Timeline
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| Information on this site is unofficial. It is compiled by fans of Adventureland amusement park in Altoona, Iowa (near Des Moines). There may be inaccuracies and omissions. For official Adventureland information, visit the official website. |
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This page was last updated on 08/2/2016. Total Pages: 317. Total Files: 327.
A timeline of the park's history.
NOTE: Some information on this page comes from an old website called "Mike's Adventureland Page." The text was archived in the Wayback Machine from 1998 version of the site. I will note the content that was lifted from Mike's site.
Mark A notes
Mike A Wilson: I really don't know much about the park prior to 1990; that was the first year I went there. But since that time I have collected gate maps each year and they give a pretty good picture of what has changed each season. This information comes from studying those handouts.
1973
Mike A Wilson:: The park opened its doors in 1973. I've been told it started out as a private corporation, issued public stock for awhile, and has now been taken private again. Some of the attractions, like the carousel and a now-defunct haunted house are reputed to have come from a shut-down amusement park in Des Moines called Riverview Park. This information comes from a source that I consider reliable, but I haven't been able to confirm it yet.
- Adventureland established and construction begins. This is where the "Established 1973" date comes from on the worker name badges and merchandise. There was nothing to "open" until 1974.
1974
- Main Street area opens on July 28, 1974.
- Adventureland rides open on August 16, 1974.
- Der Flitzer opens.
- Flying Scooters opens.
- Frantic Freeway opens.
- Infant Ocean opens.
- Lady Luck opens.
- Lighthouse opens.
- River Rapids opens.
- Queen Riverboat opens. (What was the real name?)
- Round Up opens.
- Toonerville Trolleys opens. (? Official name ?)
- Silly Silo opens.
1975
- Official grand opening held on May 31, 1975. Congressman Neal Smith, Altoona Mayor Lloyd Sievers and Adventureland President John Krantz spoke at the opening ceremony.
1976
- Alpine Village (aka Bavaria) added.
- Der Flinger opens.
- Lady Bugs opens.
- Super Screamer opens.
- Tea Cups opens.
- Nearly twice as many rides in 1976 compared to 1975 according to newspaper ads.
1978
- The Tornado opens on July 4, 1978.
1979
- County Fair area of the park opens. (??? Wikipedia lists 1978 Tornado then says "two years later" followed by "also in 1979"... Which is it?)
- Riverview section of the park opens, incorporating items acquired from the purchase of Riverview Park.
- Riverview Himalaya opens.
- Haunted House dark ride opens.
- Carousel (original) opens.
- Weight Guessing booth opens.
- Hi-striker (original)
1980
- Kiddie Kars opens. (Aka, Hampton Cars).
- Mirror Maze opens. (??? Not in 1979 with the Riverview section ???)
1983
- Raging River opens.
1985
1987
- Balloon Race opens.
1988
- Rainbow opens.
1989
- Falling Star opens, replacing the Rainbow.
1990
Mike A Wilson: The Dragon first began operating in 1990. This custom-designed $2.5 million ride is a double-looping steel coaster that climbs to a height of 100 feet and drops through two 70-foot loops at 5.5 G's before slowing through a double reverse spiral. The Dragon occupies a spot formerly held by a children's ride, the Convoy (moved to a new location), and reportedly, the haunted house walk-through.
Mike A Wilson: Also in 1990, the "Chinese Acrobats of Tapei" became the featured show at the Palace Theater.
Mike A Wilson: The brochure also lists the U.S. High Dive Team performing in the Aquatheatre, but I don't know if this was a new show that year or a continuation.
- Dragon Island opens, replacing Riverview.
- The Dragon steel roller coaster opens, on May 12, 1990, replacing the Haunted House.
1991
Mike A Wilson: The Giant Skywheel opens on the former site of Der Spritzer. This had been a small roller coaster with an Alpine boblsed theme. Like some of the other original rides, this one seemed to be only semi-permanent. It looked like it could be folded up and trucked away. It was a nice little ride. Its loss, along with some other changes have weakened the "European" theming in this part of the park.
Mike A Wilson: The Skywheel itself cost about $1 million and rises to a height of nearly 100 feet. It is the largest open gondola wheel manufactured in America since George Ferris built his wheel for the Chicago Exposition (1898?). At night, the wheel glows with a computerized show light show using over 6000 bulbs.
Mike A Wilson: "Celebrate Freedom", a Broadway-style musical, replaces the Chinese Acrobats as the act at the Palace Theater.
- Giant Sky Wheel opens.
- Puff Dragons opens.
1992
Mike A Wilson: No major new rides opened in 1992. The only real change in the park was that "Adventures On Ice" began running in the Palace Theater in place of "Celebrate Freedom". "Adventures On Ice" would run for three years, ending after the 1994 season.
1993
Mike A Wilson: The 1993 season marked Adventureland's 20th Anniversary. And there were lots of changes and updates. For starters, the entire 12-acre Outlaw Gulch area of the park was opened. This major expansion featured the Outlaw, a brand-new wooden coaster, the Wrangler, which is a traditional "Scrambler"-type ride, and the Chuck Wagon, a ferris wheel for small children where they ride in covered gondolas shaped like Conestoga wagons. A new street show also begins running in Outlaw gulch and features a comedy-western skit five times a day starting at "High Noon".
Mike A Wilson: Every Thursday during June, July, and August, the "Family Fun Zone", a locally-produced TV game show, tapes episodes in the park in the Aquatheatre. The program was hosted by Adventureland magician Ben Ulin, who was also the show's co-creator. Guests could either watch the show being produced or be a part of the studio audience.
- Chuck Wagon opens.
- Outlaw opens on April 24, 1993.
- Outlaw Gulch area opens.
- Wrangler opens.
- Western Comedy Show opens. (What was the real name? I saw it somewhere.)
1994
Mike A Wilson: After the major changes in 1993, not much happened in the park in 1994. All of the same rides and shows are listed on the gate map, including the "Family Fun Zone" taping and "Adventures On Ice".
1995
Mike A Wilson: This was also a quiet year, the only major change was the closing of "Adventures On Ice" at the Palace Theater and its replacement by the "Chinese National Acrobats". It's unclear if this is the same troupe that performed at the park in 1990 as the "Chinese Acrobats of Tapei", but the picture on the brochure is the same and the wording of the descriptions is almost identical.
Mike A Wilson: The "Family Fun Zone" continued as a live show for another season.
1996
Mike A Wilson: This season saw the opening of the Underground, the first major new ride since 1993. It is a relatively mild indoor dark coaster that takes riders past several animatronic scenes of what was supposedly a maze of coal shafts turned into an outlaw hideout. To my knowledge, this is the only ride in the park that has had any kind of a "back story" written for it. The tale is related by an old miner figure as you wait in the interior line to board the ride.
Mike A Wilson: The Underground is built on the site of the former "Aquatheatre". I'm told that original diving pool is still in place under the ride.
Mike A Wilson: Also in 1996, "Unbelievable Magic and Mysteries" began running in the Palace Theatre. Since this show was performed by Ben Ulin, who normally works in Sheriff Sam's Saloon, the Saloon got a new show called the "Rootin' Tootin' Wild West Review".
1997
Mike A Wilson: This year saw the introduction of two major new rides and a completely new show. The two rides were the Mixer and the G-Force. The Mixer is only the 4th ride of its kind in the country. Riders are secured in open cars and twirled around every rotation axis simultaneously. It occupies a spot between the Galleon and the Tea Cups. The G-Force is unque in the U.S. It is similar to a "Scrambler"-type ride, but much faster. It sits in a formerly empty area near the Dodge 'Em Cars.
Mike A Wilson: The new show was the "Royal Hanneford Circus". It claims to be one of the oldest and most renowned circuses in the world and to have toured the U.S. and Europe for decades. It stayed the entire summer in a big top erected near the Southwest edge of the park beyond Outlaw Gulch doing three shows a day.
Mike A Wilson: The Palace Theater did not have a show running in 1997, but Ben Ulin returned to Sheriff Sam's Saloon with his "Magic and Comedy Review".
1998
Mike A Wilson: Despite the fact that 1998 marks Adventureland's 25th year, there were few changes to the park. The Corner Arcade was replaced by "State Fair Mini-Donuts", The Shooting Gallery was removed to make way for a remote controlled car arcade, and a new Shooting Gallery was installed in Outlaw Gulch.
Mike A Wilson: The Royal Hanneford Circus returned for a second year of shows.
Mike A Wilson: Once again, the Palace Theater had no show this season and the Outlaw Gulch comedy show is no longer running.
Mike A Wilson: Sinclair now sponsors the "Convoy" ride and a 10-foot brontosaurus is added nearby for the kids to climb on.
1999
- Space Shot opens.
2000
- A new Himalaya opens.
- Inverter opens, replacing Super Screamer.
- A new Carousel opens, replacing Daniel and the Dixieland Diggers.
2001
- Garfield the Cat appears in the park.
2002
- Adventureland Inn expands.
- Saw Mill Splash opens, replacing the Wrangler.
2004
- Sidewinder opens.
2006
- Park opened on April 29.
- Splash Over opens.
- Frog Hopper opens.
2008
- Kokomo Kove opens.
2010
- Fire destroys the left half of Main Street / Bavaria on February 20, 2010.
2011
- Park opens on April 24, 2010.
- New Main Street side opens.
- G-Force relocates to inside the new Main Street Arcade.
- Wrangler returns as the Scrambler, in the spot formerly occupied by G-Force.
- Fire destroys the Rally Round corn dog stand on December 15, 2011.
2014
- Storm Chaser opens, replacing the Silly Silo.
2015
- Bier Garten opens.
- Oktoberfest was held for the first time on October 3.
2016
- Cookies and Cream opens.
- Live Local Solo Artists performance area opens.
- Monster opens on June 4, replacing the [[River Rapids] log ride.
- The new Outlaw Gulch Saloon opens.
- Shooting Gallery is refurbished and moves to Last Frontier, replacing the Golden Nugget Arcade.