Geauga Lake: The Park That Had It All…Until It Didn’t
Geauga Lake was once the go-to spot for family fun in Northeast Ohio. If you grew up in the area, chances are you have some memories of spending summer days riding roller coasters, eating way too much fried food, and maybe even braving Grizzly Run if you didn’t mind getting soaked. But if you drive past the site today, you'd never guess that it was once home to a massive amusement park. So, what happened?
The Early Days
Geauga Lake’s story starts way back in 1887, when it was just a picnic area by the lake in Aurora and Bainbridge Township, Ohio. Over time, it evolved into a full-blown amusement park, adding rides, attractions, and its first roller coaster—a wooden coaster called The Big Dipper in 1925. If you were a thrill-seeker back in the day, this coaster was the ride to conquer. As a kid in the 90s, The Big Dipper and Double Loop were my favorite rides
By the mid-1900s, the park had become a favorite summer destination for families in the region. It had everything—rides, a dance hall, a 220-yard freestyle swimming pool, and even a zoo for a while. But the real turning point came in the late 1960s when a company called Funtime, Inc. took over and started modernizing the park.
The Golden Years
Under Funtime’s ownership, Geauga Lake started to feel like a real amusement park. They added new rides, including the Double Loop in 1977, and in the 1980s, they opened a water park section with wave pools and water slides. Business was booming, and the park kept expanding.
By the 1990s, more and more rides made their way into the park with the additions of Serial Thriller (1998), Mind Eraser (1996), and Texas Twister (1993). In 1995, Premier Parks purchased Funtime, Inc., investing even more into the Aurora, Ohio-based park.
Live entertainment was another big draw. The park hosted concerts, magic shows, and stunt performances, making it more than just a place for rides. Seasonal events, such as Halloween-themed haunted attractions, brought in crowds even as the temperatures dropped. Throughout this era, Geauga Lake cemented itself as the perfect mix of family-friendly charm and adrenaline-pumping excitement. It wasn’t trying to compete with Cedar Point; it was offering something different—a local park that had something for everyone.
Photo of Batman: Knight Flight. Photo credit: Jeremy Thompson
In 2000, things shifted when Six Flags came in and rebranded it as Six Flags Ohio. There was uncertainty of how they would change the park, but that year, Six Flags invested over 40 million dollars in a massive expansion that gave the park 20 new rides as well as a new kids’ play area called Looney Tunes Boomtown. Over that winter, SeaWorld Ohio and Six Flags Ohio merged into Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. Imagine an amusement park AND a marine park in one place—it seemed like a dream come true! For a little while, Geauga Lake was one of the largest theme parks in the world by land size at over 700 acres! They seemed to be on top of the world.
The Fall
Unfortunately, that dream didn’t last long. Six Flags spent a TON of money on expansion, but attendance didn’t grow the way they hoped. They added massive coasters, thrill rides, and new attractions, but they underestimated the regional competition—especially from Cedar Point and Kings Island, which seemed to have had much stronger brand loyalty. The higher cost of admission also turned off a lot of locals, who were used to Geauga Lake being an affordable family destination.
On top of that, the merger with SeaWorld Ohio didn’t go as planned. Six Flags initially marketed it as a place where guests could experience both world-class rides and marine life attractions in the same park, but the concept struggled. The mix of high-speed roller coasters and animal exhibits didn’t mesh well, and by 2001, Six Flags began phasing out the marine side of the park to relocate and expand the water park. Attendance plummeted to around 700,000, and by 2004, Six Flags had had enough—they sold the park to Cedar Fair (the company that owned Cedar Point prior to Six Flags purchase last year).
At first, it seemed like Cedar Fair might save Geauga Lake. They rebranded it back to Geauga Lake and tried to bring back its classic charm. But behind the scenes, Cedar Fair was already making moves to scale back operations. They began removing two major coasters, X-Flight and Steel Venom, and investments in new attractions slowed to a halt. Some speculate that Cedar Fair only bought the park to eliminate competition for Cedar Point. But we’ll never know what truly happened.
By 2007, the park had scaled back tremendously. They removed their spring and fall hours, only operating from Memorial Day weekend through the weekend after Labor Day. On September 21, 2007, Cedar Fair made it official: the amusement park was shutting down for good. Just like that, over 120 years of history came to an end. While it was a shock to many, others felt like the writing had been on the wall all season.
The water park remained open for nine more years before shutting their doors on September 5, 2016.
What’s Left Today?
Abandonded Geauga Lake Property. Photo credit: Jeremy Thompson
Sadly, there isn’t much left of the previous park. After an auction in 2008, what remained onsite sat still like a time capsule while nature reclaimed the concrete and buildings.
If you are hoping to ride one of your favorite coasters from Geauga Lake, you’re in luck! Some of the new rides were moved to other locations:
Beaver Land Mine Ride (previously Roadrunner Express) was sold to Papéa Parc amusement park in Yvré-l'Evêque, France, and was renamed "The Roller Coaster."
Dominator (previously Batman: Knight Flight) was relocated to Kings Dominion.
Head Spin (previously Mind Eraser) was relocated to Carowinds and renamed "The Flying Cobras."
Steel Venom was relocated to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom as “Possessed.”
Thunderhawk (previously known as Serial Thriller) was relocated to Michigan's Adventure.
X-Flight was relocated in March 2007 to Kings Island and renamed "Firehawk." It closed on October 28, 2018.
The property was divided up and sold to Pulte Group, Industrial Commercial Properties, and Aurora City Counsel. The current plans are to build houses, commercial real estate, and even add a park.
Even though Geauga Lake is gone, it still holds a special place in the hearts of Ohioans who spent their childhood summers there. If you ever find yourself reminiscing about those good old days, just know—you’re not alone!
Sources:
Geauga Lake: The Meteoric Rise and Tragic Fall of the World's Largest Amusement Park
How Northeast Ohio Remembers Geauga Lake Amusement Park