Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Wildwater Kingdom is a waterpark located in Aurora, Ohio
, United States
, originally founded in 1888 as Geauga Lake.
Geauga Lake had operated primarily as an amusement park. On September 21, 2007, Cedar Fair, the park's owner, announced that the traditional amusement park would close down and that the property would operate solely as a waterpark, beginning in the 2008 season.
Geauga Lake was previously known as "Picnic Lake" or "Giles Pond." Sullivan Giles chose this area for his log cabin in 1817. The surrounding area is often referred to as the Geauga lake area
. Geauga Lake opened for picnics and swimming in 1872. An 1880 history of Geauga County reported that the Giles residence "being easy of access by rail, has become, within a few years, a very popular place of resort during the summer months, for fishing, picnic, and excursion parties" and that "for the convenience of such parties, Mr. Giles has recently erected a hall of considerable size near the lake. The surrounding grounds are kept clean and attractive, and, without exception, this is the most charming place to spend a leisure day to be found in this section." Geauga Lake park itself was established in 1887. Three major league baseball games were played on Sundays at Geauga Lake in 1888 by Cleveland's team in the major league American Association. By 1889 the park installed its first ride, a steam-powered carousel. More rides would follow.
William J. Kuhlman expanded the park in 1925. At that time, Geauga Lake built the Big Dipper
, the then-largest wooden roller coaster of its time, 2800 feet (853.4 m) long and 65 feet (19.8 m) high. Geauga Lake's Olympic-sized swimming pool was built, and it stayed in operation until the mid-1960s. On Sunday, July 11, 1926 Olympic medalist and Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller
set a new world record in the 220-yard free style swim in the pool in front of 3,000 spectators. Lake swimming also continued over the coming decades. Many amusement parks at the time had race tracks, dance halls, and sometimes a theatre and bowling alley, making them year round attractions. The race track was added in 1931, although it closed in 1969. The theatre, dance hall, and bowling alley were also added around the same time. In 1937 the park's 1926 hand-carved Marcus Illions Carousel was added, after having been located in Philadelphia and Birmingham, at a cost of $35,000.
At that point, the park's dance hall and ballroom were major draws, with big band music performed by Guy Lombardo
, Fred Waring
, Artie Shaw
, and other big names of the time.
In 1942, a tornado hit the park, injuring six, destroying buildings, and damaging the Big Dipper. The park reported $50,000 in damages, but it quickly rebuilt. In July 1944, Viola Schryer ("Vi") took over management of the park after the death of her uncle William Kuhlman.
In 1952, a fire destroyed the park's bowling alley, theater, dance hall and roller rink with damages estimated at $500,000. At that time the park became strictly a seasonal amusement park, beach, and swimming area. The pool was closed and razed in the early 1960s, but lake swimming continued.
In 1969, Funtime Incorporated purchased the park. The focus continued to be rides and swimming. The racetrack closed and was razed in 1969. In 1970 a marine life park, SeaWorld
, was built across the lake from the amusement park and swimming area on land leased from Funtime. Sea World and Geauga Lake were friendly neighbors for 30 years. Sea World focused on marine life and shows, while Geauga Lake focused on thrill rides and swimming. Sea World was purchased by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1976 and later by Busch Entertainment Corp in late 1989.
In 1972, the Gold Rush log flume water ride was added, and two years later Geauga Lake added the Skyscraper, which took passengers up 21 stories for views of the park. Admission to the park was free until 1972. Until then, rides on various attractions were purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis. Beginning in 1973, the park converted to an admission charge with a pay-one-price for all the rides and attractions. The Geauga Dog became the park's mascot and would remain so until 1999. In 1976, the park added the Wildcat compact steel roller coaster, and a year later the park added the Double Loop
, a looping steel coaster. For a time, the park ran a short-lived series of TV commercials featuring Geauga Dog and a singing, dancing adolescent boy performing a song about the park. The boy's off-key singing and awful dancing were deliberate, a means of getting viewers to notice the ad. It succeeded.
Corkscrew coaster made its debut in 1978, making Geauga Lake the second amusement park in Ohio (Cedar Point
in Sandusky
was the first) and one of the first amusement parks anywhere to have two looping coasters. Swimming in the lake continued to be a feature at the park, and in 1983, the park added Boardwalk Shores, which featured a paddleboat marina, a new bath house, a children's swimming pool area and water slides. A year later, The Wave, the only authentic tsunami wave pool in the Midwest at the time, opened to rave reviews.
In 1986, more children's rides were added and themed as Rainbow Island, a children's dry ride area. Stingray water slides and the Euroracer Grand Prix rides were added.
In 1988, Geauga Lake celebrated its centennial by introducing the Raging Wolf Bobs
, a wooden roller coaster
with a hybrid twister/out and back design modeled after the original Bobs roller coaster at Chicago's defunct Riverview Park. Two years later, the park re-themed the children's water area as Turtle Beach, which was advertised as the ultimate children's water playground. Geauga Lake expanded its midway with The Mirage and the $2.1 million Texas Twister in the early 1990s.
A corporate deal in 1995 saw Premier Parks acquiring Funtime, giving Geauga Lake a new owner. Premier Parks invested $9 million in new rides, including the Mind Eraser
(a steel looping shuttle Boomerang
roller coaster) and Grizzly Run, a water rapids ride designed by Intamin. These attractions opened in 1996, and the Corkscrew was closed and sold and moved to Dizzee World in India. The next year, the park expanded its water area by 32000 square feet (2,972.9 m²) with Hook's Lagoon. Several new water slides were also added.
In 1998, Premier Parks purchased Six Flags Theme Parks from Time Warner
. Serial Thriller, later known as Thunderhawk, was added. The next year, a new ferris wheel, Americana, Double inverting ride, Time Warp, and up-charge attraction Skycoaster were added. Premier Parks rebranded Geauga Lake in 2000 as Six Flags Ohio.
(Road Runner Express in 2000). Others included a wooden double out and back roller coaster called The Villain
, a Bolliger & Mabillard
floorless roller coaster
called Batman Knight Flight
(later Dominator) and an Intamin suspended impulse shuttle coaster called Superman Ultimate Escape
(later Steel Venom). Also added this year, a new chutes water ride was added along with a new wave pool in the waterpark. The old wave pool was razed, filled, and used for a new Looney Tunes
themed kids' area.
Busch Entertainment determined that its Sea World parks should begin adding roller coasters, water rides, and other attractions to supplement the marine displays and shows, and the company began de-emphasizing the educational aspects of its parks. They began modifying their Orlando
, San Antonio
, and to a lesser extent their San Diego
parks to reflect this. Due to Geauga Lake/Six Flags Ohio's close proximity, as well as the fact that the SeaWorld side of the lake had height restrictions, Busch approached Six Flags about buying the Six Flags Ohio park. Six Flags then made a counter offer to instead buy SeaWorld Ohio
. That fall, Six Flags purchased Sea World for $110 million in cash, merging the two complexes into one, and changing the entire complex's name to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. The SeaWorld side became known as the "Wild Life" area and remained primarily marine life shows, with a few portable children's rides placed throughout. In 2002 Shamu
the whale was replaced by Shouka, who came on a breeding loan from Marineland in Antibes, France. The original amusement park area became known as the "Wild Rides" area and continued expansion with a Vekoma
flying coaster titled X-Flight (now Firehawk
at Kings Island
). The small waterpark area also continued, so the park was marketed as "Three Parks for One Price".
To expand the waterpark area, in 2003 Six Flags added Hurricane Mountain, the then-largest water slide complex in North America, and renamed the waterpark area Hurricane Harbor.
located 85 miles (136.8 km) away, was announced. The deal was finalized less than a month later. The park was immediately "unflagged", "unbranded", and reverted to the name Geauga Lake. The Six Flags Looney Tunes
characters and superhero branding was removed. To conform with copyright laws, the names of many of the rides and roller coasters were changed. The Hurricane Harbor waterpark area was renamed Hurricane Hannah's Waterpark and the marine life side was shut down immediately before opening. The animals were retained by Six Flags. While most of the marine area was razed, the amusement park area attractions and rides remained the same except for name changes.
In 2005, Cedar Fair invested $26 million dollars in Wildwater Kingdom, a new waterpark on the former Sea World site. The Wildwater Kingdom side had about six waterslides and a children's water play area. The Hurricane Hannah area remained.
In 2006, Wildwater Kingdom is expanded to include Tidal Wave Bay. The Hurricane Hannah area was then shut down, leaving Wildwater Kingdom as the remaining waterpark. The season was also scaled back, eliminating the spring and fall weekend operations and opening strictly between Memorial Day and Labor Day with one last weekend in mid-September. At the end of the season, the X-Flight roller coaster was removed, as well as Steel Venom
(formerly Superman The Ultimate Escape). The X-Flight was relocated to Kings Island
and opened as Firehawk
in 2007. And Steel Venom relocated to Dorney Park, where it opened for the 2008 season as Voodoo, until 2009 when it was renamed Possessed.
In 2007, the summer-only operation of Geauga lake continued. Rumors ranging from the total closing of Geauga Lake to closing everything except the waterpark to scaling back the rides area even more were rampant. Management refused to either confirm or deny rumors and did not comment, except to say that the park will continue "to focus on fun filled wholesome family entertainment" and a total closing would not happen. The 2007 Oktoberfest on September 14, 15 and 16, 2007 was the final weekend for the amusement park. On Friday, September 21, 2007 Cedar Fair announced its decision to not reopen the ride side of Geauga Lake park and that Wildwater Kingdom side would reopen exclusively as a waterpark called Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom. This led to efforts to save Geauga Lake, especially landmarks such as the Big Dipper and the Carousel, including an online petition and letters to public officials.
Cedar Fair has placed the land of amusement park side of the park up for sale. The remaining rides and remnants were auctioned separately on June 17, 2008. Many returned to the park for one last visit on the June 16 auction preview day and the June 17 auction.
characters. Below is a list of renamed rides:
The park was originally two parks- Geauga Lake and SeaWorld
. Geauga Lake became Six Flags
Ohio in 2000; before the 2001 season SeaWorld was purchased by Six Flags and the entire complex was combined and renamed Six Flags Worlds of Adventure.
1970: Sea World Ohio Opens
1983: The park opens Boardwalk Shores, the first water park to be included in an amusement park for one price.
1996: Geauga Lake is sold to Premier Parks, which later goes on to purchase Six Flags.
May 5, 2000: Six Flags Ohio opens for the first time under its new name.
January 10, 2001: Six Flags Ohio purchases neighboring Sea World Ohio for $110 million.
March 10, 2004: Six Flags sells the park to Cedar Fair, who changes the name back to Geauga Lake. Six Flags keeps the animals and disperses them to other properties. By opening day 2004, the portion of the park formerly known as SeaWorld is closed.
June 2005: A 20 acre (80,000 m²) Water Park located on the former site of SeaWorld of Ohio opens, under the name of Wildwater Kingdom. The admission price was dropped 10 dollars to $24.95. The annual Haunt (Halloween event) makes its final run this season, and is not continued the following seasons.
June 2006: Wildwater Kingdom opens its Caribbean-themed wave pool, Tidal Wave Bay. This wave pool measures 325 feet (99.1 m) wide by 220 feet (67.1 m) long; holds 390,000 gallons of water; and has cabanas, which guests can rent.
2007: The park's 2007 operating schedule has been significantly cut back compared with the schedules of seasons past. The park will now be open Memorial Day to Labor Day with Oktoberfest acting as a bonus weekend following the official closing of the park. X-Flight, Steel Venom, and Bel-Aire Express are now absent from the ride line up. The park also goes smoke-free this year, restricting public smoking to designated areas. New for 2007 are LEGO Racers (a 4D film), and Magician Tim Hill. The park also offers local season pass holders swimming lessons.
Post-2007 season: Cedar Fair closes the amusement park side of the park, sending some rides to other Cedar Fair parks. Other rides were auctioned in June 2008 and a few were scrapped (Double Loop, Villain, Haybaler). The water park remains as Wildwater Kingdom.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, originally founded in 1888 as Geauga Lake.
Geauga Lake had operated primarily as an amusement park. On September 21, 2007, Cedar Fair, the park's owner, announced that the traditional amusement park would close down and that the property would operate solely as a waterpark, beginning in the 2008 season.
History
Geauga lake area
First known as Picnic Lake, the Geauga lake area was home to early settlers such as the Staffords, Mark Patterson, Capt. Simon Henry with his wife Rhoda Parsons and their children, Charles Swires, the Brewsters, and Bohan Blair. There is currently a city park and ballfields on East Blvd. in Aurora,...
. Geauga Lake opened for picnics and swimming in 1872. An 1880 history of Geauga County reported that the Giles residence "being easy of access by rail, has become, within a few years, a very popular place of resort during the summer months, for fishing, picnic, and excursion parties" and that "for the convenience of such parties, Mr. Giles has recently erected a hall of considerable size near the lake. The surrounding grounds are kept clean and attractive, and, without exception, this is the most charming place to spend a leisure day to be found in this section." Geauga Lake park itself was established in 1887. Three major league baseball games were played on Sundays at Geauga Lake in 1888 by Cleveland's team in the major league American Association. By 1889 the park installed its first ride, a steam-powered carousel. More rides would follow.
William J. Kuhlman expanded the park in 1925. At that time, Geauga Lake built the Big Dipper
Big Dipper (Geauga Lake)
Big Dipper is a wooden roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. Built in 1925, the Big Dipper is an ACE "Coaster Classic" and an ACE "Landmark Coaster." Until September 2007, it was the oldest operating wooden coaster in Ohio, and the 7th oldest operating roller coaster in the...
, the then-largest wooden roller coaster of its time, 2800 feet (853.4 m) long and 65 feet (19.8 m) high. Geauga Lake's Olympic-sized swimming pool was built, and it stayed in operation until the mid-1960s. On Sunday, July 11, 1926 Olympic medalist and Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller
Johnny Weissmuller
Johnny Weissmuller was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor best known for playing Tarzan in movies. Weissmuller was one of the world's best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven...
set a new world record in the 220-yard free style swim in the pool in front of 3,000 spectators. Lake swimming also continued over the coming decades. Many amusement parks at the time had race tracks, dance halls, and sometimes a theatre and bowling alley, making them year round attractions. The race track was added in 1931, although it closed in 1969. The theatre, dance hall, and bowling alley were also added around the same time. In 1937 the park's 1926 hand-carved Marcus Illions Carousel was added, after having been located in Philadelphia and Birmingham, at a cost of $35,000.
At that point, the park's dance hall and ballroom were major draws, with big band music performed by Guy Lombardo
Guy Lombardo
Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo was a Canadian-American bandleader and violinist.Forming "The Royal Canadians" in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert, and Victor and other musicians from his hometown, Lombardo led the group to international success, billing themselves as creating "The Sweetest...
, Fred Waring
Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was a popular musician, bandleader and radio-television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing." He was also a promoter, financial backer and namesake of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric...
, Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw
Arthur Jacob Arshawsky , better known as Artie Shaw, was an American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also the author of both fiction and non-fiction writings....
, and other big names of the time.
In 1942, a tornado hit the park, injuring six, destroying buildings, and damaging the Big Dipper. The park reported $50,000 in damages, but it quickly rebuilt. In July 1944, Viola Schryer ("Vi") took over management of the park after the death of her uncle William Kuhlman.
In 1952, a fire destroyed the park's bowling alley, theater, dance hall and roller rink with damages estimated at $500,000. At that time the park became strictly a seasonal amusement park, beach, and swimming area. The pool was closed and razed in the early 1960s, but lake swimming continued.
In 1969, Funtime Incorporated purchased the park. The focus continued to be rides and swimming. The racetrack closed and was razed in 1969. In 1970 a marine life park, SeaWorld
SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,...
, was built across the lake from the amusement park and swimming area on land leased from Funtime. Sea World and Geauga Lake were friendly neighbors for 30 years. Sea World focused on marine life and shows, while Geauga Lake focused on thrill rides and swimming. Sea World was purchased by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1976 and later by Busch Entertainment Corp in late 1989.
In 1972, the Gold Rush log flume water ride was added, and two years later Geauga Lake added the Skyscraper, which took passengers up 21 stories for views of the park. Admission to the park was free until 1972. Until then, rides on various attractions were purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis. Beginning in 1973, the park converted to an admission charge with a pay-one-price for all the rides and attractions. The Geauga Dog became the park's mascot and would remain so until 1999. In 1976, the park added the Wildcat compact steel roller coaster, and a year later the park added the Double Loop
Double Loop (Geauga Lake)
Double Loop was a steel roller coaster at Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom. Built in 1977 by Arrow Dynamics, it was the first roller coaster to feature two consecutive vertical loops.-History:...
, a looping steel coaster. For a time, the park ran a short-lived series of TV commercials featuring Geauga Dog and a singing, dancing adolescent boy performing a song about the park. The boy's off-key singing and awful dancing were deliberate, a means of getting viewers to notice the ad. It succeeded.
Corkscrew coaster made its debut in 1978, making Geauga Lake the second amusement park in Ohio (Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
in Sandusky
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
was the first) and one of the first amusement parks anywhere to have two looping coasters. Swimming in the lake continued to be a feature at the park, and in 1983, the park added Boardwalk Shores, which featured a paddleboat marina, a new bath house, a children's swimming pool area and water slides. A year later, The Wave, the only authentic tsunami wave pool in the Midwest at the time, opened to rave reviews.
In 1986, more children's rides were added and themed as Rainbow Island, a children's dry ride area. Stingray water slides and the Euroracer Grand Prix rides were added.
In 1988, Geauga Lake celebrated its centennial by introducing the Raging Wolf Bobs
Raging Wolf Bobs
Raging Wolf Bobs is a wooden roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. The coaster was originally based on the famous coaster The Bobs at Riverview Park in Chicago, Illinois....
, a wooden roller coaster
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
with a hybrid twister/out and back design modeled after the original Bobs roller coaster at Chicago's defunct Riverview Park. Two years later, the park re-themed the children's water area as Turtle Beach, which was advertised as the ultimate children's water playground. Geauga Lake expanded its midway with The Mirage and the $2.1 million Texas Twister in the early 1990s.
A corporate deal in 1995 saw Premier Parks acquiring Funtime, giving Geauga Lake a new owner. Premier Parks invested $9 million in new rides, including the Mind Eraser
Head Spin (roller coaster)
The Head Spin was a ride that operated at Geauga Lake from 1996 to 2007. The ride was originally named "The Mind Eraser" but was renamed when Cedar Fair purchased then Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in 2004...
(a steel looping shuttle Boomerang
Boomerang (roller coaster)
Boomerang is a model of roller coaster built by Vekoma, and named after the hunting implement based on the traditions of the Indigenous Australians...
roller coaster) and Grizzly Run, a water rapids ride designed by Intamin. These attractions opened in 1996, and the Corkscrew was closed and sold and moved to Dizzee World in India. The next year, the park expanded its water area by 32000 square feet (2,972.9 m²) with Hook's Lagoon. Several new water slides were also added.
In 1998, Premier Parks purchased Six Flags Theme Parks from Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
. Serial Thriller, later known as Thunderhawk, was added. The next year, a new ferris wheel, Americana, Double inverting ride, Time Warp, and up-charge attraction Skycoaster were added. Premier Parks rebranded Geauga Lake in 2000 as Six Flags Ohio.
Six Flags Era
In 2000, Six Flags received $40 million in improvements, primarily four new roller coasters. One was a junior roller coaster the Beaver Land Mine RideBeaver Land Mine Ride
Beaver Land Mine Ride was a steel roller coaster at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. It was a standard production model junior coaster from Zierer. It was known for having the longest train of any coaster at Geauga Lake, and it was also the only coaster in the park to complete a full circuit twice...
(Road Runner Express in 2000). Others included a wooden double out and back roller coaster called The Villain
Villain (roller coaster)
Villain was a wooden roller coaster at the Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. It was manufactured by the now-defunct Custom Coasters International . The ride opened as a part of the four-coaster expansion Six Flags brought to Geauga Lake between 1999 and 2000. It is a wooden hybrid, which...
, a Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
floorless roller coaster
Floorless roller coaster
A floorless roller coaster is a roller coaster with trains that ride above the track and allow the passenger's legs to dangle. It is a fairly new concept in roller coaster design brought forth by manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard. The first ever floorless coaster debuted in 1999 at Six Flags Great...
called Batman Knight Flight
Dominator (roller coaster)
Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The ride originally operated at Geauga Lake before Cedar Fair announced the park would no longer operate as an amusement park.Dominator is a notable floorless...
(later Dominator) and an Intamin suspended impulse shuttle coaster called Superman Ultimate Escape
Steel Venom (Geauga Lake)
Steel Venom was a launched inverted shuttle roller coaster designed by Intamin located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. The ride opened on May 5, 2000 as a part of the Six Flags conversion of the park from Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio/Worlds of Adventure...
(later Steel Venom). Also added this year, a new chutes water ride was added along with a new wave pool in the waterpark. The old wave pool was razed, filled, and used for a new Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
themed kids' area.
Busch Entertainment determined that its Sea World parks should begin adding roller coasters, water rides, and other attractions to supplement the marine displays and shows, and the company began de-emphasizing the educational aspects of its parks. They began modifying their Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park, and marine-life based zoological park, near Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Blackstone Group...
, San Antonio
SeaWorld San Antonio
SeaWorld San Antonio is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and animal theme park, located in the Westover Hills area of San Antonio, Texas. It is the largest of the three parks in the SeaWorld chain owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group, and the world's...
, and to a lesser extent their San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, and marine mammal park, located in San Diego, California, United States. The park is owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group....
parks to reflect this. Due to Geauga Lake/Six Flags Ohio's close proximity, as well as the fact that the SeaWorld side of the lake had height restrictions, Busch approached Six Flags about buying the Six Flags Ohio park. Six Flags then made a counter offer to instead buy SeaWorld Ohio
SeaWorld Ohio
SeaWorld Ohio was a park in the SeaWorld chain of marine animal theme parks. The park opened in 1970 directly across from Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, USA....
. That fall, Six Flags purchased Sea World for $110 million in cash, merging the two complexes into one, and changing the entire complex's name to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. The SeaWorld side became known as the "Wild Life" area and remained primarily marine life shows, with a few portable children's rides placed throughout. In 2002 Shamu
Shamu (SeaWorld show)
Shamu is the stage name given to the SeaWorld orca shows and to the "star" of those shows, beginning with the original Shamu in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
the whale was replaced by Shouka, who came on a breeding loan from Marineland in Antibes, France. The original amusement park area became known as the "Wild Rides" area and continued expansion with a Vekoma
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
flying coaster titled X-Flight (now Firehawk
Firehawk (roller coaster)
For information on this roller coaster when it ran at Geauga Lake, see X-Flight.Firehawk is a steel Vekoma flying roller coaster operating at Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally built at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure as X-Flight in 2001, the ride was manufactured by Vekoma...
at Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
). The small waterpark area also continued, so the park was marketed as "Three Parks for One Price".
To expand the waterpark area, in 2003 Six Flags added Hurricane Mountain, the then-largest water slide complex in North America, and renamed the waterpark area Hurricane Harbor.
Cedar Fair era
Facing financial difficulties across its chain and high debt, Six Flags considered selling the park. Two months before the 2004 season, a sale to Cedar Fair, owner of Cedar PointCedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
located 85 miles (136.8 km) away, was announced. The deal was finalized less than a month later. The park was immediately "unflagged", "unbranded", and reverted to the name Geauga Lake. The Six Flags Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
characters and superhero branding was removed. To conform with copyright laws, the names of many of the rides and roller coasters were changed. The Hurricane Harbor waterpark area was renamed Hurricane Hannah's Waterpark and the marine life side was shut down immediately before opening. The animals were retained by Six Flags. While most of the marine area was razed, the amusement park area attractions and rides remained the same except for name changes.
In 2005, Cedar Fair invested $26 million dollars in Wildwater Kingdom, a new waterpark on the former Sea World site. The Wildwater Kingdom side had about six waterslides and a children's water play area. The Hurricane Hannah area remained.
In 2006, Wildwater Kingdom is expanded to include Tidal Wave Bay. The Hurricane Hannah area was then shut down, leaving Wildwater Kingdom as the remaining waterpark. The season was also scaled back, eliminating the spring and fall weekend operations and opening strictly between Memorial Day and Labor Day with one last weekend in mid-September. At the end of the season, the X-Flight roller coaster was removed, as well as Steel Venom
Steel Venom (Geauga Lake)
Steel Venom was a launched inverted shuttle roller coaster designed by Intamin located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. The ride opened on May 5, 2000 as a part of the Six Flags conversion of the park from Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio/Worlds of Adventure...
(formerly Superman The Ultimate Escape). The X-Flight was relocated to Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
and opened as Firehawk
Firehawk (roller coaster)
For information on this roller coaster when it ran at Geauga Lake, see X-Flight.Firehawk is a steel Vekoma flying roller coaster operating at Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally built at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure as X-Flight in 2001, the ride was manufactured by Vekoma...
in 2007. And Steel Venom relocated to Dorney Park, where it opened for the 2008 season as Voodoo, until 2009 when it was renamed Possessed.
In 2007, the summer-only operation of Geauga lake continued. Rumors ranging from the total closing of Geauga Lake to closing everything except the waterpark to scaling back the rides area even more were rampant. Management refused to either confirm or deny rumors and did not comment, except to say that the park will continue "to focus on fun filled wholesome family entertainment" and a total closing would not happen. The 2007 Oktoberfest on September 14, 15 and 16, 2007 was the final weekend for the amusement park. On Friday, September 21, 2007 Cedar Fair announced its decision to not reopen the ride side of Geauga Lake park and that Wildwater Kingdom side would reopen exclusively as a waterpark called Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom. This led to efforts to save Geauga Lake, especially landmarks such as the Big Dipper and the Carousel, including an online petition and letters to public officials.
Cedar Fair has placed the land of amusement park side of the park up for sale. The remaining rides and remnants were auctioned separately on June 17, 2008. Many returned to the park for one last visit on the June 16 auction preview day and the June 17 auction.
Ride name changes
As part of Cedar Fair's 2004 purchase of Geauga Lake, many of the coasters received new names as Cedar Fair does not own the rights to DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
characters. Below is a list of renamed rides:
- Batman: Knight Flight lost the Batman theming and opened in 2004 under the name of DominatorDominator (roller coaster)Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The ride originally operated at Geauga Lake before Cedar Fair announced the park would no longer operate as an amusement park.Dominator is a notable floorless...
. It now runs at Kings Dominion. - Mind Eraser was renamed Head Spin. In 2009, it became the Carolina CobraCarolina CobraCarolina Cobra is a steel Vekoma boomerang roller coaster located at Carowinds. Standing and reaching , , it is the third tallest coaster in the park. It is the first roller coaster addition to Carowinds since the park's purchase by Cedar Fair from Paramount Parks.-History:Originally named Head...
at Carowinds. - Serial Thriller was renamed Thunderhawk, and now runs at Michigan's AdventureMichigan's AdventureMichigan's Adventure is a amusement park in Muskegon County, Michigan, about halfway between Muskegon, Michigan and Whitehall, Michigan. It is the largest amusement park in the state and has been owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company since 2001...
. - Superman: Ultimate Escape was renamed Steel VenomSteel Venom (Geauga Lake)Steel Venom was a launched inverted shuttle roller coaster designed by Intamin located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. The ride opened on May 5, 2000 as a part of the Six Flags conversion of the park from Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio/Worlds of Adventure...
, was removed in 2006, and now is Possessed, located at Dorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom....
. - Road Runner Express would be renamed the Beaver Land Mine RideBeaver Land Mine RideBeaver Land Mine Ride was a steel roller coaster at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. It was a standard production model junior coaster from Zierer. It was known for having the longest train of any coaster at Geauga Lake, and it was also the only coaster in the park to complete a full circuit twice...
and now runs at a park in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - X-Flight would be renamed FirehawkFirehawk (roller coaster)For information on this roller coaster when it ran at Geauga Lake, see X-Flight.Firehawk is a steel Vekoma flying roller coaster operating at Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally built at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure as X-Flight in 2001, the ride was manufactured by Vekoma...
and now runs at Kings IslandKings IslandKings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
.
Other coasters
- Double Loop and Villain were scrapped in 2008.
- X-Flight was relocated to Kings IslandKings IslandKings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
in 2007 where it now runs as FirehawkFirehawk (roller coaster)For information on this roller coaster when it ran at Geauga Lake, see X-Flight.Firehawk is a steel Vekoma flying roller coaster operating at Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally built at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure as X-Flight in 2001, the ride was manufactured by Vekoma...
.
Previous names and management
It is not uncommon for amusement parks to be sold and this property has changed hands a number of times, although there were only four ownership changes in the 124 year span from 1872 to 1996.The park was originally two parks- Geauga Lake and SeaWorld
SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,...
. Geauga Lake became Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
Ohio in 2000; before the 2001 season SeaWorld was purchased by Six Flags and the entire complex was combined and renamed Six Flags Worlds of Adventure.
| Amusement Park | Marine Park | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Name | Owner | Manager | Name | Owner | Manager |
| 1872 | Giles Pond / Picnic Lake | Sullivan Giles | -Same- | |||
| 1888 | Geauga Lake | Alexander G. Kent | -Same- | |||
| 1925 | Geauga Lake | William J. Kuhlman | -Same- | |||
| 1945 | Geauga Lake | Carl Adrion, Harvey Schryer, & Charles Schryer | -Same- | |||
| 1968 | Geauga Lake | Funtime Inc. | Gaspar Lococo, Earl Gascoigne, Dale Van Voorhis, & Milford Jacobson | |||
| 1970 | SeaWorld Ohio | SeaWorld SeaWorld SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,... |
Milton C. Shedd, Ken Norris, David Dement, and George Millay | |||
| 1976 | SeaWorld Ohio | Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. | ||||
| Fall 1989 | SeaWorld Ohio | Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the... |
Daniel Trausch | |||
| 1996 | Geauga Lake | Premier Parks | Gaspar Lococo | |||
| 1998 | Geauga Lake | Six Flags Six Flags Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family... |
||||
| 2000 | Six Flags Ohio | Six Flags Six Flags Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family... |
Jack Bateman, Daniel Trausch, Joe Costa | |||
| Combined Amusement/Marine Park | ||||||
| Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure | Six Flags Six Flags Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family... |
Rick McCurly | ||||
| Combined Amusement/Water Park | ||||||
| Geauga Lake | Cedar Fair | Bill Spehn | ||||
| 2005 | Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom | Cedar Fair | Bill Spehn | |||
| 2006 | Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom | Cedar Fair | Bill Spehn | |||
| 2007 | Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom | Cedar Fair | Bill Spehn | |||
| Water Park | ||||||
| Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom | Cedar Fair | Colleen Murphy | ||||
| 2009 | Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom | Cedar Fair | Colleen Murphy | |||
| 2010 | Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom | Cedar Fair | Colleen Murphy | |||
| 2011 | Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom | Cedar Fair | Colleen Murphy | |||
Fate of Geauga Lake's coasters
- DominatorDominator (roller coaster)Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The ride originally operated at Geauga Lake before Cedar Fair announced the park would no longer operate as an amusement park.Dominator is a notable floorless...
: Now open at Kings Dominion - Thunderhawk: Now open at Michigan's AdventureMichigan's AdventureMichigan's Adventure is a amusement park in Muskegon County, Michigan, about halfway between Muskegon, Michigan and Whitehall, Michigan. It is the largest amusement park in the state and has been owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company since 2001...
- Steel VenomSteel Venom (Geauga Lake)Steel Venom was a launched inverted shuttle roller coaster designed by Intamin located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. The ride opened on May 5, 2000 as a part of the Six Flags conversion of the park from Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio/Worlds of Adventure...
: Now open at Dorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom....
as Possessed - X-Flight: Now open at Kings IslandKings IslandKings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
as FirehawkFirehawkFirehawk may refer to:*Firehawk, roller coaster at Kings Island amusement park near Cincinnati, Ohio*The Sikorsky S-70A Firehawk, a medium-lift helicopter*The Firehawk, a factory performance option of the Pontiac Firebird... - Raging Wolf BobsRaging Wolf BobsRaging Wolf Bobs is a wooden roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. The coaster was originally based on the famous coaster The Bobs at Riverview Park in Chicago, Illinois....
: Purchased for $2,500 at auction; some wood and track sold in online auctions; much of steel track scrapped; most of wood frame still standing; part of track and car donated to Geauga County Historical Society; demolition of rest expected - Big DipperBig Dipper (Geauga Lake)Big Dipper is a wooden roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. Built in 1925, the Big Dipper is an ACE "Coaster Classic" and an ACE "Landmark Coaster." Until September 2007, it was the oldest operating wooden coaster in Ohio, and the 7th oldest operating roller coaster in the...
: The ride is still currently standing on the property. A potential sale to two enthusiasts in September 2010 fell through. Fate is currently unknown. - VillainVillain (roller coaster)Villain was a wooden roller coaster at the Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. It was manufactured by the now-defunct Custom Coasters International . The ride opened as a part of the four-coaster expansion Six Flags brought to Geauga Lake between 1999 and 2000. It is a wooden hybrid, which...
: Demolished - Double LoopDouble Loop (Geauga Lake)Double Loop was a steel roller coaster at Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom. Built in 1977 by Arrow Dynamics, it was the first roller coaster to feature two consecutive vertical loops.-History:...
: Demolished - Beaver Land Mine RideBeaver Land Mine RideBeaver Land Mine Ride was a steel roller coaster at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. It was a standard production model junior coaster from Zierer. It was known for having the longest train of any coaster at Geauga Lake, and it was also the only coaster in the park to complete a full circuit twice...
: Sold to Papea City amusement park in Yvré-l'Evêque, France - Head SpinHead Spin (roller coaster)The Head Spin was a ride that operated at Geauga Lake from 1996 to 2007. The ride was originally named "The Mind Eraser" but was renamed when Cedar Fair purchased then Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in 2004...
: Now open at Carowinds as Carolina Cobra
Past Coasters and Attractions
The number of former attractions at the park reflects the different visions each of the owners had for the park. Below are listed some of the park's former rides that no longer operate, but some of these attractions are now operating at another amusement park.| Ride | Year Opened | Year Closed | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bel-Aire Express | 1969 | 2006 | Monorail |
| Corkscrew | 1978 | 1995 | Arrow Dynamics corkscrew steel coaster |
| Cyclone | 1976 | 1980 | Pinfari Z47 portable coaster |
| El Dorado | 1983 | 2007 | Weber 1001 Nachts pendulum ride, now open at Kings Dominion |
| Hook's Lagoon | 1997 | 2004 | Water tree house |
| Mission: Bermuda Triangle | 2000 | 2004 | Simulator film |
| Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall | 1997 | 2005 | Intamin first generation freefall |
| Muzik Express | 1978 | 2002 | Spinning Himalaya-type ride |
| Pirates 4-D Adventure | 1998 | 2004 | 4-D Cinema film |
| Robots of Mars | 2005 | 2006 | 4-D Cinema film |
| LEGO Racers 4-D | 2007 | 2007 | 4-D Cinema film |
| Shark Attack | 2003 | 2005 | Water slide tower |
| Silver Bullet | 1976 | 2003 | HUSS Maschinenfabrik enterprise ride |
| Steel Venom Steel Venom (Geauga Lake) Steel Venom was a launched inverted shuttle roller coaster designed by Intamin located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. The ride opened on May 5, 2000 as a part of the Six Flags conversion of the park from Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio/Worlds of Adventure... |
2000 | 2006 | Intamin AG impulse steel coaster, now open at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom.... as Possessed |
| The Wave | 1984 | 1999 | Wave pool |
| Wild Mouse | 1958 | 1970s | Schiff wild mouse coaster |
| X-Flight | 2001 | 2006 | Vekoma flying steel coaster, now open at Kings Island Kings Island Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S... as Firehawk |
| Big Dipper Big Dipper (Geauga Lake) Big Dipper is a wooden roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. Built in 1925, the Big Dipper is an ACE "Coaster Classic" and an ACE "Landmark Coaster." Until September 2007, it was the oldest operating wooden coaster in Ohio, and the 7th oldest operating roller coaster in the... |
1925 | 2007 | John A. Miller wooden coaster. The park officially became an amusement park when this coaster opened. The ride formerly served as the park entrance gate. Former Names: The Clipper and Sky Rocket. |
| Double Loop Double Loop (Geauga Lake) Double Loop was a steel roller coaster at Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom. Built in 1977 by Arrow Dynamics, it was the first roller coaster to feature two consecutive vertical loops.-History:... |
1977 | 2007 | Arrow Dynamics double looping steel coaster, demolished |
| Raging Wolf Bobs Raging Wolf Bobs Raging Wolf Bobs is a wooden roller coaster at Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. The coaster was originally based on the famous coaster The Bobs at Riverview Park in Chicago, Illinois.... |
1988 | 2007 | Summers/Dinn wooden coaster, to be scrapped soon |
| Head Spin | 1996 | 2007 | Vekoma steel boomerang coaster, now open at Carowinds as Carolina Cobra |
| Thunderhawk | 1998 | 2007 | Vekoma SLC steel inverted coaster, now open at Michigan's Adventure Michigan's Adventure Michigan's Adventure is a amusement park in Muskegon County, Michigan, about halfway between Muskegon, Michigan and Whitehall, Michigan. It is the largest amusement park in the state and has been owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company since 2001... |
| Beaver Land Mine Ride Beaver Land Mine Ride Beaver Land Mine Ride was a steel roller coaster at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. It was a standard production model junior coaster from Zierer. It was known for having the longest train of any coaster at Geauga Lake, and it was also the only coaster in the park to complete a full circuit twice... |
2000 | 2007 | Zierer steel kiddie coaster, now operates at Papea City in Yvré-l'Evêque, France |
| Dominator Dominator (roller coaster) Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The ride originally operated at Geauga Lake before Cedar Fair announced the park would no longer operate as an amusement park.Dominator is a notable floorless... |
2000 | 2007 | Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) floorless steel coaster, now open at Kings Dominion |
| The Villain Villain (roller coaster) Villain was a wooden roller coaster at the Geauga Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio. It was manufactured by the now-defunct Custom Coasters International . The ride opened as a part of the four-coaster expansion Six Flags brought to Geauga Lake between 1999 and 2000. It is a wooden hybrid, which... |
2000 | 2007 | Wooden/steel hybrid coaster built by Custom Coasters International (CCI), demolished |
| Americana | 1999 | 2007 | Ferris wheel, now open at Kings Dominion |
| Dodgems | 1983 | 2007 | Bumper cars |
| Grizzly Run | 1996 | 2007 | Water rapids ride |
| Kidworks Playzone | 2000 | 2007 | Kiddie rides area |
| Shipwreck Falls | 2000 | 2007 | Shoot-the-Chutes water ride |
| Skyscraper | 1974 | 2007 | Observation tower, demolished |
| Starfish | 2003 | 2007 | Spinning family ride |
| Texas Twister | 1993 | 2007 | The first HUSS top spin in America, now open at California's Great America as Firefall |
| Thunder Alley Speedway | 1998 | 2007 | Go-karts |
| Time Warp | 1999 | 2007 | Chance-Morgan inverter thrill ride |
| Yo-Yo | 1976 | 2007 | Chance-Morgan Yo-Yo chairswing ride, now open at Carowinds |
| Palace Theatre | 1977 | 2007 | Entertainment Venue that was the park's Fun House from the 1940s through 1976 |
| Power City Stage | 1993 | 2007 | Amphitheatre |
| Harbor Theatre | 1998 | 2007 | 4-D Cinema |
| Geauga Lake Stadium | 1970's | 2008 | Lakeside stadium originally built to host Sea World's water-ski shows |
| The Rotor | 1981 | 2000 | Rotor Rotor (ride) The Rotor is an amusement park ride, designed by German engineer Ernst Hoffmeister in the late 1940s. The ride was first demonstrated at Oktoberfest 1949, and was exhibited at fairs and events throughout Europe during the 1950s and 1960s... -type ride |
Capital expenditures
The park has had millions of dollars spent by its owners. Here are some capital expenditures since 1993, both to purchase the park and to install new rides.| Year | Details | Approximate cost (U.S. dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Added Texas Twister | $2 million |
| 1996 | Added Head Spin and Grizzly Run | $7 million |
| 1997 | Added Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall & Hook's Lagoon | $2 million |
| 1998 | Added Serial Thriller | $10 million |
| 1999 | Added three new rides: Ripcord, Americana, & Time Warp | $2 million |
| 2000 | Rebranded as Six Flags Ohio, added 4 Roller Coasters, Water Park, Kids Area, and Shipwreck Falls water ride. | $44 million |
| 2001 | Purchase and integration of Sea World Ohio, added X-Flight | $127 million |
| 2004 | Acquisition by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. | $144 million |
| 2005 | Added Wildwater Kingdom, Dino Island, Robots of Mars, and Lakeside Catering, Refurbishment of Raging Wolf Bobs | $23 million |
| 2006 | Tidal Wave Bay and Cabanas | $3 million |
| 2007 | Added LEGO Racers 4-D movie, Painted Texas Twister, Remodeled Jukebox Cafe, Expanded Cabana Service, Cornhole Toss game | Minimal amount spent |
| Estimated Total | $359 million |
Notable additions and changes
For a detailed history of the park from 1888 to the present, see The History of Geauga Lake at the park's official site.1970: Sea World Ohio Opens
1983: The park opens Boardwalk Shores, the first water park to be included in an amusement park for one price.
1996: Geauga Lake is sold to Premier Parks, which later goes on to purchase Six Flags.
May 5, 2000: Six Flags Ohio opens for the first time under its new name.
January 10, 2001: Six Flags Ohio purchases neighboring Sea World Ohio for $110 million.
March 10, 2004: Six Flags sells the park to Cedar Fair, who changes the name back to Geauga Lake. Six Flags keeps the animals and disperses them to other properties. By opening day 2004, the portion of the park formerly known as SeaWorld is closed.
June 2005: A 20 acre (80,000 m²) Water Park located on the former site of SeaWorld of Ohio opens, under the name of Wildwater Kingdom. The admission price was dropped 10 dollars to $24.95. The annual Haunt (Halloween event) makes its final run this season, and is not continued the following seasons.
June 2006: Wildwater Kingdom opens its Caribbean-themed wave pool, Tidal Wave Bay. This wave pool measures 325 feet (99.1 m) wide by 220 feet (67.1 m) long; holds 390,000 gallons of water; and has cabanas, which guests can rent.
2007: The park's 2007 operating schedule has been significantly cut back compared with the schedules of seasons past. The park will now be open Memorial Day to Labor Day with Oktoberfest acting as a bonus weekend following the official closing of the park. X-Flight, Steel Venom, and Bel-Aire Express are now absent from the ride line up. The park also goes smoke-free this year, restricting public smoking to designated areas. New for 2007 are LEGO Racers (a 4D film), and Magician Tim Hill. The park also offers local season pass holders swimming lessons.
Post-2007 season: Cedar Fair closes the amusement park side of the park, sending some rides to other Cedar Fair parks. Other rides were auctioned in June 2008 and a few were scrapped (Double Loop, Villain, Haybaler). The water park remains as Wildwater Kingdom.
External links
- Official Site
- Aurora Historical Society, has a large collection of GL and Sea World items and history
- Geauga Lake Today- Celebrating the past, present, and future of a Northeast Ohio institution
- SeaWorldOhioMemories - memories of former SeaWorld Ohio & Six Flags: Worlds of Adventure - Wildlife Side
- Geauga Lake Photos at PointPics.com