The Rocket at Ocean View Park

[abigllama]

When they filmed Rollercoaster the park was still open. I understand for this film they used the closed park because they wanted to film the coaster falling down at the end. It had been closed for a year so good change the original trains were sold off by this time.

Having worked on coasters it was always interesting when people would ask you to "turn it up to full speed". Don't see any trim breaks on this so no idea how one would "turn it up to 50". :)

[BROADTRAIN1979]

I have this movie and rollercoaster 77 in coaster 77 the cars look slightly different to the later movie death of as the cars in coaster 77 look thinner and have two square lights as this is the same coaster in both movies? The ones in death off look grimey brown and with no lights which were the original cars any ideas im from the uk so i wouldnt have ridden that great coaster.

[lol0924]

From what I see it looks like old trains for woodies were super easier to turn on the speed at each dip and hill, well I wonder if those trains were much heavier than the new ones? Sounded so thrilling! Amazing speed, fun turns to take a lil' bit break before taking up a LOT of waves, amazing force apparently it used to have. Memories of the Rocket Boys. =)

[cannibalonXthedead]

@lol0924 Yeah those trains were very heavy. They were also much better built than any new coaster trains today with their huge, roomy, thinkly padded seats. it's a shame coaster trains aren't made like that anymore

[OrionEffects]

Memories are great, but face it, by 1979 the park was a dump. And it was loosing HUGE revenue from another park 35 minutes away with the most advanced coaster at the time, the Loch Ness Monster.

[mrplazo2]

He'll, I just loved going over the big hill in front of the park in the car! Always made my stomach drop. Enjoyed the park as a kid too. Still got a piece of the old coaster they sold for souvineers. I remember the day they blew it up, you could feel the heat from across the street! Good memories in OV.

[EthanWhateley]

I used to fish there at harrisons pier with my dad and uncle when i was a little kid and that coaster just plain scared me to look at, the clown faces on the laugh house also scared me. I thought there were mean clowns in there that dosed little kids with LSD.

[VAdirtyS]

my parents would always describe how scary this coaster was. they made it sound like a death ride lol.

[HARD2GET757]

im 21,n i lived out ov all my life and im tryin to figuare out where the amusement park was,i was thinkin across the street from farm fresh?

[GlamStarIdolX]

Yea thats it.

[thehatchetwarrior808]

Wow, I've lived in Norfolk most of my life, and the storys my mom and dad used to tell me about The Rocket sounded like the shit. Hell it took them 2 tries with like over 100 sticks of dynamite and C4. Ha and what did they tear it down for? 4 story houses and a retirement place, FUCK THAT. thats what downtown is for. And on another note, I think Judy Boone should have been shot the moment she got a real estate license. She FUCKED SHIT UP!

[bradhig]

In Rollercoaster there was a sign on top of the lift that said The Rocket and chaser lights not to mention three cars trains What happened to the sign and lights?

[bruteforce76]

Man does that bring back memories. If you've ever ridden the Rocket you never forget that clickety clack as the chain pulled up to the summit. It was scary lol

Sad to see it's gone......

[the3jake2]

The Rocket looks weird with two car trains!

[cherokeeern]

I was priveledged to ride her many times. There are alot of us who miss the park very much. They don't make 'em like that any more. She was all class. This video shows her in a run-down state, but she wasn't like that when she was active. Yes, she was a helluva ride! Shook the crap out of you! They bulldozed the park to make way for.....nothing....it's an empty lot now, a "beach park" they call it. Yeah, right.....

[eastcoastflower]

The Rocket was also in the '77 movie "Rollercoaster". Too bad they tore down the amusement park and replaced it with oversized, overpriced homes spaced two feet apart :(