Here are 5 Renowned Abandoned Amusement Parks

There is nothing more frightening than an abandoned amusement park. A place that was once filled with children's smiles and laughter filled the air, the place where exhilarating rides and vibrant Ferris wheels created cherished memories for individuals, turned into a daunting place. These parks when abandoned and ignored, they are turned into direful spaces with crumbling rides and roller coasters that were repossessed by nature.

Here is a list of the 5 spookiest abandoned amusement parks in the world.

Six Flag Amusement Park, New Orleans

Six Flags in New Orleans shut down after Hurricane Katrina caused significant damage in 2005. The park opened in 2000 and had only been in operation for a short time when the hurricane hit and displaced over 20,000 people. After Hurricane Katrina, the park was forced to close, and because there wasn't enough money for renovations, it continued to deteriorate in recent years. The gate of the park still has a painful sign that reads, "closed for the storm" even to this today. The venue is used by various Hollywood movies such as Jurassic World and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

Nara Dreamland, Nara, Japan

One of the world's most popular abandoned amusement parks is Nara Dreamland. Due to a lack of visitors, the park, established in the 1960s, was abandoned in 2006. It was built around the concept influenced by Disneyland in California and has a contrast of roller coasters that are now deteriorating and brilliantly colored fairytale rides. Even the seats in the coffee shops are still there, just as they were on the last day the park was open.

Disney’s River Country, Bay Lake, Florida

Disney's River Country was the first water park constructed at Walt Disney World. Following the 9/11 attacks in New York, the amusement park had a detrimental effect on the US travel and tourism sector. The park was subsequentially shut down in November 2001. One of only two Disney parks ever to be abandoned but not removed, the water park has been left in a state of despair.

Land of Oz, North Carolina

The yellow brick road will lead you to one of the spookiest places in the US; the Land of OZ in North Carolina. Established on a 16-acre space, the Wizard of OZ was a renowned theme park when it was initially opened in 1970. However, the mega amusement park was left abandoned after a fire in 1975 partially destroyed it. Since then, the park has failed to recover and now it is only used to cater to adventurous travelers -- mostly on Halloweens.

Dunaujvarosi Vidampark, Hungary

A communist-run theme park that provided free entertainment to all visitors, Dunaujvarosi Vidampark first opened its doors in 1953. Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1993, it was forced to close its doors after relying on funding from the communist party for 40 years. It is now a rather haunting sight and provides an interesting perspective into Soviet-era entertainment.

Amusement parks are a place which is supposed to embody entertainment; a place for families to create memories and cherish the time spent together. These parks hold a significant value as they not only provide entertainment but also open up job opportunities, accumulate taxes and bring in tourists to further enhance the economy. It is imperative to take care of these parks and ensure they keep adding the aforementioned value to society as a whole.