Myrtle Beach Pavilion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Myrtle Beach Pavilion

Pavilion from the main entrance.
Location	Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.
Coordinates	33°41′33″N 78°52′54″W / 33.6925°N 78.8816°W / 33.6925; -78.8816
Opened	1948
Closed	September 30, 2006
Owner	Burroughs & Chapin
Slogan	One More Ride, One More Thrill, One More Memory, One Last Time (Farewell Season)
Operating season	Mid-March through late September
Area	11 acres (45,000 m2)
Attractions
Total	36
Roller coasters	3
Water rides	2
Website	Pavilion Nostalgia Park

The Myrtle Beach Pavilion was a famous amusement park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was located right by the ocean, at 9th Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard. This park was special because you paid for each ride, and parking was free!

The Pavilion had over 40 different attractions. These included rides for young kids and exciting rides for thrill-seekers. One of its most popular rides was the wooden roller coaster called Hurricane: Category 5.

Sadly, the park closed down in 2006. Even though many people tried to save it, the land was used for new buildings in 2007. Some of the park's rides were moved to Broadway at the Beach, another fun spot in Myrtle Beach. Both the old Pavilion land and Broadway at the Beach are owned by a company called Burroughs & Chapin.

History of the Pavilion

Before the amusement park, there were several "Pavilion" buildings in Myrtle Beach. These were built by Burroughs & Chapin, a company that helped develop the area. Each Pavilion building looked different, but they all served as a place for people to gather and have fun.

The very first Pavilion was built in 1908. It was part of Myrtle Beach's first hotel, the Seaside Inn. This building was destroyed by a fire. It was rebuilt in 1923 as a two-story building. After another fire in 1944, it was rebuilt again in 1949. This new building was made of concrete and had a large wooden dance floor.

The amusement park itself started in 1948. It was across the street from the new Pavilion building. A traveling carnival that visited Conway, South Carolina decided to stay there permanently. This is how the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park began! Soon, they added shows like ice skaters and talent acts to make the park even more exciting.

In 1950, Burroughs & Chapin bought the park. They added 14 new rides and more food stands. Over the years, the park kept adding and changing rides. It also survived several hurricanes.

Special Attractions

The Pavilion had some truly unique and historic attractions.

The Carousel

One of these was the Herschell-Spillman Carousel, built in 1912. This wasn't just any carousel! Instead of only horses, it had many different animals. You could ride frogs, lions, ostriches, zebras, giraffes, and even dragons! The only horse on the carousel was a special "lead horse" that was beautifully decorated. Even with the salty air from the beach, this carousel was kept in great shape. It still works today at Pavilion Nostalgia Park at Broadway at the Beach. It's one of only 15 working Herschell-Spillman carousels in the whole country!

The Band Organ

Another amazing piece was the Baden Band Organ. This giant organ was handmade in Germany in 1900. It was first shown at the World Exposition in Paris. After that, it traveled all over Europe. In 1954, Myrtle Beach Farms bought it for The Pavilion.

This organ had "twirling figures and cherubs" that played cymbals, bells, and drums. It used special cardboard music sheets. The organ had over 400 pipes and 98 keys. It was huge, about 20 feet wide and 11 feet high, and weighed two tons! It entertained visitors for decades.

Roller Coasters and Rides

Besides many carnival-style rides and rides for small children, the Pavilion had other fun attractions. These included a log flume ride and a River rafting ride called the HydroSURGE. There was also a spooky Haunted Hotel dark ride.

Over its nearly 60 years, the park had six different roller coasters.

• The first was Comet Jr., a small wooden coaster that opened in 1951.
• Later, there was a coaster called Galaxi, which was removed in 1997.
• In 1986, a train-themed family coaster called the Little Eagle opened.
• The Mad Mouse wild mouse coaster opened in 1998. After the park closed, both the Little Eagle and Mad Mouse coasters were moved to the NASCAR Speedpark in Myrtle Beach.

In 1978, the park added its first big coaster, the steel looping Corkscrew. This ride had a 70-foot drop and two corkscrew loops. It ran for 31 years before being moved to a park in Colombia.

The Corkscrew was replaced by the park's biggest coaster, Hurricane: Category 5. This huge coaster cost $6 million and opened in 2000. It was 3,800 feet long and had a 100-foot drop. It reached speeds of 55 miles per hour! When the park closed in 2006, the Hurricane was taken apart. However, its ride trains were bought by Kings Island for their Son of Beast coaster.

The Park's Closure

Mad Mouse and Hurricane

Just before the 2006 season, the owners announced that it would be the park's last year. The park officially closed to the public on September 24, 2006. A special "Last Ride" event for a few people was held on September 30.

Even though many people signed online petitions to save the Pavilion, the owners said they had to close due to money problems. The farewell season was very popular, and the park had record numbers of visitors and profits.

After the park closed, the Haunted Hotel and the Hurricane roller coaster were torn down. But not everything was lost! The historic carousel, the Baden Band Organ, and several other small rides were moved. They became part of a new, smaller park called Pavilion Nostalgia Park. This new park opened in 2007 at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach.

The land where the Pavilion used to be stayed empty for a while. However, a historical marker was placed there to remember the Pavilion. Even though the park is gone, its memory lives on through the Nostalgia Park and the marker. The slogan for the last season was: "One More Ride, One More Thrill, One More Memory, One Last Time."

Rides and Attractions List

Here are some of the roller coasters and flat rides that were at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion:

Roller Coasters

Flat Rides

What's There Now

In 2012, a new attraction was planned for the old Pavilion site. This was a zip line project called Adrenaline Adventures. It was expected to open in April 2012.

In 2013, there was talk about bringing rides and games back to the site temporarily. A company wanted to set up a carnival on part of the land. However, this plan was not approved by the city.

In 2017, the owner of Myrtle Beach Zipline Adventures announced more zip lines. They also added a ropes course. These new attractions are high enough that concerts can still happen underneath them.

• Myrtle Beach Pavilion at the Roller Coaster DataBase