The Amusement Park

We all know what an amusement park is. Or do we?
Why is it that some parks become beloved places and others never quite capture the imagination?

    Eminent social U.S. historian Russel B. Nye proposed that there are eight different and unique ingredients necessary to produce a successful American amusement park.   How these eight ingredients are balanced, mixed, combined, and manipulated determines both the personality of the park and, ultimately, its success or failure.

    Throughout the history of every park, decisions have to be made regarding the proper mixture of these ingredients. These decisions often fall, ultimately, to one individual. At that moment, the entire future of the park rests on his or her shoulders and vision.

    In this two-hour PBS television documentary, we will portray eight men and women who were the pivotal decision makers during the twentieth century for eight American parks. By chronicling the decisions they faced we will explore the development of the amusement park in the 20th century.

    In summary, this show is about the people who made the decisions that shaped what parks are like today. By examining these people, and the decisions with which they struggled, the viewer will develop an in-depth appreciation of the history, complexity, uniqueness, and magic of the American Amusement Park.