Valleyfair facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Valleyfair

Aerial view of Valleyfair
Location	One Valleyfair Drive Shakopee,  Minnesota,  United States
Coordinates	44°47′55.47″N 93°27′12.13″W / 44.7987417°N 93.4533694°W / 44.7987417; -93.4533694
Opened	May 25, 1976 (1976-05-25)
Owner	EPR Properties
Operated by	Enchanted Parks
General manager	Stephen Summers
Slogan	Fun for the Whole Family
Operating season	May through October
Area	90 acres (0.36 km2)
Attractions
Total	41
Roller coasters	8
Water rides	2

Valleyfair is a fun amusement park located in Shakopee, Minnesota, USA. It covers about 90 acres and opened in 1976. The park has more than 75 rides and attractions, including eight exciting roller coasters. Valleyfair is owned by EPR Properties and run by Enchanted Parks. Your ticket to Valleyfair also includes entry to its cool water park, Soak City!

Valleyfair was one of the first parks in the Cedar Fair family, along with Cedar Point. The name "Cedar Fair" even came from combining "cedar" and "fair"! In 2024, Cedar Fair joined with Six Flags. Then, in April 2026, Valleyfair became part of EPR Properties and is now operated by Enchanted Parks.

Discovering Valleyfair's History

The entrance gate in 2025

Former logo used until 2007

Valleyfair first opened its gates on May 25, 1976. It started with 20 rides on 26 acres of land. The High Roller roller coaster was a big hit from the start. The park's beautiful carousel is its oldest ride. It came from Excelsior Amusement Park, which closed in 1973.

In 1978, Cedar Point in Ohio bought Valleyfair. This helped Valleyfair grow even more. Five years later, Cedar Fair Limited Partnership was created. This company owned both Cedar Point and Valleyfair. Since 1976, Valleyfair has invested a lot of money into new attractions. Today, the park has over 75 rides on 90 acres of land.

In 2000, when the Power Tower was built, there was a height limit. Because the park is close to Flying Cloud Airport, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) set a maximum height of 275 feet for the tower. This was to make sure planes could fly safely nearby.

Valleyfair did not open for the 2020 season due to the worldwide health situation. However, it happily reopened for the 2021 season.

On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair and Six Flags joined together to form Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. This change meant the Cedar Fair name, which included "fair" from Valleyfair, was no longer used. Then, on March 5, 2026, Six Flags announced it would sell Valleyfair and six other parks to EPR Properties. This sale was completed on April 6, 2026. Now, Enchanted Parks operates Valleyfair. The park will keep its Valleyfair name for the rest of 2026.

Since Valleyfair is near the Minnesota River, sometimes there can be floods in the spring. This has happened in several years, like 1988, 1993, 1997, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2024. Some rides, like Excalibur and Thunder Canyon, were built knowing about this possibility.

Over the years, Valleyfair has added many new and exciting rides. From the Corkscrew in 1980 to Wild Thing in 1996 and Renegade in 2007, the park always brings new thrills. Recent additions include North Star in 2017 and Delirious in 2018, keeping the park fresh and fun!

Exciting Attractions at Valleyfair

Valleyfair offers a wide variety of rides for all ages. From thrilling roller coasters to gentle family rides, there's something for everyone.

Roller Coasters: Get Ready to Scream!

Coaster	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description	Thrill Rating
Corkscrew	The Corkscrew roller coaster	1980	Arrow Dynamics	A looping roller coaster that twists and turns.	5
Cosmic Coaster	Cosmic Coaster ride	2011	Zamperla	A fun, powered roller coaster. It used to be at Dorney Park.	3
Excalibur	Excalibur's unique structure	1989	Arrow Dynamics	A mine train coaster with a cool wooden structure.	4
High Roller	The classic High Roller	1976	Opus Group	A classic wooden roller coaster. It's the oldest coaster at Valleyfair.	4
Mad Mouse	Entrance to Mad Mouse	1999	Arrow Dynamics	A "Mad Mouse" style coaster with sharp turns and drops.	4
Renegade	Renegade's first drop	2007	Great Coasters International	A thrilling Wooden roller coaster.	4
Steel Venom	Steel Venom sign	2003	Intamin	An Impulse roller coaster that launches you forward and backward.	5
Wild Thing	Wild Thing from above	1996	D. H. Morgan Manufacturing	A tall steel hyper coaster. It's the tallest coaster at Valleyfair.	5

Thrill Rides: For the Brave Ones!

Family Rides: Fun for Everyone!

Water Rides: Splash and Cool Off!

These are the water rides outside of the Soak City water park.

Planet Snoopy: Fun for Little Explorers!

Planet Snoopy is a special area for kids. It opened in 2011 with many new attractions.

Route 76: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Route 76 is a special area that brings back the classic feel of old amusement parks. It features three original rides from Valleyfair's opening in 1976: Antique Autos, Tilt-a-Whirl, and Scrambler. The main attraction in this area is 'Northern Lights,' a ride that reaches 42 feet high and speeds up to 43 miles per hour. At night, it glows with beautiful green, blue, and purple lights, like the Aurora Borealis. Route 76 also has a picnic area called Picnic Point. In 2017, the tall North Star swing ride opened nearby. In 2018, 'Delirious,' a 70-foot-tall looping ride, was added to Route 76.

Soak City: Dive into Fun!

Soak City is Valleyfair's amazing water park. It's included with your park admission! You can float along a lazy river, splash in a big wave pool, and zoom down exciting water slides. New slides like "Breakers Plunge" were added in 2015. Other parks also have water parks called Soak City.

Fast Lane: Skip the Lines!

Fast Lane is Valleyfair's special system to help you get on rides faster. For an extra fee, you can get a special wristband called Fast Lane. This lets you skip the regular lines on twenty popular rides, including some in Soak City.

Live Shows and Entertainment

Power Tower, Xtreme Swing, and Corkscrew from Wild Thing

Valleyfair offers many live shows and performances that are included with your ticket.

• The Amphitheater is a large outdoor stage. It has hosted many shows, from music tributes to acrobats. In 2016, it was updated for a new show called All Wheel's Extreme.
• The Galaxy Theater is an indoor theater. It used to have musical shows and now features comedy and magic acts. The Galaxy Theater has been closed since 2020.
• The Gazebo Stage is an outdoor stage with a live band. They play classic and modern songs.
• Benchwarmers is a brass band that walks around the park, playing fun songs.
• PEANUTS Showplace is an outdoor stage in Planet Snoopy, perfect for family shows.
• Superior Stage is an outdoor stage near the Ferris Wheel. It opened in 2019 with cool lights and screens. It hosts Snoopy shows and other entertainment.
• The Vocal Coasters are a group that sings a cappella, often with beat-boxing.

Valleyfair also has "Performance in the Park." This allows high school groups to perform inside the park. Marching bands parade through the park, and other groups perform on stages. This lets students enjoy the park after their show.

Past Rides and Attractions

Over the years, Valleyfair has changed and grown. Some rides and areas have been replaced with new ones.

• Berenstain Bear Country (1994–2003) was a children's area based on the popular books. It had a tall treehouse and other fun attractions.
• KidWorks (2004–2010) replaced Berenstain Bear Country. It added the Foam Ball Factory and Rockin' Tug, which are still in the park today.
• Half Pint Park (1988–2010) was another children's area with several small rides.
• The Flume (1979–2008) was a classic log flume ride. It was removed to make space for the Soak City water park expansion.
• Mild Thing (1976–2010) was a children's roller coaster. It was replaced by Cosmic Coaster when Planet Snoopy was built.
• Enterprise (1979–2016) was a spinning ride that lifted riders high into the air. It was removed to make room for North Star.
• RipTide (2005–2017) was a thrilling ride that sprayed riders with water.
• Dinosaurs Alive! (2013–2019) was an attraction where you could walk through a trail and see moving dinosaur models.
• Looping Starship (1985–2019) was a pirate ship ride that spun upside down.
• RipCord (1996–2024) was a sky coaster that swung riders like a pendulum. It was recently removed.

Park Operations and Safety

Valleyfair works hard to keep everyone safe and ensure a smooth visit. Like any large park, there have been times when extra care or attention was needed.

• On June 28, 1994, a young visitor had an accident while trying to leave The Flume ride. Park staff helped right away, and the visitor received medical care.
• On May 21, 2006, a car on the Wild Thing roller coaster separated from the train during the braking process. Some people had minor injuries and received medical attention. After an investigation, the ride reopened safely.
• On September 3, 2007, a small electrical fire occurred on the Xtreme Swing ride. No one was hurt, and the ride reopened after repairs and safety checks.
• On August 5, 2010, a small chlorine leak at Soak City Waterpark caused some people to need medical checks at a hospital.
• On June 16, 2011, the Minnesota River Valley Railroad train had a minor derailment near the amphitheater. No injuries were reported.
• On September 20, 2012, an employee was involved in an accident during maintenance on the Power Tower ride.
• On November 21, 2015, a fire damaged a storage building at the park. The cause of the fire was unknown, and no one was injured.
• On May 25, 2017, and September 22, 2018, there were crowd management issues during special evening events. Park security and local police helped to ensure everyone's safety.
• On May 29, 2023, an incident in the parking lot required assistance from local police. One young person received medical attention.

Halloween Fun at ValleySCARE

ValleySCARE logo

Valleyfair hosts a special Halloween event called ValleySCARE. It used to be called HalloWeekends and then Halloween Haunt. During the day, families can enjoy The Great Pumpkin Fest. At night, ValleySCARE takes over with haunted houses, outdoor mazes, and spooky zones. Many rides stay open during this time. Valleyfair announced in 2022 that Halloween Haunt would not return.

However, ValleySCARE returned in 2024 as a separate ticketed event for evenings in September and October.

Tricks and Treats: Daytime Halloween Fun

In 2011, Planet Spooky was added for younger guests during Halloween. This family-friendly daytime event was later called The Great Pumpkin Fest in 2015. In 2022, it became "Tricks and Treats." This event offers shows, trick-or-treating, and themed areas for kids. Tricks and Treats returned for the 2024 season.

See also

• Excelsior Amusement Park operated in the region from 1925 to 1973. The carousel from Excelsior now stands inside the Valleyfair entrance.
• Minnesota River