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:
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).
From photos posted in the Facebook group (most recently by Dee/Anna), it looks likeĀ Bernie’s Barnyard is either open, or will be opening soon. Here’s a look at the rules for the area:
Bernie’s Barnyard Rules
Adults must be accompanied by a child 60″ or less in this area
Children 12 years of age and younger should never be left unattended by a parent or guardian. Unattended children will be taken to Guest Information.
Photography and videography should be limited to your immediate group only. No general photography or videography is allowed in this area without the express consent of Adventureland Resort.
Shirt, shorts or pants and proper footware are required in this area at all times.
Please observe all posted signs and attendance instructions at all times.
At some point, I will want to contact the park’s media department and try to get some press photos to use for this new area in my wiki. Until then, parents, be sure to share your thoughts and opinions on the new area with me (and others) in the Facebook group, or drop my a note in e-mail. I’d love to share your reviews.
UPDATE:
Someone much smarter than myself looked at the rules and said “oh, so if you have a tall child that is 12 or younger, neither child or parent can go in.” I took another look, and indeed, that is what it says:
Adult must have a child 60″ or less.
Children 12 and under cannot be unattended.
If “unattended” means a parent/guardian must be in the area with the child, then, yes, if you had a 12 year old that was over 5′ tall, you couldn’t go in with that child, and the child couldn’t go in with you.
But really, it just means the child must be under 60″ tall and age 12 and under. If you are too old, or too tall, it’s not an area for you š
in the last week, two new shops have opened on Main Street.Ā Airbrush Worx replaces the former Airbrush Avenue, and next door,Ā The Gift GalleryĀ replaces Pine Valley Signs. I havenāt been to the park to check them out, and no details have been shared by Adventureland yet, so I donāt have much more to add.
The AdventureWiki has been updated with placeholder pages for these new retail locations:
Here are a few updates from a recent June 2, 2018 visit to the park…
Adventureland Cash Cards
If you are usingĀ Adventure Cards or are loading money on yourĀ Season Pass, you have to do that at the front ticket counter. There is one booth at the far right where they do this. If the ticket line is huge (as it was when I visited), you can go over to theĀ Season Pass Processing area and use the booth at the far right there. If there is a long line there, and you see no one at that end booth, they let you walk right up to it, bypassing the line.
NOTE: There is a $5 bonus for each $50 you load on your pass up until you reach $300, but this offer ends on June 10th. Also, the “cash back” that the card earned last year is no longer being offered. My advice is to load up $300 to get the extra cash back, spend that, then go back to using whatever normal payment method you would use.
Since the Annual Pass article is the most-read article on this site, I’ll be doing a 2018 update for it in the near future.
In the far end Season Pass booth, where you go to load money on your Adventureland card, notice the small speaker in the corner. It plays a special informational message for season pass holders.
Puff the Broken Dragon
On this visit,Ā Puff the Dragon was down for repair.
Puff the Dragon was down for repair.
Later in the week, a few other things went into maintenance mode, including theĀ Scrambler. TheĀ Scrambler must not break often, as they were using a hand-written sign for it on the day it was down.
Airbrush(less) Avenue
The formerĀ Airbrush Avenue location is still closed, but someone from the park posted that it was going to be taken over by theĀ Hollywood Caricature folks.
Still no obvious activity at the former Airbrush Avenue location.
Fire(less) Station
Across the way, the formerĀ Fire Station location has had it’s garage door removed and replaced with a wall. It will becoming theĀ Mainstream Marketplace.
Former Fire Place. Future Marketplace.
A few days after this photo was taken, the new Marketplace sign appeared, replacing the Fire Station sign. This was one of the original locations when the park opened in 1974.
Side note: At The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, they turned their fire station into a gift shop sometime in the late 90’s or early 2000’s. They also turned their Main Street Cinema into a shop, and did the same with a few other themed locations (including getting ride of a whole side street area). I guess this is what parks need to do when they don’t have enough retail space. (Meanwhile, Disneyland in California has continued to keep it’s cinema and fire station. So far.)
Keep On The Grass?
In theĀ Facebook Group,Ā Dee/Anna pointed out that the short fence around theĀ Carousel was removed this year. I hadn’t noticed that, and sure enough, it’s all open to the grass now, right up the carousel’s own fence.
No more fencing around the courtyard.
Look Up!
The left side of Main StreetĀ is full of building facades that represent stables, hotels, etc. On the hotel, all the “windows” have just been black … until last week. Many now have writings on them. Disneyland in California (and the other Magic Kingdom parks around the world) have used their windows as tributes to Disney legends or Imagineers who worked on the parks. So the question is… do these names have connections with the park?
Let the research begin!
The hotel now has writing on the windows.
Let’s take a look.
Emery and Barney
Jack’s Place could be a reference to park founderĀ Jack Krantz.
It’s a nice touch, though since this building is a hotel, those windows would seemingly be hotel rooms and not businesses upstairs. We’ll just says it’s a one-story hotel, with two stories of offices and businesses above it.
Welcome, Doc and Leone!
The newĀ Doc and Leone’s DinerĀ opened late afternoon on May 30, 2018. Two new benches are outside:
Doc and Leone’s Diner benches.
Inside, the place looks very nice. It’s a modern “50’s themed” restaurant, rather than a recreation of a 1950s eatery. The ceiling, for instances, has a color changing strips. Very cool.
Doc and Leone’s Diner
The left side is the restaurant. It has all-new 50’s style tables and chairs, and a few booths, as well as a long bar you can eat at.
The right side is the all-newĀ Doc and Leone’s Bar, with some additional seating and bar seating.
Doc and Leone’s Bar
The bar side is operated by a different department, so you can’t order food there, nor can you order an adult beverage with your meal on the other side. Speaking of adult beverages, let’s take a look at the new menu…
Doc and Leone’s Bar menu.
There is a small selection of draft beer, and a large selection of bottles/cans. They also have liquor and can make a number of special cocktails. The centerpiece are the ice cream drinks, which gives you six different delicious alcohol desserts to try. They also have machines that squeeze freshĀ lemon orĀ orange juice. You can buy a glass of the freshest juice around for $5, and then for $3 more, you can make it a cocktail and have a shot of liquor added. Ever have a freshly squeezed vodka lemonade? Now you can.
The food side maintains the famous fried chicken, but adds several new dishes, such asĀ meatloaf andĀ collard greens.
Meatloaf, collard greens and corn.
I won’t review the food here, because meatloaf can be made so many different ways. This meatloaf is more of the “ketchup tasting” type as opposed to the “very salty ground beef” type I’ve had at other places. The collard greens are also not the type of southern style greens you get at places like Famous Daves, Cracker Barrel or Fat Tuesday. The park’s publicity says the menu is based on recipes from the grandparents, so I assume these are some classic Iowa-style items as opposed to the Southern style I grew up with in Texas.
As you explore the restaurant, you will notice many family photos on the wall. Look for this one, that explains a bit about who Doc and Leone were:
Doc and Leone photos are all over the walls.
Let’s take a closer look:
About Doc and Leone.
You will also find some other surprises, like a framedĀ Coca-Cola uniform from the era. (Coke is a sponsor of the park, so I assume it was something they provided the park. Else, the park spend some bucks to get this.)
There’s also this…
A retro-looking jukebox (it plays CDs) and an autographed jacket from The Fonz himself – Henry Winkler!
The jukebox is modern (it plays songs from CDs), but the jacket above is unique. It’s a leather jacket autographed byĀ Henry Winkler. He wasĀ The Fonz on a 70s/80s TV show calledĀ Happy Days. Kids, ask your parents.
There are lots of surprises in here, including a “payphone” and a set of clocks…all set to 5 o’clock! (“It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!”)
And, a day or two after my visit, two more items appeared on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant: an old timeĀ gas pump and aĀ parking meter. (Thanks toĀ Dee/Ann for posting these photos.)
Photo by Dee/Anna.
There are so many nice details here. And, with this being the onlyĀ air conditioned bar at the park, it’s sure to be huge hit with mom and dad on the hot summer days!
We’ll look at Doc and Leone’s more in a future article… And yes, there is a tribute to the formerĀ Iowa Cafe in the new location (and the tribute to the former-formerĀ Poppy’s Place remains next door atĀ Fun Foods).
You Are Here
If you feel lost, the in-park maps now have stickers marking where you are.
You Are Here!
Baby, You Can Light My Fire!
Also, new special-effect flame bulbs are in use. I noticed them around the Saloon.
New flame bulbs.
It’s hard to tell from this photo, but these look like actual flames. I discovered these bulbs last year and ordered a few to play with. From a distance (at night), they can be quite convincing. The first time I saw them “in the wild” was at Knott’s Berry Farms a month ago. It looks like the theme park industry is embracing this new tech. (And, if you want one, you can find them for as low as $7 a bulb, or pay over $30 each. I’ve been testing different brands for some future Halloween projects I am working on.)
Flag Day
Each visit to the park (I’ve only been there two short times this year) I notice even more flags… There is a NASA flag at theĀ Space Shot, navy flags at Infant Ocean,Ā and an air force flag at theĀ Red Baron. (The “tower” at the Baron has also been repainted red this year.)
Red Baron flags.
It looks like we need to create an Adventureland Flag Scavenger Hunt list.
Saloon Changes
Although not part of this visit, some changes have come toĀ Sheriff Sam’s Saloon. Long-time park performerĀ Ben Ulin has been doing a hypnosis show the past two years as part ofĀ Oktoberfest. He will begin doing a version of this show during the normal season, on weekends… And, 18 and older only!
Ben Ulin Hypnosis
When Ben first posted this to Facebook, some of us wondered if the saloon was going to become more saloon-like (with alcohol) for an 18+ show. During the second Oktoberfest, it was “Sherif Sam’s Whiskey Bar.” And, it seems something is happening. Just today,Ā Jeremy B posted a photo in the Facebook group with the saloon sign replaced with a new one that readsĀ Sam Adams Saloon. I guess I have to make another trip out to see what that’s all about.
Bernie’s Barnyard
This post is already too long, so we’ll end with another photo of the construction ofĀ Bernie’s Barnyard.
In our Facebook group, Dee/AnnaĀ broke the news that the newĀ Doc and Leone’s Diner restaurant onĀ Main Street opened yesterday, 5/30/2018, late afternoon. The location offers food, as well as a large selection of adult beverages (many beers, alcoholic ice cream drinks, and more).
Also, the park’s handout guide already lists what theĀ Fire Station is becoming: TheĀ Main Street Marketplace. In the guide it is listed as offering “food allergy friendly offerings, grab and go drinks and salads.”
Dee/Anna has also shared a photo of the ride vehicle for the new children’s rideĀ Shakin’ Bacon, coming soon toĀ Bernie’s Barnyard.
I have been making updates to the Adventureland Wiki with these and other notes, so be sure to check it out.
The weather in Iowa has been very hot lately, with Memorial Day Weekend featuring temperatures in the upper 90s. Adventureland begins daily operation now, andĀ Adventure Bay has also opened for the season.
On Memorial Day Monday, crowds seemed pretty tame early on. Around noon, parking was still mostly using the main up-front lot (Lot 4, I believe). There was, however, a major line at the ticket booths, filling the full queue and extended out past the planters:
The ticket line extended out from the permanent zig-zag queue and out to the right in this photo.
Inside the park, most of the rides had very shot lines, with many basically being a walk-on. I expect most visiting that day were down at the water park.
Main Street
OnĀ Main Street, work continues at the fire station. When Adventureland opened in the 1970s, this location was meant to replicate a town fire station, complete with some form of fire truck/wagon on display. In later years, it was used for stroller rentals before finally becoming a small merchandise shop. It looks like the garage door may have been removed, possibly indicating this location will become an extension of retail space for the shops in that area.
Fire Station construction.
Down the way, work continues on the newĀ Doc and Leone’s Diner project. The front sidewalk is roped off, and the windows are uncovered. Inside you can see the new 1950s-style tables and chairs, and even catch a glimpse of a jukebox. It looks like the walls have all been redone too, in fancy 50’s diner style. The park has said this location will open in early June.
Doc and Leone’s Diner is showing major progress.
The locations formerly used byĀ Airbrush AvenueĀ are still closed, and it did not look like anything had been going on inside yet.
Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign
A number of new signs have appeared in the park, such as new restroom signs…
Several of these new blue restroom signs have appeared throughout the park.
As mentioned in the Facebook group, theĀ Tea Cups also got new signage this year;
An upgraded Tea Cups sign.
Flag Day
In addition to new signs, it was also pointed out that new flags have appeared around the park. Some are tied to the location – such as Iowa flags flying over atĀ Iowa Beer & Wine…
There are various other flags lining buildings and such, but I’d have to check past year’s photos to see if these are new for this year. Adventureland has always had plenty of building-top flags in the park.
Even with a very small audience at the 1 o’clock show, and temperatures in the upper 90’s, the circus gave the same high energy performance as they would to a Ā full audience on a much milder day. The circus has added some new lighting effects inside, as well.
New projections inside the circus tent.
And this thing was amazing:
The circus is a must-see for this act alone.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
On the way to the circus throughĀ Outlaw Gulch, it looks like theĀ Sawmill Splash has a new wooden fence:
New fencing along Sawmill Splash.
And over atĀ Sheriff Sam’s Saloon, it looks like the building has been repainted.
Sheriff Sam’s Saloon appears to have been repainted. And flags!
Stepping inside, it appears the flooring has been updated, and a new wall constructed.
New flooring (?) and wall inside Sheriff Sam’s Saloon.
This seems to block the light better forĀ Ben Ulin’s Glow Show. They were keeping one of the doors open, instead of them closing during that show.
And, did you notice the four new hitching posts that have been added? These would be where the cowboys would have tied up their horse when visiting the saloon.
Hitching posts!
Bernie’s Barnyard
The new children’s play area has gone vertical, and is visible from within the park.
Bernie’s Barnyard play area.
And landscapers are hard at work on this hot day, too.
(I think she’s camera shy. I was trying to show all all the work she was doing placing the new flowers and such.)
And, when you exit, you can even get a sneak peek at the newĀ Bernie statue:
Bernie statue.
…and appreciate all the work that is going on inside:
Bernie’s Construction Land.
More to come…
The day was hot, so my visit was short. I am sure there are many more things to be discovered this season. Like, how did I miss the relocation of the bowling ball game? Dee/Anna mentioned it was near theĀ Skee-Ball area now, so it looks like some Skee-Ball machines have been retired:
This stupid and impossible and frustrating bowling ball game is, unfortunately, still here, taunting me.
Nothing has yet taken over it’s former spot,Ā but, the jumbo crane game seems to be ready:
It is worth noting that this is a new domain name (though it is a domain name they have had for awhile). Previously, you would see AdventurelandPark.com used.
Bernie’s Barnyard
Last year, the park announced that a new children’s area would be coming in 2018.Ā Bernie’s Barnyard will be located where the corporate picnic area was, between the Tornado and behind the Storm Chaser.
During last year’s Oktoberfest, they had a banner announcing it:
This banner was seen at the 2018 Oktoberfest.
It is already on the in-park maps, too.
Bernie’s Barnyard on the new in-park maps.
The area is supposed to open in June. Currently, it looks like they have just begun working on the ground:
Bernie’s Barnyard construction on 5/5/2018.
Doc and Leone’s Diner
It was recently announced that theĀ Iowa Cafe was being replaced with a new facility calledĀ Doc and Leone’s Diner.
Doc and Leone’s Diner on the map.
Doc and Leone’s Diner sign.
The new sign, shown above, may seem a bit out of place in the “early 1900s” of Main Street, but if you visit many older main streets in Iowa, you will see a mixture of classic architecture and modern upgrades (like finding a Subway or Starbucks there).
The remodel looks huge. According to my “park source,” the location will still be a counter service location, but the whole area is being remodeled.
Doc and Leone’s Diner construction
And the new menu is very intriguing:
Doc and Leone’s Diner menu.
Collard greens? Count me in! Those were easy to find back in my home state of Texas, but not so common here in Iowa. I look forward to eating through this menu.
During the remodel, the famous adventurelandĀ fried chicken is available at the newly repaintedĀ Fun Foods next door.
Oh, and if you already miss the inside bench seating thatĀ Iowa Cafe had, take a stroll over toĀ Dragon IslandĀ and you might find something familiar…
Former Iowa Cafe benches, installed on Dragon Island.
Goodbye, Inverter
Several folks posted in myĀ Adventureland Iowa Fans (Unofficial) Facebook group that the Inverter was no longer listed on the website. There were also posts showing a photo of it on a “for sale” site for amusement park rides. We now know it has been removed from the in-park maps as well:
The Inverter is missing from from the map….
And everything is gone from the site, as well:
The Inverter … was formerly here.
Although they reused the queue building fromĀ Super Screamer whenĀ The Inverter was first installed, you can see that it has been completely removed.
Food, Glorious Food
There are some major food updates this year. New colorful menu boards have been added, and they clearly mark items that are “New for 2018“:
Taco Villa’s new menu.
And just like we got “fancier’ items like baklava last year, the trend continues. There are some interesting (and delicious) new items, includingĀ Fiesta Street Corn.
Burito Bowl and Fiesta Street Corn (and a real margarita).
Over atĀ Coca-Cola Cafe, be sure to check out thisĀ Monster Burger:
The $18 Monster Burger (cheaper than buying all the items separately).
There area alsoĀ Loaded Nachos, aĀ BBQ Sundae, Sriracha Chicken Waffle Cone, gluten freeĀ Mac and Cheese,Ā Chicken and Waffle Sliders,Ā a newĀ Outlaw Burger, Speciality Pizzas (like aĀ Gyro Pizza)Ā andĀ Cereal Shakes, among many other new items. There’s even Little Smokies in a coneĀ atĀ Petunia Pig! I’ll try to split out these food offerings in future posts, but for now, suffice it to say that the new chefs brought on last year seem to have had a quite busy off season coming up with these items.
And someone please try thisĀ Funnel Cake Bacon Cheeseburger and let me know what you think:
Funnel Cake Bacon Cheeseburger, anyone?
The food locations also show operational improvements. The serving counter atĀ Rathskeller has glass doors covering up the food now, for instance.
Games, Games, Games
My favoriteĀ Lucky Puck game has moved a bit, to make way for an upcoming huge crane game:
A big crane game must mean big prizes…
Side note… If you want bottled water, just playĀ Lucky Puck. It costs $5 to buy two bottles of water, and if you play the game, you get two plays, and each one is guaranteed to win at least a small prize, which is currently a bottle of water. You might win $5 in arcade credits, or $5 in game play… or even an Adventureland ticket.
The bowling game is missing in action, but Dee/Anna in the Facebook group reports they saw it installed near the Skee Ball.
The Bowling Game has reportedly moved.
Meet me on Main Street
Back on Main Street,Ā Airbrush Avenue has departed…
No more Airbrush Avenue.
The clearance store, which used to be next door, is now in the “post office” building:
The Clearance Store has a new home.
And the corner store now contains items that used to be at the post office:
The new glowing Corner Store.
TheĀ fire house, which used to rent strollers and sell some items, isĀ closed…
The Fire Station is currently closed.
TheĀ Adventureland Store in the school room is also gone, and theĀ stroller rentals have been moved there:
Strollers are now in the school house.
I need to find out where the Adventureland Store has moved. That was the place I spent the most money, outside of food and drink…
Speaking of Drinks
And speaking of drinks… theĀ Bier Garten has new beer offerings this year, andĀ Iowa Beer and WineĀ has added more beer taps, and is now aĀ full bar!
Iowa Beer and Wine is now a full bar.
Many types of alcohol, including Iowa brandys and whiskeys, are available. You can even get a “flight” of the good stuff.
The good stuff!
They even have something I had never seen before. Many restaurants, and most bars, have a single dispensing hose that has buttons on it that let them select Coke, Sprite, etc. Adventureland has racks of liquor bottles that are all hooked up to a similar hose that lets them quickly dispense the “good stuff” without having to deal with individual bottles. This will no doubt greatly speed up drink service on the busy days!
There is also a new selection of cocktails, and a new frozen drink:Ā The Blue Lagoon. While the original frozen greenĀ Monster drink will always hold a special spot in my heart (and belly), I think I like the Blue Lagoon even better.
Adventureland has always been an “all ages” park, but with so many of the rides focusing on younger kids, it’s really nice to see the adults getting more and more things to keep them occupied.
General Upkeep
There are so many other things going on, including many buildings getting fresh paint. Notice the newly repainted black windows near Icee Mix-It-Up:
New paint everywhere!
And it is just me, or did they repaint (or replace) the remote controlled boat “island”?
New paint? New props?
Those might have been updated last year, but with so much getting “refreshed” it now starts making the whole park look better.
Lady Luck
Lady Luck has a new computer-controller multi-color LED light show:
Lady Luck’s new color-changing RGB LED lights.
I can’t wait for the park to be open past sunset to see what it looks like at night.
And much more!
There are so many more items I’d like to mention, but I’ll save those for a future update. With all the new food, tasty adult beverages, game and attraction improvements this year, “reporting” on them should keep me really busy this season.
I won’t be able to get to the park until Memorial Day Weekend (at the earliest), so please comment on this post and let me know what I have missed.
Adventureland began its 2018 season on April 28. I’ll have an extensive update soon detailing some of the changes in food, rides, games, and “tasty adult beverages” … and there areĀ many!
Construction of the new “Bernie’s Barnyard” children’s area is well underway (5/5/2018).
As expected, things gotĀ very busy at the park in July, with full parking lots and healthy lines inside. Once school started back up, the park returned to weekends-only operations, but the crowds will still be heavy for a bit longer.
On August 26, they were parking people along the roadways, with the parking lots nearly full before noon.
Busy parking lot on 8/26/2017.
The park was still open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the water park side was running reduced hours from noon to 5 p.m. Many of their lifeguards and workers return to school so the have to scale back operations a bit.
Only three rides were down for maintenance.
Entrance sign on 8/26/2017.
The Inverter ran for a few weeks early this season, then has been down ever since.
The Inverter is still down, as of 8/26/2017.
Lady Luck has been disassembled since last Tuesday. If you’ve ever wondered how it worked, now you can see.
Lady Luck: Some (re)assembly required.
Storm Chaser was being worked on, and it seems a safety system kicked in and halted the ride with people on it earlier in the day. Proving that it must have been a slow news day, WHO-TVreported on it … at least on their website:
“The fire department was not called out. A maintenance worker climbed to the top to fix it. The ride was stuck for about 25 minutes. Everyone got off safely.”
Never a dull moment for the full time maintenance staff that keeps these things running day in, and day out for our entertainment!
Over atĀ Iowa Cafe, new digital menu signs have been installed:
New digital menu signs at Iowa Cafe.
With more menu space, they now list the formerly “secret” 1 piece meal for $5.75. Since Iowa Cafe honors theĀ season pass discount, this low cost meal is a great way to get a real good bite to eat for less than some fast food burgers!
The park was also busy with various corporate outing groups occupying theĀ Palace Theatre and picnic areas. Since the Theatre was being used, it’s restrooms were unavailable to the public.
I wonder if the restrooms inside are open?
These large groups help explain the large crowds.Ā Earlier and later in the season, you can go to the park and have almost no wait at most of the rides, but if you prefer waiting in lines, peak season is for you!
There was a healthy line for theĀ A-TrainĀ (practically down the steps) and also for theĀ Sky Ride.
Sky Ride line on 8/26/2017.
And, there was also a line at theĀ Iowa Beer and Wine Shop.
Iowa beer is worth the wait.
Pro-tip: If you are just wanting a canned domestic drink, and there is a long line, you can get those at many other places (including food locations like theĀ Chicken Shack).
Meanwhile, over at theĀ Bier Garten, there was no line at all š The newĀ Iowa Beer and WineĀ location seems to be doing really well with the new tent and live entertainment this year. There has been live entertainment later in the day at the Bier Garten as well, so perhaps the lines shift over there later in the day.
As others reported earlier in the Facebook group, theĀ Fried Fish game has moved fromĀ Dragon Island to near theĀ Tornado entrance. It is in the spot where the Octopus game with the mermaid used to be.
Fried Frogs in its new location in County Fair.
They had to remove the “handles” from the “frying” pan to make it fit in the location, but it seems most folks didn’t even realize it was supposed to be a giant pan anyway.
In the location whereĀ Fried Fish used to be is now a brand new game:Ā Lucky Puck. This pachinko-style game is so large you have to climb stairs to play it!
Lucky Puck on Dragon Island. A big game with big prizes!
It costsĀ $5Ā to play, and you get two pucks to drop down the pins, hoping they land inĀ Small,Ā Medium orĀ Large Prize spots. Every game is a winner, and the prizes here are possibly the best in the park.Ā A small win gets you a bottle of water ($2.50 in the park), so even if both your pucks go in to small, you get two bottles of water for $5 (the same as if you bought them).
Pro-tip: If you ever want two bottles of water, play this game. You will at least get that, and possibly more!
Speaking of more, theĀ Medium Prize was either a free tube rental atĀ Adventure BayĀ water park, or anĀ Arcade Card. I did not ask how much credit the card would have loaded on it, but I am guessing it’s probably around $5 (I think that’s the cost of a tube rental).
TheĀ Large Prize was the real winner: anĀ Adventureland ticket!
It’s quite random, and there is only one large slot, but it can be done. During the ten or so minutes I was there watching people play the game, someone won!
What a Lucky Puck! They just won an Adventureland ticket!
There has also been some great new T-shirts added to theĀ Clothing Shop on Main Street this year! It seems the park has settled on a new park skyline design to update from the original one that has been used sinceĀ The Tornado opened in the late 1970s. I really, really like this one:
A great new skyline logo.
Even though I’ve been visiting the park since 1995, I had never bought a T-shirt until last year forĀ The Monster opening. This year, I’ve added several more to my collection.
Pro-tip: Be sure to check theĀ Clearance Store on the corner of Main Street near theĀ Giant Sky Wheel. You can find older Adventureland shirts there for as little as $4!
That’s all I have for this update… Did I miss anything? Be sure to let me know in the comments.
Facebook group member Dee/Anna recently noticed that the sign over the entrance has been altered. It now addsĀ fireworks to the list of prohibited items to bring in to the park (along with drones and selfie sticks). This popped up just before July 4th, and with this being the first year that fireworks were legal in Iowa, perhaps they were expecting to have issues with people bringing smoke bombs and bottle rockets in to the park š
Today, she posted about a new restriction at the park in regards to theĀ thrill rides: If you have a prosthetic or amputated limb, you may not be able to ride certain rides in the park or water park:
