Ghost Town in the Sky - Struggling But Will Open for 2009

When I was a kid, our family would go to the mountains of North Carolina. We usually camped in Cherokee, NC near Mingo Falls. Along with fishing and tubing down the cold mountain stream, we would spend a day at Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley.

There were not many amusement parks around in the 1960s, so it was a big deal to get to go to Ghost Town. Today there are loads of amusements parks with each one bigger and better than the next, so Ghost Town has struggled. In fact, the park closed down for five years and now is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy after two years. The tough economy, high gas prices last summer, and the bank failures combined to make it hard to get the refurbished park back up and running.

The current plan is to open as scheduled at Ghost Town on May 15, 2009. So, even as the park struggles, they are working to keep part of the history of the mountains of North Carolina alive.

If you’re headed to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, then Ghost Town in the Sky is a great trip especially if you have younger kids. It’s a smaller park with very friendly employees and visitors.

The park is on the side of the mountain, and you ride a chair lift up. That was what I found really thrilling when I was a kid. The ride up the mountain was great and would have been a treat even if they hadn’t had an amusement park at the end of the ride. There’s an inclined train ride also for those afraid of heights and dangling feet, but that is still under construction. So, a bus ride option is available in the meantime.

As far as the rides, they have a roller coaster. What makes it stand out is that it’s up high on the mountain and close the edge. So, while it may not be the biggest and newest, it’s a neat ride. The chair swings also benefit from being on the side of the mountain if you or the kids are thrill seekers. There are a variety of other smaller rides and a old fashioned train that circles around the park.

My favorite things at Ghost Town are the shows. The have a mock street shoot out with all the visitors lined up watching the good guys chase down the bad guys. Over at the saloon, you can see dancing girls and some comedy, and the big arena showcases Native American dancers from Cherokee.

I took my boys when they were really little guys and then again shortly before the park closed down for a while. They enjoyed Ghost Town a lot. It was not an all day affair like so many of the parks now. They rode the rides and saw the shows and had some snacks. There were not 2 hour lines to get on a 5 minute or less ride. It really was perfect with younger kids. They went and had fun without getting totally worn out.

Ghost Town in the Sky probably would not appeal as much to teens. They don’t have multiple mega roller coasters and other big thrill rides. The shows would be a little old fashioned for those 12 and up. I’d suggest driving a little further into Tennessee and Dollywood if you have older kids.

I’m really glad Ghost Town will be opening this year and hope that they are able to make a go of it. I have wonderful memories of visiting as a child and then again with my boys. I hope they don’t change it too much. There are a lot of the overwhelming amusement parks out there now, and it’s nice to have a little laid back park when you can get a photo with a cowboy and where the bumper car man lets you ride longer, because the line isn’t that long.

Here's a video of Ghost Town in the Sky, so you can see some of the fun things for yourself.