Month: May 2020

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Happy Anniversary, 2020 edition.

Updates:

  • 05-25-2020: Addition of the anniversary of the Main Street fire. 🙁

Happy 45th anniversary, Adventureland! Here is this year’s update to a list I originally did in 2017 and 2018… (Seems like I missed 2019.)

Using my Adventureland Timeline, I decided to compile a list of notable anniversaries happening in the park this year.

As always, information here may be inaccurate. Any corrections or additions would be appreciated.

5th Anniversary (opened in 2015)

10th Anniversary (opened in 2010)

  • Adventure Bay
  • Chuck Wagon Soda
  • Anniversary of the fire that destroyed have of Main Street (hat tip to Elizabeth Dunn Huether for mentioning this). The rebuilt Main Street re-opened for the 2011 season.

15th Anniversary (opened in 2005)

  • None known.

20th Anniversary (opened in 2000)

25th Anniversary (opened in 1995)

  • None known.

30th Anniversary (opened in 1990)

35th Anniversary (opened in 1985)

40th Anniversary (opened in 1980)

  • Kiddie Kars (Hampton Cars) – moved from Riverview Park.

45th Anniversary (opened in 1975)

  • Adventureland official grand opening – May 31, 1975!
  • Sky Ride
Posted on

Dragon and Splash Over going away. Dragon Slayer coming.

The big for 2020 was when Adventureland post this on May 17, 2020 to their Facebook page:

Mary 17, 2020 Facebook teaser.

The image of a knight slaying a dragon immediately started speculation that something would be happening to the double-loop Dragon coaster.

Two days later, on May 19, the park posted an animated GIF that has the same image rotating in to view with the text “The Dragon Slayer” above it:

May 19, 2020 Facebook post.

Facebook group member Alec Rushford posted that SkyHigh Coasters LLC had reshared the teaser on their Facebook page, with Tag Gable following up with a post saying that they were the ones that did the build job on last year’s Phoenix roller coaster.

Also on May 19, local TV station KCCI posted an article that included drone footage of the Dragon being dismantled at the park:

https://www.kcci.com/article/adventureland-posts-another-clue-about-possible-future-ride/32600337#

On May 21, Joe Paul, a member of our Adventureland Iowa Fans (Unofficial) Facebook group posted a screen shot they took from the Facebook page of SkyHigh Coasters LLC showing the Splash Over being dismantled as well.

May 21, 2020 Facebook screen shot.

That post was quickly removed from the page, but said a zoomed photo taken off property confirms this was actually happening.

As of this posting, it looks like the park will have two rides less for the 2020 season, with something new to replace the Dragon next year. Nothing has been announced about a replacement for the Splash Over (though some have speculated maybe it is just being disassembled to be refurbished and will return).

More tidbits when we have them…