The Land Of Oz Theme Park - Autumn at Oz Review
Autumn at Oz is The Land of Oz’s premier event, typically held annually on several weekends in September. The Land of Oz is located in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, which is a popular ski resort in the winter.
Here’s our review:
Who should attend Autumn at Oz?
The park is family-friendly and appropriate for all ages. However, there are a couple of groups of people that will likely enjoy the Land of Oz more than others:
Fans of The Wizard of Oz - This probably goes without saying, but if you’re a fan of the 1939 MGM classic film or the books, you’ll want to visit the park. You’ll want to cosplay as your favorite character if you're a huge fan!
Theme Park history lovers and enthusiasts - The park originally opened in 1970, and was scouted by Disney representatives. Today, the park doesn’t have any rides, but originally it featured a balloon ride. One of the balloons is on display inside the park.
Is it worth the cost?
As of 2022, park admissions and add-on experiences may seem a bit pricy:
General admission ticket: $55/person
Scenic lift ride (add-on): $15/person
Alterantively, buses are provided to go up to the theme park from the Beech Mountain village.
Over the Rainbow Observation Deck (add-on): $6/person
Parking: free
When fees are included, you could pay $95.72 per person, which may seem expensive for an attraction in the North Carolina Blue Ridge mountains. However, you’ll want to remember that the park is nearly a full-day experience. A single-day ticket to Walt Disney World is currently over $100.
What’s the park like?
There are no rides at The Land of Oz unless you count the scenic lift ride (chairlift) up to the park from the Beech Mountain village area. It’s best to think of Autumn at Oz as a Wizard of Oz Festival that includes several tents with vintage and unique merchandise and a theme park with many mini-shows and photo opportunities.
Once you enter the park, you’ll be in Kansas, and then you’ll go through Dorothy’s house and end up in Oz. Eventually, you’ll make your way to the Emerald City. It’s well-executed. Along the way, you’ll meet all sorts of characters you’ll recognize from the 1939 movie.
If you want to see exactly what it’s like, watch our Autumn at Oz 2022 video.
Food and dining
You’ll want to have a full meal before starting your journey to Oz. There are many restaurants in the Beech Mountain area, and Beech Mountain Brewing Company (open at 11 AM) is the only option after parking (as of 2022).
If you have a morning ticket, you’ll want to eat breakfast before arriving at the parking lot and bring a snack. Some snacks are available at the park (e.g., kettle corn), and several food vendors are at The Emerald City at the end of the park (and yellow brick road).
If you enjoy beer or wine, you’ll also want to stop at the 5506’ Skybar right before or after you enter the theme park. It’s at the top of the mountain after the chairlift or shuttle bus drop-off.
More Oz tips
Here are some additional tips to prepare for your Oz experience
Get your ticket online when they’re first available. Autumn at Oz sells out, so you’ll want to pick a day and time as soon as possible.
Watch The Wizard of Oz (1939) before visiting. Even if you’ve seen the movie a million times, you should watch the movie to refresh yourself on the plot and the characters.
Bring a backpack! Consider including a water bottle, a light jacket since it’s colder on the mountain, some snacks, and maybe a battery pack for your phone. The backpack will also help you carry any Land of Oz or other merchandise you buy.
Be prepared to shop. If you love The Wizard of Oz, many vendors have vintage merchandise. The Land of Oz also sells its own merchandise so you can remember your time in the park.
Interact with the characters. Don’t just walk by the costumed characters; talk to them! They’re fully in character, and initiating a short conversation is fun.
Plan for a full day. If you want to see every show and get your photo with every character, you’ll want to get the earliest park ticket possible. You can skip some photo ops, but look at the park map, so you don’t miss any shows.
Don’t miss The Emerald City show. The final show is a can’t-miss, and you get a great photo opp with all of the major protagonists when it’s over.
Overall
Autumn at Oz is a fantastic event and a must-do for Ozians (also the term for members of The Oz Club). You could spend a full weekend in the Beech Mountain area checking out other attractions like Tweetsie Railroad and the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster.
