After 45 years of go-karts, mini-golf, and more arcade tokens than anyone could ever count, Magic Mountain Fun Center East is closing its doors. For a whole generation of Central Ohioans, it feels a little (read: a lot) like losing a piece of home.
The beloved family entertainment center announced on Facebook this week that Sunday, July 5, 2026 will be its last day.
This news feels like a punch to the gut, to put it lightly. For so many of us, Magic Mountain wasn’t just a place to kill a Saturday afternoon. It was the backdrop for birthday parties, post-youth-sports-tournament celebrations, first dates, and the kind of chaotic family outings that somehow always ended up being the best memories.
The park first opened in 1981, and over four-plus decades it became a cornerstone of Columbus family life. Whether you were racing go-karts with your cousins, challenging your parents to a round of mini-golf, or feeding quarters into the arcade machines with absolutely zero strategy, Magic Mountain had a unique way of making everyone feel like a kid.
Owner Hank Woodburn reflected on the closure with the kind of warmth that makes this news sting even more:
“It has truly been a privilege to bring fun, laughter, and lifelong memories to so many families throughout the years. From birthday parties and family outings to our annual Easter Egg Hunts on the mini golf course and countless community events, we’ve cherished every opportunity to give back and be part of so many special moments.”
Magic Mountain’s Familiar Columbus History
For those of us who grew up in Columbus, this closing also carries a familiar weight. The Magic Mountain Polaris location, a staple in its own right for 23 years, shuttered back in 2021, and now the East location follows. Two chapters of the same story, both closed.
There’s something specifically Columbus about the grief here. After long days at Berliner Sports Park grinding through travel baseball tournaments, I personally remember Magic Mountain East being the reward waiting on the other side. Win or lose, nothing beat piling in the car after a full day of games and trading the dust of the diamond for the hum of the go-kart track and the chaos of the arcade. Those are the kinds of days that stick with you, and knowing that the place tied to so many of them is gone for good makes this closure feel personal in a way that’s hard to put into words.
If you haven’t been in a while, or even if you were just there last weekend, now is the time to make one final visit. Magic Mountain is encouraging guests to stop by before July 5 to soak in their favorite attractions and redeem any remaining arcade tokens, tickets, Groupons, gift certificates, or promotional offers before they’re gone for good.
It won’t be easy to say goodbye. But it’s worth showing up to do it properly. One last lap around the go-kart track, one last round of mini-golf, one last handful of tickets that you’ll inevitably trade in for something wildly impractical. That’s the Magic Mountain way.
Thank you for 45 years, Magic Mountain. Columbus won’t forget you.
🏎️ Magic Mountain Fun Center East | 5890 Scarborough Blvd, Columbus | Final day: Sunday, July 5, 2026
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