Last June, I hopped in my car destined to find a McDonald’s theme park in south Louisville.
A friend, tipped off by an Uber driver, sent me a blurry Google satellite image of a property on Greyling Drive that (if you zoom in real close) appears to have several giant hamburgers in the yard.
I drove up and down the small country road until I caught a glimpse of the Hamburglar through a grove of trees.
While the private property is gated and under surveillance, I was able to see from my car the brightly colored McDonald’s playground equipment, including two trains, an Officer Big Mac carousel, and a Captain Crook slide.
I tried for weeks to track down the owners of the McProperty, but they remained more of a mystery than Big Mac Sauce.
But now, a year later, a WDRB news segment has solved the golden arch mystery.
Dubbed McDonaldland, the 20+ piece collection of vintage McDonald’s Playland equipment belongs to Joe Fleig. And those two trains? They’re actually five-car picnic table trains, and there are only five in the world.
Joe’s obsession with Mickey D’s nostalgia began 10 years ago when he bought his first fast-food collectible, a Frisch’s Big Boy. Now, he shops online and takes roadtrips to find former McDonald’s play pieces — which can go for upwards of $3,500.
This Sunday, June 25 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Joe is hosting a free car show at McDonaldland (1704 Greyling Dr.) where you can get a look at the rides. Donations will benefit the Kentucky Humane Society.
Bonus: Ready to super size your order? See Mac Sabbath, a parody heavy metal tribute band led by Ronald Osbourne, on Saturday, July 8 at The Whirling Tiger.
