Follow the yellow brick road to a 'Wizard of Oz' theme park that opens for just a few days each year

28.11.2024 - 14:27 / thepointsguy.com

Opening a theme park at the literal top of a mountain may not sound like a good idea, but in fact, that was just the case when the Land of Oz debuted in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, in 1970.

Sitting at an elevation of 5,506 feet, the "Wizard of Oz"-themed park was initially created to generate year-round business for the ski resort town and celebrate one of the most beloved stories of all time. It launched to great fanfare and success, attracting record-breaking numbers of visitors in its first few years of operation.

Inside, parkgoers could walk a re-creation of the Yellow Brick Road, meet Dorothy and other characters or even peruse the park's collection of purchased memorabilia from the film, including Dorothy's iconic gingham dress. The theme park housed just one attraction: a ski lift that was turned into an artificial balloon ride to re-create the film's iconic final scene.

Sadly, a catastrophic fire in 1975 devastated much of the park and forced it to shutter its doors. By 1980, the Land of Oz closed for good, sitting abandoned atop the mountain — but that wasn't meant to be the end of the Land of Oz.

Former employees, known as "Ozzies," carried on the passion and kept the park's spirit alive. A reunion in 1988 led to newfound interest in the park and a brief reopening in 1991. That short return to Oz eventually led to what is now known as Autumn at Oz.

Now in its 31st year, Autumn at Oz takes place several weekends each fall and gives the public the rare opportunity to visit the once-abandoned theme park and directly participate in the "Wizard of Oz" story.

Eight live performances take place in 30-minute rotations throughout the day during Autumn at Oz. There are also photo opportunities with each character, as well as merchandise stalls and food stalls. Guests are encouraged to dress the part, and many come decked out as their favorite characters.

So, what is it like to head somewhere over the rainbow? I ventured to the mountains of North Carolina, just off of the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway, to find out.

The area is made up of steep, winding roads that are mostly lined with mountain homes, along with a few businesses. To manage crowds, guests must purchase timed entry tickets to visit the park — I arrived at the parking lot ahead of my time window.

Upon check-in to the mountain resort, we boarded shuttle buses that take ticket holders from the parking lot to the top of the mountain, where Oz is. There was also an option to take a chair lift; however, the ride isn't included in park admission and costs $22 per person.

The journey through Oz began with a path peppered with signs listing fun park facts. The first point of interest was the Judy Garland Memorial Overlook, a gazebo with stunning