Thank you so much Gene! I really mean it, thanks to you this park can continue to adore families for generations! Hope we can work together sometime in the future!
It was a happy night when Clementon Park locals saw the Ferris wheel lit up once again after being closed thru the pandemic. It was a much needed lift that the town needed. Historic parks of all kinds need to be preserved as much as possible.Thankful for the new owners!
I’d love to see Clementon Park improved into a bigger, better, and more impressive theme park when being acquired by Cedar Fair for an upcoming season!
My grand mom ran the bath house during the 40's and 50's and I worked there for a season back in 83. Ran the merry go round and the coaster (I worked the back break). Larry was a bussiness man all the way and Larry's father was a tough cookie he would think nothing of firing you on the spot, the other brother who's name escapes me was an artist and had no love for the business, he just sat in the office all day and did nothing. I met some really fun people working there and had some great times met a really great girl working there named Terri who I let slip away. Miss you.
I remember the Astro-Orbiter, Wacky Shack, Crazy Daisy, a dark ride, the Whip, and the Jack Rabbit. And the original Carousel was magnificent. I haven’t been there in 20 years,
This turned out excellent! It was definitely worth the wait. Too many of these trolley parks are lost to time, so I'm beyond relieved that this park was saved so it can continue to operate and entertain guests. I hope my narration was passable! Clementon packs a lot of history into a relatively small park but you definitely did your research. Fantastic work on this!
I knew I recognized your voice! I had to double check to see if this was an alternate channel from you or not! Great job on the narration, and Great job, NJC, at putting all of this together!
it's weird seeing a documentary on this park. i grew up less than a ten-minute walk from there - just had to cross the railroad tracks and a road and we're there. it's where my grandparents met around 1960, too. i have good childhood memories from this park all that to say, thank you for this video!
GREAT JOB! Grew up going to the park in the 1960's and lived about a mile away. My favorites were of course, the Jack Rabbit, as well as, the Goofy House, the Salt & Pepper Shakers, the Whip, the Carousel and we loved the Penny Arcade. Later they added the Jolly Mixer, a moving room that made you feel like you were upside down. Thanks for the memories of a time gone by.
Clementon is about 15 minutes away from where I grew up. We would generally go about once a summer especially when there was the Orangeman's Irish parade. My Pop embraced our "Irish" and we usually landed at the bar that was right across the street but I think has loving since been torn down. I was back then and remain today very motion sensitive so amusement parks are not something I can really enjoy. I mostly just had to walk around with my family and watch others go on the rides. I could go on the train ride but more than once on the Jackrabbit was not a good idea. I distinctly remember a spinning ride with cars on chains and a large vertical panel that you moved with your hand that controlled how far outwards you "flew". I did not last long before I vomited all over the place! The last time I probably went was the late 70s or early 80s. It is obvious this video is directed at roller coaster fans, but was very well done. I did not know much of what happened to the park in the past 40ish years. Good that it is opening again soon. Thanks for the video I really enjoyed it.
I’ve never been to this park, but the very end made me tear up. I love old parks and think of myself as a hobbyist historian of these kinds or parks, the ones still around and those long gone, and the coasters/rides that helped build them. The selling off of the carousel hurt my heart. I’ve never met Gene but the respect I am for is hard to express. I wished he was around when Cedar Fair destroyed Geauga Lake so he could have maybe helped save it. This was so well done.
Excellent Work on my Hometown Park and can appreciate it as a Coaster Enthusiast. Great - We grew up just Blocks from the Park we had Swimming season passes in the early to mid 70s when it was also free to walk in the park. The Park brought the towns people together. Thanks, I will share
Sooo many neat memories of going there with Youth Group growing up in the Summers. I adored the log flume and that wooden coaster was something, oh my goodness, what a ride (hope that's reconfigured as well as some of the other original wood structures), but overall, a very good time!! (It was also affordable enough that families from pretty much all income levels could go to it. That's a big plus for the state as NJ is incredibly expensive.)
I want the jack rabbit back so bad. Working there from 2009-2017, I’ve had countless people tell me how much they miss it too. Gene please bring it back Amazing documentary. I greatly enjoyed it and waited so patiently for this. So much footage I’ve never seen before. Amazing job.
this is absolutely brilliant. the whole time i just kept thinking “i went to school down the street from there! i used to pass it on the way to work!thats my park!” and my heart was hurting up until the very end, since i just moved back to the area after spending some time in the city and hadnt heard much about it since. thanks for letting me know it’s awesome history. here’s to a great summer season, theme park nerds! i’ll see u at clementon park!
What a rollercoaster!Thank you for great documentary. So there is hope. We wait and see. I was there ones about 24 years ago. It was a family day for Marriott employees. Good times... Thank you for dedicating so much time for this documentary. Congratulations!!! Wishing you a good luck in future recording of our history❤
@New Jersey Coasters Absolutely. Gained a new appreciation for Clementon after watching this--it'll definitely be in mind if I can manage a visit there at some point during the year.
I had the “honor” to work at this park during the 2022 season. I hate to say it but even with the new ownership, they have a long way to go before I will ever consider returning or recommending anyone else go. I primarily worked the dragon coaster and drop tower during my time there. The training procedure for ride operators is so terribly inadequate that it put a bad taste in my mouth from day 1. You’d be shown by one of the managers how to operate the ride, given a chance to do it once yourself, and then you’re operating the ride for the guests within an hour. The dragon coaster was a nightmare to operate, as the tires throughout its layout lacked tread and would slip constantly. I had multiple instances of the train not being able to make the lift with people on it and rolling back. The final nail in the coffin for me was the day where I, along with 2 other ride operators, were suddenly given lifeguard outfits and told to act as temporary lifeguards in the water park because they were short on lifeguards that day. I got no lifeguard training. I’m unsure of the legality of that but it seemed incredibly irresponsible of them. Also didn’t like how the employee “lounge” was a pavilion with no cooling whatsoever. Not even a fridge for our food that we’d bring (cuz we didn’t get a discount for the in-park food). The TV wall mount without a TV that they stuck in there was a nice touch. As well as the box fan that we were told not to plug in. All the employees there were miserable and I understand why. I hope they get their act together because a park with this much history deserves better.
Good job! History videos are better than the average park and coaster videos. Hope you continue your documentaries by staying in New Jersey and collect info on a little defunct park called Bertrand Island in Mount Arlington NJ. It had my all-time favorite flat ride called the Boomerang a more intense than it looks unique ride. It also had a very underrated coaster called Wildcat.
Wow. Great documentary. Loved going to this park as a kid. Jack Rabbit was my first roller coaster and the ride that made me an enthusiast. Thank you for this.
My parents owned a store only 1 block away from CLP back in the 80s and early 90s. They would take me and my brother to work with them often and we would go there at least 2-3 times a week.
I was so upset with "King Neptune" that's the year when they removed the "INDY 500" I was just tall enough to ride it. Jack Rabbit was about to go for the longest, the last cart use to jump up and down....boom boom!!!! I really was hoping someone have the "WHACKY SHACK" funhouse was so cool. Loved the "SALT N PEPPER SHAKER" ......"THE WHIP"....oooh yeah and the shuttle ride too was so cool...😊so many memories at CLEMENTON PARK!!! *thanks for this documentary*
Last thing was taught by Charlie on the old carousel how to jump on and off a moving carousel... ride controls were inside we started ride.. jumped on jumped off watched from outside lol than jumped on and got off inside to stop the ride...funniest thing Charlie had a limp ...best time ever under Larry baker era
I’d love to see Clementon Park improved into a bigger, better, and more impressive theme park when being acquired by Cedar Fair for an upcoming season!
Several things not mentioned were the speedboat rides and races during the 50s and 60s. Also, the Clementon Belle paddle wheel boat ride, the polarama dark ride, mirror maze, trabant and spider rides.
Hellcat needs GCI or Gravity Group to do a full retrack. Would be nice if they got Laser Loop over Niagara because the park is landlocked where Niagara is probably larger than Indiana Beach and Clementon combined
Sadly there is no real details on these attractions, or even photos that they existed. This documentary only mentions things that we know were there and have proof of it.
Wow amazing Documentary. I'm planning on going here once the refurbishment of Hellcat is finished. IB parks has 3 parks so far and each is going through the normal building proccess which Makes Gene a lot smarter than former Sixflags executives(which i think some of them that ran this park ended up selling sixflags flagship park out of desperation when they was in charge) Seems like this part and the other 2 are better off away from the former six flags management.
Thanks for a great documentary about a park that I used to go to all the time. My last visit to Clementon was back in 2008. Do you recall the name of the ride that was replaced by The Inverter? It was a spaceship that rocked back and forth and showed a small film narrated by a guy as we took a trip into outer space and the ship got attacked by creatures and monsters? It was fun ride that made everyone laugh and scream while they were on it. If you can find out the name of that ride for me I would appreciate it.
I’m happy I got my Hell Cat credit even though the close to back row was ridiculously painful and rough the front row was crazy rough but actually quite fun
I liven in Blackwood and only went there one time. It was back in the 50s and the place was kind of seedy. I really enjoyed the doc and it looks like they put a lot of effort into trying to keep this thing alive. I had heard that it was closed permanently but cannot verify. Anyone know the current fate of the park?
Dennis has not worked for any amusement companies since the early 2000s. So it has been awhile, but he is still as enthusiastic as ever for the industry.
This is great the only information you have wrong is about the petting zoo and a couple of other things that did not happen in the early 2000s that happened in the '90s as I was there those dates are 100% wrong the petting zoo came there about mid-90s and the water park that opened when I was in Middle School again the mid-90s Splash World so some of the dates are wrong on this but other than that it is a good video but I would edit the dates for sure
Excellent Documentary, I am more than impressed. Thank you!!!!! GS
Thank you so much Gene! I really mean it, thanks to you this park can continue to adore families for generations! Hope we can work together sometime in the future!
Thank you, Gene, and NJ Coasters, I hope to take my family and friends there (again) in the future.
Mr. Staples, really admire your work in this industry.....
If a park is in trouble (ex. Indiana beach) bro just comes in and saves the entire thing like it’s nothing.
Also gene, keep in mind, retrack hellcat.
It was a happy night when Clementon Park locals saw the Ferris wheel lit up once again after being closed thru the pandemic. It was a much needed lift that the town needed. Historic parks of all kinds need to be preserved as much as possible.Thankful for the new owners!
Great job with this documentary! It was cool seeing how Hellcat's layout changed during the development process.
Thank you all for coming to watch!
I really appreciate it, make sure to watch the full thing so you can absorb all the fun info and history!
I’d love to see Clementon Park improved into a bigger, better, and more impressive theme park when being acquired by Cedar Fair for an upcoming season!
My grand mom ran the bath house during the 40's and 50's and I worked there for a season back in 83. Ran the merry go round and the coaster (I worked the back break). Larry was a bussiness man all the way and Larry's father was a tough cookie he would think nothing of firing you on the spot, the other brother who's name escapes me was an artist and had no love for the business, he just sat in the office all day and did nothing. I met some really fun people working there and had some great times met a really great girl working there named Terri who I let slip away. Miss you.
I remember the Astro-Orbiter, Wacky Shack, Crazy Daisy, a dark ride, the Whip, and the Jack Rabbit. And the original Carousel was magnificent. I haven’t been there in 20 years,
This turned out excellent! It was definitely worth the wait. Too many of these trolley parks are lost to time, so I'm beyond relieved that this park was saved so it can continue to operate and entertain guests. I hope my narration was passable! Clementon packs a lot of history into a relatively small park but you definitely did your research. Fantastic work on this!
I knew I recognized your voice! I had to double check to see if this was an alternate channel from you or not! Great job on the narration, and Great job, NJC, at putting all of this together!
I knew I recognized your voice! It reminded me of your video about Geauga Lake.
it's weird seeing a documentary on this park. i grew up less than a ten-minute walk from there - just had to cross the railroad tracks and a road and we're there. it's where my grandparents met around 1960, too. i have good childhood memories from this park
all that to say, thank you for this video!
GREAT JOB! Grew up going to the park in the 1960's and lived about a mile away. My favorites were of course, the Jack Rabbit, as well as, the Goofy House, the Salt & Pepper Shakers, the Whip, the Carousel and we loved the Penny Arcade. Later they added the Jolly Mixer, a moving room that made you feel like you were upside down. Thanks for the memories of a time gone by.
I have many happy childhood memories created there on grade school trips from Philadelphia in the early-to-mid '70s. Well done, thank you for posting.
Clementon is about 15 minutes away from where I grew up. We would generally go about once a summer especially when there was the Orangeman's Irish parade. My Pop embraced our "Irish" and we usually landed at the bar that was right across the street but I think has loving since been torn down. I was back then and remain today very motion sensitive so amusement parks are not something I can really enjoy. I mostly just had to walk around with my family and watch others go on the rides. I could go on the train ride but more than once on the Jackrabbit was not a good idea. I distinctly remember a spinning ride with cars on chains and a large vertical panel that you moved with your hand that controlled how far outwards you "flew". I did not last long before I vomited all over the place! The last time I probably went was the late 70s or early 80s. It is obvious this video is directed at roller coaster fans, but was very well done. I did not know much of what happened to the park in the past 40ish years. Good that it is opening again soon. Thanks for the video I really enjoyed it.
I’ve never been to this park, but the very end made me tear up. I love old parks and think of myself as a hobbyist historian of these kinds or parks, the ones still around and those long gone, and the coasters/rides that helped build them. The selling off of the carousel hurt my heart. I’ve never met Gene but the respect I am for is hard to express. I wished he was around when Cedar Fair destroyed Geauga Lake so he could have maybe helped save it. This was so well done.
Excellent Work on my Hometown Park and can appreciate it as a Coaster Enthusiast. Great - We grew up just Blocks from the Park we had Swimming season passes in the early to mid 70s when it was also free to walk in the park. The Park brought the towns people together. Thanks, I will share
A true masterpiece!!! As a Jersey resident I had a lot of fond memories at the park so thank you for telling its story
Sooo many neat memories of going there with Youth Group growing up in the Summers. I adored the log flume and that wooden coaster was something, oh my goodness, what a ride (hope that's reconfigured as well as some of the other original wood structures), but overall, a very good time!! (It was also affordable enough that families from pretty much all income levels could go to it. That's a big plus for the state as NJ is incredibly expensive.)
I have been to Clementon Park so many times as a kid and I am really glad it didn't die
Excellent work. Tom Rebbie is one of my favorite people on the planet
I want the jack rabbit back so bad. Working there from 2009-2017, I’ve had countless people tell me how much they miss it too. Gene please bring it back
Amazing documentary. I greatly enjoyed it and waited so patiently for this. So much footage I’ve never seen before. Amazing job.
Thank you again for the support. I wish Gene luck, and if it can happen, I’d love for the Jack Rabbit to return!
I worked there off and on from 1973-1985 mostly on the Jack Rabbit when it still had manual brakes. Very nice film.
this is absolutely brilliant. the whole time i just kept thinking “i went to school down the street from there! i used to pass it on the way to work!thats my park!” and my heart was hurting up until the very end, since i just moved back to the area after spending some time in the city and hadnt heard much about it since. thanks for letting me know it’s awesome history. here’s to a great summer season, theme park nerds! i’ll see u at clementon park!
also forgot to mention your cinematography here was awesome as well. loved all the still shots of the empty park, really felt like a ghost town
Very well done. I can walk to the park if I wanted to & very happy it is back open. I met my wife working there as a ride Op in 09’.
Thanks for the history. I just moved here and knew very little about the park. Looking forward to checking it out in person!
Congratulations on this documentary! The amount of effort that must have went into this shows, very well made!
Great production......I noticed Mr. Staples responded as well!
Having growing up in Camden, NJ, I was there a WHOLE BUNCH of times!
What a rollercoaster!Thank you for great documentary. So there is hope. We wait and see. I was there ones about 24 years ago. It was a family day for Marriott employees. Good times... Thank you for dedicating so much time for this documentary. Congratulations!!! Wishing you a good luck in future recording of our history❤
This was a well planned, thought-out, and executed documentary--especially in spite of all setbacks and delays due to COVID. Fabulous job, Jason! 💯
THANKS JUSTIN!!! Worth the wait right?
@New Jersey Coasters Absolutely. Gained a new appreciation for Clementon after watching this--it'll definitely be in mind if I can manage a visit there at some point during the year.
I had the “honor” to work at this park during the 2022 season. I hate to say it but even with the new ownership, they have a long way to go before I will ever consider returning or recommending anyone else go. I primarily worked the dragon coaster and drop tower during my time there. The training procedure for ride operators is so terribly inadequate that it put a bad taste in my mouth from day 1. You’d be shown by one of the managers how to operate the ride, given a chance to do it once yourself, and then you’re operating the ride for the guests within an hour. The dragon coaster was a nightmare to operate, as the tires throughout its layout lacked tread and would slip constantly. I had multiple instances of the train not being able to make the lift with people on it and rolling back. The final nail in the coffin for me was the day where I, along with 2 other ride operators, were suddenly given lifeguard outfits and told
to act as temporary lifeguards in the water park because they were short on lifeguards that day. I got no lifeguard training. I’m unsure of the legality of that but it seemed incredibly irresponsible of them. Also didn’t like how the employee “lounge” was a pavilion with no cooling whatsoever. Not even a fridge for our food that we’d bring (cuz we didn’t get a discount for the in-park food). The TV wall mount without a TV that they stuck in there was a nice touch. As well as the box fan that we were told not to plug in. All the employees there were miserable and I understand why. I hope they get their act together because a park with this much history deserves better.
Awesome work! I can tell a lot of time and effort went into this- it really shows and pays off
Great documentary worked for Larry many times as well as 2011
Wow, the amount of work that went into this. Great job.
Amazing video! Great job, Jason!
Good job! History videos are better than the average park and coaster videos. Hope you continue your documentaries by staying in New Jersey and collect info on a little defunct park called Bertrand Island in Mount Arlington NJ. It had my all-time favorite flat ride called the Boomerang a more intense than it looks unique ride. It also had a very underrated coaster called Wildcat.
This is amazing! Great
documentary!
THE GOAT HAS ARRIVED
Wow. Great documentary. Loved going to this park as a kid. Jack Rabbit was my first roller coaster and the ride that made me an enthusiast. Thank you for this.
Very nice! So cool learning about the relatively unknown history of this small amusement park.
Thank you Marshall!
My parents owned a store only 1 block away from CLP back in the 80s and early 90s. They would take me and my brother to work with them often and we would go there at least 2-3 times a week.
I was so upset with "King Neptune" that's the year when they removed the "INDY 500" I was just tall enough to ride it. Jack Rabbit was about to go for the longest, the last cart use to jump up and down....boom boom!!!! I really was hoping someone have the "WHACKY SHACK" funhouse was so cool. Loved the "SALT N PEPPER SHAKER" ......"THE WHIP"....oooh yeah and the shuttle ride too was so cool...😊so many memories at CLEMENTON PARK!!!
*thanks for this documentary*
Been waiting on this documentary.
The wait is over! 🎉
I can't believe they closed the doors. 😢😢😢😢😢
@@byallmeansneccasary6884 Make sure to watch until the end.
Last thing was taught by Charlie on the old carousel how to jump on and off a moving carousel... ride controls were inside we started ride.. jumped on jumped off watched from outside lol than jumped on and got off inside to stop the ride...funniest thing Charlie had a limp ...best time ever under Larry baker era
Absolutely amazing work Jason!
Thanks so much!
Great content 🎉 I’m watching right now
Oh heck yea! Enjoy 🎉
I remember seeing people jumping off the log ride into the lake. I did enjoy having this down the street from me
I’d love to see Clementon Park improved into a bigger, better, and more impressive theme park when being acquired by Cedar Fair for an upcoming season!
Well done Jason!
great doc !! I had no idea this park had so much history attached to it. I feel bad for being so judgmental towards it on my singular visit 🥺🥺
Give it another chance, while I don’t love the amusement section currently, the water park is GREAT!
I’ve waited 2 years for this😊
Several things not mentioned were the speedboat rides and races during the 50s and 60s. Also, the Clementon Belle paddle wheel boat ride, the polarama dark ride, mirror maze, trabant and spider rides.
finally!!! i’ve been waiting so long!!
I worked there 1985. The Carousel is at the Louisville zoo in Ky.
Most of the rides from back in the day are gone I’m from Philly and this was the place too be back the ln
Fun fact, hellcat is named after the Grumman f6f dive bomber. Also way to go, you got the block zone king himself on here.
Hellcat needs GCI or Gravity Group to do a full retrack. Would be nice if they got Laser Loop over Niagara because the park is landlocked where Niagara is probably larger than Indiana Beach and Clementon combined
Yes
Thank you for this video, for a story I hadn’t heard.
Great doc. Thank you
5 years in the making right here
I’ve been dying to learn more about this park. Although I’m from NJ, I never heard of it until I became a coaster enthusiast.
Hey, it’s out, that’s all that matters 😅
@@acceleratedcreative Well needed documentary. More people need to learn about its history.
Great job! But what about the dark ride Polarama /Pacerama and the Whacky Shack walkthrough?
Sadly there is no real details on these attractions, or even photos that they existed.
This documentary only mentions things that we know were there and have proof of it.
Wow amazing Documentary. I'm planning on going here once the refurbishment of Hellcat is finished. IB parks has 3 parks so far and each is going through the normal building proccess which Makes Gene a lot smarter than former Sixflags executives(which i think some of them that ran this park ended up selling sixflags flagship park out of desperation when they was in charge)
Seems like this part and the other 2 are better off away from the former six flags management.
Really enjoying your content Jason! Great quality and professional videos. You've got some serious photography talent
You are too kind 😂
THANK YOU!!!! It really means a lot!
@@acceleratedcreative No thank you! It's refreshing to see this much care in videos these days
Thanks for a great documentary about a park that I used to go to all the time. My last visit to Clementon was back in 2008. Do you recall the name of the ride that was replaced by The Inverter? It was a spaceship that rocked back and forth and showed a small film narrated by a guy as we took a trip into outer space and the ship got attacked by creatures and monsters? It was fun ride that made everyone laugh and scream while they were on it. If you can find out the name of that ride for me I would appreciate it.
I don’t know what ride that would be. The early years of the 2000s didn’t have tons of coverage.
That was the Astroliner.
HOLLY CRAP THIS TV ADD TOOK ME BACK!!!! And I loved it. Oh no! i didn't know it closed :(
Watch till the end… always watch till the end… there is more to the story.
I been their with my family in 2015 and 2016.
Congrats Jason
I’m happy I got my Hell Cat credit even though the close to back row was ridiculously painful and rough the front row was crazy rough but actually quite fun
I liven in Blackwood and only went there one time. It was back in the 50s and the place was kind of seedy. I really enjoyed the doc and it looks like they put a lot of effort into trying to keep this thing alive. I had heard that it was closed permanently but cannot verify. Anyone know the current fate of the park?
Make sure to watch until the end 🙃
NJ coasters with an opening video of Boulder Dash in Connecticut
My most popular video ever is at the beginning. I don’t argue with the views 🤷♂️
THATS ME OPERATING THE TRAIN AT 10:57
Nice 👍 great video
Does anyone remember a ride called POLARAMA? It was a pretzel car dark ride.
FINALLY
Wow when was the last time Dennis McNulty did a coaster interview!?
Dennis has not worked for any amusement companies since the early 2000s. So it has been awhile, but he is still as enthusiastic as ever for the industry.
Good Work Brother. Subbed.
Much appreciated
Imagine a roller coaster in the only 1000’s of dollars today that would be awesome
I want the inverter to return
It’s still open tho
Just saying chance ferris wheel is really nice worked in rides many times latest in 2011. Many changes
Is the park open again?
Yes it is, watch till the end to learn more!
Didn't someone die on Hellcat?
No one has ever died on the Hellcat.
opening day may 20, 2023 :)
Yep! It says it at the end of the documentary!
I want to ride Hellcat
This is great the only information you have wrong is about the petting zoo and a couple of other things that did not happen in the early 2000s that happened in the '90s as I was there those dates are 100% wrong the petting zoo came there about mid-90s and the water park that opened when I was in Middle School again the mid-90s Splash World so some of the dates are wrong on this but other than that it is a good video but I would edit the dates for sure
This information is all sourced from a timeline provided by the Clementon Historical Comission, so I trust their judgement in all of these dates.
The park had a lot of flat rides in it’s early years
Sup eltoro Ryan