Land of Oz (theme park) facts for kids
| Location | Beech Mountain, North Carolina, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°11′07″N 81°52′49″W / 36.1853°N 81.8804°W |
| Status | open |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Owner | Emerald Mountain, Inc. |
| Operating season | Weekly in June, First Weekend of September, October |
| Area | 17.82 acres (72,100 m2) |
| Attractions | |
| Roller coasters | 0 |
| Water rides | 0 |
The Land of Oz is a fun theme park located in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, USA. It is based on the famous "Land of Oz" books by L. Frank Baum. The park first opened its doors in 1970. It was a popular place to visit for about ten years.
Contents
Discovering the Land of Oz Theme Park
How the Park Was Built
Back in 1965, two brothers, Harry and Grover Robbins, wanted to make their ski resort, Beech Mountain, exciting all year round. They found a spot that reminded them of the classic 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. This inspired them to create a theme park based on Oz. They even had over 44,000 yellow bricks made for the famous Yellow Brick Road! Famous musicians like Alec Wilder and Loonis McGlohon wrote songs for the park. They also got permission to use "Over the Rainbow" from the movie.
Grand Opening Day
The Land of Oz officially opened on June 15, 1970. Actress Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher helped cut the ribbon. In its first year, an amazing 400,000 people visited the park! Many employees dressed up as characters like Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man. A special ski lift was even turned into a "hot air balloon" ride.
Exploring the Park as Dorothy
When you visited the Land of Oz, you became Dorothy! Your adventure started in Kansas. You would "experience" a tornado, just like in the story. Then, you walked down the famous Yellow Brick Road. Along the way, you met characters like the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion. The journey ended in Emerald City. There, Dorothy and her friends would meet the Wizard.
Emerald City had gift shops and a theater for shows. The artificial balloon ride gave visitors a great view of the park. There was also a small museum. It showed props and costumes from the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie. This included one of Judy Garland's Dorothy dresses.
Challenges and Closing Down
The park was very popular in its first year. However, things became difficult after owner Grover Robbins passed away. Financial problems led to the park's original company going bankrupt in 1975. On December 28, 1975, a fire destroyed parts of Emerald City. Many costumes and props were lost. Some items, like Judy Garland's dress, were also stolen from the museum.
Even though the park was rebuilt, it never fully recovered its original magic. The cost to fix everything was too high. The Land of Oz finally closed its doors in 1980. After closing, many parts of the park fell apart. Props were damaged or stolen. Luckily, some parts, like most of the Yellow Brick Road, were saved.
The Park's Return and Special Events
On July 4, 1991, the park reopened for one day. This was part of Beech Mountain's Independence Day celebration. Visitors rode a ski lift to Dorothy's house. Student actors from a local high school, who had performed The Wizard of Oz, greeted guests.
Over the years, the land owners began to restore parts of the park. In the mid-1990s, a special event called "Autumn at Oz" started. It was first a reunion for original park employees. This event quickly became very popular with the public. By 2009, over 8,500 people attended!
The "Autumn at Oz" festival grew to include all the characters from The Wizard of Oz. It features shows, a museum, and an Emerald City setup. There are also vendor fairs, petting zoos, and pony rides. Money from this event helps to renovate and maintain the park. New attractions are added each year.
In 2011, the park hosted the International Wizard of Oz Club. Some of the original 1970 cast members returned to share their stories. By 2013, the park also started "Journey with Dorothy" tours. These guided tours happened every Friday in June.
Recent Park Information
The Land of Oz theme park has continued to host its annual "Autumn at Oz" festival. This is known as the largest Wizard of Oz festival in the country. In June, the park also offered "Journey with Dorothy Tours" on Fridays.
For the 80th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz movie in 2019, the park had extra opening days. In 2024, the "Autumn at Oz" festival took place over three weekends in September.
On March 14, 2025, the Land of Oz announced that the 2025 "Autumn at Oz" festival was cancelled. This decision was made to allow for a full review of the event and the park. The festival had grown very large, and Hurricane Helene also impacted the area. The park stated its plans to reopen in 2026.
