Movieland Museum in Buena Park is Closing

[Kevy Baby]

Orange County's Movieland Wax Museum opened in 1962 with all the hoopla of the place it was imitating — Hollywood. Searchlights combed the skies above Buena Park, actress Mary Pickford cut a ceremonial ribbon, and a freshly sculpted wax figure of James Dean greeted the guests.

But on Tuesday, citing increased competition from nearby amusement parks and shopping malls, the museum announced that on Halloween it would close. The owners said they also might close the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, directly across Beach Boulevard from the wax museum.

The news came as a shock to longtime and first-time visitors who were told at the box office that tickets would be discounted from $12.95 to $5 until closing day.
Full LA Times Story (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-movieland19oct19,0,799171.story?coll=la-story-footer&track=morenews)

[Not Afraid]

WOW! And I've never even been!

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

I think I was 10 the last time I was there. It's kinda cool. Wax figures. But, nothing I'd get an AP for.

$5? Not a bad deal. Maybe I'll go check it out one last time!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Geez, first Wild Bills, now the Wax Museum, and maybe Ripley's? Man. I hope Medieval Times is safe!

[Claire]

Geez, first Wild Bills, now the Wax Museum, and maybe Ripley's? Man. I hope Medieval Times is safe!

Right there.....you've named all the out-of-state tourist traps that I abhor!! My parents, grandparents, and well-meaning aunts and uncles have taken me to all of them over the years.....some (Wax Museum) many many times and oh how I hate them!

I can't stand those Ripley's museums. You know you're in tourist hell if you see a Ripley's. ;)

[mistyisjafo]

Geez, first Wild Bills, now the Wax Museum, and maybe Ripley's? Man. I hope Medieval Times is safe!

That whole area has gone downhill in the last ten years. It's kinda sad. I've been to both the Wax Museum & Ripleys and neither were all that exciting. If you've been to Madame Trussodes in Vegas it out shines Movieland. Movieland is just so out dated.

[DisneyDaniel]

Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Buena Park is also closing Oct. 31, 2005. Its admission price has been reduced to $5 as well.

Both were places that were always "there," visible on Beach Boulevard as you headed toward Knott's Berry Farm, but Knott's was always the main reason for visiting Buena Park. For only $5 to visit each place, I guess I'll finally make a visit--for the first and last time.

Links to the two places:
www.movielandwaxmuseum.com (http://www.movielandwaxmuseum.com)

www.ripleysbuenapark.com (http://www.ripleysbuenapark.com)

[€uroMeinke]

All I can remember is the white booted Nancy Sinatra on a Harley - she was hot, and I was 10.

[Kevy Baby]

That whole area has gone downhill in the last ten years. It's kinda sad. I've been to both the Wax Museum & Ripleys and neither were all that exciting. If you've been to Madame Trussodes in Vegas it out shines Movieland. Movieland is just so out dated.Yeah, when they took out that Pussycat theatre, it's been all downhill since.

[Mousey Girl]

After reading this thread I got to thinking. I have been wracking my brain for an idea for Nickolas's 9th b-day. Having another party here is out of the question, David has his Willie's parts alllllll over the patio-no way for kids to get back there. I was thinking of 2 different pizza places, but it isn't really my thing. I talked to David tonight after checking out the Knott's website...we are going to spend the weekend at Knott's. We can get a 2 night stay that includes 3 days admission to Knott's for under $400. His surprise will be going to Medival Times one night for dinner and the show. I can only remember going there twice, once for Haunt 13 years ago and the other was just for dinner 17 years ago. I know there really isn't 3 days worth of things to do there, but this just means we will have plenty of time to relax (and do some shopping).

[lindyhop]

I think the last time I was at Movieland was when I was in junior high. It seemed so cool and exciting back then. And then it wasn't anymore.

[Not Afraid]

After reading this thread David has his Willie's parts alllllll over the patio-no way for kids to get back there.

Now, I know what you mean but, man does that sound wrong. ;)

[mistyisjafo]

Yeah, when they took out that Pussycat theatre, it's been all downhill since.

Don't forget the Porno-topia.

[Boss Radio]

On Halloween, do the wax figures wear real human lips?

[DisneyDaniel]

http://www.seeing-stars.com/Images/Slides/Movieland.JPG
http://www.orangecounty.net/cities/imagepages/WaxMuseum.jpg

I finally made a trip to Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park last Sunday, and it's actually pretty cool! I only wish I had visited the place prior to its impending closing after Oct. 31, 2005.

The visit inside the wax museum actually took several hours--for only $5 it's well worth it. The place is HUGE with hundreds of wax figures. There is a mini-set design with lights, costumes and props for each figure, and some of them are quite intricate and detailed, others with audio from the movie playing to enhance the setup.

Some of the better and larger TV/movie-scene recreations included:
--"The Wizard of Oz" complete with a yellow brick road
--"Bonanza"
--"The Poseidon Adventure"--a BIG walk-through with water, pipes, etc.
--Bruce Lee in "Enter The Dragon" with mirrors as you enter--similar to the movie
--"Spartacus"
--"Ben Hur" chariot scene
--"Doctor Zhivago" scene in the snow with horse-drawn carriage
--"Rear Window"--with actual movie props from the Jimmy Stewart film
--"Lou Grant"--a very detailed recreation of the newspaper office
--"Singing in the Rain" with actual water
--"Superman" inside a walk-through Fortress of Solitude, and the movie studio donated an actual Superman costume for the Christopher Reeve look-a-like to wear!
--Chamber of Horrors section with spooky lights, music and set design for many horror/thriller/action films, such as "Dracula," "The Mummy," "Frankenstein," "Creature from the Black Lagoon," "Alien," "Terminator," "Indiana Jones," "The Matrix," "The Exorcist"--Linda Blair's head is spinning-around, too!

There's even a DISNEY connection with a wax figure of WALT DISNEY and scenes from "Mary Poppins," "Snow White," and "The Absent Minded Professor"--with Fred MacMurray and Charlie the dog in a flying car.

My favorite recreation was the classic "Star Trek" display in its own section with all of the crew on a seemingly LIFE-SIZE Enterprise bridge!

Outside, there are handprints and footprints of celebrities in cement and dated to when they visited the place.

I took a lot of photos and will post them in the near future. In the meanwhile, what are you waiting for? This SoCal landmark is going away after Oct. 31. Yes, I really enjoyed the place that much and, no, I didn't get paid to write such a positive review of the place. :)

[€uroMeinke]

How long till the figure start appearing on Ebay do you suppose?

[TigerLily]

I think they are getting moved to san francisco.

[Kevy Baby]

I think they are getting moved to san francisco.From the original story:
Many of the more than 300 wax figures, movie sets and costumes will be auctioned off or shipped to the museum's thriving location at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.And nothing on eBay yet.

[DisneyDaniel]

Bump. Still looking for something to do for Halloween tonight? Today, Oct. 31 is the last day for Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park, CA. Closes at 6 p.m., but you may have at least an hour more time inside to still look around after closing time.

http://www.movielandwaxmuseum.com/news.html

[DisneyDaniel]

Update: Here's your chance to own some of the wax figures, props and movie sets from the now closed Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park, CA.

--Auction: Saturday, March 11, 2006, 9 a.m.
--Preview Days: March 4-10, 2006, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

For more info, go to:
www.movielandwaxmuseum.com