On Sunday, August 5, 2018, there was a power outage at the park. Here’s some of the media coverage:
https://www.kcci.com/article/car-accident-knocks-out-power-at-adventureland-park/22647622
Bernie’s Barnyard rules
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.
As a parent of young child, I applaud the park’s efforts try to make this a “safe space” for kids. Back in 2011. the park began screening season pass applications through the Iowa sex offender registry.
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
American Puppet Theater asks for your vote…
The American Puppet Theater has asked for your vote in a poll conducted by Des Moines Parent website. (I have contributed content for them in the past, relating to local Halloween haunted house activities.) They would love it if you’d vote for them in the category of “Best Children’s Theater” or “Best Outdoor Entertainment”:
Survey:Ā https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CZ5G955
Some categories you might consider:
18. Favorite Local Place for Children’s Outdoor Entertainment
66.Ā Favorite Local Children’s Theater
American Puppet Theater at Advenutureland would fit in either spot, I think.
I’m sure the Little Adventurers would thank you for the support!
Airbrush Worx and The Gift Gallery open
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:
http://adventureland.parkhopping.com/wiki/index.php/Airbrush_Worx
More to come…
Happy Anniversary, 2018 edition.
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 2013)
- Nothing known.
10th Anniversary (opened in 2008)
- Kokomo Kove
15th Anniversary (opened in 2003)
- Nothing known.
20th Anniversary (opened in 1998)
- Mini Donuts
25th Anniversary (opened in 1993)
- Outlaw Gulch
- Outlaw
- Chuck Wagon
30th Anniversary (opened in 1988)
- Festival Picnic Area
35th Anniversary (opened in 1983)
- Raging River
40th Anniversary (opened in 1978)
- Tornado
- Red Baron
I will update this article with any corrections I receive.
June 2018 update.
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.
Puff the Broken Dragon
On this visit,Ā 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.
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.
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.
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!
Let’s take a look.
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:
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.
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.
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…
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.
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:
Let’s take a closer look:
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…
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.)
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.
Baby, You Can Light My Fire!
Also, new special-effect flame bulbs are in use. I noticed them around the Saloon.
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.)
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!
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.
Doc and Leone’s Diner and Fire Station update
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.
More updates (with photos) after this weekend…
Memorial Day Weekend 2018
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:
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.
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.
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…
As well as nice new signage on theĀ Rathskeller.
As mentioned in the Facebook group, theĀ Tea Cups also got new signage this year;
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…
…and country flags flying over inĀ River City:
…as well as Germany flags at Rathskeller:
Some flags are a bit different, such as aĀ Navy flag flying overĀ Infant Ocean:
And, of course, pirate flags at theĀ Galleon.
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.
The Circus is in Town!
Memorial Day Weekend also marks the return of theĀ Adventureland Circus, presented by Billy Martin. New signs for the circus have appeared in several places 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.
And this thing was amazing:
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:
And over atĀ Sheriff Sam’s Saloon, it looks like the building has been repainted.
Stepping inside, it appears the flooring has been updated, and a new wall constructed.
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.
Bernie’s Barnyard
The new children’s play area has gone vertical, and is visible from within the park.
And landscapers are hard at work on this hot day, too.
And, when you exit, you can even get a sneak peek at the newĀ Bernie statue:
…and appreciate all the work that is going on inside:
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:
Nothing has yet taken over it’s former spot,Ā but, the jumbo crane game seems to be ready:
Oh, they moved the smoking BBQ pit, too.
Until next update…
May 2018 Adventureland Updates.
As promised, here is a rundown of some of the new things at Adventureland this season…
New Website
The first thing to note is that, sometime last year, the park got a new website:
https://www.adventurelandresort.com
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:
It is already on the in-park maps, too.
The area is supposed to open in June. Currently, it looks like they have just begun working on the ground:
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.
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.
And the new menu is very intriguing:
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…
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:
And everything is gone from the site, as well:
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“:
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.
Over atĀ Coca-Cola Cafe, be sure to check out thisĀ Monster Burger:
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:
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:
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.
Meet me on Main Street
Back on Main Street,Ā Airbrush Avenue has departed…
The clearance store, which used to be next door, is now in the “post office” building:
And the corner store now contains items that used to be at the post office:
TheĀ fire house, which used to rent strollers and sell some items, isĀ closed…
TheĀ Adventureland Store in the school room is also gone, and theĀ stroller rentals have been moved there:
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!
Many types of alcohol, including Iowa brandys and whiskeys, are available. You can even get a “flight” of 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:
And it is just me, or did they repaint (or replace) the remote controlled boat “island”?
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:
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.
Until next time …
2018 season has begun!
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!
