Six Flags Darien Lake
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{{Infobox Amusement park
| name = Six Flags Darien Lake
| location = Darien, New York
| area = 980 acres (360 acres developed)
| opening_date = 1960's
| season = May through October
| rides = 34 (excluding water park)
| coasters = 6
| water_rides = 3
| owner = Six Flags
| homepage = www.sixflags.com
/parks/darienlake/
}}
Six Flags Darien Lake is a Six Flags theme park located between Buffalo and Rochester in Darien Lake, New York, off the New York State Thruway (I-90).
Contents |
History
The park first opened as just a park without any amusement rides. Eventually, rides were added to the mix when investor Paul Snyder invested amusement rides into the park and called it Darien Lake Fun Country. During the Fun Country years, the park became the showcase for Huss' flat rides and the opening of Viper, the park's first roller coaster and once record holder for most inversions on a coaster. Eventually, in the mid 1980's, Snyder sold the park to Funtime Parks. The "Fun Country" theme was dropped and the park operated as Darien Lake. The Funtime era brought the park numerous improvements, including the Barracuda Bay waterpark and the wooden roller coaster The Predator. In 1995, Funtime Parks was purchased by growing park chain Premier Parks (now Six Flags). Throughout the Premier era, the park experienced the most additions. Upgrades included three new coasters (Nightmare at Phantom Cave (defunct), Mind Eraser, and Boomerang: Coast to Coaster), a Popeye's Seaport themed kids area, and two major waterpark additions (Hook's Lagoon and Crocodile Isle).
In May, 1999, the park opened for the first time under the Six Flags name after the numerous upgrades from the past few years. Millions of dollars were spent on adding Looney Tunes and DC Comics themed attractions. The most notable addition was Superman: Ride of Steel, the world's first Intamin Hypercoaster. A criticism of the Six Flags years at the park though were the lack of rides being added and poor customer service. However, with new management, the park will be adding a new family water slide and a Intamin/Giavinola Stand-Up coaster that previously operated at the defunct Six Flags Astroworld.
The park is the second largest in the Six Flags chain, and one of only two in the chain with their own hotel on site. The parks also holds concerts at it's performing arts center "Darien Lake Performing Arts Center".
Rides and Attractions
Roller Coasters
- Viper - The park's first major roller coaster, the ride was the first ride to turn riders head over heels five times. Designed by S&S Arrow.
- Brain Teaser - The park's only kiddie coaster.
- The Predator - New York's largest overall wooden roller coaster, made by the Dinn Corporation.
- The Mind Eraser - New York's only suspended looping coaster. Manufactured by Vekoma.
- Boomerang: Coast to Coaster - Vekoma Boomerang coaster that flips riders forwards and back three times.
- Superman: Ride of Steel - One of the Northeast's tallest and fastest roller coasters. The ride takes riders up 200 feet and at speeds of 70 miles per hour.
Water Park
- Cuda Falls - The waterpark's first waterslide complex.
- Floodgate Falls - Family river raft ride.
- Crocodile Isle - A large family wave pool.
- Hook's Lagoon - A huge, five story tall water playground with slides.
- Tornado - ProSlide Tornado slide, riders go through a giant funnel.
- Big Kahuna - New for 2006, Big Kahuna is another family tube slide relocated from Six Flags Astroworld.
Flat Rides
- Bear Valley Bumper Buggies - Classic bumper cars attraction.
- Giant Wheel - The icon of the park before the Six Flags era, the second largest Ferris Wheel in North America at 165 feet tall.
- Grande Carousel - Merry-Go-Round attraction.
- Haymaker - Small, spinning flat ride.
- Lasso - Family wave swinger attraction.
- Pirate - A swinging pirate ship ride situated on the lake.
- Raging Seas - An intense spinning attraction.
- Ranger - Inverting pirate ship attraction.
- Rodeo Round-Up - A swinging and waving flat ride attraction.
- Scrambler - Classic spinning flat ride.
- Silver Bullet - A 360 degree spinning ride that tilts.
- Sleighride - Toboggan up and down the "slopes" of this intense ride.
- Tin Lizzies - A relaxing antique car ride situated on the lakeside.
- UFO - An extreme spinning and tilting ride.
Water Attractions
- Grizzly Run - A soaking river rapids ride.
- Poland Springs Plunge - A soaking log flume attraction.
- Shipwreck Falls - A soaking plunge ride that generates a 20 foot wave.
Upcharge Attractions
These rides are not included in the admission price. Cost varies from ride to ride.
- Boat Docks - Rent a paddle boat and paddle in the lake.
- Sky Coaster - An intense skydiving like attraction that soars 180 feet above the lake and rushes you at 70 mph.
- Slingshot - A ride that catapults you to speeds of 80 mph and heights of 300 feet.
- Superhero Speedway - Go-Karts attraction.
- Turbobungy - A beefed-up version of the trampoline.