12 Comments:

• Hello,
  Yes, Discovery Science Center (the complex with the ten-story-tall Cube and Delta rocket visible from Interstate 5) is the result of efforts by the original team that showcased Launch Pad in the 90s.
  www.discoverycube.org is the Web site.

  By  Anonymous, at January 18, 2007 6:56 AM  

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• Old McDonald's Farm opened at Knott's Berry Farm (near the seal pool and the current site of the carousel) in January 1955.
  Operators Fulton & Kay Shaw left Knott's in early 1969 to move their business to Mission Viejo, where Old MacDonald's Farm re-opened in August 1969.
  Later, they had a brief dispute with Knott's, who had continued to use the name "Old McDonald's Farm" for their petting zoo. In the end, the Knott's version was renamed simply "The Animal Farm."
  Does anyone know how long Old McDonald's Farm lasted in Mission Viejo? And did I close or just move again?

  By  Chris Jepsen, at January 26, 2007 9:48 AM  

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• I lived in Fountain Valley during my childhood. I remember going to Old McDonald's Farm as a child. My older brother used to nag my mom to bring us. I remember it was part of Knott's Berry Farm. I remember it had goats and chickens all over the place back then. Of course, I was pretty young at the time.
  Speaking of which, I remember there was a western steakhouse at Knott's Berry Farm that had the stump of a sequoia tree in front of it. Does anyone remember that?
  T.W.
  Marble Falls, Ark.

  By  Anonymous, at February 09, 2007 9:54 PM  

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• I was born in St. JOseph's in Orange in 1963. We moved to El Toro in 1965. My parent's paid $18,900 for the house and the payment was $119/month.
  Anyway, I googled "old mcdonands farm mission viejo" today because I drive by the Kalidoscope a few times a week and ALWAYS think of it!! It was so fun. We went there nearly every weekend (when we weren't going to Lion Country SAfari!)
  So happy to talk about old times! We have tons of pictures--I mean slides!--of our times there!!!

  By  Julie Hibbard, at April 05, 2007 3:35 PM  

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• My grandmother lived in Leisure World, and used to take my brother and I to Old McDonald's Farm when we would visit her. I remember that you parked at the top of a hill and there was a button that you pushed that sounded a big horn to let them know when you wanted them to drive up the hill to come pick you up. They would pick you up in a farm tractor, pulling a trailer with hay bales... and drive you back down the hill. I remember that the hay ride was half the fun of the whole visit! Every time I drive by on the 5... I have wonderful memories about that place!

  By  Pat, at June 17, 2007 9:29 PM  

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• I lived in Laguna Niguel across the way from Mission Viejo from 1972 to 1985, from the ages 7 months old to almost 14. I have very vague memories of Old McDonald's Farm, so I don't think it lasted much longer than the early 70s there. It was right next to the 5, in an area that's now the major shopping center Kaleidoscope Courtyards.

  By  Catherine Karp, at July 07, 2007 2:21 PM  

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• I grew up in Mission Viejo in the neighborhood adjacent to Old MacDonald's farm. The location was once a small ravine that is now the location of the "Kaleidescope" on Marguerite Pkwy and the northbound entrance to the 5 freeway. As a child I have fond memories of a petting zoo and pony ride. After the place closed, the only thing that remained of Old MacDonald's was a the circular metal hitch from the pony ride. Needless to say, weeds and brush grew in that vacant lot, but the rusted metal hitch lasted until the Kaleidescope was build. For that reason I never forgot old MacDonald's, even thought it should have been a cloudy childhood memory.

  By  Tony, at September 21, 2007 1:41 AM  

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• Ok, I had a Birthday party at Old McDonald's never knew where it was but I remember the tractor and the hill where you parked. My fondest memory would be Tilly the Taper! I thought what a strange looking animal where could it be from? O'what fun to be a kid...

  By  Anonymous, at September 22, 2007 3:03 PM  

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• I grew up in Mission Viejo since the early 1970's and have a few recollections about this place. I think my family only actually entered the farm once but because of its location we drove by it hundreds of times. I'll give a little more detail about its location. It was in the most unlikely location, literally the wedge of dirt between the north I-5 Freeway onramp at Crown Valley Pkwy and the hill that formed the burm for the shopping center above it. By the way, do you remember the Sambo's in that shopping center at the far right end overlooking the freeway? The Kaleidoscope shopping center was built on the exact footprint of the Old MacDonald's Farm ravine, as someone else stated. One had to go down a very steep ramp from the parking lot to the ravine floor where the animals and activities were. I went sometime in the mid 1970's and I think it closed down shortly there after. For many years I looked down from the road at the sad pony ride horizontal "pinwheel" like hitch as it rusted. Some of the walk-paths were visible for years also, but slowly were overgrown. The area was bulldozed and filled in the early 90's when they started the mall construction.

  By  Tim Stucky, at October 09, 2007 3:54 AM  

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• When Old McDonald's Farm was at Knotts Berry farm we adopted a dog (a mutt) that we named MacAdoo. I remember going to the park that day (there was only the Calico Mine Road, the Gold Mining, the Bird Cage theater at that time), eating a chicken dinner, then taking the dog home!

  By  Jack Minter, at June 21, 2008 8:22 PM  

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• It was hotter than the hinges of Hell
  down in that hole in the summertime.
  That's the main thing I remember, as I was completely bored with everything that place had to offer. Having grown up on a ranch in Capistrano, the last thing I wanted to do with my spare time as a kid was be around animals.

  By  Captain, at June 24, 2008 4:02 AM  

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• Hi,
  
  I grew up in El Toro (Marine Corps brat)I remember going to Old McDonald's farm for probably my tenth birthday. I recall the tractor ride and stitting down on the ground holding a baby goat in the petting zoo. When I stood up, he had pooped all in my lap.Little goat poops spilled all over.
  I remember seeing the pony ride wheel for years and years when driving down the freeway.

  By  Anonymous, at July 15, 2008 8:09 AM  

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