Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
What does 50 years of amusement look like? Well, in the case of Valleyfair, just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, it means 10 roller coasters over its lifetime. It means three different company owners. It means generations of family fun. Valleyfair is the upper Midwest’s largest amusement park, currently with more than 40 rides and attractions.
High Roller.
Photo: Krista Keyes. View full-sized image.
Valleyfair opened on May 25, 1976. The big star at that time was High Roller. This coaster, built by International Amusement Devices, stands 70 feet tall, has a top speed of 50 mph and still entertains guests today. The park also opened with Antique Autos, Bumper Cars, a Ferris Wheel, a Scrambler, a SuperCat and a Wheel of Fortune. Many of these rides, or versions of these rides, are still there today. The park even opened with Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel #76, built in 1926, that was acquired from the old Excelsior Amusement park in Excelsior, Minnesota.
Corkscrew.
Photo: Jon Roost. View full-sized image.
Excalibur.
Photo: Krista Keyes. View full-sized image.
In 1978, Valleyfair became the second half of what became Cedar Fair when Cedar Point and Valleyfair joined forces to create a chain of regional parks. During the first few years of the Cedar Fair merger, the park saw lots of improvements and investments. Valleyfair would get a new major ride every couple of years like clockwork. In 1979, the park acquired Wild Rails (formally Wildcat) from Cedar Point. These were followed by two Arrow creations: Corkscrew, a looper, in 1980 and Excalibur, a hybrid, in 1989.
Wild Thing.
Photo: Jon Roost. View full-sized image.
Mad Mouse.
Photo: Jon Roost. View full-sized image.
Renegade.
Photo: Krista Keyes. View full-sized image.
Wild Thing, a Morgan hypercoaster, opened in 1996. Fun fact: This hyper was originally scheduled to go to Dorney Park in place of Steel Force. It ran into some permit issues and went to Valleyfair instead. Mad Mouse from Arrow debuted in 1999, replacing Wild Rails. Steel Venom arrived from Intamin in 2003, and then the wood coaster Renegade from Great Coasters International, Inc., in 2007.
With entertainment for the whole family, Valleyfair has featured everything from dolphin shows to IMAX movies, saloon shows to Grand Carnivale celebrations, not to mention corn-eating contests and haunts. Another fun fact: Valleyfair was where Weird Al Yankovic played before his big break.
Some of the new anniversary merchandise uses the classic logo that includes the exclamation point!
Many guests will remember the iconic neon light sign that used to grace the Valleyfair parking lot, with High Roller, the Ferris Wheel and Carousel in the background behind Valleyfair’s famous three-spire entrance — and don’t forget the famous exclamation point! For the 50th anniversary, the park is leaning hard into nostalgia, putting the classic logos on pins, hats, T-shirts, blankets and hoodies.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
Now under new ownership, known as Enchanted Parks, the owners are doing their best to celebrate Valleyfair’s past while ushering in a new era. Enchanted Parks bought Valleyfair from what is now Six Flags in the early months of 2026. ACE’s Western Great Lakes region is excited to see what Enchanted Parks and Valleyfair have in store for the next 50 years of fun.
— Tom Nickerson, ACE North Central Assistant Regional Representative
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