Wizard of Oz theme park to reopen after years of abandonment

Wizard of Oz theme park to reopen after years of abandonment
Photo credit: Land of Oz

If your idea of a good holiday is to follow the yellow brick road, then you're in luck.

Land of Oz, a theme park entirely dedicated to the classic musical, is about to reopen after decades of closure.

The park isn't however in Kansas - it's actually in Northern Carolina.

When work began on the park in 1969 it was labelled the 'anti-theme park.' It wasn't about rides or rollercoasters - it was about giving visitors an emotional experience.

The park and its creators appeared to fall under spells of difficulty and tragedy just before it opened to the public. Grover Robbins, the passion behind the project, died less than a year after construction began. In 1975 there was a fire that took hold of Emerald City, destroying much of the attraction.

The doors were closed in the '80s and apart from a few occasional themed events, it remained untouched for years.

Now the park is reopening for extended sessions, allowing fans of all ages and from all around the world to put on their ruby red slippers and skip into an alternative reality.

You may need something more reliable and accurate than a rouge tornado to get you there. The fastest way would be to fly into Houston on Air New Zealand then head north-east to Beach Mountain in North Carolina. It's here where you will find the beginning of the very famous yellow brick road.

Newshub.