Category: Theme Parks

Tornado and G-Force updates…

On Saturday, July 1, 2017, the Tornado was closed:

Tornado closed on 7/1/2017.

At first, I thought this was because it was too windy. I have been told they close the ride on windy days because too much wind can keep the coaster from making it one of the hills. Later I found out that the coaster had been down for awhile.

Also during the day, G-Force was still being worked on:

G-Force repairs on 7/1/2017.

Later in the day, folks posted in the Facebook Group that both of these rides have returned to operation. Huzzah!

The Underground also was down for awhile during the day, but I was told this was because Bad Bob had finally blown up the mine shaft. The ride would be resuming as soon as they got the rubble out of the way 😉

The Underground, closed.

If you are planning a visit to the park for a specific ride, be sure to contact them first before driving out.  Otherwise, you can check on the sign at the front entrance – it clearly lists any ride not operating that day:

Front entrance sign.

Get well soon, rides!

G-Force update.

In the Facebook group, Joey Hayes reports that work is being done on the G-Force ride today. He submitted this photo:

G-Force being worked on, 6/30/2017. (Photo by Joey Hayes.)

According to a member of park management, it sounds like this is just routine maintenance that needs to be done every eight years or so.

G-Force was added to the park in 1997. It was originally located outside where the Scrambler currently sits. After the side of Main Street burnt down in 2010, the park rebuilt it and moved the G-Force indoors. You can read more about it on the Adventurelandians Wiki:

http://adventureland.parkhopping.com/wiki/index.php/G-Force

John Krantz: Adventureland President, and Jazz musician.

Adventureland is owned and operated by the Krantz family. You can regularly find the Krantz siblings, Mike (CEO), Matt, Molly (Director of Advertising) and John (President), roaming the park.

Resort president John Krantz can also be found behind a piano at various locations around Des Moines. He performs jazz music. We recently had the pleasure to listen to him perform with Bryan Schumacker and special guest Brooke Peters at Louie’s Wine Dive.

Jack Krantz performing at Louie’s Wine Dive on June 25, 2017.

If you have an interest in live jazz, check out his website and make an effort to go hear him perform: http://www.johnkrantzmusic.com/

The ghost of Royal Hanneford Circus

In a previous article, I mentioned the conversion from Royal Hanneford Circus to the new Adventureland Circus, and noted that even the opening show guides still listed the old circus:

Adventureland2017-circus1
2017 handout circus ad.

There does seem to be one Royal Hanneford remnant still in the park…

20170620_181759
Royal Hanneford reference somewhere in the park in 2017.

Do you know where this is? Answer in the comments 🙂

 

Maple bacon funnel cake

A new featured funnel cake for the week… Maple Bacon.

Bacon Maple Funnel Cake (Photo by Adventureland.)

I’m still bummed I missed out on the red velvet funnel cake. But bacon will work. 🙂

A look at the Monster’s dinosaurs

As noted earlier this week by Dee and Anna on the Facebook group, two dinosaurs have appeared on the grounds of The Monster roller coaster. They are very difficult to see from ground level.

You can see this velociraptor (?) near the corner of Chicken Shack:

Velociraptor (?) at The Monster.

Seeing it behind the barbed wire seems very Jurassic Park-ish.

If you go down a bit further, you can catch a glimpse of this triceratops (?):

Triceratops (?) at The Monster.

To get a better look, Dee and Anna took photos from the nearby Storm Chaser:

(Photo by Dee and Anna.)

The Sky Ride is probably an easier way to see them, so that’s what we tried. Traveling from the County Fair station, you can see them as soon as you get near The Monster.

Dinosaurs at The Monster, as seen from the Sky Ride.

Here’s a closer look.

Hello, dino.

And he has a friend…

Hello, other dino.

He’s ready for his close-up.

Marvelous!

Coming from the other direction, or by doing a technique called “turning around,” you can see his better side.

Is this your good side?
Yep. It’s a dinosaur alright.

Here’s a look at both of them.

Twice the prehistoric fun.

A friend of mine, Kevin, who works with magician Ben Ulin posted that he heard these dinosaurs were in storage at the park for awhile, and they just decided to set them out.

The Monster zooms by…

Very neat.

What other surprises are lurking in the park this year?

Raging River, G-Force and Inverter update.

June 20, 2017.

The recently re-opened Raging River was down today. Christian E. in the Facebook group reports that the conveyor belt wasn’t working.

The G-Force has also been down lately, but I don’t have any details on why.

The Inverter remains closed.

Raging River gets more rage

Facebook group member Joey Hayes  posted an update on Monday about the Raging River. This white water rafting ride recently opened for the season after a rehab. When it first opened, it was reported that some of the waterfalls were not yet turned on.

Waterless fall, earlier this week. (Photo by Joey Hayes.)

Today, Joey confirmed that they are back…

Waterfalls falling. (Photo by Joey Hayes.)
Waterfalls sorta falling. (Photo by Joey Hayes.)

I have ridden many white water rafting rides over the years, including the very first one that ever was built at Astroworld in Houston, Texas. I have often been quite lucky at staying dry while all the others in my raft got drenched… but these waterfalls put an end to such “luck.”

Thanks, Joey, for this update.

Dinosaur spotted at Adventureland?

When I just saw a reference to dinosaurs at Adventureland, I immediately thought of the Sinclair gas station dinosaur that used to be in the park near where the Frog Hopper is today.

Sinclair gas station dinosaur mascot in 1998.

But apparently that is not what was meant by Facebook group posters Dee and Anna.

They posted a photo today that would make a cryptozoologist giddy. It showed the twisted track of the Monster roller coaster with what sure does appear to be a dinosaur of some kind deep inside of it…

What do you see? (Photo compliments of Dee and Anna L.)

Is it April 1st again?

They took a ride on the Sky Ride Storm Chaser to get a better look.

(Photo compliments of Dee and Anna L.)
(Photo compliments of Dee and Anna L.)

It looks like we need to send out an exploratory team to see what is going on.

 

Adventureland Circus 2017

As mentioned in an earlier article, the circus is back at Adventureland. This year, it is being billed as Billy Martin Presents the Adventureland Circus. It is in a different tent than the one used in recent years by the Royal Hanneford Circus.

There is even a large Adventureland banner at the back of the tent:

Adventureland banner at the Adventureland Circus in 2017.

In addition to a nice new tent, the show also has a fancier lighting and sound system.

The ringmaster is Billy Martin and he has been there every year (as far as I know) since the circus first came to Adventureland in 1997. According to his website, he first got involved with the circus when it visited his town in New York in 1972. This eventually led to him joining the circus and becoming a juggler and ringmaster.

Billy Martin, ringmaster. And owner?

Based on a  very brief conversation with Billy, my understanding is that this is now his show, and is not connected to the Royal Hanneford Circus. It still features many familiar acts from past years:

Quick change artists.
Contortionist/aerial artist.
Amazing juggler!

There were also other acts that I did not recognize from last year.

Billy said that each of the three daily shows would be a bit different, and then during the season, other acts would be brought in to keep the circus fresh.

With the recent closing of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, it is becoming rarer to see this type of variety show. Be sure to check it out when you are at the park next.

The 2017 Adventureland Circus.