Evolution of America

Race to the Pacific

This attraction is an obstacle course for children ages 5+ to race against each other. The obstacles represent the various setbacks pioneers to the West experienced such as uneven terrain, disease, starvation, and depression. The race represents how the people during this time were racing for new opportunities for themselves and their families.

The race can also be used as a relay race to show how after most pioneers went West by themselves, they had to bring the rest of their family along with them. In order to create a stable living out in the new land, the rest of the family must also endure the difficult life of a pioneer traveler. Whoever makes it to there new lands the fastest gets more opportunity and choice.

Race to the Pacific

USA Pizza

Food Vendor

This family friendly restaurant is famous for it's USA shaped Pizza, to communicate the Patriotism of the idea of Manifest Destiny. Welcoming those of all ages, one large pizza can serve around 4-5 people in total. Other sizes, including small and medium are available to smaller parties.

Museum of new Plants and Animals

During the time that Manifest Destiny was a championed idea, the new lands were excitedly explored in order to generate maps and learn about the terrain. Naturally, new species of plants and animals were discovered and recorded. Along with pioneers, people like fur trappers and mountain men, some of the first people to really learn about the West contributed greatly to the knowledge of new organisms.

This attraction displays the various new species that were discovered during these expeditions. It also has a few biographies and journals written by the first pioneers to the West. Those who enter can learn more about and experience the excitement of Manifest Destiny during the time.

Museum of New Plants & Animals

Andrew Jackson

After Andrew Jackson's election, the idea that the entire stretch of the North American all the way to the Pacific belonged to whites in America started to come to the forefront. After Jackson issued the Indian Removal Act, this further solidified the idea by reserving the land for Americans by moving Native Americans away. He should be seen wandering around the Manifest Destiny section of the park trying to appeal to the common man and convince everyone to vote for him in the upcoming presidential election.

Roaming Character 1

Steamboat Simulation

This ride is an virtual reality ride that holds a maximum of 15 people at once. With high quality visual graphic, the rider in front "drives" the steamboat through a wild river to deliver a certain amount of goods. There is also a repair team responsible for repairing any damages done by rocks or currents as quickly as possible before the boat floods.

The ride simulated how when a steamboat was first invented, it would be used to go against the stream to deliver trading goods faster. The riders are graded in a system of points based on how much damage is done tot he boat and how many trade goods are lost. Kids of ages 9+ can enjoy this ride.

Steamboat Simulation

Food Bar/Buffet

The Food Bar consists of moving lines of different dishes for anyone to enjoy. Once a customer inputs their order into the system, the moving bar send the food to their seat. This sort of imitates the moving lines during the era of industrialization when factories started to become more and more common. The food bar consists of various American comfort foods, such as burgers, mac n cheese, chicken, etc.

Food

Bar/buffet

Railroad Tour

This ride is an enjoyable, calm ride for families of all ages. It gives a tour of the entire park and goes at a speed slow enough for those who easily get motion sickness. The train can sit a maximum of 20 people, with 4 people to one cart and 5 carts in total.

With the development of the railroad industry during the industrial revolution and throughout America's history, the ride gives a view of how useful the new technology was to the economy. The national road connected all parts of America just like how this ride connects all parts of the park.

Railroad Tour

Dodge Ball

Dodge ball is a family friendly activity where the two opposing teams try to eliminate as many team members of the opposite team as possible. Team 1 gets double the amount of balls while team two gets double the amount of people. This creates an inbalance parallel to what the natives and white protestant Americans faced.

The double amount of balls one team gets represents the advanced weapons the colonists and their descendants had against the Natives. The larger amount of people on one team represents a larger population the Natives had at the time. This dodge ball match is a fun way to portray the two sides throughout history and how each had different advantages.

Dodge Ball

Land Darts

Land darts is a simple, well known game where the player gets a certain amount of darts and tries to hit as many balloons as possible. In this case, the player is given a total of 10 darts and the ballons are each labled as sections of land. It takes at least three darts to "take over" a piece of land. Stuffed animal prizes are given to players who get the most land or hit the most ballons.

The darts and sections of balloons imitate the race to conquer more land and move of Native Americans. Once land is "conquered", or hit by three darts, it becomes a part of the country's territory. In return, more land for agriculture or a stuffed animal is given as a reward.

Land Darts

Swinging Boat of Power

This ride represents the lasting questions of state versus federal power. Sometimes, court decisions like Marbury v. Madison swing the power towards the federal government, and sometimes questionable policies like the Nullification Crisis sway the power in the direction of the states. The foundation of the United States of America was built on the idea of avoiding tyranny, but also being a stable country with a powerful economy. Therefore, many had different opinions on what the next steps for the country were.

This ride sits a maximum of 25 people while is swings back and forth just like the power of the federal versus state governments. All adults and children ages 12+ can enjoy this ride, those 8+ need a guardian.

Swinging Boat of Power

Ferris Wheel of Rights

The Ferris Wheel of Rights is almost like every other standard Ferris Wheel ride. People of all ages can enjoy this ride, anyone under the age of 10 with a guardian. The Ferris Wheel lights up at night with brightly colored LED lights.

This Ferris Wheel is slightly different from the usual Ferris Wheels, though. Each cart represents one of the rights in the bill of rights that those who advocated for state power over federal power demanded. If these rights were not included in the constitution, it likely wouldn't have been approved at all and early America would have stuck with the Articles of Confederation.

Ferris Wheel of Rights

Debate Cafe

This Cafe is on the corner of a street in the park, and includes coffee and other hot beverages, as well as food, snacks, and desserts. All families can rest here together and get refreshments. What's special about this cafe is that it's not only a food cafe, it's also a debate cafe.

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson during his time and work in politics was an avid advocate for state rights over federal power. He dreamed of an agrarian society where tyranny wouldn't exist. Jefferson should be seen around the Federal Vs. State Power section of the park, delighted at Hamilton's absence and taking the opportunity to promote his brilliant visions for future America.

Jefferson mostly opposed Hamilton's policies that advocated for a stronger central government and policies that favored national power over state power. He represents the question America struggled with of the level of power between the Federal government and state governments.

Roaming Character 2

Laser Tag

Laser tag is an average game you see at every event, mostly for kids and adults alike. For this park, the players are split into two even teams, the North and the South, to represent the opposing opinions on the expansion and continuation of slavery. It also shows how the growing political tensions associated with slavery eventually tore the country apart and turned both sections of the same nation against each other.

This game requires at least 10 players on each team, 20 in total to start a game. Children over the age of 11 can participate. Once someone is "hit", they are prohibited from playing for five seconds, and points are deducted from the teams overall score. Once the game wins, the team with the most points wins!

Laser Tag

Emancipation Proclamation Splash Boat

The Emancipation Proclamation Splash Boat represents the breaking of slavery in the Confederacy states during the civil war and turning the war into not only a political fight, but also a moral one. When the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln, many slaves escaped from the South and joined the union army, to fight for abolition as well as union. This ride represents the gigantic turn table impact of the announcement Lincoln made in 1863 with a big splash.

Riders must be over the age of 7 and those under 12, with a guardian. The ride starts small with a few smaller waves and various historical displays, as it take the rider through the events of the civil war. At the end, the boat climbs a tall hill and the riders prepare to be splashed with an impact the same volume as the Emancipation Proclamation.

Emancipation Proclamation Splash Boat

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was one of the major advocates for abolition of slavery and became famous through his various antislavery speeches, writings, and memoir. Along with Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, Douglass became one of the leading figures in the abolition of slavery, as an escaped slave from Maryland himself. Therefore, he is the perfect representative figure for the history of slavery in America section of the park, and should by either out and about making big speeches or on his chair writing.

Roaming Character 3