Land of Oz theme park announces June dates
North Carolina residents will have a chance to once again follow the Yellow Brick Road when the Land of Oz reopens this June.
The theme park, located on top of Beech Mountain in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, has been out of commission since 1980 but has offered members of the public a chance to visit on select days for the past several years.
This year, access to the park will be available on June 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28 and on July 5.
According to the park’s website, June visitors will be able to experience the new "Journey with Dorothy" experience, which is interactive and gives guests the opportunity to play characters from the classic story, including the Cowardly Lion and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Dates have not yet been announced for "Autumn at Oz," but tickets will go on sale in May, according to the website.
The theme park, which features a scale replica of Auntie Em’s house and the witch’s castle, opened on June 15, 1970, but was only operational for about a decade.
According to the park’s website, one of the key figures behind the Land of Oz’s creation succumbed to cancer two months before the grand opening.
The company that financed the park went bankrupt in 1973 and a fire in 1975 destroyed the amphitheater inside the Emerald City as well as surrounding shops and restaurants.
During the fire, many original film costumes on display in the park, including the iconic gingham dress worn by Judy Garland, were stolen.
A new management company took over in 1976, but the park eventually fell into disrepair and owners made the decision to close in 1980 rather than spend more than $3.5 million on refurbishment.
Tickets for this year are $27.50 and include a shuttle bus ride from parking area to the park. For an additional $10, guests can ride a lift to Oz, experiencing a bird’s eye view of Beech Mountain.
