Grand Island, NY (WBEN) Members of the American Coater Enthusiasts are lamenting the closure of Fantasy Island, as they note a number of smaller amusement parks are going away around the country.
Rus Ozana says he received word on Tuesday about rides being sold. "We became aware of the rides going up through Apex, the park owner," says Ozana. "That's a red flag when you see a lot of the flat rides on the list, this is not good."
Ozana says his fondest memory at Fantasy Island is riding the Silver Comet roller coaster. "The Silver Comet is a great loss because the company that makes it did not make that many coasters," says Ozana. "It is a great ride. It ran beautifully, and the Silver Comet is a great loss not only to Fantasy Island, but to the entire coaster enthusiast community around the world." Ozana made a couple of visits from Massachusetts in the last decade. "We would have exclusive ride time where they would open the park early or late for us to ride the coasters for an extra hour. The Silver Comet wasn't the tallest or fastest coaster in the world, but it was the perfect coaster for Fantasy Island."