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An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often featuring multiple areas with different themes. Unlike temporary and mobile funfairs and carnivals, amusement parks are stationary and built for long-lasting operation. They are more elaborate than city parks and playgrounds, usually providing attractions that cater to a variety of age groups. While amusement parks often contain themed areas, theme parks place a heavier focus with more intricately-designed themes that revolve around a particular subject or group of subjects.
Kennywood is an amusement park which is located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just southeast of Pittsburgh. The park opened on May 30, 1898, as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family's Monongahela Street Railway.
Cedar Point is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. It opened in 1870 and is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the US behind Lake Compounce. Cedar Point, which is owned and operated by Cedar Fair, is the flagship of the company's amusement park chain. Known as "America's Roller Coast", the park features 16 roller coasters, which ranks third among amusement parks in North America behind Six Flags Magic Mountain (20) and Canada's Wonderland (18). Cedar Point's normal operating season runs from early May until Labor Day in September, which is followed by weekend-only operation through Halloween during an annual event known as HalloWeekends. Other amenities and attractions featured within the park include a one-mile-long (1.6 km) beach, an outdoor water park named Cedar Point Shores, an indoor water park named Castaway Bay, two marinas, and an outdoor sports complex called Cedar Point Sports Center.
Geauga Lake was an amusement park in Bainbridge Township and Aurora, Ohio. It was established in 1887, in what had been a local recreation area adjacent to a lake of the same name. The first amusement ride was added in 1889, and the park's first roller coaster – later known as the Big Dipper – was built in 1925. The park was sold to Funtime, Inc., in 1969 and was expanded over the years with additional rides and amenities. Funtime was acquired by Premier Parks in 1995, and for the 2000 season, they re-branded Geauga Lake as Six Flags Ohio, adding four new roller coasters. The following year, Six Flags bought the adjacent SeaWorld Ohio and combined the two parks under the name Six Flags Worlds of Adventure.
Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry Auchey and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The company manufactured carousels, wooden roller coasters, toboggans and later, roller coaster trains.
Six Flags Over Georgia is a 290-acre (1.2 km2) theme park located in Austell. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain following the original Six Flags Over Texas, which opened in 1961.
Valleyfair is a 125-acre (51 ha) amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota, United States. Owned by Cedar Fair, the park opened in 1976 and now features over 75 rides and attractions including eight roller coasters. Valleyfair also has a water park called Soak City which is included with the price of admission. Cedar Point and Valleyfair were the first two parks in the Cedar Fair chain and a combination of the park names – "cedar" and "fair" – were used to name the company.
Lakeside Amusement Park is a family-owned amusement park in Lakeside, Colorado, adjacent to Denver. Opened in 1908, it's the oldest amusement park in Colorado still operating in its original location, and is the lone remaining American amusement park to have had the name White City. The park, comprising nearly half of the Town of Lakeside that it was responsible for creating in 1907, features the landmark Tower of Jewels.
Adventureland Resort is a theme park in Altoona, Iowa. It is marketed as the Home of Iowa's Best Thrills.
Jantzen Beach Amusement Park was a popular amusement park from 1928 to 1970 in Portland, Oregon, on Hayden Island in the middle of the Columbia River. "The Coney Island of the West" opened on May 26, 1928 as the largest amusement park in the nation, covering over 123 acres (50 ha) at the northern tip of Portland.
The Dragon was an O.D. Hopkins steel roller coaster located at Adventureland in Altoona, Iowa. The coaster opened for Adventureland's sixteenth season of operation on May 12, 1990, and was partially dismantled during the spring/summer of 2020 to make way for the Dragon Slayer 4D Freespin.
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Dorneyville, Pennsylvania with an Allentown mailing address. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the park features 64 rides, including six roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom, with 19 water rides.
Miracle Strip Amusement Park was a theme park located in Panama City Beach, Florida, which operated from 1963 to 2004. The highlight of the park was The Starliner Roller Coaster, an "out-and-back" wooden coaster designed by John Allen upon the park's initial conception. A few other rides lay near the Starliner and a small arcade center and food stands rounded out the fledgling park.
Roseland Park was an amusement park located at 169 Lake Shore Drive in Canandaigua, New York, along the north shore of Canandaigua Lake. Roseland started operation in 1925 under its founder and original owner, William Muar. It continued to operate for 60 years until its closure on September 2, 1985.
Adventureland is an amusement park in East Farmingdale, New York, located on Route 110. Adventureland has been Long Island's main amusement park since 1962. There are a total of twenty eight rides, two of which are roller coasters and three are water rides. Adventureland is opened seasonally: weekends in March, April, May, September and October and all days in the summer. Alvin Cohen and Herb Budin bought seven acres of property in 1962 and opened a restaurant, an arcade and mini golf. Along with the building, there were four rides brought to Long Island for entertainment. The original four rides were the Carousel, the Iron Horse train, Little Dipper Coaster, and boats. Willy Miller bought Adventureland from Alvin Cohen on September 15, 1977. Throughout the years, Willy Miller brought in new rides and expanded Adventureland's activities. In 1987, the park was sold to Tony Gentile and Peter Amoruso. In 1991, they began to add water rides to Adventureland. Adventureland celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012 and 60th anniversary in 2022. The park is a popular attraction for children, schools and day camps on Long Island.
An animal theme park, also known as a zoological theme park, is a combination of an amusement park and a zoo, mainly for entertainment, amusement, and commercial purposes. Many animal theme parks combine classic theme park elements, such as themed entertainment and amusement rides, with classic zoo elements such as live animals confined within enclosures for display. Many times, live animals are utilized and featured as part of amusement rides and attractions found at animal theme parks.
The Underground is a wooden roller coaster manufactured by Custom Coasters International located at Adventureland in Altoona, Iowa. This attraction is located next to the Frantic Freeway. This attraction features two small lift hills to suspend riders. This ride's lifts are unique as no drops are present. While utilizing a roller coaster track system, the attraction is primarily designed as a dark ride. The official description of this attraction is "Tour the old mine and try to solve the mystery of Bad Bob." The attraction features 7 cars per train. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train. The attraction is currently undergoing a major overhaul with a complete track rebuild by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters and reopening for the 2024 season.
Dragon Slayer is a 4D Free Spin roller coaster at Adventureland in Altoona, Iowa. The coaster was built as a replacement for the Dragon looping coaster, which opened in 1990 and was mostly dismantled during the first half of 2020. Dragon Slayer began public operations on May 29, 2021.
References
- The Des Moines Register and Leader, June 6, 1915.
- Riverview Park: Playground of Des Moines, Des Moines, June 1917