Circus Circus Las Vegas may be remembered for its flashing arcade games, flying trapeze artists and larger-than-life neon clown—but behind the bright lights is a much darker story.

In Part 1 of this two-part birthday episode, Marissa explores the dark history of Circus Circus Las Vegas, beginning with visionary casino developer Jay Sarno and the chaotic 1968 opening of one of the strangest resorts ever built on the Las Vegas Strip. Discover the original Carnival Midway, roaming elephants, high-wire performers above the casino floor, topless attractions and allegedly crooked game operators who were accused of fleecing visitors.

But the circus quickly began to unravel. Mounting construction debts, secret loans, licensing problems and financial desperation pushed Circus Circus toward Teamsters money, organized-crime connections and some of the most infamous names in Las Vegas Mafia history.

Part nostalgia, part vintage Vegas history and part true crime, this episode reveals what was happening behind the pink-and-white big top before Circus Circus became the family destination many of us remember.

Follow Death Kissed Traveler on social media for more dark tourism, haunted history, amusement-park disasters, true crime and forgotten stories from the world’s most fascinating destinations.

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Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

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High above Maggie Valley, North Carolina, a forgotten Wild West amusement park still clings to the misty slopes of Buck Mountain. Ghost Town in the Sky once drew visitors with gunfights, saloons, chairlift rides and mountain-top thrills—but behind the family entertainment was a history filled with dangerous accidents, mechanical failures, financial disasters and repeated closures.

In this episode of Death Kissed Traveler, we uncover the rise and fall of Ghost Town in the Sky, explore its most memorable rides, investigate the tragedies and rumors surrounding the park, and discover what remains today. Are the abandoned streets of this North Carolina theme park truly haunted—or are the ghosts simply echoes of its troubled past?

Join us for the dark history, alleged hauntings and forgotten secrets of one of America’s most fascinating abandoned amusement parks.

Follow Death Kissed Traveler for more haunted places, abandoned attractions, theme park history, dark tourism, ghost stories and strange destinations.

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

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Lillian Leitzel and Alfredo Codona were the King and Queen of the Air—two of the most famous and fearless circus performers of the early 20th century. She was a tiny but powerful aerialist whose death-defying routine made her the highest-paid woman in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He was the legendary flying-trapeze artist who mastered the nearly impossible triple somersault.

Together, they became circus royalty. But behind the glittering costumes, roaring crowds, and dangerous stunts was a volatile love story filled with passion, jealousy, betrayal, obsession—and devastating tragedy.

In this episode of Death Kissed Traveler, we uncover the true story of Lillian Leitzel and Alfredo Codona, from their rise to fame under the big top to Leitzel’s fatal circus accident and the shocking 1937 murder-suicide that brought their story to a horrifying end.

Step inside the dark history of the vintage circus for a story of fame, forbidden romance, deadly ambition, and two performers who flew higher than anyone else, until everything came crashing down.

Keywords: Lillian Leitzel, Alfredo Codona, King and Queen of the Air, circus history, dark circus history, Ringling Brothers Circus, vintage circus performers, flying trapeze history, famous aerialists, circus tragedy, 1930s true crime, historical true crime, murder-suicide, dark history podcast.

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

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Step right up—but keep one hand on your wallet. 🎡💰

In “The Mob, the Midway, and the Money,” Death Kissed Traveler uncovers the shadowy history lurking behind America’s traveling carnivals and fairs. From rigged midway games and crooked carnival operators to organized crime, illegal gambling, bribery, and mob-controlled amusement businesses, the midway wasn’t always innocent family fun.

How did carnival games become nearly impossible to win? Why were certain rides and attractions operated outside the law? And just how deeply did the Mafia reach into the bright lights, spinning rides, and crowded fairgrounds of America?

Join us as we follow the money through a world of carnies, con artists, mobsters, fixed games, and secret deals—where every prize had a price and the house almost always won.

🎧 Follow Death Kissed Traveler Podcast for more dark amusement park history, deadly attractions, haunted destinations, true crime, and disturbing stories hidden behind the places we love to visit.

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/

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keywords: carnival history, mob history, Mafia at carnivals, organized crime, rigged carnival games, illegal midway games, carnival scams, traveling carnivals, amusement park history, fairground crime, carnival true crime, dark tourism podcast, haunted theme parks, Death Kissed Traveler Podcast

This week on Death Kissed Traveler, we're counting down 10 of the most haunted theme parks in America. From abandoned midways and tragic accidents to ghostly apparitions, cursed attractions, and chilling eyewitness accounts, these parks have earned reputations that go far beyond thrill rides.

We'll explore the dark history behind each location, separate fact from legend, and uncover why visitors and employees continue to report unexplained encounters years—even decades—later.

Are the spirits of former guests still wandering the midway... or are these stories simply the result of overactive imaginations?

🎠 Featuring:

Turn down the lights, buckle your lap bar, and join me as we visit 10 Haunted Theme Parks in America.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

⭐ If you enjoy the show, please leave a 5-star review and share the episode with a fellow spooky travel lover. Your support helps Death Kissed Traveler reach more haunted-history fans!

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/

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Death Kissed Traveler is officially one year old — and what better way to celebrate than by going back to where it all began?

In this special anniversary episode, I’m sharing how my lifelong love of theme parks, Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Epcot, RollerCoaster Tycoon, and my strange fascination with ride accidents turned into a podcast about the darker side of the places we travel to escape.

What started as a show about amusement park accidents and hauntings has become so much more — hidden history, circus tragedies, fairs, true crime, folklore, mermaids, abandoned parks, environmental rabbit holes, and the eerie stories that still linger after the gates close.

And of course, we’re celebrating with one of the strangest stories I’ve ever covered: Sam the Sandown Clown — a seven-foot-tall, part clown, part alien, part robot figure from Isle of Wight folklore. A story that feels like a circus nightmare, a cryptid encounter, and a ghost story all rolled into one.

So come celebrate one year of Death Kissed Traveler with me as we look back at the stories, the lessons, the chaos, the hauntings, and the painted faces in the dark.

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/

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Keywords: year one, dark history, ride accidents, haunted, horror, history, sam, sam the sandown clown, sam the clown, amusement parks, theme parks, circus, folklore

A Deep Dive into Its History and Significance

The Great Salt Lake has always fascinated those who encounter it. While it looms large in the landscape of Utah, many individuals drive past without fully understanding the mysterious body of water that calls to them. In this post, we’ll explore the history, significance, and the contemporary challenges facing the Great Salt Lake, shedding light on why this unique ecosystem deserves more attention.

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/

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Keywords: Great Salt Lake. Utah. Theme Parks. Data Center. AI. History. Dark History. Saltair. Lagoon. Lake Park. 1800s. Utah Pioneers. Utah Data Center. 

What seemed like a futuristic, relaxing ride hiding dangerous secrets, tragedies, and ghostly remnants that still linger today. How did Disneyland’s calmest ride become a site of multiple fatal accidents, and why does it sit abandoned yet still towering above Tomorrowland?Long before the current Disney parks, Walt Disney’s obsession with innovation led to the creation of the People Mover—a ride meant to showcase the future of transportation. Built in the 1960s with groundbreaking technology, it was supposed to be a peaceful, inspiring journey above Tomorrowland. But beneath its shiny surface lurked a series of tragedies that changed Disney history forever. From Ricky Yama’s terrifying death just weeks after opening, to injuries and near-misses in the decades that followed, the People Mover’s story is one of human error, engineering overconfidence, and unanswered legal questions.

Keywords: People Mover, Disneyland, Disney, Ride Accident, Walt Disney, Dark History, History, New Podcast, Rides, Theme Parks, Amusement Parks

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson. 

Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr