The Abandoned History of Jazzland/Six Flags New Orleans | Expedition Extinct 

I realise it was a Vekoma Boomerang with Arrow Trains but i am working on a arrow coaster script along with this and didn't realise i said the wrong one! Sorry :D ;)

"Six Flags New Orleans is now a water park" Absolutely savage.

Oh my God. Somehow I've never really thought about segregated amusement parks. That's just incredibly sad, damn.

Thanks for reminding me that Mr Six Flags was an actual marketing strategy and not some old man that haunted my nightmares haha

God, that ad with the dancing Six Flags man really took me back. Great video!

Went to new orleans for a cruise 2 weeks ago. Rode by the old park. We all removed our hats and observed a moment of silence as we passed.

This will always be one of the saddest theme park stories ever. I still remember the picture of the Spongebob Ride under water. But as far as abandoned spots for urban explorers? This is one of the most well known around the world.

Awesome job on this video!! I'm from New Orleans, and as such I went to this park as a kid a few times. It was great because the nearest theme park of a comparable size was otherwise a 6-8 hour drive away (the also now-defunct AstroWorld in Houston, Texas, or another Six Flags in Atlanta, Georgia). Interestingly, AstroWorld closed just about 2 months after Katrina as well. I remember being in kindergarten and begging my parents to take me to Jazzland, though by the time I ever actually got to go to the park it had turned into Six Flags. The Mega Zeph was super rickety but tons of fun and I remember those goddamn bumper cars making me cry because I didn't know how to use them properly LMAO. The flying swings were always my favorite. I work in the film industry now, and my first day on a set actually took place here for NCIS: New Orleans (S4 EP3). It was incredibly eerie walking around the tattered remains of my childhood. At one point we walked up to the ice cream shop in the Looney Tunes portion that had all its windows shattered, and I definitely remember a hot summer day in 2004 getting ice cream from there. I had to help clear the broken glass and debris out of the ice cream shop so we could place equipment in there. It was such a strange feeling. It really gives you post-apocalyptic vibes.

Waves of nostalgia came flooding back as I watched this video. I'm from NOLA, and I remember my dad taking me there some weekends, even when it was still Jazz Land. I still have basketballs I won from the carnival games that have the old logo on them. I remember how much I loved the Batman coaster and Spongebob ride after it became Six Flags too. Ugh, damn Katrina..

Oh boy, I've been waiting for either you, Yesterworld, or Defunctland to cover this park!

This was my home park and i worked there for a time. This park was definitely built in the wrong location but it still had a chance untill Katrina witch not only took out this park everything i ever know and lots and lots of other people lives. thank you for this one!

Why does it seem like whenever things get a little difficult Six Flags just throws up their hands and takes off? That company has no determination or drive at all which is why they are considered one of the lowest preforming companies in the entertainment industry smh

Thank you for the Mr. Six commercial nostalgia. Thank you

I had season tickets for the inaugural year in 2000. What I remember most was the oppressive humidity and no shade to be found. They must have clear cut all of the trees in the park to facilitate the construction. The only saving grace was most of the rides had misting water pipes overhead in the queue lines. That kept the temperatures down about 15 degrees. Without that I'm sure we would have suffered heat stroke. Funny thing is now there are lots of trees now that the park is closed.

I’ll bet money that the ad at 7:45 gave some people seizures. This park is such a tragedy, and you did a great job on its history.

So much nostalgia! I was a little kid when I first visited jazzland then later six flags. My aunt and cousins lived nearby in Slidell, and they would take me when I would visit them. They are also the reason I got to go to Chuck E. Cheese lol.

Six Flags New Orleans: "We need to add a water park next year." Monkey's Paw: "Granted."

Thank you for making this my dads family live in Louisiana and I went to the park right before close down for the hurricane season before Katrina.

I live in Louisiana and seeing the remains of Jazzland just over the hills whenever me and my family drive to New Orleans just depress me.

My family had season passes to Jazzland, and my brother worked in the ski show for several years. This video brought back so many memories that we no longer have. Our family home in Pass Christian, MS was destroyed in Katrina along with many pictures and home movies. Some other reasons Jazzland struggled from the beginning were rain-out days and extreme heat. People don’t realize how damn hot it is in South Louisiana in the summer (especially in a sea of concrete) and how often it rains. Many days we wanted to go were rained out or the park closed early. I also remember tons of maintenance issues and constant ride closures. Even as a kid, I was well aware that it wasn’t a fully-functioning, well-oiled-machine of a theme park. Thanks again for making this video!

I was able to visit both versions of the park growing up. Both had a lot of problems. The biggest ones I remember being was the lack of shaded areas and the horrendous Batman stunt show. However I did enjoy both and it was nice having a full theme park only a couple hours away. I had always hoped the park would rise from the ashes, but sadly I doubt we will ever see its revival.

I saw this place in person 10 years ago, when NO was still rebuilding. Very sad... nice story and video. The place you're talking about, the Eastside, still have FEMA trailers and tarps on there roofs...to this day...

This is the first site I saw an abandoned video on that started my interest, it was Jake and BSF. It's such a sad tale, and I doubt anyone will do anything with it because of the crime and the swamp land.

I never knew that Goliath at fiesta Texas was the same ride that went through hurricane katrina. I rode that when I visited San Antonio and now that I know that I feel like it was a honor to ride it. It’s a smooth ride🤟🏼

the fact I have rode goliath multiple times is insane to me. I didn't even realize it went through Hurricane Katrina.

I live around 20 miles from the park. Without having to take I-10 it would be 12 miles. I pass by it A lot. I feel tears coming out. That park was a future to everyone.

Dude you knocked it out of the park with this one! Great job.

What a time to be alive. I was in middle school and I was deathly afraid of heights, but I went on all the field trips just to eat 😂 I loved it!

I live 2 hours or so away from this area. I went here once when I was maybe 6 or 7 but don't remember much of it other than the Mardi Gras section of the park. You can still see the taller remnants of the park driving by on I-10 which is sad. Hope they could tear down the wreckage and put up something new someday. Great video!

As someone from the New Orleans area, I'm glad you're finally covering this! I think it's a damn shame that not much has been done with the abandoned park.

I actually forgot you hadn't talked about SFNO yet! It's definitely among the most famous abandoned amusement parks, right up there with Pripyat and Nara Dreamland. I still hope to see the property redeveloped into another amusement park like what the Paidia Company has been trying to do, but that seems more unlikely as the years pass.

hurricane katrina more like hurricane tortilla

I have never clicked so fast. I can remember when Jazzland opened I was 13 years old. It was pretty much our Summer camp lol. We had season passes would get dropped off and spend the day and do it again the next day. I still feel so sad when I go back home and see the remains. Of the three Six Flags parks I would call my home parks only 1 still exists. Six Flags over Georgia. The other was Six Flags Astroworld which pisses me off how that ended to this day.

The dancing old guy was my favorite part of six flags. My local six flags is great adventure

What's kinda sad about this whole thing is that, on not-close inspection, Mega Zeph and the Hurricane coaster look all fine. Two excellent original coasters are just...gone, but still there.

And this is where Jurassic World was filmed. And subsequently destroyed by Pterosaurs

oh man, I would love to visit this place. Abandoned amusement parks are the absolute best and this place seems pretty damn intact despite the devastation that it suffered.

I’m sorry, but you are THE BEST park history channel! Thank you for such rich content; it’s like a nostalgic wave washing over me!

Great job once again. Thanks for the credits!

Great work, Sam! There’s a lot of abandoned Six Flags exploration videos on but not much dedicated to the park’s history. This was a great subject choice so I hope it brings a lot of views!

Ahhhh I’ve been waiting for this! Even though I live in Louisiana I never got to go 🥺 Thank you for making this!!

Thanks for touching on the existence of segregated theme parks. We've come a long way, though we still have far to go. You did a great job with this video. Thanks, again.

Thanks for being delicate with recounting Katrina

You did such an amazing job with this video!!! I remember having to fly out to Gulf Port to be with my brother and his family immediately after Katrina for moral support... and, looking out the aeroplane window to see the New Orleans lights that would usually be greeting travellers, and all I saw was darkness, I will always remember that. Awwwe, Sam you're just the best and what you do is appreciated beyond all measures!

You know, this is amazing that I watched this. I live right next to the site of the “abandon” six flags and knew the basic story of it, but not all of this! Unfortunately, the city has now started to demolish it so it will be no longer existing.

I’m glad you included footage from news visiting the park up close while it was under water. I’m to this day very upset they couldn’t at least fixed it up slowly and opened it back up. I went there last year and security is very high.

FINALLY!!! This was my first experience with a rollercoaster riding the mega zeph. I live about 2 hours away and still stare every time I drive by. Crazy how things change in such a short time.

You should do a whole episode on six flags creepy old man mascot.

Once Mr. Six comes out, you know it’s getting real. Great video, like always!

Brings me back. Thanks for the great video! Went to this Six Flags religiously since I was only 40 minutes away, and I was always too small to ride the roller coasters. My last trip there they said "Next time is it!" There wasn't a next time.

Thank you for giving more comprehensive information about Six Flags Jazzland of New Orleans

Well there's one positive thing to come out of a flooded theme park... And that's all the awesome movies sets for sure.

"Ya like jazz?" -Barry Bee Benson

If you go on Google Earth and find this park, you can use the time slider to find images from August 2005, one taken before, and then immediately after that one, an image from after the hurricane. It’s honestly super creepy to look at them side by side.

Great Video. In case you didnt know, the other Vekoma Hurricane is still in Operation at Walygator Parc in France as Comet. Despite the Park changing hands and names several times over the years, it is one of the Parks Original Attractions. It is still running one of it's original Arrow Trains.

This one is my absolute favorite expedition and I watch it every few months. 💚💚💚

I didn't know the Sasquatch was originally in the New Orleans park. We go to Great Escape every year and we always ride that one first and 20 times after.

The first abandoned thing I've found when we first got internet at home. It's such a strange story. Great Expedition! 👍

Another great video, Sam! It's so crazy that this park has been abandoned so much longer than it was open! We drove to it when we were in New Orleans last summer, but didn't see much from where the entrance was blocked off. Oh, how I wish we had a drone then!

I live really close to that place! My parents and I drove up to it once, it’s so creepy. It’s amazing that they made Jurassic World there

it’s so strange to me that this park was only operated for 5 years. i was born in ‘93 and went a few times as kid so it felt like it had always been there. before this video, i had completely forgotten about the pirate 4d ride. but as soon as you said it i was punched in the face with nostalgia and how annoyed i was when it was changed to spongebob

Grew up going to both Jazz Land and Six Flags New Orleans. Ended up having to break out of our roof due to flooding in Katrina. Thanks for making and episode about it!

I was lucky enough to get to go here as a kid a year or two before Katrina hit. It was always kind of a pretty sketchy theme park, but it was fun because it was the only one around for miles. Something cool that I also wanted to mention is that the mardi gras parade float I ride in is actually a tribute to the old Ponchartrain Beach park. It was built only a few years back and is the largest in the world. Each different section of it is themed to a different ride from the park, including the Zephyr roller coaster.

Thank you for covering this Being from New Orleans, Jazzland and Six Flags: New Orleans was my favorite part of my cousins and I childhoods ❤

So they built a Jazz Themed park near New Orleans, put it near a decaying and low-income neighborhood, and then were surprised when it didn't hit its numbers. There wasn't anything unique about this park. When you're in New Orleans, where are you going to go to get that real New Orleans feel? Oh, a cookie-cutter amusement park.

Thank you for doing such a full and comprehensive video. Im from the area and have fond memories of the park. It was nice to see someone who is not a local take such care to do the research and tell the story. Great video..

I still find it weird how the same year when this park closed down in August, the same year here in Houston, TX right next to Louisiana they closed Astroworld 2 months later 🤔

Jazzland was built in a horrible place to begin with. That far into New Orleans East is essentially a built up natural wetland and is only really conveinent for day trips from Slidell or a portion of local New Orleanians. Ponchatrain Beach was more centrally located on the south shore of Lake Ponchatrain making it super easy for people to come from the north shore and from all over New Orleans. It didn't help that the original Jazzland had no shade built in and was intensely uncomfortable to visit in the summer. The whole site was paved and had no real landscaping to provide shade. That issue was only made marginally better when SixFlags bought it. They added shade to the queues but not the walking paths. Also, there is an established venue/theme/water park in the suburbs of Baton Rouge that is much more convenient to get to for the more affluent locals from Baton Rouge, the New Orleans suburbs of Metairie/Kenner, and most of the north shore of Lake Ponchatrain.

This brought back so many childhood memories I cry every time I pass it up thank you for sharing our city history

Now known as the land of hungry gators, cocaine and dead spring breakers

5:28 *cough* foreshadowing *cough*

Such a tragedy fr fr 😔😭. Can’t believe this happened to Jazzland Six Flags. Like come on everybody seemed so happy and the park was doing so good until hurricane katrina killed it. Rest In Peace to a park that was gonna become a park for the near New Orleans future but was tragically taken away.

Is anyone else still heart broken about what happened to this park? Am I the only one in 2020 crying over all the wonderful memories this video brought back?

After watching the terrible Super Bowl LIII halftime show, a new Expedition is definitely what I need. Thanks.

Wow, I thought I had heard everything about this park. The attention to detail and research you did on this is amazing.

Thank you for covering this. This park’s demise and current state has been fascinating and you did a great job covering it.

This has to be one of my favorite videos by you. Really well done, and it really is a shame what happened.

Crazy, just realized I visited this place just prior to it's closing! I remember the Catwoman's Whip made me sick for at least an hour. That's when I figured out i can't do spin rides...

Oh god that Spongebob clip freaked me out!

I’ve been watching videos about this Six Flags for a while now. It wasn’t until recently that I got to visit the park in person. Didn’t actually enter ofc, but we saw from the main road and outside the fenced off areas.

all of my extended family lives in NOLA and whenever my parents would drive us to stay for events we'd know how close we were and got so excited seeing the park... now whenever we visit you can see the broken-down park from the interstate and even see the waterlines from Katrina on the rides and buildings surrounding it. pretty sad

Yesssss! I’ve been waiting for this!

I learned alot watching this one. I visited Jazzland twice and was looking forward to visiting Six Flags but Hurricane Katrina 🌀 touched down.

Such an epic Video about a sad story in Theme Park History. I love all this footage 12:25, it is impressive and scary at the same time.

Fun fact: as far as I can tell, I am the last person to ever complete a circuit of the Mega Zeph. As part of an urban exploration of Six Flags New Orleans, I managed to navigate the entire track circuit on foot in 2011. I would not recommend ever doing this, as it is illegal and I nearly fell off at times.

Aye, I’m so glad you did one on Jazzland. I asked a few months ago, but I figured there wasn’t enough information about it. This makes me really excited, my parents used to take me there as a kid all the time before we moved to Cincinnati after Katrina. Can’t wait to watch and keep up ur awesome work

This theme park could have still be opened right now, if it wasn't for that massive hurricane 😢 Damn you natural disasters!

Great episode!! I could watch your videos all day!!

I remember seeing this as Jazzland when I went to New Orleans numerous times before Katrina. I now wish I would have vist it once in my travels, but would still love to go explore, if I could do so without getting in trouble.

It’s such an eye sore right on I-10 for every new visitor to see. A lot of the city has recovered well and even improved during my lifetime post Katrina, but this place is just a haunting reminder every time I drive past it.

jazzland: *exists* Hurican Katrina: I'm about to end this man's whole career.

Louisiana is just too poor to make a theme park financially viable.

Omg I miss that old six flags commercial with the old man! They need to remake it !

You know this is super cool. Being from New Orleans my parents have told me s many stories about opening day of this place and I vaguely remember going there as a child and a horrific SpongeBob ride they had. They shot parts of both Jurassic world movies here as well as zombieland. Within the past year me and some friend have explored what’s left when we snuck in one day. I’d love to send you pics. Did you Know in the late 1950s that Walt Disney scoped and mapped out the slant to try to build Disney World here.

As someone who was born and raised in New Orleans, I can tell you that I never knew about this until four years after Katrina.

Awesome to finally see your coverage of this park!!! Very interesting to see! Oh and I would still like to see a small park in VA called Lakeside if you ever get to dig up info on it! ~Dawn

IM OBSESSED WITH THIS DOCUMENTARY!

"Closed for storm" Yeah you could say that

Another sad end to another, what looked like, awesome theme park. Very sad. Let’s not forget about the people who lost their lives and homes to Hurricane Katrina. Which I know you haven’t forgotten. R. I. P.

I would love to see your take on Geauga Lake/Sea World Ohio/Six Flags Ohio/Worlds of Adventure in Ohio.