Theme & Amusement Parks of the USA

Page last updated 7/25/09

1840:

- Riverside park opens.

1888:

- Geauga Lake Park opens.

1907:

- Hershey Park opens as leisure company for employees.

1930’s:

- Riverside park closes during the Great Depression.

1932:

- Ole Kirk Christiansen began making toys in his small workshop in Billund, Denmark.

1934:

- Mr. Christiansen came up with a name for his toys and his workshop: LEGOs.

1937:

- Busch Gardens (Pasadena, CA) closes.

1940:

- Riverside Park is purchased and reopened.

1947:

- LEGO bought it’s first plastics injection molding machine.

1949:

- The first LEGO brick was introduces under the name “Automatic Binding Bricks.”

1950:

- Herschend Family acquires long term lease on Marvel Cave near Branson, MO.

1958:

- Inner tubes on the bricks were introduced which increased the amount of possible building configurations.

1959:

- Busch Family Entertainment founded to run Anheuser Busch’s theme park operations.

1959:

- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay opens.

1960:

- Silver Dollar City opens at Marvel Cave.

1961:

- Great Southwest Corporation opens Six Flags Over Texas.

1965:

- Penn Central Railroad acquires Great Southwest Corporation.

1967:

- Six Flags Over Georgia opens.

- DUPLO bricks for pre school children introduced.

1968:

- LEGOLAND Billund opens on 9 acre site.  All buildings, landscapes and vehicles were built using standard LEGO bricks.

- Marine World opens in Redwood City, CA.

1968:

- Astroworld opens.

1969:

- Penn Central Railroad creates a new company; Six Flags Theme Parks to manage it’s theme park operations.

- Geauga Lake Park acquired by Funtime, Inc.

- Coney Island (Ohio) acquired by Taft Broadcasting.

- Construction begins on Magic Mountain with an estimated cost of $20 million.

1970:

- Taft Broadcasting acquires 1600 acres in Kings Mill, OH to build a new park.

1971:

- Taft Broadcasting’s new park named King’s Island.  Many rides were moved from Taft’s Coney Island park.

- Six Flags Over Mid America opens.

- Hershey Park begins transition to a regional amusement park.

- Magic Mountain opens.

1972:

- King’s Island opens.

- Busch Gardens (Houston, TX) closes

1973:

- Taft Broadcasting and Top Value Enterprises team up to construct King’s Dominion in Doswell, VA.  This park is one third smaller than King’s Island.

1974:

- King’s Dominion opens Lion Country Safari as a preview to the park.

1975:

- King’s Dominion opens.

- Taft Broadcasting acquires Carowinds near Charlotte, NC.

- Six Flags buys Astroworld and changes name to Six Flags Astroworld.

1976:

- The Herschend family acquires Gold Rush Junction Park in Pigeon Forge, TN.  Rebrands as Silver Dollar City, TN.

- Mariotts Great America opens.

1977:

- Six Flags acquires Great Adventure in New Jersey.

- LEGO TECHNIC for older children debuts.

1978:

- Cedar Point and Valleyfair form partnership named Cedar Fair.

1979:

- A gasoline shortage affects the entire tourism industry.  Peter Herschend of Silver Dollar City Corp. organizes local business owners to get together and purchase gas, then resell it below cost.  This is advertised to potential visitors of Branson, CO.  Other vacation destinations saw up to a 25% drop in business, but Silver Dollar City’s attendance dropped only 2%.

- Taft Broadcasting begins construction of Canada’s Wonderland in Toronto.

- Busch Gardens (Van Nuys, CA) closes.

- Six Flags buys Magic Mountain renamed Six Flags Magic Mountain.

1980:

- Family Leisure Centers (Top Value Enterprises) is dissolved.  Taft Broadcasting gains 100% ownership of King’s Dominion.

- LEGO DACTA, now known as The Educational Division, is set up.

1981:

- Canada’s Wonderland opens.

1982:

- Wild World opens.

- Penn Railroad Corporation sells Six Flags to Bally Manufacturing for $140 million.

- Adventure Kingdom opens in Mexico.

1983:

- Boardwalk Shores opens adjacent to Geauga Lake Park.

- Waterworld opens adjacent to Astroworld.

1984:

- Taft Broadcasting opens Hanna-Barbera Land near Houston, Texas.

- Executives and park managers of Taft Broadcasting buy Taft Broadcasting’s Theme Park Division and form Kings Entertainment Company (KECO)

- Six Flags acquires Mariott’s Great America.

- Six Flags acquires Atlantis, The Water Kingdom in Florida; rebrands it as Six Flags Atlantis.

- Six Flags AutoWorld opens in Flint Michigan.

- Six Flags signs licensing deal with Time Warner to use Looney Tunes theme and characters in it’s parks.

1985:

- Six Flags Power Plant opens in Maryland.

- Mariott’s Great America renamed Six Flags Great America.

- KECO brought in to manage Great America in Santa Clara, CA.

- Australia Wonderland opens.

- Six Flags AutoWorld closes. (Flint, MI)

- Marine World closes at it’s location in Redwood City, CA.

1986:

- Marine World reopens at it’s new location in Vallejo, CA.

- Dolly Parton invests in Silver Dollar City, TN.  Park is renamed to Dollywood.

1987:

- Kentucky Kingdom opens.

- Kentucky Kingdom files for bankruptcy within a year of opening.

- Wesray Capital along with park managers buys Six Flags from Bally Manufacturing for $610 million.  Wesray Capital owns 80%, Managers own 20%.

1988:

- Kentucky Kingdom remains closed for the 1988 and 1989 seasons.

- The Dollywood Company opens it’s first Dixie Stampede dinner attration in Pigeon Forge, TN.

- Silver Dollar City and several other local attractions stay open later into the year for the first Ozark Mountain Christmas.

1989:

- KECO purchases Great America with a 50 year lease on the land the park sits on.

- Partnership formed to reopen Kentucky Kingdom.

- Busch Family Entertainment acquires theme park unit of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.  Properties include all SeaWorld parks, Boardwalk & Baseball and Cypress Gardens; both in central florida.

- Six Flags sells Six Flags Atlantis in Hollywood, FL.  The park is immediately renamed Altantis, The Water World.  The park is destroyed by hurricane Andrew in 1992.

- Six Flags Power Plant closed. (Baltimore, MD)

- Boardwalk & Baseball closed.

- Cypress Gardens sold to parks management team.

1990:

- Kentucky Kingdom reopens as Kentucky Kingdom – The Thrill Park.

- Time Warner acquires 19.5% stake in Six Flags.

- Tierio buys Frontier City.

- Wild World files for bankruptcy, stays closed for the season.

1991:

- Tierio buys White Water Bay from Silver Dollar City Inc.

- Wesray Capital’s debt threatens bankruptcy on Six Flags.  Time Warner increases it’s percentage to 50%.  Time Warner also retires (pays off) Six Flags debt and injects an additional $150 million into the company.

- Adventure Kingdom closes and begins remodeling.

1992:

- Adventure Kingdom reopens, renamed The New Adventure Kingdom.

- KECO acquired by Carl Lindrer.

- Paramount Communications acquires KECO and forms Paramount Parks.

- Australia Wonderland sold to a group of Australian investors.

- Tierio buys Wild World Amusement Park.

- Premier Parks acquires Wild World.

- Premier Parks acquires Paradise Island (Next door to Wild World).

- The Dollywood Company opens Dixie Stampede in Myrtle Beach, SC.

- Silver Dollar City Corp builds 4,000 seat Grand Palace.

- Hurricane Bay opens adjacent to Kentucky Kingdom.

- Fiesta Texas opens.

1993:

- TIme Warner acquires remaining 50% of Six Flags for $70 million.

- Investors bought out of their investment in Kentucky Kingdom for $400,000.

- The Grand Village, a $10 million themed shopping and entertainment complex opens next door to Silver Dollar City’s Grand Palace.

- Paramount rebrands Canada’s Wonderland, Carowinds, Great America, Kings Dominion and Kings Island with the Paramount name.

- Cedar Fair acquires Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom.

1994:

- Viacom acquires Paramount.

- Tierio changes name to Premier Parks.

- Wild World renamed Adventure World, Water Park renamed Paradise Island by Premier Parks.

1995:

- Geauga Lake acquired by Premier Parks.

- The New Adventure Kingdom renamed as Adventure Kingdom.

- Six Flags acquires Wet n’ Wild (TX) and rebrands it as Hurricane Harbor.

- Premier Parks acquries Funtime Parks.

- Six Flags Hurricane Harbor opens adjacent to Six Flags Magic Mountain.

- Elitch Gardens opens at new location.

- After Time Warner gets into financial trouble; 51% of Six Flags is sold to Boston Ventures.

- The Herschend Family built and launched the Showbot Branson Belle for lunch and dinner entertainment cruises on the Table Rock Lake.

- Cedar Fair acquires Worlds of Fun.

1996:

- Six Flags Over Mid America changes name to Six FLags St. Louis.

- Premier Parks has an IPO.

- Premier Parks acquires several parks:

*Elitch Gardens

*Waterworld USA

*Great Escape & Splash Water Kingdom

- Six Flags takes over management of Fiesta Texas.

- LEGOLAND Windsor opens.

1997:

- Australia Wonderland acquired by Leisure Theme Parks Sunway Group and renamed Wonderland Sydney.

- Cedar Fair acquires Knott’s Berry Farm & All Soak City Parks.

- Premier Parks acquires several more parks

*Kentucky Kingdom

*Premier Parks acquires Riverside Park.

*Old Indiana Fun Park (What’s left of it)

- Premier Parks begins managing Marine World Africa USA.

1998:

- Marine World rebranded as The Marine World Theme Park.

- Visionland built by West Jefferson Amusement & Public Park Authority opens in Bessemer, AL.

- Silver Dollar City, Inc obtains long term lease to operate Stone Mountain Park in Georgia.

- Premier Parks acquires Six Flags; keeps Six Flags name. (Official corp name after 2000)

- Kentucky Kingdom changes name to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.

- Six Flags acquires 5 parks:

*Darien Lake

*Elitch Gardens

*Geauga Lake

*Adventure World

*Fiesta Texas

- Silver Dollar City,  Inc. obtains long term lease to operate Stone Mountain Park in GA.

- Premier Parks opens Island Kingdom adjacent to Riverside Park.

1999:

- Adventure World renamed Six Flags America.

- Hurricane Harbor opens in St. Louis.

- LEGOLAND California opens on 128 acres.

- After almost a decade of planning, construction begins on Jazzland in New Orleans, LA.

- Premier Parks acquires Adventure Kingdom.

- Elitch Gardens changes name to Six Flags Elitch Gardens.

- The Marine World Theme Park rebrands as Six Flags Marine World

2000:

- Adventure Kingdom renamed Six Flags Mexico.

- Six Flags continues to rebrand parks under Six Flags banner.

- Six Flags acquires 6 more properties:

*Walibi Flevo in Holland (Six Flags Holland)

*Walibi Wavre in Holland (Six Flags Belgium)

*Warner Bros. Movie World chain.

*Bellewaerde in Europe.

*LaRonde in Canada.

*Reino Aventura in Mexica (Six Flags Mexico)

- Geauga Lake renamed Six Flags Ohio.

- (Feb) Cedar Fair enters into 5 year agreement to take over operations of Visionland.

- (Mar) Cedar Fair cancels operations agreement of Visionland.

- Jazzland opens in New Orleans, LA.

- On opening day, Jazzland is sold to Alfa Alfa Holdings and is run by Alfa SmartParks Inc.

- Riverside Park renamed Six Flags New England.

- British Airways London Eye opens in London.

2001:

- SeaWorld Ohio closes.

- Cedar Fair acquires Michigan’s Adventure.

- Silver Dollar City Corp partners with Dolly Parton to open Dolly’s Splash Country in Pigeon Forge, TN.

- Silver Dollar Corp partners with Ride The Ducks; a land and water based tour service.

- Six Flags acquires Sea World of Ohio property.  Merges that park with Six Flags Ohio and renames combined park Six Flags Worlds of Adventure.

- Hershey Entertainment acquires Dutch Wonderland.

2002:

- Ride the Ducks expands to Baltimore, MD.

- Alfa SmartParks files for bankruptcy, park investors make bid for park.  Buyout fails when financial backing falls through.

- City of New Orleans sells Jazzland to Six Flags.  Six Flags will lease land for 75 years as part of the agreement.

- Visionland fails to open on time, finally opens in June.

- LEGOLAND Deutschland opens.

- PARC Management formed by members or management from other park chains including Six Flags, Ogden Entertainment & Alfa SmartParks.

- (June) Visionland files for bankruptcy protection.

- (Aug) Visionland put up for sale.

- (Aug) Wild Adventures offers to buy Visionland and keep it open for at least 5 years.

- (Oct) ThemeParks LLC announces interest in Visionland.

- (Oct) Wild Adventures withdrawls offer to buy Visionland.

- (Oct) Team Pro Parks announces it is buying Visionland.

- Six Flags Astroworld and Waterworld merge into one park; Six Flags Astroworld.

2003:

- Visionland undergoes refurbishment and theming changes.

- Silver Dollar City Corp changes name to Herschend Family Entertainment.

- Celebration City owned by Herschend Family Entertainment opens in Branson.

- Ride The Ducks expands to Philadelphia, PA and Atlanta, GA.

- Jazzland renamed Six Flags New Orleans.

- Island Kingdom expanded and is renamed Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.

2004:

- Wonderland Sydney closes.

- Universal Parks sells PortAventura in Salou Spain to Caixa banking group.

- Herschend Family Entertainment acquires Ride the Ducks International which operated in 5 U.S. Cities.

- Cedar Fair acquires Geauga Lake.

- Six Flags Worlds of Adventure sold to Cedar Fair, rebranded as Geauga Lake.  Water park renamed Hurricane Hannah’s.

- Six Flags sells Warner Bros. Movie World in Spain back to Time Warner.  Renamed Parque Warner Madrid.

- Six Flags sells several parks to CDA Parks to pay down debt.

*Six Flags Belgium in Belgium. (Walibi Belgium)

*Bellewaerde Ypres Belgium in Belgium.

*Walibi Aquitaine in France.

*Walibi Lorraine in France.

*Six Flags Holland in Netherlands. (Walibi World)

*Warner Bros. Movie World in Germany (Movie Park Germany)

2005:

- Paradise Island renamed Hurricane Harbor.

- Hurricane Harbor opens adjacent to Six Flags Great America.

- Six Flags New Orleans is severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The park will be closed indeffinately.

- Six Flags Astroworld closes and is demolished.  The property is sold to a development company.

- Herschend Family Entertainment opens new corporate headquarters in Atlanta, GA.

2006:

- Paramount Parks sold to Cedar Fair.

- Six Flags announces the closure of it’s corporate offices in Oklahoma City and plans to move to New York City.

- Six Flags sells Wyandot Lake in Powell, OH.

- Herchend Family Entertainment establishes Hershend University to train and develop community leaders.

2007:

- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay renamed to Busch Gardens Africa.

- Busch Gardens Williamsburg renamed to Busch Gardens Europe.

- Herschend Family Entertainment acquires Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, GA.

- Herschend Family Entertainment acquires Newport Aquarium in Newport, KY and Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ.

- LEGOLAND Discovery Centre opens it’s first location in Berlin Germany.

- Sea Life opens in Billund Denmark.

- PARC Management purchases 8 parks from Six Flags:

*Six Flags Waterworld (Concord, CA)

*Six Flags Darien Lake (Darien, NY)

*Six Flags Elitch Gardens (Denver, CO)

*Frontier City (Oklahoma City, OK)

*White Water Bay (Oklahoma City, OK)

*Six Flags Splashtown (Spring, TX)

*Enchanted Village (Federal Way, WA)

*Wild Waves (Federal Way, WA)

- Six Flags purchases 40% of Dick Clark Productions.

- Cedar Fair closes Geauga Lake Amusement Park.  Will operate water park only for 2008.

2009:

- Six Flags Theme Parks files for chapter 11 bankruptcy.

2010:

- Universal Parks plans to open Universal Studios Singapore.

- Universal Parks plans to open Universal Studios Dubai.

2012:

- Universal Parks plans to open Universal Studios South Korea.

- Busch Family Entertainment plans to open SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove and Aquatica in Dubai, UAE.