Six Flags America

Six Flags America, located in Largo, Maryland, is an amusement park originally opened as a water park in 1981 with the name Wild World (supposedly because it was founded by Jim Fowler, the assistant on Wild Kingdom). It featured a number of waterslides and a wave pool, with just a couple of dry rides - a ferris wheel, giant swings, teacups, and the like. When Boston's Paragon Park closed in 1985, the Giant Coaster - which had operated there since 1917 - was moved to Wild World, where it was renamed the Wild One and began service in 1986.

Related Topics:
Largo, Maryland - Amusement park - Water park - Wild Kingdom - Ferris wheel - Paragon Park - Giant Coaster - Wild One

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More dry rides were added during the late 1980s, but the park's focus shifted to the dry area in 1993, when it was purchased by Premier Parks and renamed Adventure World. Several steel roller coasters were added, among them the Python (originally half of the Lighting Loops) and Vekoma's first Mind Eraser. In 1998, a twisting wooden roller coaster was added, Roar, designed by Great Coasters International.

Related Topics:
Premier Parks - Roller coaster - Vekoma - Wooden roller coaster - Great Coasters International

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The following year, the park became part of the Six Flags chain and took on the name Six Flags America (because it is just 20 minutes from Washington, Dc). With that change came many others, including extensive remodeling and retheming - Looney Tunes characters became prominently featured in the kiddie area - and an entirely new section, Gotham City, was added (including a Skycoaster bungee ride). Python was sent into storage, but three coasters opened that year: Two-Face: The Flip Side, Joker's Jinx (the park's only launched roller coaster), and Great Chase, replacing Cannonball in the kiddie area. The 2000 season saw the addition of , and in 2001 the Vekoma-designed Batwing opened.

Related Topics:
Six Flags - Looney Tunes - Skycoaster - Launched roller coaster

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The water park is still operated - first it was known as Paradise Island.

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In 2005, it got an upgrade and retheme from Paradise Island to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. The transition from Paradise Island to Hurricane Harbor includes a brand new Tornado waterslide and various repaints and renovations to existing attractions and buildings as well.

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Critics cite its lack of cleanliness, ride operator inattention, urban clientele, and regular incidents of crime and violence at the park. There are half a dozen rides regularly out of service and many historical facts and names are inaccurate.

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