Number of U.S. Amusement Parks

[MestnyiGeroi]

OK, this is a factoid I heard in a TV doc on amusement parks, so I don't have further details (but I can identify the doc). Being a dork, I'll pose it as a question.

The iaapa says there are about 400 amusement parks in the U.S. today; this 1999 doc claims there were about 600 in 1999.

So the question: How many were there in the U.S. in 1919?

A. 55.
B. Over a hundred.
C. About 600.
D. Almost 2000.

 

[CanobieFan]

Everything between this page - https://rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=3&ol=59&page=1&order=8 and the second park on this page https://rcdb.com/r.htm?order=8&ot=3&ol=59&page=11 ...so that would mean RCDB lists 242 parks that were open in 1919 or earlier, in the US

And of those 242, 37 are still open today.

 

[MestnyiGeroi]

Everything between this page - https://rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=3&ol=59&page=1&order=8 and the second park on this page https://rcdb.com/r.htm?order=8&ot=3&ol=59&page=11 ...so that would mean RCDB lists 242 parks that were open in 1919 or earlier, in the US

And of those 242, 37 are still open today.

Is that counting only parks with coasters?

Anyway, the answer, according to the 1999 PBS documentary Great Old Amusement Parks, is D., almost 2000.

See 1:47

 

[Mack]

This is likely including trolley parks that usually lasted maybe a couple seasons and had no actual roller coasters. The trolley companies sought a way to make money on weekends and making "trolley parks" was a way to do just that so as to make profit not just Monday-Friday. But this is all before centralization and central record-keeping.

If someone claims to know how many parks there were in 1919, I would be very interested in if they pulled that number out of their own ass or someone else's ass.

 

[MestnyiGeroi]

This is likely including trolley parks that usually lasted maybe a couple seasons and had no actual roller coasters. The trolley companies sought a way to make money on weekends and making "trolley parks" was a way to do just that so as to make profit not just Monday-Friday. But this is all before centralization and central record-keeping.

If someone claims to know how many parks there were in 1919, I would be very interested in if they pulled that number out of their own ass or someone else's ass.

It'll have to remain a bit of a proctological conundrum, I'm afraid, as the doc gives no information as to sources.