Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom

Geauga Lake's 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.

History

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.

Wildwater Kingdom - Liquid Lightning — Andrew 94 @ Flickr

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, 2,800 feet (850 m) long and 65 feet (20 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.

In 1938, Vi Schryer inherited the park. 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.

ASP 07-09-025 — junior02157 @ Flickr

In 1941, a tornado hit the park, injuring six, destroying buildings, and damaging the Big Dipper. The park reported $50,000 in damages, and had rebuilt by 1942. 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.

19950801_Pilkington_Pool_DressUp_Toronto_33.jpg — Adam Pratt @ Flickr

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.

Fun with Photoshop — junior02157 @ Flickr

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 32,000 square feet (3,000 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 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. 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 Ride (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).

Busch Entertainment determined that their Sea World parks should begin adding roller coasters, water rides, and other attractions to supplement the marine displays and shows, and they began de-emphasizing the educational aspects of their 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 that 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 $100,000,000.00, 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 childrens rides splaced throughout. Shamu the whale was replaced by Keiko the whale. 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". Admission prices were raised.

Liquid Lightning — junior02157 @ Flickr

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 Point located 85 miles (137 km) away, was announced. The $40,000,000.00 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.

ASP 07-09-030 — junior02157 @ Flickr

In 2005, Cedar Fair invested $26 million 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 former was relocated to Kings Island and opened as Firehawk in 2007, and the latter relocated to Dorney Park, where it opened for the 2008 season as 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.

Six Flags 033 — augschburger @ Flickr

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 Comics characters. Below is a list of renamed rides:

• Batman Knight Flight lost the Batman theming and opened in 2004 under the name of Dominator. It opened in 2008 under this name at Kings Dominion.
• Mind Eraser was renamed Head Spin, and is now the Carolina Cobra at Carowinds.
• Serial Thriller was renamed Thunderhawk, and opened in 2008 under this name at Michigan's Adventure.
• Superman: Ultimate Escape was renamed Steel Venom, was removed in 2006, and now is Possessed, located at Dorney Park.
• Road Runner Express would be renamed the Beaver Land Mine Ride and now runs at a park in France.

Other coasters

• Double Loop and Villain were scrapped in 2008.
• X-Flight was relocated to Kings Island in 2007 where it now runs as Firehawk.

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. 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.

Geauga Lake Wildwater Kingdom — unit2345 @ Flickr

Fate of Geauga Lake's Coasters

• Dominator: Now open at Kings Dominion in Virginia
• Thunderhawk: Now open at Michigan's Adventure in Michigan
• Steel Venom: Now open at Dorney Park in Pennsylvania, as Possessed
• X-Flight: Now open at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio as Firehawk
• Raging Wolf Bobs: 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 Dipper: Sold at auction for $5,000 to unknown buyer; no plans announced yet; minor damage repaired in late 2008; final fate unknown
• Villain: Demolished
• Double Loop: Demolished
• Beaver Land Mine Ride: Sold to Papea City amusement park in Yvré-l'Evêque, France
• Head Spin: Open in 2009 at Carowinds as Carolina Cobra

Past roller 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.

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.

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

ASP 07-09-032 — junior02157 @ Flickr

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.

Six Flags 036 — augschburger @ Flickr

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.

Six Flags 018 — augschburger @ Flickr

June 2006: Wildwater Kingdom opens its Caribbean-themed wave pool, Tidal Wave Bay. This wave pool measures 325 feet (99 m) wide by 220 feet (67 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.[]

Six Flags 019 — augschburger @ Flickr

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 Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom.

References

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

Six Flags 032 — augschburger @ Flickr

Six Flags 026 — augschburger @ Flickr

Shamu at Sea World Ohio — argophoto @ Flickr

Shamu's Happy Harbor ball pit — unit2345 @ Flickr

The Shamu's Happy Harbor Nets — unit2345 @ Flickr