Are you planning a vacation with your family members? Then add Wally World to your vacation list. Wally World is the most famous amusement park that was featured in the popular movie series, National Lampoon’s vacation. So, read on to find more details about the movie and where was National Lampoons Vacation filmed.
The American road trip comedy film National Lampoon’s Vacation simply referred to as Vacation was released in 1983. The film was directed by Harold Ramos and cast members of the movie include Chevy Chase, Dana Barron, Anthony Hall, and Beverly D’Angelo. The film was a blockbuster hit and critics also gave positive reviews for the movie.
The story of the movie revolves around Clark Griswold and his family, who are traveling across the nation to visit the legendary theme park, Wally World. The movie is interesting as it shows the struggle that the family goes through on a road trip.
Due to its huge success, the movie was made into five sequels. Vacation is the final movie in the sequel that was released in 2015 it revolves around Griswold’s son Rusty which is similar to the original movie where Rusty along with his family takes a trip to the Walley World again.
Even after five sequels, the fans have the same doubt about whether there is a real Wally World. If you are also wondering where was National Lampoons Vacation filmed, then read the below sections to take up a close look at filming locations.
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Where Was National Lampoons Vacation Filmed? Let’s Know The Iconic Location Closely!
Yes, there is a real Wally World that is situated in Ontario, Canada. But in the movie, the name of the park is slightly changed to Walley World to avoid legal problems. Disneyland is the inspiration for Wally World, and the producers actually wanted to use Disneyland as the movie’s theme park. That idea was abandoned because Disneyland refused to shut down the theme park for filming. However, all the sequences that were shot at Wally World are heavily Disney-influenced.
The production members wanted the vacation to be a real-life trip and so the movie was shot in more than 15 regions across four states that include California, Arizona, Colorado, and Missouri. During filming, five Wagon Queen Family Trucksters were used in rotation, enabling each to be customized in different ways to reflect the wear and tear the car experiences over the course of the Griswolds’ journey.
The filming began in the first week of July 1982 and the crew was able to complete the movie within 55 days. So, without any further ado, let’s have a detailed look at where was National Lampoons Vacation filmed and find more interesting details about the movie.
California | USA
The Walley World featured in the film was actually filmed in Six Flags Magic Mountain. It is a popular theme park that is situated in Valencia, California where all the interior scenes of the movie were filmed.
The rollercoaster ride that you see in the movie was filmed inside this park and it is called Screaming Mini and revolution. It is an antique, twin-racing wooden roller coaster. The actors’ expressions of dread and nausea are genuine because they had to ride the roller coasters so frequently.
Next, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, a suburb of Greater Los Angeles, served as the backdrop for the entrance and parking lot scenes. Although Santa Anita is a racetrack, the sizeable parking lot was perfect for Wally World’s appearance.
Other Possible Locations
In the sequel movies, the production team used different park themes for filming. In the European vacation movie, the family visits Walley World in London which was filmed in the World of Adventures theme park in Surrey, England which is now closed.
Additionally, there is a rumor that the exterior shots of Wally World from the first Vacation movie were actually shot at Houston, Texas’s now-defunct Astroworld amusement park.
Next, in the 2015 film, to give the best experience to the viewers the production team used Six Flags Mountain Park which is located in Atlanta, Georgia. But this park is similar to the park in California.
Alright, now I guess you know where was National Lampoons Vacation filmed. Let’s go through the plot of the movie, so you can have a general idea about the movie.
Plot Of National Lampoon’s Vacation | What Is The Movie About?
Clark and his family departed from Chicago in good spirits with the intention of spending their vacation traveling across the country to the magnificent Walley World on the West Coast. Everything is smooth until they made a visit to their relative home on the way. There they met Aunt Edna and she asked for the lift to Phoenix.
But this became a huge tragedy for them as Edna died on the way to his son’s home. This was not only the issue, the Griswolds experience a string of misfortunes. But Clark pledged to give his cherished family the best trip ever. Do you want to know what are all the troubles and how Clark is able to manage all of the troubles? If so, then watch this fantastic road trip movie.
Final Words
Alright, readers! We’ve come to the end of the article. I hope now you know where was National Lampoons Vacation filmed. So, get ready and pack your bags to visit the real Wally World and have a memorable experience. If you enjoyed this article, then do check out other interesting filming location articles on our website. Also, if you have any suggestions, let us know in the comments section below.
Who is the writer of National’s Lampoons Location movie?
John Hughes is the screenplay writer of the movie. This movie was based on his short story Vacation 58.
Who is the producer of National’s Lampoons Location movie?
Matty Simmons is the producer of the movie National’s Lampoons Location.
Who is the Distributor of National’s Lampoons Location?
Warner Bros is the distributor of the movie, National’s Lampoons Location.
What is the release date of the movie National’s Lampoons Location movie?
The movie was released on July 29, 1983.
