Hanna-Barbera theme parks
Encyclopedia
Through its history, Hanna-Barbera was also operates theme park attractions, mostly as a section in Kings Island
(along with MarioLand, a joint venture between Taft Broadcasting
and Nintendo
), Carowinds, Great America, Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland, and recently, Six Flags Great America
.
Outside the North America
, the theme parks was also available in several countries, notably in England
, China
, India
, Gabon
, and even Australia
, which was part of Australia's Wonderland, which was now defunct. Hanna-Barbera Land
was also opened in Houston, Texas.
The sections contained in the KECO Entertainment
-owned parks was retained when their parent park, except the one in Australia, was bought by Paramount Communications (formerly Gulf+Western, and later acquired by Viacom), then the parent of Paramount Pictures, which changed the name of the parks by adding "Paramount's" in front of their names. The park in Australia was not purchased by Paramount and was sold to a local company. KECO Entertainment was renamed into Paramount Parks
in 1994, around the time of the Viacom
purchase, and remained in existence until 2006. As part of the 2005 Viacom split, ownership of Paramount Parks was transferred to the CBS Corporation
. CBS then sold the parks to the Sandusky, Ohio
-based amusement park management company Cedar Fair Entertainment Company on June 30, 2006.
As an effect of absorption of Hanna-Barbera into Warner Bros. Animation
in 2001, the parks have largely removed or rebranded the areas into other children's sections by either the Nickelodeon brand and/or the Warner Bros.
brand. The latest Hanna-Barbera theme park is currently being Bedrock City in South Dakota, the one with the same name in Arizona
, and Camp Cartoon, located in Six Flags Great America, as part of Camp Cartoon section.
purchased Hanna-Barbera Productions, a television animation studio, in 1967. Two years later, it purchased Cincinnati's Coney Island
amusement park, moving it and expanding it on a larger allotment of land, reopening it in 1972 as Kings Island
. The company partnered with Top Value Enterprises to create Family Leisure Centers in 1973, opening Virginia's Kings Dominion in 1975; the company purchases Carowinds the same year. In 1979, Taft purchases 20% of the new Canada's Wonderland theme park in Toronto, Canada, which opens in 1981. The year prior, Family Entertainment Centers was dissolved, making Taft the sole owner of Kings Dominion.
By 1984, a grouping of senior executives from Taft's Amusement Park Group and some park managers purchase Taft's theme park division. The group names the resulting company Kings Entertainment Company (KECO). Taft gives KECO a perpetual license to use
Hanna-Barbera characters at all of their current parks. Australia's Wonderland, which opens in 1985, also licenses the characters, but 1989 KECO purchase Great America
doesn't opt receive the license, or opt to separately license. In their first year of incorporation, KECO opened a short-lived Hanna-Barbera Land
in Houston, Texas
.
The Kings Entertainment Company theme parks all had Hanna-Barbera sections, some having The Flintstones sections, and Smurf sections, after the popularity of the 1980s television series The Smurfs
. Through the years, these parks have largely removed or rebranded the areas into other children's sections (under the Nickelodeon brand and the Paramount Parks-created name "KidZVille"). Any of the still operating parks are part of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company; Australia's Wonderland and the stand-alone Hanna-Barbera Land parks are both defunct.
became Hanna-Barbera's president and CEO; Hanna-Barbera was part of the publicly-traded Great American Broadcasting Company. He set out to make the company an entertainment conglomerate to rival Disney, by utilizing its existing core characters. Recognizing the Hanna-Barbera parks needed rejuvenation, he had the company create The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
, a motion simulation-ride.
Created to be one of Universal Studios Florida
's original attractions, Funtastic World cost between $13 and $14 million, and opened June 7, 1990. They also opened a concept store at the exit to the attraction, for a chain of Hanna-Barbera stores they hoped to open. The attraction operated for 13 years, until it was closed October 20, 2002 to make room for Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast
.
, which featured the attractions Balloon Race, Yogi's Cave, Boo Boos Buggys, and the Woodland Theatre (now the Playhouse Theatre). Scoobyville was the central town site, where a carousel and other attractions were included. On the opposite end of Scoobyville from Yogi's Wood was Bedrock, based on The Flintstones
. Saltwater Circus was also in the section.
In 1984, Smurf Village replaced Yogi's Woods; the section featured the newly popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Smurfs
. A walk-through attraction, Smurf Village closed at the end of the 1992 season.
For the 1993 season, the Smurf Village section of the park became Kids Kingdom. In 1998, KidZVille replaced the Kids Kingdom and its two rides, the "Kid's Castle Playland" and the "Jumbo Bumps" were renamed to "The Candy Factory" and the "Twizzler Twist" (and renamed again the next year to "Sour Cherry Blaster Twist"). Along with five new rides for KidZVille, "The Busy Little Town" was launched, and it included the characters from Nickelodeon's Rugrats
series. The Playhouse Theatre still had a Hanna-Barbera themed show, Scooby Doo's Scary School Daze. On slower days, the Scooby-Doo walkaround character may venture through this section of the park.
The Bedrock section of the park met its end soon after, being replaced by Nickelodeon Central
in 2003. Only the bumper cars were kept, turned into the Rugrats Toonpike. The restaurant was de-themed, and turned into a Pizza Pizza
.
In 1984, Carowinds added Smurf Island, which was a children’s play area located on the 1.3-acre (5,300 m2) island surrounded by the Carolina Sternwheeler. Access to Smurf Island was gained in one of two ways – across the Carolina Sternwheeler and a ramp built on the island side of the boat, or on diesel-powered “Smurf Boats” launched from the area beside Harmony Hall. Children could enjoy two ball crawls and a climbing area complete with ropes, cargo nets, wood platforms, a rope tunnel and a 60-foot (18 m) tubular slide. Smurf characters roamed the island and led guests to the hidden Smurf village with four Smurf houses that children could enter. Smurf Island was eventually closed, and later demolished to make space for the BORG Assimilator, a Star Trek themed flying roller coaster. The Borg ran from the beginning of the 2004 to 2007 (replaced by NightHawk).
The earlier Land of the Dooz Mine Train attraction became Smurf Mountain. It was eventually closed to make room for the popular Volcano: The Blast Coaster in 1998.
opened in 1972, one of its original themed areas was The Happy Land of Hanna Barbera. Original attractions included:
Additionally, the parking lot featured a combination of a Hanna-Barbera character and a number, to help guests remember their location at the end of the day.
Flintstone's Boulder Bumpers was added to the park in 1976. The 1977 park season wrapped with The Peanut Olympics, between teams led by Billy Carter
, United States President Carter
's younger brother, and Yogi Bear. The two-day event was won by Carter.
For the park's 10th anniversary in 1982, it expanded Hanna-Barbera Land, spending $2.1 million on the new attractions. Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera attended the media preview on Monday, April 9 at 10 am. The new attractions were:
The Enchanted Voyage ride was closed in 1983, to be retrofitted to the upcoming Smurfs television series. "The Smurfs' Enchanted Village" debuted in 1984, while the television series was popular. People would ride in a boat around the world of the Smurfs celebrating the seasons of Winter, Fall, Summer, and Spring.
The Flying Carpet slide was moved to Hanna-Barbera Land in 1986, becoming Scrappy's Slide.
Five rides were added to Hanna-Barbera Land in 1990. In 1994, Sunshine Turnpike was closed, to give more room for Hanna-Barbera Land. The Hanna-Barbera attraction received competition in 1995, from a "Nickelodeon Splat City" section. The park was purchased by Paramount Parks in 1992, and a $750,000 upgrade was made to the section; new attractions were The Enchanted Theatre, Scooby Zoom, Pixie and Dixie's Swingset, and Dick Dastardly's Biplanes. Additionally, the Smurf's Enchanted Voyage was retrofitted for $3.5 million, into the Phantom Theatre. In 1998, Scooby's Ghoster Coaster
(their second Scooby-themed coaster), Yogi's Skytours, and Atom Ant's Airways were added to the park; Scooby Zoom was renamed Top Cat's Taxi Jam, and Flintstone Flybots turned into Jetson's Jet Orbiters.
Nickelodeon Central was added to the park in 2001, taking over parts of Parts of Rivertown and Hanna-Barbera Land. For seven years in a row, 2001–2008, the collective kids area at the park has received Amusement Today magazine's "Golden Ticket for Best Kids’ Area in the World in 2007".
The area was removed at the end of the 2005 season, to make way for Nickelodeon Universe, featuring 18 "new" rides. Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle was the only ride to remain as-is, having been created in 2003 as a complete overhaul of the existing Phantom Theater ride. The attraction was the park's first interactive ride.
The replacement section has SpongeBob SquarePants
and Dora the Explorer
-themed neighbourhoods and 18 attractions.
and in Vaughan, Ontario
, Canada was kept its name until 2010 when the Canadian version was renamed into simply Ghoster Coaster. In Doswell, Virginia, althogh the name was also simplified, the usual Scooby-Doo
theme was kept.
When those two parks was under the ownership of Viacom
, they started to add areas themed to the Nickelodeon television channel. In 2005, during the process of re-branding of the roller coaster as the Fairly Odd Coaster, the wooden superstructure was painted indigo, and the cars repainted to mimic the characters, Cosmo and Wanda, from The Fairly OddParents
; one train pink and the other green, with the fairies' faces on the front of the cars. To depict these characters as roller coaster trains is accurate to the television show because on screen, the fairies can change their shape at will, though their faces always remain visible on whatever they become.
The same thing was did to the Kings Island version a year later. Ironically, Cedar Fair purchased both of those parks as well as the three other parks that was owned by Viacom. Cedar Fair was then decided to remove all remaining Hanna-Barbera and Nickelodeon themes from the kids area in time for the start of the 2010 season.
. It doesn't located at any of the former Paramount Parks altogether. It was built in 2002, and located in Warner Bros. Movie World
in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
, it was called Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle. It was possibly themed to the TV show What's New, Scooby-Doo?
. The ride was re-themed on November 27, 2009 to remove the Scooby-Doo characters. The move is part of the park's broader move away from Hanna-Barbera characters. It became Boo Blasters on Boo Hill, a shooting dark ride themed to a large ghost.
, Warner Bros. Movie World China
, Warner Bros. Movie World Japan
, several areas owned by Six Flags
, and also in Warner Bros. Movie World Australia. It was never seen in Kings Island due to its shutdown 2005. It was known as a legal successor to the Flintstone Flybots and themed to The Jetsons
.
.
, it was a boom-boom car attraction. It is located currently in Warner Bros. Movie World UK, and possibly, Six Flags Dubailand
sometime in future.
, named Top Cat's Taxi Jam and Alley Cat 500, is located in Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and possibly, Parque Warner Madrid
. Rumors said that the Alley Cat 500 was the predecessor to the Swiper's Sweepers, which sadly removed permanently 2010 when Cedar Fair decided to remove all remaining Hanna-Barbera and Nickelodeon themes in time for the start of the 2010 season. Top Cat's Taxi Jam was the successor of Scooby Zoom. From 2006-2010, it was known as the Little Bill's Giggle Coaster. It was succeeded by The Great Pumpkin Coaster, which was introduced on September 8, 2009.
appeared in all of the former Paramount Parks and the now-defunct Wonderland Sydney, although a promotion advertisement with Tom Cat
holding a sign was shown in Canada's Wonderland prior to 2009. In addition, several attractions themed to The Flintstones
also appear in a small theme parks in Mexico
, Argentina
, Malaysia, Singapore
, South Africa
, and New Zealand
. Attractions associated with DC Comics
, although can be found in every parks themed to Warner Bros., and had the show Super Friends
(and also The Dukes
) that made also by Hanna-Barbera, never appear altogether in any of the Hanna-Barbera parks - it were always under WB control.
Attractions to the shows such as The Powerpuff Girls
, Dexter's Laboratory
, and any other shows that co-produced with Cartoon Network Studios
were unavailable in any of the Hanna-Barbera attractions. Also attractions themed to Snorks, Pac-Man
and Richie Rich
were also not allowed. Majority, attractions themed to The Jetsons
is usually the dominant attraction in every H-B parks.
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
(along with MarioLand, a joint venture between Taft Broadcasting
Taft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
and Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
), Carowinds, Great America, Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland, and recently, Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
.
Outside the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, the theme parks was also available in several countries, notably in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, and even Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, which was part of Australia's Wonderland, which was now defunct. Hanna-Barbera Land
Hanna-Barbera Land
Hanna–Barbera Land was a theme park based on the cartoons of the Hanna-Barbera animation studio. It was located in the Spring CDP of unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Houston. It was open in the 1984 and 1985 seasons....
was also opened in Houston, Texas.
The sections contained in the KECO Entertainment
KECO Entertainment
Kings Entertainment Company owned and/or operated six theme parks around the world. The company was originally owned by Taft Broadcasting and in the mid 1980s was purchased by a few top-level executives of Taft's....
-owned parks was retained when their parent park, except the one in Australia, was bought by Paramount Communications (formerly Gulf+Western, and later acquired by Viacom), then the parent of Paramount Pictures, which changed the name of the parks by adding "Paramount's" in front of their names. The park in Australia was not purchased by Paramount and was sold to a local company. KECO Entertainment was renamed into Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks was an operator of theme parks and attractions, which annually attracted about 13 million patrons. Viacom had assumed control of the company as part of its acquisition of Paramount Pictures in 1994....
in 1994, around the time of the Viacom
Viacom (1971–2005)
Viacom , stylized as VIACOM in its current logo, was an American media conglomerate. It was the owner of CBS, Nickelodeon & MTV, among others. Effective December 31, 2005, this corporate entity changed its name to CBS Corporation...
purchase, and remained in existence until 2006. As part of the 2005 Viacom split, ownership of Paramount Parks was transferred to the CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
. CBS then sold the parks to the Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
-based amusement park management company Cedar Fair Entertainment Company on June 30, 2006.
As an effect of absorption of Hanna-Barbera into Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
in 2001, the parks have largely removed or rebranded the areas into other children's sections by either the Nickelodeon brand and/or the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
brand. The latest Hanna-Barbera theme park is currently being Bedrock City in South Dakota, the one with the same name in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, and Camp Cartoon, located in Six Flags Great America, as part of Camp Cartoon section.
History of involvement in theme parks
Taft BroadcastingTaft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
purchased Hanna-Barbera Productions, a television animation studio, in 1967. Two years later, it purchased Cincinnati's Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
amusement park, moving it and expanding it on a larger allotment of land, reopening it in 1972 as Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
. The company partnered with Top Value Enterprises to create Family Leisure Centers in 1973, opening Virginia's Kings Dominion in 1975; the company purchases Carowinds the same year. In 1979, Taft purchases 20% of the new Canada's Wonderland theme park in Toronto, Canada, which opens in 1981. The year prior, Family Entertainment Centers was dissolved, making Taft the sole owner of Kings Dominion.
By 1984, a grouping of senior executives from Taft's Amusement Park Group and some park managers purchase Taft's theme park division. The group names the resulting company Kings Entertainment Company (KECO). Taft gives KECO a perpetual license to use
Hanna-Barbera characters at all of their current parks. Australia's Wonderland, which opens in 1985, also licenses the characters, but 1989 KECO purchase Great America
Great America
Great America is a name shared by two American amusement parks opened by the Marriott Corporation in 1976.Both parks are now under different ownership and are known as:* California's Great America, Santa Clara, California, owned by Cedar Fair...
doesn't opt receive the license, or opt to separately license. In their first year of incorporation, KECO opened a short-lived Hanna-Barbera Land
Hanna-Barbera Land
Hanna–Barbera Land was a theme park based on the cartoons of the Hanna-Barbera animation studio. It was located in the Spring CDP of unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Houston. It was open in the 1984 and 1985 seasons....
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
The Kings Entertainment Company theme parks all had Hanna-Barbera sections, some having The Flintstones sections, and Smurf sections, after the popularity of the 1980s television series The Smurfs
The Smurfs (1981 TV series)
The Smurfs is an American animated television series that aired on NBC from September 12, 1981 to August 25, 1990...
. Through the years, these parks have largely removed or rebranded the areas into other children's sections (under the Nickelodeon brand and the Paramount Parks-created name "KidZVille"). Any of the still operating parks are part of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company; Australia's Wonderland and the stand-alone Hanna-Barbera Land parks are both defunct.
Big hopes for motion-controlled attraction
In October 1989, animated film producer David KirschnerDavid Kirschner
David Kirschner is an American film and television producer, particularly of animated features.After studying at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, David Kirschner once worked as an illustrator of Muppets and Sesame Street characters, and created the children's book...
became Hanna-Barbera's president and CEO; Hanna-Barbera was part of the publicly-traded Great American Broadcasting Company. He set out to make the company an entertainment conglomerate to rival Disney, by utilizing its existing core characters. Recognizing the Hanna-Barbera parks needed rejuvenation, he had the company create The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (ride)
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera was a simulator ride at Universal Studios Florida, and one of the park's original attractions. The story line was that Dick Dastardly and Muttley have kidnapped Elroy Jetson, Yogi Bear gives chase and the audience is in for the ride of their lives. Peter N...
, a motion simulation-ride.
Created to be one of Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
's original attractions, Funtastic World cost between $13 and $14 million, and opened June 7, 1990. They also opened a concept store at the exit to the attraction, for a chain of Hanna-Barbera stores they hoped to open. The attraction operated for 13 years, until it was closed October 20, 2002 to make room for Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast
Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast
Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast was a simulator ride at Universal Studios Florida that replaced The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. The story line revolved around Ooblar, from the Yolkian planet has stolen Jimmy's newest rocket creation, the Mark IV...
.
Canada's Wonderland
Hanna-Barbera Land opened in 1981 with three sections. The first section was Yogi's Woods, based on The Yogi Bear ShowThe Yogi Bear Show
The Yogi Bear Show is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions about a fast-talking picnic basket stealing bear named Yogi. The show debuted in syndication on January 30 and ran for 33 episodes until December 30 in 1961 and included two segments, Snagglepuss and Yakky...
, which featured the attractions Balloon Race, Yogi's Cave, Boo Boos Buggys, and the Woodland Theatre (now the Playhouse Theatre). Scoobyville was the central town site, where a carousel and other attractions were included. On the opposite end of Scoobyville from Yogi's Wood was Bedrock, based on The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
. Saltwater Circus was also in the section.
In 1984, Smurf Village replaced Yogi's Woods; the section featured the newly popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Smurfs
The Smurfs
The Smurfs is a comic and television franchise centred on a group of small blue fictional creatures called Smurfs, created and first introduced as a series of comic strips by the Belgian cartoonist Peyo on October 23, 1958...
. A walk-through attraction, Smurf Village closed at the end of the 1992 season.
For the 1993 season, the Smurf Village section of the park became Kids Kingdom. In 1998, KidZVille replaced the Kids Kingdom and its two rides, the "Kid's Castle Playland" and the "Jumbo Bumps" were renamed to "The Candy Factory" and the "Twizzler Twist" (and renamed again the next year to "Sour Cherry Blaster Twist"). Along with five new rides for KidZVille, "The Busy Little Town" was launched, and it included the characters from Nickelodeon's Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
series. The Playhouse Theatre still had a Hanna-Barbera themed show, Scooby Doo's Scary School Daze. On slower days, the Scooby-Doo walkaround character may venture through this section of the park.
The Bedrock section of the park met its end soon after, being replaced by Nickelodeon Central
Nickelodeon Central
Since the 1990s, Nickelodeon, a worldwide children's entertainment company, has had an involvement in the creation and theming of amusement park rides. This article details the ventures of Nickelodeon in amusement parks....
in 2003. Only the bumper cars were kept, turned into the Rugrats Toonpike. The restaurant was de-themed, and turned into a Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza is a Canadian franchise of pizza restaurants mainly located in the province of Ontario. Other locations operate in Quebec, Nova Scotia, in western Canada , and in non-traditional locations such as university campuses and movie theatres throughout Canada...
.
Carowinds
Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera (1975-?)In 1984, Carowinds added Smurf Island, which was a children’s play area located on the 1.3-acre (5,300 m2) island surrounded by the Carolina Sternwheeler. Access to Smurf Island was gained in one of two ways – across the Carolina Sternwheeler and a ramp built on the island side of the boat, or on diesel-powered “Smurf Boats” launched from the area beside Harmony Hall. Children could enjoy two ball crawls and a climbing area complete with ropes, cargo nets, wood platforms, a rope tunnel and a 60-foot (18 m) tubular slide. Smurf characters roamed the island and led guests to the hidden Smurf village with four Smurf houses that children could enter. Smurf Island was eventually closed, and later demolished to make space for the BORG Assimilator, a Star Trek themed flying roller coaster. The Borg ran from the beginning of the 2004 to 2007 (replaced by NightHawk).
Great America
Opening in 1987, Smurf Woods featured a pint-sized steel coaster, The Blue Streak (now called Rugrats Runaway Reptar), as well as a Smurf village with mushroom houses. Smurf Woods was closed in the early 1990s and replaced with Nickelodeon Central. One Smurf house survived and can be seen in the Picnic Grove area.Kings Dominion
The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera (1975–1997)The earlier Land of the Dooz Mine Train attraction became Smurf Mountain. It was eventually closed to make room for the popular Volcano: The Blast Coaster in 1998.
Kings Island
When Kings IslandKings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
opened in 1972, one of its original themed areas was The Happy Land of Hanna Barbera. Original attractions included:
- Scooby Doo, a wooden roller coaster; it was renamed The Beastie in 1990, and Fairly Odd Coaster in 2006.
- Enchanted Voyage
- Winnie Witch's Cauldrons (1972–1991)
- Gulliver's Rub-A-Dub (1972–1998)
- Scrappy's Slide (1972–1994)
- Boo-Boo's Buggies (1972–1985)
- Boo-Boo's Baggage Claim (1972–2005)
- Jetson's Jet Orbiters (1972–2005)
- Baba Louie's Buggies (1972–2005)
Additionally, the parking lot featured a combination of a Hanna-Barbera character and a number, to help guests remember their location at the end of the day.
Flintstone's Boulder Bumpers was added to the park in 1976. The 1977 park season wrapped with The Peanut Olympics, between teams led by Billy Carter
Billy Carter
William Alton "Billy" Carter III was an American businessman who promoted Billy Beer, was a candidate for Mayor of Plains, Georgia, and was the younger brother of United States President Jimmy Carter.-Early years:...
, United States President Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
's younger brother, and Yogi Bear. The two-day event was won by Carter.
For the park's 10th anniversary in 1982, it expanded Hanna-Barbera Land, spending $2.1 million on the new attractions. Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera attended the media preview on Monday, April 9 at 10 am. The new attractions were:
- Yogi's Picnic, a live show
- the Woodland Theatre, with a puppet show
- Gumball Alley
- a Character Carousel
- a Hanna-Barbera Character Fountain
- climbing structures Shaggy's Silly Sticks and McScrappy's Farm
- Fool House
- Rawhide Railroad
- Jelly Bean Bowl
The Enchanted Voyage ride was closed in 1983, to be retrofitted to the upcoming Smurfs television series. "The Smurfs' Enchanted Village" debuted in 1984, while the television series was popular. People would ride in a boat around the world of the Smurfs celebrating the seasons of Winter, Fall, Summer, and Spring.
The Flying Carpet slide was moved to Hanna-Barbera Land in 1986, becoming Scrappy's Slide.
Five rides were added to Hanna-Barbera Land in 1990. In 1994, Sunshine Turnpike was closed, to give more room for Hanna-Barbera Land. The Hanna-Barbera attraction received competition in 1995, from a "Nickelodeon Splat City" section. The park was purchased by Paramount Parks in 1992, and a $750,000 upgrade was made to the section; new attractions were The Enchanted Theatre, Scooby Zoom, Pixie and Dixie's Swingset, and Dick Dastardly's Biplanes. Additionally, the Smurf's Enchanted Voyage was retrofitted for $3.5 million, into the Phantom Theatre. In 1998, Scooby's Ghoster Coaster
Scooby's Ghoster Coaster (Kings Island)
The Scooby Ghoster Coaster was a prototype Caripo Batflyer suspended roller coaster . The ride had poor capacity and roughness complaints. It was removed in 2005 as a part of the Hanna-Barbera Land removal for Nick Universe....
(their second Scooby-themed coaster), Yogi's Skytours, and Atom Ant's Airways were added to the park; Scooby Zoom was renamed Top Cat's Taxi Jam, and Flintstone Flybots turned into Jetson's Jet Orbiters.
Nickelodeon Central was added to the park in 2001, taking over parts of Parts of Rivertown and Hanna-Barbera Land. For seven years in a row, 2001–2008, the collective kids area at the park has received Amusement Today magazine's "Golden Ticket for Best Kids’ Area in the World in 2007".
The area was removed at the end of the 2005 season, to make way for Nickelodeon Universe, featuring 18 "new" rides. Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle was the only ride to remain as-is, having been created in 2003 as a complete overhaul of the existing Phantom Theater ride. The attraction was the park's first interactive ride.
The replacement section has SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
and Dora the Explorer
Dora the Explorer
Dora the Explorer is an American animated television series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until...
-themed neighbourhoods and 18 attractions.
- Atom Ant's Airways is now Timmy's Airtours
- Yogi's Sky Tours is now Lazytown Sportacopters
- Top Cat's Taxi Jam is now Little Bill's Giggle Coaster
- Pixie and Dixie's Swingset is now Backyardigans Swing-Along
- Dick Dastardly's Biplanes is now Blue's Skidoo
- Hanna Barbera Carousel is now Nick-O-Round
- Quick Draw's Railway is now La Adventura de Azul
- Flintstone's Boulder Bumpers is now Jimmy Neutron's Atom Smasher
- Fender Bender 500 is now Nick Jr. Drivers
- Scooby Doo/Beastie is now Fairly Odd Coaster
- Huck's Hotrods is now Go Diego Go
- Alley Cat 500 is now Swiper's Sweepers
Shows with H-B characters
- 1984: The Smurfs Are Here (International Showplace)
- 1985: Song of the Smurfs (International Showplace)
- 1986: The Curse of Gargamel (International Showplace)
- 1987: Yogi's Funtastic Machine (International Showplace)
Wonderland Sydney
Hanna-Barbera Land (1985–2002) at Australia's Wonderland (later named Wonderland Sydney) was largely based on the layout of the Canada's Wonderland park's section.Small Flintstones parks
- Bedrock City in Custer, South DakotaCuster, South DakotaCuster is a city in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,067 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Custer County.-History:...
, 1966 to present - Bedrock City in Valle, ArizonaValle, ArizonaValle is an unincorporated community in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. It lies at , at an altitude of 5,994 feet , at the junction of U.S. Route 180 and State Route 64. Its attractions include the Valle Airport , the Planes of Fame Air Museum, and Flintstones Bedrock City...
, 1972 to present - Bedrock City, Kelowna, British Columbia, until 1997
- Bedrock CityDinotownOriginally located at Bridal Falls B.C. Canada, 15 minutes east of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Dinotown opened in 1975, under the name Bedrock City. Based around The Flintstones licensing, it reopened in 1995 under the non-licensed theming. It was on Highway 1.The Ell family opened Bedrock City...
, Chilliwack, British Columbia, until 1994 - Calaway ParkCalaway ParkCalaway Park is Western Canada's largest outdoor family amusement park. The park is located in Springbank, Rocky View County, Alberta, west of the city of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway....
, near Calgary, Alberta
Scooby's Gasping Ghoster Coaster
It was a prototype Caripo Batflyer suspended roller coaster (billed as the first suspended coaster for kids). The ride had poor capacity and roughness complaints. It was removed in 2005 as a part of the Hanna-Barbera Land retheming at Kings Island For Nickelodeon Universe. However, the attraction using the same name in the city of Doswell, VirginiaDoswell, Virginia
Doswell is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the Central Region of the U.S. state of Virginia. Originally called Hanover Junction, it was located on the Virginia Central Railroad, which later became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad at a crossing of the Richmond,...
and in Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
, Canada was kept its name until 2010 when the Canadian version was renamed into simply Ghoster Coaster. In Doswell, Virginia, althogh the name was also simplified, the usual Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
theme was kept.
Scooby-Doo
Themed to Scooby-Doo, it was opened together with Kings Island in 1972. Three years later, it was also opened in Carowinds. Paying homage to The Beast after its successful launch in 1979, a tunnel was added to the bottom of the first drop for the 1980 season, and the Kings Island version was renamed "The Beastie".When those two parks was under the ownership of Viacom
Viacom (1971–2005)
Viacom , stylized as VIACOM in its current logo, was an American media conglomerate. It was the owner of CBS, Nickelodeon & MTV, among others. Effective December 31, 2005, this corporate entity changed its name to CBS Corporation...
, they started to add areas themed to the Nickelodeon television channel. In 2005, during the process of re-branding of the roller coaster as the Fairly Odd Coaster, the wooden superstructure was painted indigo, and the cars repainted to mimic the characters, Cosmo and Wanda, from The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents is an American-Canadian animated television series created by Butch Hartman about the adventures of Timmy Turner, who is granted fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda. The series started out as cartoon segments that ran from September 4, 1998 to March 23, 2001 on Oh Yeah!...
; one train pink and the other green, with the fairies' faces on the front of the cars. To depict these characters as roller coaster trains is accurate to the television show because on screen, the fairies can change their shape at will, though their faces always remain visible on whatever they become.
The same thing was did to the Kings Island version a year later. Ironically, Cedar Fair purchased both of those parks as well as the three other parks that was owned by Viacom. Cedar Fair was then decided to remove all remaining Hanna-Barbera and Nickelodeon themes from the kids area in time for the start of the 2010 season.
Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster
Unusually, this attraction is a wild mouse roller coasterWild Mouse roller coaster
A Wild Mouse roller coaster is a type of roller coaster characterized by small cars that seat four people or fewer and ride on top of the track, taking tight, flat turns at modest speeds, yet producing high lateral G-forces...
. It doesn't located at any of the former Paramount Parks altogether. It was built in 2002, and located in Warner Bros. Movie World
Warner Bros. Movie World
Warner Bros. Movie World is a popular movie related theme park on the Gold Coast in Australia. It is owned and operated by Village Roadshow since the take over from Time Warner and is the only movie related park in Australia...
in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Scooby-Doo! And the Haunted Mansion
This attraction, that found in Carowinds, Kings Dominion and Kings Island, take on the traditional dark ride. On this ride, the scenes feature ghosts and monsters that riders shoot at using laser-outfitted guns. Riders in consecutive cars compete with each other to see who can shoot the most ghosts. In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, it was called Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle. It was possibly themed to the TV show What's New, Scooby-Doo?
What's New, Scooby-Doo?
What's New, Scooby-Doo? is the ninth incarnation of the Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo, and a revival of the original show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!. It was the first time the franchise was revived in over a decade. The animated series was developed and produced by Warner Bros....
. The ride was re-themed on November 27, 2009 to remove the Scooby-Doo characters. The move is part of the park's broader move away from Hanna-Barbera characters. It became Boo Blasters on Boo Hill, a shooting dark ride themed to a large ghost.
Baba Looey's Buggies
It is located in the South Pie section of Hanna-Barbera Land, these were simple handcars on a track. The Kings Island version was removed to make way for the Nickelodeon Universe expansion (the UK version was also removed to do the same for British Nickelodeon Universe expansion, now known as Warner Bros. Movie World UK.)Jetson's Jet Orbiters
It can be found currently in Warner Bros. Movie World UK, Movie Park GermanyMovie Park Germany
thumb|Movie Park Germanythumb|[[Bermuda Triangle]] - Alien Encounterthumb|The Old Westthumb|[[Hollywood]] FilmmuseumThe Movie Park Germany is a theme park with real movie studios in Bottrop-Kirchhellen. It consists of 6 areas based on the topic "fascination film".The park was opened in June 1996 as...
, Warner Bros. Movie World China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Warner Bros. Movie World Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, several areas owned by Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
, and also in Warner Bros. Movie World Australia. It was never seen in Kings Island due to its shutdown 2005. It was known as a legal successor to the Flintstone Flybots and themed to The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
.
McScrappy's Slide
This was a Giant Slide originally called Flying Carpet Slide which was moved from Coney Island to the spot where Zephyr is today. It was later relocated to Hanna-Barbera Land for the 1986 season (about where Flying Ace Aerial Chase is today) and renamed to McScrappy's Slide. The attraction was removed indefinitely in 1995 to make way for the addition of Nickelodeon Splat CityNickelodeon Splat City
Nickelodeon Splat City was a land inside of Great America , Kings Island , and Kings Dominion . It was based on many Nickelodeon Game shows, such as Double Dare, which had attractions that involved getting wet.-Attractions:...
.
Flintstone's Boulder Bumpers
Themed to The FlintstonesThe Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
, it was a boom-boom car attraction. It is located currently in Warner Bros. Movie World UK, and possibly, Six Flags Dubailand
Six Flags Dubailand
In March 2008, Dubai Holdings, Inc. and Six Flags announced a corporate marketing alliance that would allow Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holdings, Inc., to lease the exclusive right to the Six Flags brand name in the Dubailand Development of the United Arab Emirates...
sometime in future.
Attractions themed to Top Cat
Two attractions that themed to TV show Top CatTop Cat
Top Cat is a Hanna-Barbera prime time animated television series which ran from September 27, 1961 to April 18, 1962 for a run of 30 episodes on the ABC network. Reruns are played on Cartoon Network's classic animation network Boomerang.-History:...
, named Top Cat's Taxi Jam and Alley Cat 500, is located in Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and possibly, Parque Warner Madrid
Parque Warner Madrid
Parque Warner Madrid is a theme park located 25 km southeast of Madrid, Spain, in the municipality of San Martín de la Vega...
. Rumors said that the Alley Cat 500 was the predecessor to the Swiper's Sweepers, which sadly removed permanently 2010 when Cedar Fair decided to remove all remaining Hanna-Barbera and Nickelodeon themes in time for the start of the 2010 season. Top Cat's Taxi Jam was the successor of Scooby Zoom. From 2006-2010, it was known as the Little Bill's Giggle Coaster. It was succeeded by The Great Pumpkin Coaster, which was introduced on September 8, 2009.
Other attractions
No attractions themed to Tom and JerryTom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
appeared in all of the former Paramount Parks and the now-defunct Wonderland Sydney, although a promotion advertisement with Tom Cat
Tom Cat
Thomas "Tom" Cat is a fictional character and half of the academy-award winning Tom and Jerry cartoon cat-and-mouse duo. He is a blue/grey anthropomorphic cat who first appeared in the 1940 animated short Puss Gets the Boot...
holding a sign was shown in Canada's Wonderland prior to 2009. In addition, several attractions themed to The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
also appear in a small theme parks in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Malaysia, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Attractions associated with DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, although can be found in every parks themed to Warner Bros., and had the show Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
(and also The Dukes
The Dukes
The Dukes is an animated series which ran on CBS in 1983 based directly on the popular live-action television series The Dukes of Hazzard.-Plot:...
) that made also by Hanna-Barbera, never appear altogether in any of the Hanna-Barbera parks - it were always under WB control.
Attractions to the shows such as The Powerpuff Girls
The Powerpuff Girls
The Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network...
, Dexter's Laboratory
Dexter's Laboratory
Dexter's Laboratory is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky and produced by Cartoon Network Studios . The show is about a boy named Dexter who has an enormous secret laboratory filled with an endless collection of his inventions...
, and any other shows that co-produced with Cartoon Network Studios
Cartoon Network Studios
Cartoon Network Studios is an American animation studio. A subsidiary of the Turner Broadcasting System , Cartoon Network Studios focuses on producing and developing animated programs only for and related to Cartoon Network...
were unavailable in any of the Hanna-Barbera attractions. Also attractions themed to Snorks, Pac-Man
Pac-Man (TV series)
Pac-Man is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera based on the video game Pac-Man by Namco, which premiered on ABC and ran from 1982 to 1983. During the first airing of the show, the large number of advertisers sponsoring it caused commercial breaks to be double their normal length...
and Richie Rich
Richie Rich (1980 TV series)
Richie Rich is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that aired on ABC from 1980 to 1984. Based upon Harvey Comics' popular Richie Rich comic book characters, shared time slots with Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, The Little Rascals, and Pac-Man over its original broadcast...
were also not allowed. Majority, attractions themed to The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
is usually the dominant attraction in every H-B parks.
As individual attractions
- Universal Studios Florida: In Production Central, characters appearing are Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, The Flintstones and The Jetsons. In Woody Woodpecker's KidZone, Scooby and Shaggy appear.
- Universal Studios Hollywood: Character photo-ops currently include Scooby-Doo and Shaggy; Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Wilma Flintstone, and Betty Rubble previously appeared.
External links
- Theme Park Timelines: Taft