Rides Disappearing At Bell's Amusement Park

Bell's Amusement Park is leaving Expo Square! In it's 56-years it has been home to many unique rides and attractions, and when the park is gone many of those old favorites will disappear forever.

Friday, January 26th 2007, 9:53 am

By: News On 6

Bell's Amusement Park is leaving Expo Square! In it's 56-years it has been home to many unique rides and attractions, and when the park is gone many of those old favorites will disappear forever. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells headed to Bell's to take one last look at â€œPhantasmagoria.â€

Workers are deconstructing half a century of fun, stacking the pieces that once were the â€œScramblerâ€ and the merry-go-round; all of it is going into storage, hopefully not forever.

But the News on 6 paid a visit to the amusement park to talk to Bob Bell about something historic and unique to Bell's, the â€œPhantasmagoria.â€

"It's a very simple formula, you want to scare the people, but you want to make it safe," Bellâ€™s owner Bob Bell said.

What made this particular so-called dark ride unique was the size.

"Most of 'em are not two stories high like ours is," said Bell.

It was a long one too, the ride took seven-minutes, and around every twist and turn there was a new fright.

"As soon as you'd get right here, the lights would come on and the horn would go off, it would just scare you to death,â€ Bell said.

It was wonderful; there were graveyards and ghouls, huge rats and a disgusting buzzard.

"The buzzard would be picking' the eyeball," said Bell.

Frightening stuff for young and old all designed to scare us right back into line. As we headed outside it dawned on me the last ride on â€œPhantasmagoriaâ€ has already been taken.

"So â€˜Phantasmagoriaâ€™ as we all remember it is done," reporter Rick Wells asked.
"That's right," said Bell.

"It'll never be again," asked Wells.

â€œNope," Bell said.

As it currently stands, Bell's deadline for moving out is March 8th.

If you are interested in more information about Bell's Phantasmagoria ride, check out these two websites, www.laffinthedark.com and www.secretfunspot.com.