In 1974 when Kings Dominion opened in Virginia, they had a drive-thru "Lion Country Safari." Eventually a monorail was installed , second or third season. There were very few rides and of course the eifel tower. I believe the over-head on all those exotic animals through a VA winter wasn't an asset. It was gone after maybe 5 seasons. I think they were sold to Bush Garden's in Tampa, FL . I always wondered if the monorail went there as well. By gone era. PEACE
@RobNLynchburgVA I remember driving through the Lion Country Safari in Va. ca. 1974 in my aunt's 1966 maroon Mercury station wagon w/ 6 kids piled in. No such fun these days, with seat-belt laws and sue-happy parents who think a safari's a petting zoo.... I distinctly remember no air-conditioning--and the windows had to be rolled up! We couldn't wait to get soaked on the log ride! I'll take the new waterpark!
Love these looks back at SoCal: the Forgotten Disneyland series, this, Marineland ruins. Now I'm looking for anything on Santa's Village (at Skyforest near Lake Arrowhead) and the Japanese Village & Deer Park (immortalized in the comedy record "Ajax Liquor Store").
Fond memories. I can remember seeing some sort of bird show and the announcer had to constantly stop due to the Jets from El Toro Marine base flying over. O.C. was such a nice place to be - before it was overrun by certain people south of us
@RhythmAndSoul59 I remember El Toro! Do you remember O.C.I.R.? We would sneak in there thru a water drain pipe near the end of the track, then just walk on in.
Thanks. I have a very fond memory of this place. You could drive it with your own car and see the animals. I had a Chevy Vega that hot day. We were in the lion area and the lions were chilling under the trees about 100 yards from the road. Of course that Vega broke down, started steaming and wouldn't go. In 5 minutes, the park employees showed up in about 5 Volkswagon Things painted like zebras with rifles at the ready, surrounded the car and towed us out. Now that's customer service.
Today I see the steadily declining Wild Rivers almost daily. The original huts near the drive up entrance remained, as well as many of the trees. But it's really not as deserted and in 'ruins' as it appears past that. It was more lively in the past, but you can still see the giant colorful (and probably dangerous) water-slides from Irvine Center drive, which runs past it.
There was a Lion Country Safari in Florida as well. I remember going there as a kid in about 1967. It's long gone, too. I wonder what became of the site?
Thanks, that's useful to know; I must have been misinformed. Perhaps I was thinking of Pirate's World in Dania, which was bulldozed in the '80s for a housing development.
Nice video. I went to Camp Frasier from 1987-1989. I remember the Zambezi River Boat Ride was a swamp by then and everyone thought it had leeches (this was during the time the movie "Stand By Me" came out and us kids were afraid of leaches). I have a copy of original site plans of Lion Country by R.Duell and Associates from March/April 1970. Very interesting to see when compared to what it's become. It's now slowly being demolished and re-graded...
Now there's African Lion Safari
ILuvTrollin 5 months ago
It's been turned into a day camp. I work there.
Dirtboy101 6 months ago
Went there on a field trip for kindergarden in 1975. I remember some giraffes crossing in front of our bus. We kids were extatic.
ninnapoooh 8 months ago
In 1974 when Kings Dominion opened in Virginia, they had a drive-thru "Lion Country Safari." Eventually a monorail was installed , second or third season. There were very few rides and of course the eifel tower. I believe the over-head on all those exotic animals through a VA winter wasn't an asset. It was gone after maybe 5 seasons. I think they were sold to Bush Garden's in Tampa, FL . I always wondered if the monorail went there as well. By gone era. PEACE
RobNLynchburgVA 1 year ago
@RobNLynchburgVA I remember driving through the Lion Country Safari in Va. ca. 1974 in my aunt's 1966 maroon Mercury station wagon w/ 6 kids piled in. No such fun these days, with seat-belt laws and sue-happy parents who think a safari's a petting zoo.... I distinctly remember no air-conditioning--and the windows had to be rolled up! We couldn't wait to get soaked on the log ride! I'll take the new waterpark!
nauort23 10 months ago
Love these looks back at SoCal: the Forgotten Disneyland series, this, Marineland ruins. Now I'm looking for anything on Santa's Village (at Skyforest near Lake Arrowhead) and the Japanese Village & Deer Park (immortalized in the comedy record "Ajax Liquor Store").
dadoctah 1 year ago 2
Air conditioning was a MUST...that's all I remember.
trotp3 1 year ago
Fond memories. I can remember seeing some sort of bird show and the announcer had to constantly stop due to the Jets from El Toro Marine base flying over. O.C. was such a nice place to be - before it was overrun by certain people south of us
RhythmAndSoul59 2 years ago
@RhythmAndSoul59 I remember El Toro! Do you remember O.C.I.R.? We would sneak in there thru a water drain pipe near the end of the track, then just walk on in.
barmtrail 1 year ago
Thanks. I have a very fond memory of this place. You could drive it with your own car and see the animals. I had a Chevy Vega that hot day. We were in the lion area and the lions were chilling under the trees about 100 yards from the road. Of course that Vega broke down, started steaming and wouldn't go. In 5 minutes, the park employees showed up in about 5 Volkswagon Things painted like zebras with rifles at the ready, surrounded the car and towed us out. Now that's customer service.
cageo2207 2 years ago 2
Today I see the steadily declining Wild Rivers almost daily. The original huts near the drive up entrance remained, as well as many of the trees. But it's really not as deserted and in 'ruins' as it appears past that. It was more lively in the past, but you can still see the giant colorful (and probably dangerous) water-slides from Irvine Center drive, which runs past it.
RedHimawari 3 years ago
There was a Lion Country in Atlanta too.
I worked there with the elephants, and have recently submitted a video.
What a shame these parks are not doing as well as they did in the 70's.
They are the best zoo that has ever been.
They were very real. There are ruins of the Atlanta park amoungst a now gated community.
They incorporated the LCS roads into the neighborhood.
sedafire 4 years ago
Lion Country Safari in Florida is still there and is doing great!
FLSisters 4 years ago 2
There was a Lion Country Safari in Florida as well. I remember going there as a kid in about 1967. It's long gone, too. I wonder what became of the site?
aarfeld 4 years ago
No-actuallly it's still there in Loxahatchee Fl...I used to work there
Sutch74 4 years ago
Thanks, that's useful to know; I must have been misinformed. Perhaps I was thinking of Pirate's World in Dania, which was bulldozed in the '80s for a housing development.
aarfeld 4 years ago
Nice video. I went to Camp Frasier from 1987-1989. I remember the Zambezi River Boat Ride was a swamp by then and everyone thought it had leeches (this was during the time the movie "Stand By Me" came out and us kids were afraid of leaches). I have a copy of original site plans of Lion Country by R.Duell and Associates from March/April 1970. Very interesting to see when compared to what it's become. It's now slowly being demolished and re-graded...
ryanski77 4 years ago