1. Six Flags New Orleans – Louisiana, USA
When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, Six Flags New Orleans was left in ruins. The rides, games, and concession stands all stood in place, but the floodwaters never receded enough to save them. What was once a colorful, high-energy destination quickly turned into an eerie, silent landscape. Roller coasters sit frozen mid-loop, and rust has become the park’s main decoration.
Over the years, nature has crept in to reclaim the land. Alligators have been spotted gliding through what used to be pathways, and trees now grow through the skeletal remains of rides. Graffiti artists have left their mark, but the overwhelming feeling is one of stillness. It’s a haunting reminder of how quickly fun can fade when nature takes over.
2. Nara Dreamland – Nara, Japan
Nara Dreamland opened in 1961 as Japan’s answer to Disneyland, complete with a castle, themed lands, and a train circling the park. By the early 2000s, newer, flashier parks lured visitors away, and in 2006, Dreamland closed for good. The once bustling streets and rides were left to decay.
For years after its closure, the park became a favorite spot for urban explorers. Trees sprouted through concrete walkways, and ivy covered the pastel façades. The roller coasters sat still, their tracks coated in rust and moss. Nature’s quiet persistence slowly erased the park’s former magic until it was finally demolished in 2017.
3. Gulliver’s Kingdom – Kawaguchi, Japan
Perched near Mount Fuji, Gulliver’s Kingdom was a whimsical theme park dedicated to the classic tale Gulliver’s Travels. It featured a giant reclining statue of Gulliver himself, surrounded by miniature villages and quirky attractions. Despite its unique concept, the park closed in 2001 due to low attendance.
With no one to maintain it, the massive Gulliver statue began to crack and fade, while weeds overtook the paths. The surrounding mountains seemed to inch closer each year as forests swallowed the park. The eerie sight of a colossal human figure lying abandoned made it both fascinating and unsettling for those who stumbled upon it.
4. Pripyat Amusement Park – Pripyat, Ukraine
Set to open on May 1, 1986, the Pripyat amusement park never got its grand debut. The Chernobyl disaster occurred just days before, and the park was abandoned before it even welcomed its first official guest. Its Ferris wheel, bumper cars, and swing rides stand frozen in time.
Over the decades, nature has filled the silence. Grass grows through the cracks of the bumper car arena, and the once-bright yellow Ferris wheel is streaked with rust. The nearby forest has crept into the park, almost hiding it from view. Today, it’s a chilling reminder of both human ambition and the power of nature.
5. Spreepark – Berlin, Germany
Spreepark was once East Berlin’s premier amusement park, opening in 1969 and drawing millions of visitors over the decades. After financial troubles and bizarre management decisions, the park shut down in 2002. Since then, it’s been left to decay.
Nature wasted no time in claiming the grounds. A giant Ferris wheel still towers over the park, squeaking in the wind, while swan boats lie half-buried in weeds. Trees have grown through the tracks of old rides, and the sound of rustling leaves has replaced the laughter of visitors. The park remains a ghostly landmark on the city’s edge.
6. Chippewa Lake Park – Ohio, USA
Chippewa Lake Park operated for over 100 years before closing in 1978. At first, it was simply left to sit, and locals whispered stories about its quiet rides. Eventually, the land was sold, but the park itself was never cleared.
For decades, trees grew through roller coaster tracks, and vines wrapped tightly around metal beams. The lake’s edge crept further into the park, blurring the line between man-made and natural. Even when demolition finally began in the late 2000s, much of the park had already been erased by time and greenery.
7. Wonderland – Chenzhuang, China
Billed as the largest amusement park in Asia, Wonderland was left unfinished after financial problems halted construction in 1998. Its fairytale-style castles and medieval villages were abandoned before they could ever welcome guests.
Over the years, farmers reclaimed the surrounding land, planting crops among the crumbling buildings. Weeds overtook the cobblestone streets, and the grand castle became a hollow shell. The contrast between fantasy architecture and thriving farmland made it one of the most surreal abandoned parks in the world until it was demolished in 2013.
8. Okpo Land – Geoje Island, South Korea
Okpo Land was infamous even before it closed in 1999, with rumors of tragic accidents on its rides. When it finally shut down, the park was left exactly as it was on its last day—rides still standing, stuffed animals still hanging from game booths.
As the years passed, nature moved in quickly. Grass and shrubs sprouted through the pavement, and the bright colors of the rides faded to dull pastels. The most haunting sight was the park’s signature duck-themed roller coaster, its cars stuck mid-ride, surrounded by wild growth.
9. Joyland – Wichita, Kansas, USA
Opening in 1949, Joyland was a family-owned amusement park that charmed generations. By 2004, declining attendance and safety concerns forced it to close. Many rides were left in place, slowly being overtaken by weeds and rust.
The wooden roller coaster, once a local thrill, became a skeletal structure wrapped in vines. Paint peeled from the carousel, and wildflowers popped up in the middle of former walkways. Though much of Joyland has now been dismantled, its image as a playground swallowed by nature lives on in photographs.
10. Dogpatch USA – Marble Falls, Arkansas, USA
Inspired by the Li’l Abner comic strip, Dogpatch USA opened in 1968 with themed buildings, rides, and live entertainment. It fell on hard times and closed in 1993, leaving behind a quirky Appalachian-style village.
Without upkeep, the park’s wooden structures began to rot, and thick greenery pushed in from every side. Ponds filled with algae, and the once-lively “hillbilly” setting became eerily quiet. Today, many of its cabins and shops are covered in moss, looking like something straight out of a forgotten fairytale.
11. Takakanonuma Greenland – Fukushima, Japan
This park’s history is a bit mysterious—it opened in the 1970s, closed, reopened, and then shut down again in the mid-1980s. Official reasons were never fully clear, adding to its eerie reputation.
After its closure, thick fog and dense vegetation enveloped the park. Rides were barely visible through the mist, and moss grew over every surface. It became a hidden forest within a forest until it was quietly dismantled in the early 2000s, but stories about it still linger.
12. Enchanted Forest – Ellicott City, Maryland, USA
The Enchanted Forest opened in 1955 as one of the first theme parks in the United States dedicated to fairy tales. It closed in 1989, and many of its whimsical attractions were left in place.
Cinderella’s pumpkin coach sat surrounded by weeds, and storybook houses crumbled under the weight of vines. Without children to bring them to life, the characters seemed frozen mid-story. Parts of the park have since been relocated and restored, but the original grounds once looked like a fantasy world swallowed by the woods.