When I just saw a reference to dinosaurs at Adventureland, I immediately thought of the Sinclair gas station dinosaur that used to be in the park near where the Frog Hopper is today.
Sinclair gas station dinosaur mascot in 1998.
But apparently that is not what was meant by Facebook group posters Dee and Anna.
They posted a photo today that would make a cryptozoologist giddy. It showed the twisted track of the Monster roller coaster with what sure does appear to be a dinosaur of some kind deep inside of it…
What do you see? (Photo compliments of Dee and Anna L.)
Is it April 1st again?
They took a ride on the Sky RideStorm Chaser to get a better look.
(Photo compliments of Dee and Anna L.)(Photo compliments of Dee and Anna L.)
It looks like we need to send out an exploratory team to see what is going on.
As mentioned in an earlier article, the circus is back at Adventureland. This year, it is being billed as Billy Martin Presents the Adventureland Circus. It is in a different tent than the one used in recent years by the Royal Hanneford Circus.
There is even a large Adventureland banner at the back of the tent:
Adventureland banner at the Adventureland Circus in 2017.
In addition to a nice new tent, the show also has a fancier lighting and sound system.
The ringmaster is Billy Martin and he has been there every year (as far as I know) since the circus first came to Adventureland in 1997. According to his website, he first got involved with the circus when it visited his town in New York in 1972. This eventually led to him joining the circus and becoming a juggler and ringmaster.
Billy Martin, ringmaster. And owner?
Based on a very brief conversation with Billy, my understanding is that this is now his show, and is not connected to the Royal Hanneford Circus. It still features many familiar acts from past years:
There were also other acts that I did not recognize from last year.
Billy said that each of the three daily shows would be a bit different, and then during the season, other acts would be brought in to keep the circus fresh.
With the recent closing of theRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, it is becoming rarer to see this type of variety show. Be sure to check it out when you are at the park next.
