Fantasia in a Gulch

"This is where reality ends," intones an artful codger togged up as old Father Time. Indeed, for the visitors he greets, the mundane is exorcised for a few hours by a free-form fantasia of mummers, monsters and midgets, pirouetting puppets and Barnum spoofery. All this is encased in The World of Sid & Marty Krofft, a spectacular amusement center that opened last week in Atlanta.

In the 20 years since Walt begat Disneyland, "theme parks" have become a staple of the American family vacation. Their diversions range from reconstituted Old World Gemuetlichkeit (as in the six European hamlets at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va.) to a simulated parachute jump (Six Flags over Texas, Dallas). Attractive as many of them are, the parks are generally located a long way from anywhere, take at least a day to "do," and can cost a prince's purse for tickets, meals and a room at the inn. The Krofft brothers' answer: bring the theme park downtown and put a roof on it. Their World, built for $14 million (v. $300 million for Disney World), occupies eight stories inside Atlanta's new $70 million Omni International "mega-structure." It takes only three to four hours to savor, costs $4.25 per kid ($5.75 for adults) and, thanks to an advance reservation system, involves a minimum of waiting in lines, the bane of most theme parks. Since it is indoors, it will be open year round, days and evenings.

Renaissance Midway. With Omni's 470-room hotel, a skating rink, six movie theaters, two office buildings, worthy restaurants and elegant stores, all adjoining a sports coliseum and a convention center--Kroffts' World will go far toward revitalizing a once decrepit section Atlantans remember as Railroad Gulch. One million visitors are expected its first year.

Their park, the brothers insist, is "no substitute baby sitter"--it was designed to amuse adults as much as children.

At the entrance, 14 floors up a 205-ft. escalator to the World's glass roof, the visitor is greeted by two huge sculptured mimes and two living counterparts who bow a welcome. Next comes a "Renaissance Midway," lined with circus wagons exhibiting such Krofftian put-ons as the Fat Lady, who turns out to be a performer garbed as a super-porker, and the Tattooed Lady, who is costumed as the world's only sexy rhino. Melody pours from a marvel designed by one Nick O'Lodeon, which features 29 instruments. A belly dancer gyrates, jugglers toss balls, and minstrels stroll. On the next level is a nonstop vaudeville show and a sparkling crystal carousel filled with dolphins, Pegasi, centaurs, griffins and a 3,500-lb. whale.

Another level, or "environment," is dominated by the Pinball Machine, in which visitors whirl inside a 6-ft. ball past gargantuan bumpers and buzzing circuitry and through tunnels of pulsating lights. The park's second rollicking ride, Living Island Adventure, plunges one down a simulated mine shaft and into a menacing world of strident sound and animated scenery where Witchiepoo on her Vroom Broom is bested by Mayor H.R. Pufnstuf. A high point of Krofft country is "Celebration," an ingenious electronic marionette show starring singers, skaters and musicians--and a goofy shark that swoops Jawsfully into the audience. Lest a single moment pall, World has 82 roving live performers. They are uniformly young and friendly, and offer the South's most familiar injunction: "Y'all come back."

The Kroffts came naturally to their World. The sons of a Greek family that has been renowned for puppeteering since the mid-18th century, Sid, 52, is a shy, fey, creative genius, while Marty, 39, the business manager, is 6 ft. 4 in. of Athenian chutzpah. The brothers first won fame with Les Poupe'es de Paris, a spicy puppet parody of the Lido and a hit at the New York and Seattle world's fairs in the 1960s.

Fantasy Factory. Since then the Kroffts have enlivened television's Saturday mornings with such series as H.R. Pufnstuf and The Bugaloos; most of the characters in their Atlanta World are thus familiar to children. The brothers also produce Donny and Marie, ABC's successful prime-time variety program, and have a contract for a new series,

Kroffts' SuperShow. Their bustling fantasy factory in Los Angeles took 21/2 years to turn out the hardware for Kroffts' World. Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson last week presented the brothers with plaques in honor of their labors--on which their name was misspelled KROFT. No matter. Their monikers will soon be as familiar in Atlanta as Maynard JAKSON.

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