Land of Oz NC: History, Autumn at Oz & Visitor Guide

2026 Update: Our Return to Land of Oz

After being closed throughout 2025, Land of Oz reopened for Autumn at Oz 2026. We returned on Friday, September 11, for opening day and were excited to once again follow the Yellow Brick Road through this wonderfully unique piece of North Carolina history.

Overall, Land of Oz remained much as we remembered it, although we noticed several changes. Much of the cast appeared to be new compared to our previous visits. The performers were enthusiastic, engaging and did a good job bringing the familiar characters and story to life.

The performance featuring Dorothy and the Scarecrow was moved from the Yellow Brick Road to the original Scarecrow stage below the photo gazebo. Holding the performance on the original stage added a nice historical connection to the park’s early years. However, we personally preferred seeing this scene performed directly on the Yellow Brick Road, as it was during our previous visits. That location felt more immersive and more closely resembled Dorothy’s meeting with the Scarecrow in the movie.

Because we attended on opening day, a few of the performances experienced some forgotten lines, timing problems and electronic audio issues. These interruptions were noticeable but did not prevent us from enjoying the shows. The performances were still very good overall, and occasional mishaps are always possible with live theatrical productions—especially on the first day of a major event.

The opening performance at the Gale Family Farm in Kansas was also different from the version we had seen during previous visits. Inside Dorothy’s house, the basement scene no longer included the video of the Wicked Witch flying past during the cyclone. We missed that particular effect because it added to the feeling of being carried away from Kansas and transported into Oz.

Once we emerged from Dorothy’s house, we found Glinda in a new covered performance area. During our visit, we did not see any Munchkins other than the Mayor of Munchkinland, who was fantastic. We also did not see a visible guard near the Wicked Witch’s performance area. These characters may have simply been absent during the particular time we passed through, as we did see photos of them from others later that weekend.

Emerald City received some of the most noticeable changes for 2026. The final performance was moved into a different location, and many of the vendors that had previously been located in the ski village were now inside the Emerald City area. Food, drinks and places to sit were still available, but Emerald City seemed smaller overall than it had during our previous visits.

Despite these changes and a few opening-day performance issues, we thoroughly enjoyed returning to Land of Oz.

Walking through Dorothy’s house, following the Yellow Brick Road, interacting with the characters, and experiencing the live performances still make Autumn at Oz unlike any other event. We were very happy to see this historic attraction reopen and to once again experience the magic of Oz high atop Beech Mountain.

Here's our video of our 2026 Autumn at Oz visit:

Autumn at Oz

Autumn at Oz is the oldest and largest special event at the Land of Oz.

You'll join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they journey down the yellow brick road to find Emerald City a the Wizard of OZ. Along the way, you'll even run into Munchkins, Flying Monkeys, Toto, and yes, even the Wicked Witch!

Where to Stay When Visiting The Land of Oz

There are several mountain towns within a short drive of the Land of Oz NC, the closest being Beech Mountain NC, which offers several great places to stay. Other nearby options include Banner Elk, which is just a short drive down the mountain and Blowing Rock and Boone NC, both of which are about 45 minutes away.

Blowing Rock and Boone both offer more lodging options, but Beech Mountain and Banner Elk are closer to the Land of Oz.

Here are our top picks out of these wonderful mountain towns near Land of Oz and Beech Mountain Resort:

See more Lodging Options near Land of Oz

Is Land of Oz Wheelchair and Mobility Accessible?

Land of Oz is not fully ADA accessible, but some older visitors and people with limited mobility may still be able to enjoy portions, or potentially most, of the experience. Whether it is suitable will depend on the visitor’s walking ability, balance, and comfort with hills, stairs, and uneven surfaces.

The complete experience involves approximately 1.5 miles of walking. Much of the route is paved or follows the historic Yellow Brick Road, but some surfaces are uneven, and several paved areas have fairly steep inclines and declines. Visitors should also expect steps and other elevation changes along the way.

Here are some important accessibility considerations:

• Benches and sitting areas are available in several locations, including Kansas and Emerald City, but seating along the route is limited.
• The historic Yellow Brick Road can be uneven in places and may be difficult for wheelchairs, scooters, walkers or anyone with balance concerns.
• Some paved walkways are relatively steep and may be challenging for visitors with limited mobility.
• The cyclone experience through Dorothy’s house includes stairs and a dark basement with flashing lights, storm sounds and other special effects.
• Portable restrooms are available, including larger accessible units, but there are no permanent restroom facilities inside Land of Oz.
• The complimentary shuttle bus may be a better transportation option than the scenic chairlift for visitors with mobility concerns.

Land of Oz may be manageable for visitors who can walk moderate distances, navigate some stairs and inclines, and take occasional rest breaks. However, it may be difficult or impractical for someone who relies entirely on a wheelchair or mobility scooter.

Accessibility needs vary considerably, so we strongly recommend contacting Land of Oz at [email protected] before purchasing tickets. The staff can explain current conditions, discuss possible accommodations, and help determine which parts of the experience may be accessible for your specific needs.

Tips for Visiting the Land of Oz

We have been attending the Autumn in Oz event at Land of Oz in Beech Mountain NC for many years now, and enjoy it and look forward to it each and every year.    Over that time, and through many visits, we've picked up a few tips that will help you enjoy your visit to the Merry'old Land of Oz North Carolina even more!

1. Get your tickets as soon as possible - Tickets and limited and sell out quickly, especially the most popular dates and times.   So purchase your tickets as quickly as you can.
2. Get lodging early - We recommend booking your lodging as soon as you get your tickets.  The area has a limited number of lodging options and they fill up quickly.  You can find lodging options here.
3. Take the Ski Lift Up - Yes it's more money, but faster, more scenic and fun.   The bus ride isn't bad, but the ski life up is just better, and the views are out of this world.
4. Bring extra clothing layers, and rain gear - Temperatures and wind up on the top of the mountain, where Land of Oz is located can be significantly colder and more windy.  The event occurs rain or shine, so if they are calling for rain, come prepared.
5. Dress up in your Oz Apparel - Many guests dress up in their favorite character, or wear funny Oz related clothing and items.   It's part of the fun, and we encourage it!
6. Leave No Trace - The park is a historic treasure, and the staff work very hard to keep it looking nice and memorable.  Avoid damaging or stealing anything.   Always leave to trace.
7. Buy Food and Gifts - The park makes money to keep this event going, and to improve each and every year through ticket sales, and through sales of merchandise and food.  So be sure to eat at the park, take home some cool merchandise and help this wonderful event continue.
8. Take your time - You have plenty of time during your tour, so take your time and enjoy the shows and scenery and just being there.  We see far too many rushing through.
9. Bring the kiddos! - This is a family event, and we encourage you to bring children so they can experience Oz as well.
10. Leave your Toto at home - The park is not dog friendly, so "Toto" will need to stay home in Kansas.

Other Things to do near Land of Oz

Land of Oz North Carolina is very close to Beech Mountain, and near to Banner Elk, Blowing Rock and Boone NC. The entire area is full of fun things to see and do. Here are just a few suggestions:

Beech Mountain NC

Visit Fred's General Store - Fred's store in Beech Mountain is amazing, and full of food, clothing, gifts and more.   The old store also has a great restaurant and deli downstairs, and beautiful grounds to explore as well.   They even have fresh produce.

Explore Buckeye Recreation Center and Buckeye Falls - Not far from downtown Beech Mountain is Buckeye Recreation Center which has a small lake, hiking trails, picnic tables, and even a waterfall.

Go Hiking in the Emerald Outback - The Emerald Outback was an original part of the Land of Oz, but is now a public recreation area full of outstanding hiking trails and scenic views.

Grab some Pizza at Famous Brick Oven Pizza - Hungry, be sure to stop off at Famous Brick Oven Pizza - Pizza, games, and more - Fun for the whole family.

Banner Elk NC

Just down the mountain from Beech Mountain is the small, but awesome town of Banner Elk.  Banner Elk is full of fun things to:

Visit Banner House Museum - Visit and take a tour of this historic Banner Elk home. You'll learn the history, and see the home decorated as it probably was in the late 1800s.  The best part of this tour is meeting and interacting with the staff!

See the animals at Apple Hill Farm - Just outside of Banner Elk is an Alpaca and active farm.  You can see pigs, Alpaca, cows, goats, horses and more.

Ride the Wilderness Run Mountain Coaster or try to navigate their Adventure Course - Looking for some high speed action and challenging adventure?  Wilderness Run delivers.  You can ride the incredible mountain coaster AND see if you can ring the bell on the Adventure course.

Enjoy an awesome dinner at LP on Main or Stonewalls Steakhouse - Two of our favorite restaurants in the Blue Ridge Mountains are in Banner Elk, both serving delicious drinks and food, with outdoor seating, and fantastic service.

Visit Banner Elk Winery - Yes, Banner Elk has a winery, and it's wonderful.  The wine is great, and you can do a tasting session or get a sampler.   They have indoor and outdoor seating, beautiful grounds, live music, and snacks to enjoy.   This is a great place.

Visit Grandfather Mountain - About 15 minutes from Banner Elk is Grandfather Mountain, where you can walk across the mile high bridge and stand atop of the on tallest and most famous mountains in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Blowing Rock NC

See the Blowing Rock - See the attractions that Blowing Rock is named for. Offering incredible views of the surrounding mountains.

Ride Tweetsie Railroad - Take a ride in the old West on a steam engine, ride the exciting rides, enjoy some great food, and see the animals. Tweetsie is fun for the whole family!

Defy Gravity at Mystery Hill - One of just a few gravity attractions in the US, you'll defy gravity and explore the mysterious at Mystery Hill. You can also go axe throwing and ride the mechanical bull.

Explore the historic downtown - Blowing Rock has a wonderful historic downtown full of great shops and restaurants.

Grab dinner at our favorite place, the Speckled Trout - Located in the heart of downtown, and you can eat while enjoying all the action going on in town and live music.

Boone NC

Visit Mast General Store an the nearby original Mast General Store - Boone has its own Mast General Store in the historic downtown area, but not far outside of Boone, you can also visit the original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis NC.

Shop in Downtown - Visit the historic downtown of Boone, also home to Appalachian State University. You'll find lots of great shopping options, restaurants, and bars.

Explore the Blue Ridge Parkway - Located between Boone and Blowing Rock NC, you can access the wonderful and amazing Blue Ridge Parkway for incredible scenic views. Visit nearby Moses Cone Memorial Park.

Go hiking and visit waterfalls - Boone has lots of nearby hiking trails and waterfalls to explore.

Hungry? Grab some food at the Come Back Shack, one of our favorites!

A Visual Tour of the Land of Oz NC

To the right of Dorothy's home is the barn.  During the Autumn in Oz Event, the barn is where your first performance begins.  

You'll watch a song and dance show here with Dorothy, Hunk, Hickory, and Zeke, then follow Dorothy over to her house, where she'll perform Somewhere Over the Rainbow, followed by a visit with Professor Marvel.  See our video to watch Land of Oz clips re-enacting these famous movie scenes.  The actress that plays the part, really sings the song, and it's fabulous.

Of course, just down the path, you'll see your first glimpse of the Yellow Brick Road, and it looks amazing and very movie-like. The road, made with 44,000 NC-made bricks, gets a fresh coat of paint each year.

Emerald City

As you pass the poppies, you'll reach the gates to the Emerald City. You can (and should) ring the bell and be "greeted" by the Gatekeeper, who, of course, tells you the bell is broken and that you should knock! This is one of our favorite character interactions.

Meeting the Wizard

At the end of your visit and journey, you'll go into a tent, where the Wizard scene from the movie is re-enacted. You'll sit down for a 15-minute show where the cast meets the Wizard, receives their rewards, and sadly Dorothy returns home. The show is VERY well done, and Dorothy even returns to Kansas in a puff of smoke!

A Brief History of the Land of Oz

In 1965, Carolina Caribbean Company (CCC), owned by Grover and Harry Robbins, were looking for ways to fully utilize their latest acquisition, Beech Mountain,  In particular, they wanted to find ways to bring people to Beech Mountain year round, and not just during the winter during ski season.

The pair brought in Charlotte designer Jack Pentas, who surveyed the top of Beech Mountain and had an idea .. The Beech trees looked very much like the Apple Trees in the Wizard of Oz.

The Land of Oz opened on June 15, 1970.  The park took 2 years to complete, at a cost of $5 million dollars (about $34 million in today's dollars).  During its first year alone, over 400,000 people walked the yellow brick road.  The park was an overnight success, and the most successful them park on the east coast.

1970 - 1975

Unfortunately, as soon as the park experienced its huge success, problems began to occur, which ultimately doomed the theme park to failure.

Grover Robbins, who was well known as the "the passion" behind the Land of Oz, died of cancer just prior to the park opening in 1970.   Instead of profits being funneled back into Oz for maintenance and expansion, the money was used for other CCC endeavors.  You may recognize the name Grover Robbins as the founder of Tweetsie Railroad as well.

Additionally, the gas crisis of the early 70s, caused many would-be visitors to not attend, hurting park attendance and profits.  

In 1975, one of the major resorts owned by CCC failed, causing CCC to go into bankruptcy.  On December 28th, 1975, a fire was set at Emerald City, causing significant damage.  There is some speculation, the fires were caused by disgruntled employees, but that has not been proven.  After the fire, a number of collectible items and costumes were stolen, including Judy Garland's original dress from the movie.

1976 - 1980

In 1976, a new management company took over.  The fire damage was repaired, new buildings were created.  The park opened for the 1976 season.  Sadly, attendance was poor.

Many changes were made to reduce costs, including less extensive costumes, replacement of live animals, with animatronic versions, changes to shows, and many others.

Over the next 5 years, the park suffered greatly from a lack of maintenance and no updates.  Many of the structures, and the yellow brick road, showed signs of age and much-needed repairs.  To repair Oz and update it, it would cost the new company $3.5 million.  They closed the park in 1980.

The Park Today