB The Holland Windmill Mini Golf - Holland, MB Huggie Bear - Market Mall, Saskatoon, SK IQ's Cafe & Billiards - Winniped, MB Kat's Arcade - Desmond St., Grenfell, SK Kivimaa-Moonlight Bay Mini-Golf Course - Kivimaa-Moonlight Bay, SK KK Entertainment - Eaton Place , Winnipeg, MB Krazy Leo’s - 33rd St., Saskatoon, SK Lakewood Arcade - Lakewood Camping Resort, Cross Lake, MB LanMark Games - Circle Park Mall/The Centre, Saskatoon, SK Laser Illusions - Confederation Mall, Saskatoon, SK Laser Illusions - Polo Park Mall, Winnipeg, MB LaserTopia - Waverley St., Winnipeg, MB Las Vegas Amusements - Vaughn St., Winnipeg, MB Long John Silvers - Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB Little Al's Mini Golf - Waskesiu Lake, SK MagicLand - Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB MagicLand- Winnipeg Beach, MB Magic Mike's - Charleswood Centre Mall, Winnipeg, MB Market Mall Mini Golf - Market Mall, Saskatoon, SK Mar's Mini Golf - Saskatoon, SK Masters Mini Golf - Kenosee Lake, SK Matty's Fun Centre - Melville, SK Maxwell's Amusements - Regina, SK Mercer's Manitou Mini Golf - Manitou Beach, SK Par-Tici-Putt Mini Golf - Good Spirit Lake, SK The Pas Billiards & Sports Bar - Fischer Ave., The Pas, MB Pete's Grand Putt - Grand Marais, MB Phantom Amusement - Kildonan Place (later moved to Forks Market Rd.), Winnipeg, MB The Pirate's Den - Grant Park Shopping Centre, Winnipeg, MB Pike Lake Mini Golf - Pike Lake, SK Playland Arcade - Playland, Grand Marais, MB Playland Arcade - Main St., Winnipeg Beach, MB Pokeys Pinball Cafe - 33rd St. W., Saskatoon, SK Prairie Jurassic - Saskatoon, SK Putt 'N Bounce Mini Golf - Saskatoon, SK Putters Dream Mini Golf - Belair, MB Putter's Grill & Mini Golf - La Broquerie Golf Course, La B roquerie, MB RC Amusements - Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg, MB Ruckers Amusement Centre - 8 St. E., Saskatoon, SK Ruckers Amusement Centre - Regent Corner Shopping Centre, Winnipeg, MB Ruckers Amusement Centre - 22 St. W., Saskatoon, SK Rudy's Arcade - Sheppard St., Winnipeg, MB Rustic Wilderness Mini Golf & Ice Cream - Goodsoil, SK Sharkey's Billiards - 101 St., North Battleford, SK Sherwood Village Arcade - Regina, SK Shooter's Family Golf Centre - Winnipeg, MB SkyPark Regina - Regina, SK The Snooker Shack - 8 St. E., Saskatoon, SK Stoked Centre - Owen Mnr., Saskatoon, SK Syd's Carousel - Regent Ave. W., Winnipeg, MB Syl's Drive Inn Mini Golf - Syl's Drive Inn, Carman, MB T-Birds Food Fun Games - Currie Blvd, Brandon, MB Tee Off Park - Regina, SK Top Gigio - UniCity, Winnipeg, MB Thunder Rapids Amusement Park - Headingley, MB Tuxedo Golf Club Mini Golf - Tuxedo Golf Club, Winnipeg, MB U-Puttz Amusement Centre - Winnipeg, MB VicSquare Fun Park - Regina, SK Waves Ice Cream & Mini Golf - Kamsack, SK Wonderland - Regina, SK Wizard's Castle - Circle Park Mall/The Centre, Saskatoon, SK Wizard's Castle - Lawson Heights Mall, Saskatoon, SK X-Cues Cafe & Lounge - Sargent Ave., Winnipeg, MB Arcade (Name Unknown) - Central/111th St. W., Saskatoon, SK Arcade (Name Unknown) - Dewdney Ave., Regina, SK Arcade (Name Unknown) - Midtown Plaza, Saskatoon, SK Arcade (Name Unknown) - Northgate Mall, Regina, SK Arcade (Name Unknown) - Polo Park Mall (lower level), Winnipeg, MB Arcade (Name Unknown) - 22nd St. W. & Avenue T, Saskatoon, SK Arcade (Name Unknown) - Wildwood Mall/The Centre, Saskatoon, SK Specialty Hotels and Gift Shops The Atlas Hotel - Regina, SK Canad Inns Destination Centre Brandon - Brandon, MB Canad Inns Destination Centre Fort Garry - Winnipeg, MB Canad Inns Destination Centre Garden City - Winnipeg, MB Canad Inns Destination Centre Polo Park - Winnipeg, MB Canad Inns Destination Centre Portage la Prairie - Portage la Prairie, MB Canad Inns Destination Centre Transcona - Winnipeg, MB Canad Inns Destination Centre Windsor Park - Winnipeg, MB Theatres, Bowling Alleys and Miscellaneous Allan Bowl/Pins & Pints Bowling - Allan, SK Alley Oop Building - Radville, SK Auto Cinema Saskatcheone - Manitou Beach, SK The Biggar Bowl - Biggar, SK Billy Mosienko Lanes - Winnipeg Boissevain and Area Bowling Lanes - Boissevain, MB Bolorama Lanes - Regina, SK Bowlers Lanes - Gimli, MB Broadview Bowl - Broadview, MB Carman 5 Pin Bowl - Carman, MB Carnduff Bowl - Carnduff, SK Chateau Lanes - Winnipeg, MB Coronation Bowling Centre - Winnipeg, MB Cross Road Lanes - Thompson, MB Cut Knife Country Lanes - Cut Knife, SK Dakota Bowling - Winnipeg, MB Esterhazy Bowl Arena - Esterhazy, SK Estevan Bowl - Estevan, SK Foam Lake Bowling Centre - Foam Lake, SK Galaxy Lanes - Melita, MB Glencarin Bolodrome - Regina, SK Golden Mile Bowling Lanes - Regina, SK Gutters Bowling and Game Centre - North Battleford, SK Hepburn Centennial Bowl - Hepburn, SK Hunter's Eastview Bowl - Saskatoon, SK Hunter's Fairhaven Bowl - Saskatoon, SK Jake's Place - Watrous, SK Kemway Lanes - Humboldt, SK Kindersley Bowl-A-Drome - Kindersley, SK LaVerendrye Lanes - Winnipeg, MB Lipton Bowling Alley - Lipton, SK Melfort Bowl - Melfort, SK Melville Bowl Arena, Melville, MB Minnedosa Bowl - Minnedosa, MB Moonlight Movies Drive-In - Pilot Butte, SK Nipawin Bowl - Nipawin, SK Nitehawk Drive-In - Indian Head, SK Nortown Bowling Lanes - Regina, SK Outlook Bowling Alley - Outlook, SK Park Alleys - Winnipeg, MB Parkway Lanes - Dauphin, MB Planet Lazer - Regina, SK Polo Park Bowling Centre - Polo Park Mall, Winnipeg, MB Prairie Dog Drive-In Theatre - Carlyle, SK Rossmere Lanes - Winnipeg, MB Selkirk Bowling Centre - Selkirk, MB Shamrock Drive-In - Killarney, MB SilverCity St. Vital Cinemas - St. Vital Centre, Winnipeg, MB South Hill Bowling Centre - Moose Jaw, SK Southport Bowl - Southport, MB Stardust Drive-In - Morden, MB Steinbach Bowling Alley - Steinbach, MB St. James Lanes - Winnipeg, MB Tisdale Bowling Lanes - Tisdale, SK Treherne Bowling & Billiards - Treherne, MB Twilite Drive-In - Wolseley, SK Uptown Alley - Winnipeg, MB Up Your Alley Bowling Center - Swan River, MB VB's Entertainment Center - Winkler, MB Westwood Lanes & Games - Winnipeg, MB Weyburn Super Bowl - Weyburn, SK Wheelies Family Roller Centre - Winnipeg Themed Restaurants, Bars and Stores The Disney Store - Polo Park Mall, Winnipeg, MB Water Parks and Attractions Atlantis Indoor Waterslides - Winnipeg, MB Fun Mountain Water Slide Park - Springfield, MB Penguin Village - Saskatoon, SK Skinner's Wet 'n Wild - Lockport, MB Soaked! Waterpark - The Atlas Hotel, Regina, SK Splasher’s Indoor Pool and Waterslide - Canad Inns Destination Centre, Brandon, MB Splasher’s Indoor Pool and Waterslide - Canad Inns Destination Centre Fort Garry, Winnipeg, MB Splasher’s Indoor Pool and Waterslide - Canad Inns Destination Centre Garden City, Winnipeg, MB Splasher’s Indoor Pool and Waterslide - Canad Inns Destination Centre Polo Park, Winnipeg, MB Splasher’s Indoor Pool and Waterslide - Canad Inns Destination Centre, Portage la Prairie, MB Splasher’s Indoor Pool and Waterslide - Canad Inns Destination Centre Transcona, Winnipeg, MB Splasher’s Indoor Pool and Waterslide - Canad Inns Destination Centre Windsor Park, Winnipeg, MB Splash Island Water Park - Portage la Prairie, MB Turtle Tide Water Slides - Grand Marais, MB