The Ames Fan Club

Entertainment => Family Entertainment Centers => Topic started by: Caldor1999 on April 08, 2005, 07:40:14 PM

Title: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on April 08, 2005, 07:40:14 PM
they were like Chuck E Cheese but better they had a buch of cool slides but thougs tunnels smelled really bad lol
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Jag67 on April 08, 2005, 07:54:57 PM
I have MANY memories of Discovery Zone. I went there constantly when I was little. There was one in Amherst, NY that we always went to. It was formerly a Leaps and Bounds until circa 1995 when it became DZ. They left everything exactly the same. I remember that place as if I was there yesterday. The very slippery white "Bubble pattern" floor, the colored balls floating inside tubes filled with water, the little kiddie area in the corner of the place, the tacky early-90's colors, the bubble lettering everywhere, birthday parties, having to wear those bracelet thingies, everything. I still remember the last time I was in it, in 1998-very early 1999, when I went with my friend Mike. I never thought it was close at the time. Oddly, EVERYTHING was left in the place. Pinball machines, air hockey games, skee-ball, the colored balls all over the floor, there were even signs and posters from Godzilla when it came out in 1998 inside!! Everything was left unchanged and perfectly in place, as if it closed one day and never re-opened. It sat this way for 6 years until late 2004 when it was converted into a gym.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: HoJofan206 on April 08, 2005, 11:32:30 PM
We had a Discovery Zone here in Evansville as well.  It was always busy when I was there with my nephew.  DZ left town around 2001 and the new place was a very dirty, unkept version of a DZ.  It closed about a year later and is now a "Deals" discount store.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on April 15, 2005, 10:38:37 PM
neqw pictures before they went bankruped in 1999
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on April 15, 2005, 10:39:58 PM
this place was so much better then chuck E Cheese and they did have a Rat 4 the avertisment:insane:
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on April 15, 2005, 10:40:59 PM
and hears some cool tunnles that smelled bad but were fun
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: shakethis1234 on April 16, 2005, 08:57:44 AM
Fun Escape is better
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Jag67 on April 16, 2005, 10:37:43 AM
Ours was quite different. Man, I wish I would have remembered to take a pic, but to a 7 year old I don't think that was the priority.

Caldor1999-You thing they smelled bad when they were opened, imagine what they smelled like after being closed for 6 years.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: df559 on April 17, 2005, 04:37:25 AM
The first Discovery Zone:
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Jag67 on April 17, 2005, 04:02:26 PM
Anybody know when that was built?
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: truviking05 on May 09, 2005, 04:18:55 PM
I practically lived in Discovery Zone from the ages of 4 to 6 :) A kid in my class even had a Kindergarten graudation party there...awesome. I loved DZ, especially this one little room filled with gigantic rubber bands styled like a giant rubbery jungle gym you had to work through. DZ workers had to help me out EVERY time lol. I remember this one slide with these rolling colored bars on it that banged the heck out of my heels...but it was all in fun :) We just got our yearbooks, and there's a pic of my ex-best friend emerging from a tunnel at DZ. Now my DZ is a plaza...I like the plaza tho, just wish DZ was still there so I could...AHEM...take my babysitting clients there...yeah, that would be a good excuse...lol.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on June 21, 2005, 03:11:33 AM
hears whats left of the former DZ i went to i last went hear in 1999 and i wanted to go that summer and i nodiced it was closed down and then i found out that they were all gone:(
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on June 21, 2005, 03:12:59 AM
hears the plazza it was in
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: d_fife on January 21, 2006, 03:25:31 PM
here is the discovery zone in rockaway nj (next to kids r us)

from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1137874679&subNum=10208000481
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: d_fife on February 19, 2006, 06:44:30 PM
here is the discovery zone in middle village new york

from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1140392601&subNum=10216000098
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: d_fife on March 03, 2006, 06:33:50 PM
here is discovery zone in north bergin nj

remember the lyrics of the jingle: discovery zone, discover what I could do on my own

from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1141428630&subNum=10208000326
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Ameskid on April 27, 2006, 02:53:30 PM
Oh my gosh! I LOVED DZ!!! I remember it was a big version of a McDonald's Playplace. I had a DZ foam ball somewhere, but lost it! Still very fond of it, and I will never visit Upchuck E. Cheesey again! Mine is now a car dealership.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: amesman on April 27, 2006, 03:29:41 PM
There used to be one in Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's now an Old Navy. There was also one in Poughkeepsie in the South Hills Mall. That one is still vacant.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: powersbt on April 28, 2006, 09:24:35 AM
Had one up in New Hartford as well. Our good buddy Justin Resnick sold some $29.99 twin mattress' in there for a while after DZ shut down. It is now the Avenue (clothes store??).

QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
There used to be one in Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's now an Old Navy. There was also one in Poughkeepsie in the South Hills Mall. That one is still vacant.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: dmx10101 on January 14, 2007, 02:22:03 AM
I loved going to this place when I was a kid. The plaza it was in was called Discovery Zone Plaza. I went there several times when I was younger. I remember half way throught the life of the place they did a major remodel and added a Men In Black Laser Tag, and extreme sports and games area and that cut down on the actual DZ maze part. which was kind of dumb because that was their signature piece but oh well.

Here's (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/2418/) a old commercial for DZ I remember it well

Here's (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/813/) an DZ commercial

Here's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_Zone) the Wikipedia article explaining its demise.

Here's  (http://www.whitehutchinson.com/leisure/familyctr.shtml) an article about Family Entertainment Centers including information on DZ.


Here's (http://www.whitehutchinson.com/leisure/articles/83.shtml) another article on DZ and soft play centers demise.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Scrabbleship on January 14, 2007, 06:34:24 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
There used to be one in Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's now an Old Navy. There was also one in Poughkeepsie in the South Hills Mall. That one is still vacant.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on January 14, 2007, 07:32:03 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Scrabbleship
QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
There used to be one in Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's now an Old Navy. There was also one in Poughkeepsie in the South Hills Mall. That one is still vacant.
i dont think its still vacant cause i dident see it when i went there
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Scrabbleship on January 15, 2007, 08:38:42 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Caldor1999
QuoteOriginally posted by Scrabbleship
QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
There used to be one in Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's now an Old Navy. There was also one in Poughkeepsie in the South Hills Mall. That one is still vacant.
i dont think its still vacant cause i dident see it when i went there

Somehow what I meant to say didn't post. The Poughkeepsie location spent some time as an extention of a local gymnastics school, with DZ's interior design largely unmodified, several years back, then it went vacant.

And could your sig be a little shorter and sensical...
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: amesman on January 15, 2007, 01:09:16 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Caldor1999
QuoteOriginally posted by Scrabbleship
QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
There used to be one in Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's now an Old Navy. There was also one in Poughkeepsie in the South Hills Mall. That one is still vacant.
i dont think its still vacant cause i dident see it when i went there

Yes, it is still vacant. Here's a picture, taken two weeks ago.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Ameskid on January 20, 2007, 07:18:36 AM
I remember the RetroJuynk full slogan:
DZ, Discovery Zone!
Discover what I can do on my own!
I can bounce, swing, crawl, or jump and climb,
DZ is one-of-a-kind!

Mine Was turned into a $9999 Or Less car dealership, which soon moved next door. Now DZ is a Lincoln-Mercury dealership.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Caldor1999 on January 20, 2007, 02:22:22 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
QuoteOriginally posted by Caldor1999
QuoteOriginally posted by Scrabbleship
QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
There used to be one in Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's now an Old Navy. There was also one in Poughkeepsie in the South Hills Mall. That one is still vacant.
i dont think its still vacant cause i dident see it when i went there

Yes, it is still vacant. Here's a picture, taken two weeks ago.

oh wow i didnetn see that when i went there wonder how the insdie looks
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on July 07, 2011, 06:16:56 PM
The DZ that I knew of on Sheridan Drive in Williamsville, NY is now a World Gym and I think it was originally a Leaps & Bounds, which was a competitor to Discovery Zone that was started by McDonald's in 1991. DZ bought Leaps & Bounds out in 1994
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on February 06, 2014, 08:22:53 AM
If I had the money I would bring Discovery Zone back with all the tube mazes and ball pit slides it was known for!  ;D
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: buzz86us on February 06, 2014, 05:25:16 PM
One of the little robots that would go up to kids from DZ Discovery Zone was on Pawn Stars. I have never set foot in one but I remember going by the one in New Hartford.
Funny I remember the slogan to be "DZ where kids wanna be"
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on February 16, 2014, 08:38:13 PM
??? Does anyone besides me remember the "Leaps and Bounds" fun center chain? 
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Hudsons81 on November 16, 2014, 10:45:54 AM
There was a Discovery Zone in the late 1990's in the Southgate Shopping Center in Southgate, Michigan. It was the first tenant to open up in the former Woolworth space after the entire chain closed in July 1997. It only lasted for about a couple years, then became a Sears Hardware, then that closed in late 2006 and sat vacant for a few years before it became Planet Fitness.

Up until I found that out today through here (http://www.downriverthings.com/answers-shopping.html), I didn't know DZ had any locations in Michigan.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on November 19, 2014, 06:57:35 PM
Now this baffles me, why do we have a Discovery Zone thread in the restaurants board? Discovery Zone wasn't a restaurant, it was a family fun center. Maybe we should have a "Miscellaneous" board in the retail section.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: EddieJ1984 on November 21, 2014, 09:19:38 PM
Quote from: Pikapower on November 19, 2014, 06:57:35 PM
Now this baffles me, why do we have a Discovery Zone thread in the restaurants board? Discovery Zone wasn't a restaurant, it was a family fun center. Maybe we should have a "Miscellaneous" board in the retail section.

I think that's a good idea, also could be for movie theaters, car dealerships and other type of establishments that don't fall into the store, supermarket or restaurant label.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on November 21, 2014, 09:24:09 PM
Quote from: EddieJ1984 on November 21, 2014, 09:19:38 PM
Quote from: Pikapower on November 19, 2014, 06:57:35 PM
Now this baffles me, why do we have a Discovery Zone thread in the restaurants board? Discovery Zone wasn't a restaurant, it was a family fun center. Maybe we should have a "Miscellaneous" board in the retail section.

I think that's a good idea, also could be for movie theaters, car dealerships and other type of establishments that don't fall into the store, supermarket or restaurant label.

Don't forget about banks!
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: ynkeesfn82 on November 21, 2014, 09:57:59 PM
Quote from: Pikapower on November 19, 2014, 06:57:35 PM
Now this baffles me, why do we have a Discovery Zone thread in the restaurants board? Discovery Zone wasn't a restaurant, it was a family fun center. Maybe we should have a "Miscellaneous" board in the retail section.

Here I am an admin of this forum and I had no idea what Discovery Zone was. I can probably add a board for Family Entertainment Centers. I can move the Discovery Zone thread into it. I can add a Chuck E Cheese Thread. We can also put in local Family Entertainment Centers too besides national chains. The board can be for both past and present places.

What about these indoor Bounce House places? Shall we discuss them in the board for Family Entertainment Centers? There are at least 2 of those type places in Connecticut. Jump an' Jammin' in the Forestville section of Bristol and Jump Zone in Canton (which also used to have a location in the 1/3 of the former Caldor in Waterbury).
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: ynkeesfn82 on November 21, 2014, 10:08:19 PM
Quote from: EddieJ1984 on November 21, 2014, 09:19:38 PM
I think that's a good idea, also could be for movie theaters, car dealerships and other type of establishments that don't fall into the store, supermarket or restaurant label.

Sounds like something for me to work on this weekend. Right now there is a Movie Theater Thread in the General Discussions Board under the Heading of Everything Else where I put the boards for Radio, TV, and Food. I'll probably movie the movie theater thread to the new board I'll create. Do we want both a general thread about movie theaters along with different threads for each different chain i.e. Cinemark (which operates under several different banners), AMC, Regal, etc?

There is also a "CHILD BOARD" under the General Board for Car Manufacturers.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on November 22, 2014, 05:56:53 PM
Didn't DZ used to have some sort of laser tag game theme around Godzilla?
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: dmx10101 on November 23, 2014, 08:06:46 PM
Quote from: Pikapower on November 22, 2014, 05:56:53 PM
Didn't DZ used to have some sort of laser tag game theme around Godzilla?

I remember them having a men in black them laser tag area. Maybe they changed the theme periodically.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on November 23, 2014, 08:28:02 PM
Quote from: dmx10101 on November 23, 2014, 08:06:46 PM
Quote from: Pikapower on November 22, 2014, 05:56:53 PM
Didn't DZ used to have some sort of laser tag game theme around Godzilla?

I remember them having a men in black them laser tag area. Maybe they changed the theme periodically.

My guess exactly, first Men In Black then towards the end of the chain's life Godzilla to fit in with the 1998 movie.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on November 26, 2014, 03:23:53 PM
I Can't believe that it's been 15 years already since Discovery Zone went out of business!
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: RLStern on March 26, 2017, 06:03:12 AM
Quote from: d_fife on February 19, 2006, 06:44:30 PM
here is the discovery zone in middle village new york

from http://www.siteride.com/srpl/p_snapshot.pl?lm=listing&resbox=1140392601&subNum=10216000098

That's really the discovery zone in middle village? Trying to make sure as I had some of my biggest memories there I don't recall two escalators being in the middle of the entrance what I remember is one escalator going up with stairs to come down, yet again it's been almost 20 years since I have been to the discovery zone in the metro mall in middle village, I 'remember playing laser tag in that room they had, I didn't shoot not even one lol

Anyways as I remember it, it was either the summer of 1999 or 2000 I begged my dad to take us as we hadn't been there in a while, I was a really young kid who loved this place, so we head to our family discovery zone at the metro mall(you driver to rooftop parking for caldor and toys r us or you drive down to back parking for discovery zone walbaums burger king and etc, the actual mall portion.

So we get there and usually there is an escalator that takes you right up to the discovery zone, however on this day there was a soda machine blocking the escalator stating that discovery zone is closed and that a new fun center entitled "jumping Jupiter" would be replacing it soon, my heart sank and I was crushed as a kid, I remember being in the car as we were driving home sad that discovery zone was closed,we soon started going to the chuck e cheeses thereafter.

I would love to relive this and get better mekory, is there any way I can get pictures from the metro mall in middle village from 1997-1999 not just exterior nut interior, remember calories there and of course discovery zone.

I looked up sec filings the discovery zone in middle villages metro mall was store number 246.

I have no idea whether jumping Jupiter ever opened up, but I do know that the discovery zone is now funtopia usa which is another family entertainment center which my older brother has taken his daughter/my niece to, it truly is wonderful how this place has served two generations in my family.

Anyways hope to find some way to see pics of the middle village metro mall discovery zone in better detail, if that pic truly is it then thank you.
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Amesguy2000 on March 20, 2018, 01:50:18 PM
Not sure but asking if that the Escapades In Muncie Indiana Was a Discovery Zone Probably not but its just like it sorta...
Title: Re: Discovery Zone
Post by: Pikapower on May 19, 2019, 02:57:28 PM
I think that the crawl tube playground is becoming an "endangered species" since many places like Chuck E. Cheese's and McDonald's have gotten rid of them because those kinds of playground were probably a cleaner's nightmare since those tubes were meant for kids. But it was adults who set up the tubes and maintain them.