Editing Valleyfair (section)

==History==
[[File:ValleyFair (logo - 1976-2007).png|thumb|right|200px|Former logo used until 2007]]
Valleyfair opened on May 25, 1976, featuring 20 rides and attractions<ref name="Park Timeline">{{cite web|url=http://www.valleyfair.com/media-center/timeline |title=Valleyfair Timeline |publisher=Valleyfair.com |access-date=March 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317073914/http://www.valleyfair.com/media-center/timeline |archive-date=March 17, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> on {{convert|26|acre|m2}}, with the roller coaster High Roller being the main attraction. The carousel in the park came from [[Excelsior Amusement Park]] which was closed in 1973. It is the oldest ride in the park.  In 1978 in an effort to increase investment capital for continued park expansion, Valleyfair was acquired by [[Cedar Point]] in [[Sandusky, Ohio]]. Five years later, Cedar Fair Limited Partnership was formed as the parent company for Cedar Point and Valleyfair (the name being derived from the names of both properties<ref name="Dick Kinzel book Cedar Fair name">{{cite book |last1=O'Brien |first1=Tim |title=Dick Kinzel Roller Coaster King of Cedar Point Amusement Park |date=October 2015 |publisher=Casa Flamingo Literary Arts |isbn=978-0-9743324-6-8 |location=Nashville, TN |page=23}}</ref>). Since 1976, Valleyfair has invested over $96 million into the park, and today the park has over 75 attractions on {{convert|90|acre}} of land.<ref name="Park history">{{cite web|url=https://www.valleyfair.com/media-center/park-history|title=Park History and Timeline|access-date=October 30, 2024}}</ref>

A height restriction was imposed in 2000 with the building of the [[Power Tower]]. After negotiations with the FAA and the nearby Flying Cloud Airport, the FAA restricted the building height of the Power Tower at {{convert|275|ft|m}} due to its proximity to the airport. Power Tower's original plan was to be a height of {{convert|300|ft|m}} and to take riders to {{convert|275|ft|m}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.valleyfair.com/public/information/history.cfm |title=ValleyFair Park Information |access-date=2009-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217040630/http://www.valleyfair.com/public/information/history.cfm |archive-date=2012-02-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Valleyfair did not open for the 2020 season because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]], although it was reopened for the 2021 season.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-04|title=Cedar Fair Updates Its Calendar for 2020 Park Operations|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200804005097/en/Cedar-Fair-Updates-Calendar-2020-Park-Operations|access-date=2020-08-10|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=California's Great America, Carowinds, and other Cedar Fair parks to remain closed for 2020; Others closing early | website=Attractions Magazine | date=August 4, 2020 | url=https://attractionsmagazine.com/californias-great-america-carowinds-and-other-cedar-fair-parks-to-remain-closed-for-2020-others-closing-early/ | access-date=August 10, 2020}}</ref>

On July 1, 2024, a merger of equals between [[Cedar Fair]] and [[Six Flags]] was completed, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. This officially retired the Cedar Fair branding that was partially derived from Valleyfair.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title=Cedar Fair and Six Flags Merger of Equals Successfully Completed, Creating a Leading Amusement Park Operator |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cedar-fair-six-flags-merger-200500080.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-US}}</ref>

As the park is located on the banks of the [[Minnesota River]], flooding can become an issue during the springtime months before the park usually opens (or when the park is open for the season), notably in 1988, 1993, 1997, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2024.  Excalibur and Thunder Canyon are built outside of a pre-existing river dike, and were built with this flooding potential in mind.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coastergallery.com/2000T/valleyfairNews1.html |title=Valleyfair! |publisher=CoasterGallery.com |access-date=2013-03-02}}</ref>

===Attraction timeline===
{{Hidden begin|title=1970s<ref name="Park Timeline"/>|titlestyle=text-align: center; background:#CCC}}
* 1976: Valleyfair opens with Antique Cars, Bumper Cars, Carousel, Ferris Wheel, Flying Scooters, [[High Roller (Valleyfair)|High Roller]], Scrambler, SuperCat, and Wheel of Fortune
* 1977: Monster, Tilt-A-Whirl and Giant Tilt Ride (The only Super Tilt Model 14-car Tilt-A-Whirl ever built by Sellner Manufacturing) open
* 1978: Ye Olde Log Flume opens
* 1979: Enterprise, Kiddie Ferris Wheel and Wild Rails open
{{Hidden end}}
{{Hidden begin|title=1980s<ref name="Park Timeline"/>|titlestyle=text-align: center; background:#CCC}}
* 1980: [[Corkscrew (Valleyfair)|Corkscrew]] opens
* 1981: Tot Town opens
* 1982: Pepsi [[IMAX]] theater opens, New entrance marquee
* 1983: Three water slides (now known as Panic Falls Body Slides) open
* 1985: The Looping Starship and Bayern Curve open
* 1987: [[Thunder Canyon]] opens
* 1988: Two water slides (now known as Panic Falls Speed Slides) and Half Pint Park open
* 1989: [[Excalibur (Valleyfair)|Excalibur]] opens
{{Hidden end}}
{{Hidden begin|title=1990s<ref name="Park Timeline"/>|titlestyle=text-align: center; background:#CCC}}
* 1990: Minnesota River Valley Railroad opens
* 1991: Phase one of [[#Challenge Park|Challenge Park]] opens
* 1992: The Wave opens and two 18-hole golf courses added to Challenge Park
* 1993: Whitewater Country water park expansion; Bumper Boats added to Challenge Park
* 1994: Berenstain Bear Country opens
* 1995: Hydroblaster opens
* 1996: [[Wild Thing (Valleyfair)|Wild Thing]] opens; RipCord added to Challenge Park
* 1997: Chaos opens
* 1998: Galaxy Theater opens
* 1999: [[Mad Mouse (Valleyfair)|Mad Mouse]] opens
{{Hidden end}}
{{Hidden begin|title=2000s<ref name="Park Timeline"/>|titlestyle=text-align: center; background:#CCC}}
* 2000: [[Power Tower]] and Frog Hopper open
* 2003: [[Steel Venom (Valleyfair)|Steel Venom]] opens
* 2004: Foam Ball Factory and The Rockin' Tug added to KidWorks
* 2005: RipTide and Skyscraper open
* 2006: [[Xtreme Swing]] opens and Halloween Haunt occurs for the first time.
* 2007: [[Renegade (roller coaster)|Renegade]] opens
* 2008: Halloween Haunt is renamed Halloween Haunt at [[ValleyScare]]
* 2009: Re-theme of the water park to [[Soak City (Valleyfair)|Soak City]]
{{Hidden end}}
{{Hidden begin|title=2010s<ref name="Park Timeline"/>|titlestyle=text-align: center; background:#CCC}}
* 2011: [[Planet Snoopy]] opens
* 2012: [[Fast Lane (Cedar Fair)|Fast Lane]]; Antique Cars closes
* 2013: [[Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction)|Dinosaurs Alive!]]
* 2014: Route 76: Northern Lights opens, Scrambler and Tilt-A-Whirl relocated and Antique Cars to be re-added as Antique Autos; Pepsi [[IMAX]] theater and hydroblaster closes
* 2015: Soak City: New Slide Tower, New Children's Splash Pad; Subway relocated, Airbrush Tattoo stand closed 
*2016: Flying Eagles, All Wheels Extreme (Upgraded Amphitheater), New High Roller Trains, Subway Takes Place of Ben and Jerrys, 40th Anniversary Events, Enterprise closes
*2017: North Star, a [[Funtime Starflyer]] swing ride, opens for 2017, New Caribou plaza
*2018: Delirious, Larson International super loop, RipTide closes, New light package for Route 76, Snoopy's bounce house is removed, Free WiFi throughout the park.
*2019: Superior Stage opens to host Peanuts Celebration, Updated Bathrooms, Variety of new food options, [[Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction)|Dinosaurs Alive!]] and Looping Starship close.
{{Hidden end}}
{{Hidden begin|title=2020s<!-- Ref needed. "Park Timeline" ref only goes to 2011. -->|titlestyle=text-align: center; background:#CCC}}
* 2021: Grand Carnivale, a new event, launches in the park. ValleyScare announces it is ending after the 2021 season.
* 2022: TRICKS AND TREATS, a new event, launches in the park.
*2023: A Chaperone Policy is implemented at the park. 
*2024: ValleySCARE's return is announced for the 2024 season.{{Hidden end}}