Hanna-Barbera Land facts for kids
| Location | Spring, Texas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°04′12″N 95°25′55″W / 30.070°N 95.432°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opened | March 31, 1984 |
| Closed | 1985 |
| Owner | Kings Entertainment Company |
| General manager | Joseph Barbera |
| Theme | Hanna-Barbera |
Hanna-Barbera Land was a fun theme park based on popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters. It was located in Spring, Texas, near Houston, in the United States. The park was open for two years, in 1984 and 1985. After it closed, the rides were sold. The land later became a water park, which is now known as Six Flags Hurricane Harbor SplashTown.
Contents
A Look Back: Hanna-Barbera Land's Story
Before Hanna-Barbera Land opened, characters like Yogi Bear and Scooby-Doo were already popular in other theme parks. These characters often had their own special areas inside bigger parks. Some of these parks included Kings Island and Kings Dominion.
Building a Cartoon World
The Hanna-Barbera Land park was built by a company called Taft Broadcasting. This company later became the Kings Entertainment Company. Kings Entertainment owned several other big theme parks. These included Canada's Wonderland and Carowinds.
The park opened its gates daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Saturdays, it stayed open a bit later, until 10 p.m. The first season in 1984 ended around Labor Day. Tickets cost about $6.50 for kids and adults during the week. On Saturdays, the price went up to $7.50. Grandparents could even get in for free with a paid admission!
Why the Park Closed
Even though more people visited in 1985, the park eventually closed. Several things made it hard for Hanna-Barbera Land to succeed. The local economy in Houston was struggling at the time. Also, there was another popular park nearby called Six Flags AstroWorld. This park was older and more well-known. People also didn't spend much money on snacks or souvenirs at Hanna-Barbera Land. These reasons together led to the park closing after just two seasons.
What Happened Next: From Cartoons to Water Slides
After Hanna-Barbera Land closed, the property was sold. A new water park called SplashTown USA was built there. Over the years, the water park changed owners a few times. In 1999, Six Flags bought it. It was later rebranded as Six Flags Hurricane Harbor SplashTown. Today, it's still a popular water park for families to enjoy!
Fun Attractions at Hanna-Barbera Land
When visitors arrived at Hanna-Barbera Land, they walked through a big, colorful rainbow archway. Inside, there were many rides and activities based on their favorite cartoons.
Exciting Rides and Games
- A fun carousel featured characters like Jabberjaw, Dino, and Yogi Bear.
- A Scooby-Doo roller coaster offered thrills. This coaster is now at California's Great America and is called Woodstock's Express.
- Boulder Bumpers let kids crash into each other in bumper cars.
- Silly Stix was a huge play area, like a giant jungle gym made of colorful sticks.
- The H.B.L. Funliner was another exciting ride.
Interactive Fun and Shows
- The Funsonium was a special "do-seum" (a museum where you could do things!). It had hands-on games and learning experiences. You could see Your Name in Lights or pretend You Are the Star. They also showed Scooby-Doo cartoons all the time.
- Pedal boats shaped like characters such as Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw, and Huckleberry Hound were available on the water.
- Water body slides were added in 1985 for even more fun.
- Live puppet shows entertained younger guests.
- Papa Smurfs Forest restaurant was a place to grab a bite to eat.
- A live brass band, called the 'Kops of Komedy', played Hanna-Barbera theme songs.
- Rufus the Rainmaker was a live show featuring a character who claimed to make rain.
