Building a Krofftian World
The World of Sid and Marty Krofft—as the park would be called—was coming along. It was a “culmination of a lot of dreams,” as Marty Krofft put it, with a blend of original ideas and concepts from their TV shows.
In the early plans, guests would enter through a curtain of leaves hung from giant mime statues, which would pull away to reveal the park. Other unused concepts included thrills like a junior roller coaster with spectacular views of Atlanta’s skyline, as well as more tranquil rides themed to garden creatures like caterpillars, frogs, and butterflies.
Even though some ideas never made it off paper, other exciting attractions that reached new heights were under construction—such as a record-breaking escalator, a human pinball machine ride, and an H.R. Pufnstuf ride.
Sid and Marty were going to great lengthscreating a Krofftian world, but they couldn’t do it alone. Off site, hundreds of employees at the Krofftshow business factory in North Hollywood were fabricating the World, its attractions, equipment, and scenic elements. The park’s engineering director, Bob Symons, headed up a team of 35 former aerospace engineers.
The project designer, Steve Ehlers, had the task of decorating the brutalist downtown building with the signature Krofft look. Ehlers lost his eyesight due to an accident during development, which inspired the 1978 movie Love’s Dark Ride, but the team continued his creative vision.
“We have a lot of wonderful people…You could not have built this world of fantasy here in Atlanta without creativity.”
Marty Krofft, WSB-TV, 1976
The creations were shipped by way of about 200 trucks from California to Atlanta where they were installed in the Omni by fall 1975.
The Krofft brothers could imagine wacky stories and characters, but the challenges of building a theme park went beyond their imaginations. Construction on the “high-rise world of fantasy” was hectic; the oncoming park’s progress had setbacks due to design changes earlier in development and a labor strike in Atlanta. Some stories suggest the park’s employees did work here and there prepping the park.
The World of Sid and Marty Krofft missed its once-scheduled opening date of January and later spring of 1976.
“In my wildest dreams, I didn’t think it was going to be this tough.”
Marty Krofft, The Atlanta Constitution, 1976
Once work resumed, finishing touches were made such as blocking off sunlight into the park’s dark rides and painting the transition areas between floors for a consistently colorful experience. No detail was too small at this point as construction continued until the park’s opening.
Press for The World of Sid and Marty Krofft was also ramping up ahead of its debut. The theme park newcomers launched a $1-million-plus joint marketing campaign with other nearby attractions: Six Flags Over Georgia and a safari park, Kingdoms 3.
“If Atlanta succeeds, we all succeed.”
Spurgeon Richardson, marketing director of Six Flags Over Georgia, The Atlanta Constitution, 1976
They promoted the park around the community with small events such as H.R. Pufnstuf being the grand marshal in a local Easter parade; ribbon cuttings; holiday productions; and a Krofft-designed mascot named Scorchy for an Atlanta Flames NHL game, which didn’t go over well with hockey fans.
As The World of Sid and Marty Krofft was nearly ready to make its debut, Atlanta was more than ready to experience it.
Previewing The World
The World of Sid and Marty Krofft held a dress rehearsal on Saturday, May 22, 1976. Workers and their families were invited to test out the park ahead of its grand opening.
The park hosted an exclusive preview following day, Sunday, May 23. The formal occasion featured a live orchestra performance and Olympian Peggy Fleming ice skating for the VIPs in attendance, such as Georgia’s governor and Atlanta’s mayor. Lyn Martin of The Atlanta Constitution said the new theme park transformed its high-profile guests into “delighted children.”
“The World of Sid and Marty Krofft surely is the most fantastic thing that has ever hit any downtown in the world.”
Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, The Atlanta Constitution, 1976
After years of development, $14 million, and a wealth of imagination, The World of Sid and Marty Krofft was all set for its grand opening.
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