Geauga Lake History | Amusement Park now left Abandoned

[@WhatstheStory123]

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[@RollieKid]

The big dipper was definitely the best ride unforgettable 😊

[@bluescreen3914]

I grew up in the Geauga Lake neighborhood of Aurora. The park was my entire childhood. I'm still heartbroken and bitter over the loss.

[@WhatstheStory123]

For sure I really hated to see this place go, so much history there.

[@donaldhabbyshaw6200]

My grandpa jack worked here i grew up in this place

[@yaee123]

I know we spent almost every Sumner weekends at the park growing up 😢😢😢

[@griessee45]

Same

[@mishmashmedley]

As a kid/teen in the late 80s early 90s, Geauga Lake was considered the Cheap Cedar Point. It was always WAY cheaper to go to GL than CP. Sure, the rides may not have been as extreme, but you could ride WAY more coasters in a day at Geauga Lake than at Cedar Point, where there was often 1-2 hour waiting in lines (or more!) and you were stuck standing around most of the day just looking at the coaster instead of riding it. Plus, there was the addition of the water park later on so we could swim too if we wanted. We got to go to Cedar Point at least once a year on a school trip in April or May, but during the summer on our own, we went to Geauga Lake just because it seemed like we had way more fun there riding rides rather than waiting in lines.

[@headrushindi]

I was born in Ashtabula . I live in North Carolina now. but Myself and my family used to take an entire three day vacation in the 70's. we would get a motel near the parks and do both Sea World , and Geauga lake during the weekend. . Myself and a bunch of High School Buddies, the weekend after High school Graduation from the now defunct Ashtabula High School , all went together to Geauga lake park in celebration of graduation on one last summer fling before going off our separate ways in life. What Memories they were. Great times with good friends. Alas , nothing lasts for ever but the memories and ghosts of the past.

[@nathanpayne5358]

👍 great video definitely a blast from the past. I remember my wife and I after getting married couldn’t wait to check it out with the new rides when six flags took over. It was amazing walking up to the ticket booth and instantly thinking back several years earlier going to sea world on a family vacation when all I wanted to do is go across the lake and ride the coasters. It would have been better off if six flags could have hung in there a couple more years because that would have been the best chance of the park growing and staying put. Anyway well done 🤙

[@WhatstheStory123]

Great memories for sure, I think you're right it would have been better staying under six flags control. Thanks for checking out my video I appreciate it!

[@attylee]

Fascinating history: I worked there two summers. The difference between 1969 and 1975 was incredible. Funtime tried to clean the place up, but it was a process. 👍

[@Full.Circuit.Thrills]

This is a very great video, but you did get one thing incorrect. Six Flags didn’t buy Geauga Lake and Sea World Ohio. The company who owned Geauga Lake, Premier Parks, bought the Six Flags chain from Time Warner and they renamed Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio in 2000. That year, they bought Sea World Ohio and combined both parks to rename it Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure. Besides this incorrect fact, honestly it’s a great video. I loved it!

[@WhatstheStory123]

Ah ok thanks for the information and clearing that up. I appreciate you watching my video!

[@alvajohnson2723]

Awesome vid once again! Keep them coming! Great work

[@WhatstheStory123]

Thank you!

[@zombiegoddess1524]

I have so many memories here....... Geauga lake made up about 40 percent of my childhood memories. From sneaking in over that wooden fence, to going there almost everyday on my friends season pass, to having a fight on a church field trip with my bully to it being my first job at the age of 14......

[@pricillaburghy5209]

Loved going there when I was a kid The Big Dipper was my favorite ride 😭

[@WhatstheStory123]

Oh yea the Big Dipper was such a good coaster!

[@billkeithchannel]

They made such a big deal about the Raging Wolf Bobs but The Big Dipper was still way better. Since I was tall, I would keep hitting my knee every turn. When they put it in, they said that the plan was to add other defunct classic layouts in that part of the park but that never happened.

[@vickieallen7171]

Great video....always wondered the WHOLE story.... thanks for sharing!

[@WhatstheStory123]

Thanks for checking out my video I really appreciate it!

[@billkeithchannel]

My first year to visit was 1978 when I was 13 and was the perfect upgrade from going to Conneaut Lake Park each summer. Cedar Point was just too far to talk my parents into driving there so instead going just past Akron was a doable lobby. The Double Loop was in its second year, and I believe their Corkscrew was new that season. What I loved about the park in that era is the last half hour if the lines were not big they would give people double rides without getting off and back on. Being open to 10pm gave good nighttime riding and every night ended with a fireworks display.

[@7JCDiva]

very interesting video *thumbsup*

[@WhatstheStory123]

Thank you!

[@its_kalah_not_kayla]

I grew up in Youngstown Ohio in the early 90s Geauga Lake was the amusement park I grew up going up to💯💯 I miss it soooooo much actually seeing it shuttered like this makes me more sad😢

[@johnlenart597]

My BMW motorcycle dealer is across the street. Watching the new apartments being built is fun. Also the housing development off of Treat Rd is coming along fine. More stores and a park is to be added also. The factory that I used to work at would have their yearly family picnic there and after, the rides were free for the remaining of the day. Many companies did this for their employees. Sure miss the good times.!!

[@MoeunMaosweettreats1981]

I thought geauga lake amusement park wouldn’t come to an end till like a few centuries from now but it happens a while before I’m gone which makes me feel sad and upset because geauga lake amusement park was and still is my favorite amusement park. However I still do wonder about the future of the land where geauga lake amusement park used to be. I’ll always have the many happy memories of geauga lake amusement park.

[@Bre_at_Fearproductions]

Geauga lake was such a great family park I was a sr in high school when they announced the closure I cried and still to this day wish I could take my kids there I’m still sad about it

[@tobyrock7194]

Sea world was a field trip for every school age kid in the area.

[@billkeithchannel]

I loved the old time/west theme the entire park had and over the loudspeakers you could hear classic banjo music playing.

[@Alex45ACPP]

It's ironic because I always thought the way smaller Conneaut Lake Park would be the one to go under. But yet it still is kicking and will probably be open again in the next week or so if it isn't already. I guess the fact that they have a campgrounds across the street that they also own with country music concerts and parties helps to keep them open.

[@WhatstheStory123]

Yea for sure It's hard to believe Geauga Lake failed after all those years. I do love to see many of the smaller parks still thriving!

[@MOE_LESTER16]

Yeah, and it is just a smaller amusement park so not too expensive to operate. It’s always fun though, 13 levels of fear is pretty fun to do

[@billkeithchannel]

This comment didn't age well. CLP is dead as a doornail without the Blue Streak (never went to their Halloween events). Conflicting reports makes me believe they burnt it down on purpose and then demolished it since they could not afford to pay for the insurance to operate it each year. So sad since that was my earliest childhood memories since the late 1960's.

[@Alex45ACPP]

@@billkeithchannel Yeah your right sadly. C.L.P. is more less suffering the same fate as well. I always think if I were a millionaire or better yet billionaire I would bring back both parks by scratch but that of course will never happen. R.I.P. G.L.P. and C.L.P.

[@tiffiejai]

Thumbs up

[@robinbuckeye6841]

I went to Sea World when I was about 8 years old and really loved the place. My parents would not take me to Geauga Lake but I didn't mind. It's just a shame to see these places go to rot. Both parks went way downhill when Cedar Fair bought them. Now Cedar Fair owns Cedar Point, which will most likely be the next abandoned park you're doing a story about....

[@markjones5757]

cedar fair has always owned cedar park.

[@christianprieto557]

Yeah Cedar Fair is the owner and created Cedar Point well I mean it was just a beach park at first but they have made it what it is. The best amusement park I've ever been to and I've been to several across the untied States

[@tobyrock7194]

I heard the did not try and sell the big dipper They scraped the double loop. My very first coaster at age 7.

[@ddwalker3744]

I live close, I miss it so much, I'd go 2 sea world once a year and Geauga Lake like 10 times

[@pgh45rpms]

I came here after watching the fall of Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania. I never went to Geauga Lake, but this is tragic nevertheless.

[@aegisofhonor]

it's sad to see a classic old woody abandoned like that; it would have turned 100 next year but without any maintenance, it would now just be rotten wood that has to eventually be torn down just like the Zippin Pippin in Memphis.

[@joesroads6387]

Damn i miss that place so much.

[@AltairEgoX]

Kings Island only got Firehawk...which sadly was removed for Orion.

[@Trentonpage]

I was at SeaWorld when I was a infant. I have pictures of myself, shamoo is in the background.

[@michaelcaraballo7785]

Carowinds! 👍

[@tobyrock7194]

I lived 20 mins away and it was wrong what they did to The Park! So many memory's. F Cedar Fair!

[@Bbenge1220]

I've rode Firehawk at Kings Island 👍

[@Focalpoint223]

Good video but you left alot of key points out. SeaWorld wanted to buy Geauga Lake so they can build coasters since they aren't allowed on that side of the lake. This made World of Adventure which ended up being the biggest park in the world at the time. Six Flags CEO said competing with Cedar Fair would be very costly and since they already been selling parks and don't think they could win the war for Ohio they sold it to Cedar Fair. Cedar Fair did add a new Waterpark and took out the Animals because they had 0 experience with that. This was a big mistake since that is what separated this park from Cedarpoint and Kings Island. 2007 Raging Wolf Bob all of a sudden gave up and 3 months later so did Cedar Fair. RIP Geauga Lake.

[@WhatstheStory123]

Thanks for adding the additional information, those are all good points!

[@tallguy0076]

Growing up in nearby Youngstown it was cool when sf combined the 2 parks. I actually think when cedar fair purchased the paramout parks it was gameover for Geauga lake. I went in 06 parts of the park just looked gutted.😪

[@theweirdospfan.28]

Literally no one: Cedar fair: maybe someone will buy the Big Dipper on eBay!

[@WhatstheStory123]

Right!

[@Pluviophile218]

We went to Gauga Lake in 1999. It was not very good. The was no shade anywhere. People were passing out waiting in line for rides. The park employees were very rude, not at all happy to be working in an amusement park. No comparison to Kennywood Park near Pittsburgh. A very very nice place at the time.

[@JimHwax]

I have a sad memory of Geauga Lake, back in 1977, my parents were going on my dad's shop picnic, so I invited my girlfriend Shelia, who had 2 boys. She said if her boys couldn't go, then she didn't want to, either. This angered me so I dumped her flat. Then I went back to my old girlfriend Carol, an enormous mistake I would not have made, had Sheila gone with me.

[@WhatstheStory123]

That's rough sorry to hear that

[@randywest5149]

Randy West My Childhood 1980's / 1990's at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 & Sea World of Ohio in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲.

[@berkeleydinicola9242]

👍

[@josephstrohmeyer5758]

The only part cedar point forgot at time most people refused to support cedarpoint after its closing but it did boost Kenny wood traffic at time and Hershey's park as well cedar fair been wanting that park gone for decades and as far as SeaWorld goes they sold on account of boating accident in grand stand they actually went into bankruptcy at that time but their where parts of story wrong though nothing left that park to other parks untill after closure all rides remained untill after final operation i know because i was a season pass holder at time and trust me on fact cedar fair is still trying to get rid of Kenny wood in Pittsburgh to this day they still make offers to buy them out because its to close to them

[@sicilypitts7333]

Just as Astrowold in Houston! 😢😡

[@its_kalah_not_kayla]

👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@YzerWings]

Such a shame.

[@WhatstheStory123]

Yes it sure is, I really hated to see it go.

[@kellin12]

👍🏽

[@louderone6042]

👍👍🤙🤙

[@terpriders]

👍🏼

[@tobyrock7194]

100+ years flushed down the drain. F cedar fair

[@annejohnson2013]

Sea world of Ohio closed in 2000 rip 1970-2000 then 7 years later geauga lake closed in 2007 but reduced to a water park then closed in 2016.

[@WhatstheStory123]

Yea I really hate to see these historic places go :/

[@annejohnson2013]

@@WhatstheStory123 agreed

[@zxccxz164]

cedar monopoly and inflated prices

[@randywest5149]

Randy West Rode 9 Roller 🎢 Coasters at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 EST. 1887-2007 1. Big Dipper EST. 1925-2007, 2. Raging Wolf Bobs EST. 1988-2007, 3. The Villain EST. 2000-2007, 4. Double Loop EST. 1977-2007, 5. Head Spin EST. 1996-2007, 6. Thunderhawk EST. 1998-2007, 7. Dominator EST. 2000-2007, 8. Steel Venom EST. 2000-2006, 9. X-Flight EST. 2001-2006, Randy West Rode The Villain Roller 🎢 Coaster at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 Only One on Roller Coaster Train in The Year of 2006 Forever.

[@randywest5149]

Cedar Fair and Six Flags Took Away Randy West Childhood at Geauga Lake and Sea World Ohio in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 and the years of 1980's and 1990's.

[@tobyrock7194]

They knocked it down because it was to close to Cedar point BOTTOM LINE!

[@sciencemansandera]

I grew up on Geauga lake Road six flags I think was the kiss of doom they took out much of the classic rides do used to be a spook house in a pond house. In this stuff was kind of funny people loved it, and the older people ain’t gonna call and those new roller coasters you’re nothing but a back and neck injury waiting to happen, this is a travesty and I just about guarantee you a couple of hedge fund managers like the destroyer. We’re behind it it’s BS the people of chagrin Falls deserve way better. All them yuppies came out there to Aurora, and all they did was ruin everything and drive pricing through the roof.

[@HORSEYANIME2024]

More videos from on famous historical amusement parks in the United States that no longer exist

[@dennisdickson9397]

We know why the park closed. It had nothing to do with investment. The “clientele changed. Getting accosted by certain people… we quit going.

[@nickh7777]

This is as accurate as it gets... Kennywood is only lasting as long as it is bc it's part of downtown, otherwise it has the same problem. (It's so odd that 9-11 had such a huge impact on it's attendance).

[@randywest5149]

R.I.P. Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 EST. 1887-2007 & R.I.P. Wildwater Kingdom Water Park in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 EST. 2005-2016 & R.I.P. Sea World of Ohio in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 EST. 1970-2001 & R.I.P. Six Flags Ohio in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 EST. 2000-2001 & R.I.P. Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 EST. 2001-2004.

[@bluecasey270]

I refuse to ever visit cedar point because of what cedar fair did. Cedar point sucks anyway- over priced, cookie cutter and commercialized

[@randywest5149]

Giles Pound and Geauga Lake and Sea World of Ohio and Six Flags Ohio and Six Flags Worlds of Adventure and Geauga Lake Family Amusement Park and Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom and Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom/ Wildwater Kingdom Water Park and Geauga Lake Amusement Park History in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲.

[@44bthknuckles]

the big names who pretty much owned it six flags,cedar fair,seaworld t its extent and and funtime the original owner.

[@PianoMan-hx3ev]

A housing development? Boooooring.

[@randywest5149]

Randy West One Year at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 Power Outage Off All Over The Park at Former Geauga Lake Amusement Park in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲.

[@randywest5149]

Randy West at One Year Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 Power Outage All Over The Park at Former Geauga Lake Amusement Park in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲 and Former Sea World of Ohio Theme Park in Aurora, Ohio USA 🇺🇲.

[@Shaddoedenise]

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[@pricillaburghy5209]

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[@timothy789]

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[@Busmike8912]

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[@toddpalmisano4692]

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[@BossKonja]

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[@BrianPollard-m4l]

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