December 17, 2022

YULETIDE AT OLD TUCSON

Old Tucson, 201 Kinney Rd, Tucson, AZ 85735

“Old Tucson (formerly Old Tucson Studios) is an American movie studio and theme park just west of Tucson, adjacent to the Tucson Mountains.  Built in 1939 for the movie Arizona (1940), it has been used for the filming location of many movies and television westerns since then, such as Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Rio Bravo (1959), El Dorado (1966), Little House on the Prairie TV series of the 1970s-1980s, the film Three Amigos! (1986) and the popular film Tombstone (1993).  It was opened to the public in 1960 as a theme park with historical tours offered about the movie filmed there, along with live cast entertainment featuring stunt shows, shootouts, can-can shows…as well as themed events. On Tuesday, September 8, 2020, Old Tucson closed indefinitely, with its future to be determined by Pima County. The decision to close the Arizona landmark "was made with a heavy heart," according to Old Tucson general manager Terry Verhage, who said in a news release that the theme park would have remained in business "if not for the COVID-19 pandemic." On April 5, 2022, Pima County selected American Heritage Railways (AHR) as the new operators of Old Tucson (aka Old Tucson Studios). It would be operated as Old Tucson Entertainment, LLC. The famous sister-site, Mescal Movie Set, was not part of the deal and will not be operated by the new AHR operators. This historic movie location and theme park will reopen on Oct 6, 2022, with the popular "Nightfall at Old Tucson" event followed by a new Christmas-themed event called "Yuletide at Old Tucson" on Nov 25, 2022. John Harper serves as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of American Heritage Railways and will oversee the property’s Executive Team, General Managers, and key employees. John has over 10 years in the historic preservation industry as well. They plan to utilize the facility not only as a theme-park but also reinstate its history as a filming location with the addition of sets, backdrops, sound stage, and pre- and post-production facilities in 2023.” – Wikipedia 

I don’t usually go to amusement parks and decided to visit Old Tucson mainly because I needed some Christmas spirit on a day when I had nothing else planned.  What I found was an old amusement park trying to be revived.  About one-third of the buildings were closed.  I only saw two references to the days of movie productions, the first was the description of the mission as a set piece that was used in several movies, the other a sign on a canon describing it as a prop used in a John Wayne movie.  There was a blacksmith demonstration, a model of a school building, and a sheriff’s office to explore.  I took a ride on the “Christmas Fantasy Train,” though I’m not sure where the fantasy was.  I rode while it was still light out, I think it would have been scary after dark.  I attended a performance of “A Yuletide Carol” in the Saloon.  The cute play was an old west adaptation of the A Christmas Carol put on by local actors.  The stunt show “Lights Out” was entertaining and some of the jokes were just corny enough to get me to laugh.  I took the “Hayride to High Chaparral,” on a dark trail to a house decorated with Christmas lights and then back down the trail in about seven minutes.  Oh, and I attended the lighting of the town’s Christmas Tree.

Of course, Santa was in the park.  Actually, there were two Santas, one at a gazebo where you could get your picture taken with him (of course, there was a fee for the picture); the other in “Christmas Cove,” which I think they were calling Santa’s southern workshop.  Here I could have gotten my picture taken with Santa by an “elf” using my own camera (but no fee).  I think the two Santas could have been confusing to young children, but who am I to say.

I did have dinner at Jake’s BBQ.  The chicken, potato salad, and cole slaw were pretty good.

For this being the first year, I was impressed with “Yuletide at Old Tucson.”  They are hoping to make this event an annual tradition.  If I lived in the area I would probably go back next year to look for improvements.