North America's Worst Theme Park Just Got Worse...

After my very lacklustre visit in 2022, I concluded that Marineland, Niagara Falls might just be the worst theme park in North America. Now, years have passed and despite rumours of the struggling theme park finally closing down in 2024, they defied all expectations and indeed re-opened... however they did so in a very bizarre state. In my opinion, they somehow they managed to make their theme park experience even worse! Join me today as we take a look at what has changed and find out what the future holds.

Travel Channel - @BrightSunTravels

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Bright Sun Films 2024

Presented in 4K

*Note that all statements, unless stated otherwise in the video are my opinion. Do your own research and educate yourself on this park if you wish to get a full picture of the story. Do not attack this park based off of this video. Pls don't sue me.*

[torstenjensen]

This is the closest to a Roller Coaster Tycoon scenario park that we'll ever see in real life

[kriscynical]

I think it's an inadvertent testament to your skill as a filmmaker that you were able to get 16 minutes of worthwhile material out of that park, Jake. Man that place is just sad.

[hongkongzorro]

Worked at the park 20+ years ago, miserable experience. While the focus was on the whales and dolphins, the other animals in the park were equally abused. There was an offsite grazing field for "surplus deer". If a deer died in the park it was hauled off and tossed into open burn pits, then replaced with a live deer from the grazing field.

Part of the reason it should not be developed for housing is part of the attached land was used as a private dump. Decades of toxic chemicals, vehicle parts, trash, you name it are buried on the property. City council was well aware but have done nothing.

[anxiouscommuter]

When I was 11, my parents asked me if I wanted to go to MarineLand or Disney World, and my dumbass chose MarineLand. It’s my villain origin story.

[isaacthered]

This is the theme park a Russian novelist would write into their story as a metaphor for the pointlessness of existence.

[xtiantube]

the fact that the orca lived alone in that tank… for 12 years… it absolutely horrific

[davidgrainger]

I consulted with them in the 1970s. Halder, the owner, wanted a way to keep the dolphins alive for more than six months at a time.
I advised that the filtration system was inadequate and the animals urine was a huge problem. He refused to spend the money saying it was cheaper to just replace the dead.
It was a hellhole then, I am sure it has never gotten any better.

[Wnick]

"13 Belugas died in five years."

Just wow, what a sad and disgusting record to have for a single park

[chrisbelkosky]

There's a longstanding thing in Ontario where if a government official says the land is not getting re-zoned for something, it is absolutely getting re-zoned for that thing.

Belugaview Condos coming soon.

[overwhelmed_cactus]

"This would be the 13th beluga whale to die in the park-"
Me: oh that's awful
"- since 2019"
IM SORRY?? that's absolutely insane

Edit: why the hell is there an argument ab veganism in my replies rn???

[AmusementLabs]

To be honest I'm surprised this follow up didn't end with "oh yeah, and they banned me from the park too". This place is so shady and terrible.

[marybergquist]

this is a theme park with the same vibe as a dying mall, complete with a husk of a movie theater and a lingering petco reeking of piss

[SirAsdf]

Charging people 15 dollars to just walk around and look at depressed Dolphins is fucking disgraceful.

[MadMike]

Niagara native. I worked there for 2 years in my teens and, well, they didn't treat the human employees that much better than the animals. It was my first job ever and I was this wide-eyed kid excited to get out in the workforce at the time, and boy was that mentality shattered quick.

It was hell going to work every day. I was a rides operator and, on top of the guests being rude and trying to fight you all the time, the management was just as bad if not worse. We had one supervisor who was an alcoholic and she allowed one particular employee to get away with smoking weed on the job because she was sleeping with him. Our supervisors would never give us breaks, they'd never provide us with water on extremely hot days out in the sun, and they'd never support us when a customer complained. I'd have to stand there and listen to my supervisor write me up and chew me out over something the customer said that wasn't true. There was one time on Dragon Mountain where my supervisor yelled at my co-worker for going to the bathroom.

We as ride operators were also at the mercy of the rides maintenance team. The head maintenance guy would yell at staff in front of customers and make female staff cry out of sheer intimidation. I remember him chewing me out and accusing me of stealing a cellphone from a guest when I didn't do that at all, and didn't even apologize to me when the phone was found on the ride. I remember seeing one rides maintenance guy physically assault an employee because he wasn't standing in the right spot, and then he got that poor guy fired when he talked back at him for it. That same guy came up to me and yelled at me for not working... when it was raining and we were unable to operate the rides...

I'm barely scratching the surface here. I don't even want to get into the picnic table behind Dragon Mountain's entrance where employees would do drugs and/or bang. It was fun going up there to clean and picking up roaches and used condoms all the time.

I know there are people who would be like "just quit if you don't like it" but that's just not realistic. We all need to work in order to survive, and spending 8 hours of your day at work is hard enough. Nobody should be spending those 8 hours of their day being mistreated and mentally abused.

Let the place die.

*EDIT*: Nice to see responses from others that worked there. For legal reasons, I'm not going to name names nor will I give away the exact years I worked there. Thank you.

[maisiehates]

The omission of the whales from the logo leaving just a deep red stain behind is so on the nose

[curseyoujordanshow]

Marineland was one of my absolute favourite places in the entire world when I was a kid. A few years ago, after hearing lots of rumblings about how the park might be closed soon, I made a visit for the first time in several decades as I thought it might be my last chance to do so. The experience was one of the most depressing of my entire life. It was like someone reached into my head, ripped out the happiest memories I've ever had, and then set them on fire in front of me and forced me to watch.

[jeroenvermiljoen]

Those 'do not enter' signs in all caps sure add that extra layer of warmth and friendliness.

[BubblegumPatty]

My crackpot theory is maybe all the rides were shut down bc all the ride’s failed inspection and they couldn’t afford or be bothered to front the repair costs. This dump’s days are numbered.

[nubbynz]

This park IS an educational experience... on how not to run a theme park.😐

[venomousnate]

“It’s barely an experience.”
Dude it’s barely anything. I never figured it was worse.