Land of Oz at Beech Mountain: Tickets On Sale

CHARLOTTE, NC -- If you've ever dreamed of following the yellow brick road, now is the time to start planning a trip to Land of Oz in Beech Mountain, N.C. The small family-owned Wizard of Oz-based theme park, which Travel and Leisure has called "eerily amazing," is only open for special events and is opening its gates for one weekend in September.

For many visitors, the history of the theme park is as much of a draw as the immersive movie schtick. Land of Oz opened in 1970, reportedly drawing visitors from all over the country. Actress Debbie Reynolds was on hand for the ribbon cutting, along with her daughter Carrie Fisher, according to the park's site. A decade later, however, park closed after hitting hard times after its owner died, and the park was damaged by fire and vandals.

While the park may be rooted in fantasy, the yellow brick road winding up Beech Mountain is definitely real. It's constructed of 44,000 actual yellow bricks, Travel and Leisure reported.

Here’s what the park says about it’s upcoming event Sept. 7 - Sept. 9, 2018:

Join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the TinMan, and the Cowardly Lion at the Land of Oz for the Annual Autumn at Oz Festival. Guests are invited to visit, re-live, and celebrate one of North Carolina’s hidden gems nestled amongst the Appalachian Mountains for this 3-day event in September.

Based off the novel by L. Frank Baum, Oz is complete with the Gale’s Kansas farm, twister, and an actual Yellow Brick Road. Along the way the Munchkins, Flying Monkeys, and even Toto will greet you, too!

Autumn at Oz features all of the characters from the beloved story, petting zoo, museum exhibit, performances in Kansas, new Emerald City layout, vendors selling Oz collectibles, new surprises every year - and much more!

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Things to know about a Land of Oz visit:

• Tickets for the September event, "Autumn at Oz," can be purchased here.
• Tickets are $40 each, plus tax and timed
• Access to the park is by chair lift up the mountain
• Land of Oz is on Beech Mountain, which is about 3 hours outside of Charlotte

Photo via Shutterstock