Wildwater Kingdom Opens with a Salute to the Military

May 28th

Posted by Andrew in Events

No comments

Wildwater Kingdom Press Release

AURORA, Ohio – Wildwater Kingdom will open for the summer with a three-day Salute to the Military during Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday through Monday, May 28-30.

Beginning its sixth season of operation, the 17-acre outdoor waterpark in Aurora, will offer free admission to active, honorable discharged and retired military personnel (valid ID required) all three days of the holiday weekend.  Family members of all military personnel will also be able to purchase tickets for only $21.99, a savings of $8 per ticket.

“Saying ‘thank you’ to all of our brave military personnel is a wonderful way to start the summer,” said Colleen Murphy, general manager of Wildwater Kingdom.  “After the winter and spring of 2011, everyone is ready to make a splash and have some fun.”

In addition to the Salute to the Military, all Wildwater Kingdom season passholders will be able to “Bring a Friend” for free one day of the three-day weekend.

There will also be special $1 food specials available throughout the weekend.  On Saturday, the park will have $1 hot dogs, while providing cotton candy for $1 on Sunday and $1 fountain drinks on Monday.

On Saturday, the festivities will begin at the main gate with a concert by The Aurora Band, consisting of a select group of middle- and high-school students who will perform the National Anthem and other selections beginning at 11 a.m.  Wildwater Kingdom will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There are plenty of ways to make a splash at Wildwater Kingdom.  Thrill-seekers will challenge the massive Tidal Wave Bay wave pool and the 60-foot-tall Liquid Lightning tornado slide, while Splash Landing offers four stories of watery fun for the whole family.

For the little ones, The Beach Family Fun Area, located next to Little Tikes Town, features a giant checker and chess board with movable playing pieces that make the perfect play-ground for families and their youngsters.

Wildwater Kingdom will be open Saturday through Monday, May 28-30. It will reopen on Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5 and will be open daily June 10 through Aug. 21.

For more information about Opening Weekend at Wildwater Kingdom, please visit wildwaterfun.com or call 330.562.8303.

, , , , , , , ,

Big Dipper roller coaster saved from demolition

Oct 10th

Posted by Andrew in News and Updates

No comments

From the wkyc.com…

AURORA — Channel 3 News has confirmed that the landmark Big Dipper roller coaster that sat ready for demolition on the grounds of the former Geauga Lake amusement park has been saved, having been bought by two coaster enthusiasts, an Ohioan and a New Zealander.

Kat Jones and New Zealander Harold Garmonsway had Garmonsway’s payment for the Big Dipper delivered FedEx to the current owner’s agent Tom Woosnam on Thursday.

Woosnam confirmed the payment but no purchase price has been disclosed.

The Big Dipper is the seventh oldest roller coaster in the United States, the 12th oldest in the world, and once held the record for the longest ride.

Designed without calculators by John Miller, the reigning coaster designer of his day, the Big Dipper thrilled patrons for 82 years until the park was closed Sept. 21, 2007.

The new owners are hoping to reopen the coaster and have made a public appeal.

“We will have to move the Big Dipper,” they said, “but we are confident that, with your help, we can reopen it to the public. The Dipper will fly again.”

The new location hasn’t been decided but discussions are underway.

For now, they intend to dismantle the coaster and store it in Northeast Ohio until the appropriate site is secured.

You can find more details about the project on their new website savethedipper.org

, , , , , , , ,

Geauga Lake’s new Big Dipper coaster owners try to keep it in Northeast Ohio

Oct 30th

Posted by Andrew in News and Updates

No comments

From the wkyc.com…

AURORA — It was love at first sight for Kat Jones as she gazed at the weathered wood, soaring and twisting in the sunlight.

“I want to ride it,” said Jones, of the 85-year-old, wooden roller coaster known as the Big Dipper. “And I won’t feel like we’ve been successful until we’ve got it rebuilt and we can actually ride it.”

Jones, a college student from Dayton and self-admitted roller coaster junkie, travelled to Aurora Sunday to see the Big Dipper.

Jones and New Zealander Harold Garmonsway are co-owners of the roller coaster.

The pair, who met online in a forum for roller coaster enthusiasts, saved it from the wrecking ball last month after there were no bidders for the Big Dipper during an internet auction.

Garmonsway bought the Big Dipper for an undisclosed price.

“I think it was in a matter of 24 hours that we went from everything being a possibility,” Jones said. “And then all of a sudden, we owned a coaster.

“He’s never ridden a wooden roller coaster,” she said of Garmonsway. “He wants this to be his first one.”

On Sunday, Jones walked on and around the Big Dipper at the site of the former Geauga Lake amusement park. The Big Dipper was designed by John Miller, the reigning coaster architect of his day.

“It’s actually in wonderful shape,” Jones said. “If the cars were ready to run and if they were on the track and it had power, you could run it today.”

The next step, according to Jones, will be to secure an engineering company to consult with to come up with a plan to dismantle the coaster.

“They’ll be able to help us organize that,” Jones said. “Take it down in a proper order and have everything documented on how it goes back together.”

The ride’s smaller components and electronics may be removed before or during winter.

Jones said the hope is to have the roller coaster dismantled by next summer. The work won’t be cheap.

“We’re looking at about roughly $2 million to take it apart, move it and store it, and reassemble it in a new location,” said Jones.

She’s been scouting out possible locations in Northeast Ohio

“We want to keep it in the Cleveland area because that’s where its heritage is,” Jones said. “And we want to open it back up for the coaster fans and the people in the Cleveland area to enjoy.

“I know that it’s all going to be worth it in the end,” she said. “It’s going to be a great ride.”

, , , , , , ,
3807617629_9a8616afba_m

Geauga Lake’s Big Dipper Roller Coaster Will Not Be Saved

Sep 14th

Posted by Andrew in News and Updates

No comments

From the ClevelandLeader…

Geauga Lake - Big Dipper

Any hopes of saving Geauga Lake’s iconic Big Dipper roller coaster have now been dashed. On Tuesday morning, the owner announced that the coaster will be demolished in the near future.

In an email message through his representative, the owner said:

“I am the owner of THE BIG DIPPER (sic) roller coaster in Aurora, Ohio. I have determined that the deadline for the sale of The Big Dipper cannot be met. I have decided to demolish the Dipper and end the existence of this wonderful roller coaster. This is a painful but necessary decision.”

The deadline was set for September 15. Cedar Fair of Sandusky, Ohio, closed Geauga Lake’s amusement park in September 2007 and left its Geauga Lake Wildwater Kingdom in operation. Some of the amusement park rides were sent to its other parks, while others were sold. An auction was held on-site for the remaining rides and artifacts.

Some of the other rides that had been up for auction include: the Double Loop coaster; two SkipperLiner paddle wheel boats; the Intamin Space Tower; the Chance Pirate Ship; the Eli Scrambler; the Raging Wolf Bobs coaster; the Mack Himalaya; and the Sansel Flume.

The owner, who remained anonymous, had an agent buy the Big Dipper for him during Cthe auction of the rides and artifacts at the park on June 18, 2008. Because Cedar Fair hasn’t yet sold the park’s land for re-development, they have allowed the Big Dipper to remain standing on the site.

Following the auction, the Big Dipper’s owner offered it for re-sale on several roller coaster sites and more recently on eBay. When the eBay auction closed last week, he set the September 15 deadline for another buy to come forth and buy it from him, or he would move to have it demolished. As of last week, a demolition permit had not yet been approved for the Big Dipper.

The Big Dipper opened in 1925. It was designed by John Miller at a cost of $50,000, and was first known as the Sky rocket. The coaster’s trains have four cars with three rows each, seating two per row.

, , , , , , , ,

Splash Bash 2010

Aug 13th

Posted by Andrew in Events

1 comment

Splash Bash 2010 is coming – and it’s an event to say “thank you” to…you from Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom.

On August 15, Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom will have $1 hot dogs, $1 cotton candy (both while supplies last), birds from the Parrot Hope Sanctuary, entertainment from the Calypso Gypsies and more!

You can also show off your singing voice with karaoke AND they’re giving away prizes. You don’t want to miss it – and thanks for making Wildwater Kingdom a part of your summer plans!

, , , ,
12»