Day: April 16, 2017

Happy Anniversary, 2017 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 2012)

  • Adventureland Museum display added in the School House on Main Street.
  • New Chicken Shack building.

10th Anniversary (opened in 2007)

  • Season Pass processing moved to outside building.

15th Anniversary (opened in 2002)

  • Saw Mill Splash
  • Adventureland Inn expansion.

20th Anniversary (opened in 1997)

  • G-Force opened (though it has been relocated since then).
  • Royal Hanneford Circus at Adventureland.

25th Anniversary (opened in 1992)

  • Nothing known.

30th Anniversary (opened in 1987)

  • Balloon Race

35th Anniversary (opened in 1982)

  • I have no information on 1982. Can you help?

40th Anniversary (opened in 1977)

  • Nothing known.

I will update this article with any corrections I receive.

 

 

 

2017 season approaches!

Adventureland Park opens this year on April 29, 2017. Members of my Adventureland Iowa Fans (Unofficial) Facebook group have been sharing photos of things being tested at the park lately, such as the Storm Chaser and work being done on the Tornado. If you have anything to share, and you do the whole Facebook thing, please drop by.

After the 2016 season ended, I moved on to other Fall/Winter projects so I have not done (m)any updates to this site. There is often something new posted to the Facebook group, however.

I expect to start sharing new information as I hear it, so subscribe to updates here and check back as opening day approaches.

I have not seen anything details on how well the park did last year with the opening of the new Monster roller coaster, but it is usually a trend that a major addition creates a nice attendance bump over subsequent years as more and more folks hear about it and return to the park to try it out. The Monster opened in June last year, so the “gotta go see it” crowd was moved to the last 2/3rds of the season. This year, the new attraction will be there opening day so it could provide a stronger opening May.

The park continues to impress me with how well it has scaled to handle the crowds during peak events such as The Monster opening, July 4th, and Oktoberfest. (Especially Oktoberfest, when they’d lost many of their seasonal RV campsite workers when the park closes and they moved on to their next stop.)

I don’t have a pass for this year (yet) but I expect to make it out to see what all is new.

Stay tuned…