Originally posted: 2/15/2004

Last updated: 8/7/2005

  
Six Flags Elitch Gardens

  By SFZIP
  sfslzip@yahoo.com 
 

  Elitch Gardens 

1995:

·        Park opens on May 27 at its new/current location in downtown Denver, Colorado. 

·        The following “new” rides are added to the park:

o       Avalanche (Huss Top Spin), bought used from a park in Germany

o       Disaster Canyon (Intamin Rapids water ride)

o       Run-Away Train (Mack Blaurer Enzian powered roller coaster), bought used from a park in Germany – removed in 1996

o       Sky Flyer (Chance Double Inverter) – removed in 2001

o       Tea Cups, bought used from a park in Germany

o       Total Tower / Observation Tower

o       Twister II (John Pierce wooden roller coaster)

·        The following rides were moved from the “original” Elitch Gardens to the new park:

o       Big Wheel (Chance Ferris Wheel)

o       Bumper Cars

o       Carousel (1925 PTC)

o       Casino (Chance Casino?) – removed in 1996

o       Holland Express (himilaya style ride)

o       Mine Shaft (Chance Rotor) – removed in 1998

o       Paradise (spinning ride)

o       Rainbow (Huss Rainbow)

o       Sea Dragon (Chance Sea Dragon)

o       Sidewinder (Arrow Dynamics Launched Loop roller coaster)

o       Sky Ride – removed in 1996

o       Spider (octopus ride)

o       Tilt-A-Whirl

o       Trioka (Huss Trioka)

·        Kiddieland (kiddie area) opens rides include – Wild Kitten (Herschell Little Dipper kiddie roller coaster) and other kiddie rides.

1996 or 1997:

·        Bumper Cars name changed to Thunder Road Demolition Derby.

·        Paradise name changed to Hollywood & Vine.

1996:

·        Premier Parks (Six Flags Inc. today) purchases the park.

·        XLR8R (skycoaster) opens.

·        Run-Away Train removed at end of season.

·        Casino removed at end of season.

·        Sky Ride removed at end of season.

1997:

·        Avalanche moved near Sky Flyer and is renamed Shake, Rattle & Roll.

·        Mind Eraser (Vekoma SLC roller coaster) opens where Run-Away Train and Avalanche/Shake Rattle & Roll were located.

·        Tower of Doom (Intamin Giant Drop) opens where Casino was located.

·        Shipwreck Falls (Hopkins Shoot the Chute water ride) opens.

·        Island Kingdom water park opens, rides include:

o       Acapulco Cliff Dive (speed slide)

o       Cannonball Falls (enclosed tube slide)

o       Castaway Creek (lazy river)

o       Commotion Ocean (wave pool)

o       The Gangplanks (tube slides)

o       Hook’s Lagoon (family activity area)

o       Paradise Pipeline (enclosed tube slide)

o       Sun Plunge (speed slide)

o       Swiss Family Toboggan (family raft slide)

1998:

·        Aviator (Chance Aviator) opens.

·        Turn of the Century (Vekoma Swinging Carousel) opens.

·        Holland Express moved to new location near Twister II and renamed Thunder Bolt.

·        Chaos (Chance Chaos) opens where Holland Express/Thunder Bolt was located.

·        Spider moved to a new location nearby, Rock Wall opens where Spider was located .

·        Kiddieland (kiddie area) renamed StarToon Studios.

·        Mine Shaft removed at end of season.

  Six Flags Elitch Gardens 

1999:

·        Park becomes Six Flags Elitch Gardens.

·        Shake, Rattle & Roll moved to new location near Twister II.

·        Sky Flyer moved to new location.

·        Boomerang (Vekoma Boomerang roller coaster) opens where Shake, Rattle & Roll and Sky Flyer were located.

·        Tilt-A-Whirl moved to new location near Boomerang.

·        Aviator name changed to Batwing.

·        Looney Tunes MovieTown (kiddie area) opens, was StarToon Studios, all rides renamed as follows (don’t know original names):

o       Acme Prop Warehouse Foam Factory

o       Around the World in 80 seconds (kiddie balloon ride)

o       Bug’s Backlot Trucking (kiddie convoy ride)

o       Marvin the Martian Reel Spin (kiddie tea cups)

o       Moby Dick (kiddie boat ride)

o       MovieTown Airport (kiddie plane ride)

o       Pounce and Bounce (S & S Frog Hopper)

o       Soft Play

o       Star Tours Crazy Bus

o       Sylvester’s Mouse Hunt (kiddie bumper cars)

o       Taz Film Works (kiddie swing ride)

o       Tinseltown Train (kiddie train ride)

o       The Great Chase (Herschell Little Dipper kiddie roller coaster) – Wild Kitten

2000:

·        Sky Flyer name changed to Western Round-Up.

2001:

·        Swiss Family Toboggan name changed to Arrowhead Splashdown.

·        Western Round-Up removed during season, Turbo Bungy (Eurobungy extra charge bungee/trampoline) opens where Western Round-Up was late in the season.

2002:

·        The Flying Coaster (Zamperla Volare flying family roller coaster) opens.

2003:

·        Arrowhead Splashdown name changed back to Swiss Family Toboggan.

·        Twister II gets new PTC trains.

·        Big Wheel, Turn of the Century and Chaos all rehabbed before season.

·        Pepsi Grove Pavilions (catered picnic area) renamed Mountain Grove Pavilions.

·        Admission this year is $33.99.  Parking is $8.00.

2004:

·        Halfpipe (Intamin Half Pipe roller coaster) opens near Boomerang.

·        Tilt-A-Whirl moved to Turbo Bungy location and renamed Round Em Up.

·        Turbo Bungy moved to near Batman Stunt Show arena.

·         Admission this year is $36.99.  Parking is $8.00.

2005: 

·        Edge (Water Fun Products Sidewinder MK-1) added in Island Kingdom.

·         Slingshot is added (from Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom?).

·         Chaos is removed.

·         Admission this year is $37.99.  Parking is $9.00.