Heritage Square June 2015

Heritage Square June 2015

Located in Golden, Colorado

Park's Main Website

So this is my first formal post of a report to an amusement park. A little background on Heritage Square; it was originally to be a huge resort styled after Disneyland. They had this crazy idea that they could build a mock Disneyland in Colorado and open it year-round. Naturally like all other Disney knock-offs this failed in different sections, but somehow managed to survive into what we know as Heritage Square. It isn't done falling apart just yet, as half of the park is going away at the end of 2015. The rest of the park is to stay until 2039 though based on their lease. It's a very odd park in how its run and I'm not sure I fully understand how it works. Non-the-less it is worth a day trip if you have any kids, the place is full of smaller carnival rides and caters to the family picnic era. 

Main entry way up to the parking lot

Noted. See that Michele? They don't like it near families either!

Magic Mountain Heritage Square Park Map

Train passes over the main entrance. It was only running every so often, it runs over the bridge here but I wasn't ready to dedicate 20+ minutes waiting for a shot.

Main street, buildings look great from a distance!

Then you get up close to them and its like a ghost town.

Wouldn't be a tourist trap without some good old fashion portraits!

Generic Ice Cream Parlor. A little misleading, it also served all the food items at the other food area

So this was interesting, its the wedding venue they offer. Not half shabby and pretty cool. The view is what set it up for some awesome-ness.

Ok so this isn't the real view, I had to go around the building and snap it from the back door. The photo doesn't do it justice, overlooking Golden is pretty cool. Overall it looked very nice compared to the rest of the park!

I think this was the old wedding venue?

Spider Mansion, the October Haunt that is pretty well known by locals.

I wouldn't dare tow this, might be full of spiders. Can't be too careful these days

And right next door to our Spider Mansion? A CHURCH! Seriously this is an actual church! IN A PARK! I'm under the impression that the park leases out it's buildings to different companies and just puzzle pieces it together to create one bizarre tourist trap

The main attraction, the Alpine Slide! It zig zags down the hill and is visible from I-70.

Even this guy is like "on top of the mountain?!?"

Queue line, if I could call it that. I'm pretty sure this queue has never been full.

How to ride

Sled carousel. They sent the sleds up the mountain on the back of the chair lift.

WHERE ARE THE BREAKS?!?

Extra pieces of track. Fiberglass is pretty easy to replace

So this was inside of the station/ticket building. The original plans for the failed Magic Mountain. 

They had LOTS of land to work with, the original property was over 450 acres. It even included a ski resort that operated for a short while.

The train in the original sketch is still operational... When its operating. Again not prepared to waste 20+ minutes waiting on this stupid train

Believe it or not this is the REAL Magic Mountain! I thought it was fake but that is actual red stone. Red Rocks Amphitheater is just around the corner too. That'll be a trip for another day....

Unlike Red Rocks I couldn't climb on this mountain.

So past the Alpine Slide they had another half of the park that will survive until 2039. Super nice picnic area, they allow outside food so a family day or company outing would be great here.

This side had pretty basic portable rides, nothing out of the ordinary.

Dinky little coaster. I wasn't expecting much, but the rumor is they are getting a new coaster here next year. Everyone knows we could use a Wacky Worm...

They had a nice Go-Kart Track. Slick Track for the adults and a little one on the other side for the kiddies

Zipline over the water!

Weeee!

I didn't see this run but I haven't seen this model anywhere else in person. It was in the back corner and seemed out of place

So that white fence is the boarder between the "Amusement Park" section and Heritage Square. Everything on the right is going bye bye and the end of the season.

Tilt-A-Whirl in really good condition. That fan there, it sprayed water into the jet stream. They need them everywhere. Not just parks, they need them in malls, public bathrooms, sports stadiums... Can't go wrong they just need them everywhere

This Scrambler was on full speed, we didn't ride but I could only imagine how forceful it was

I don't know whats happening to these attractions but I'm pretty sure they are gone at the end of the season unless they get moved to the Amusement Park section. 

Very long line for this hamster ball-thing. I see them at nearly every carnival, pretty popular things.

Can't be Colorado themed without some mining simulations!

This was pretty good sized. The walkthrough maze on bottom wasn't nearly as popular as the ropes. Again it was pretty busy at the ropes course and it'll be interesting to see what happens to it.

So this. The alpine slide, Spider Mansion area, and main street areas are going away. Don't know about the ropes course but we'll find out here soon 

Last look at the main street and Alpine Slide. It'll be a different view here in a few years for everyone in the area with no alpine slide carved into the hillside. I won't miss the main street but that slide has been there for what feels like forever.

And a formal good-bye to a very odd park.