Lagoon (amusement park)
Lagoon is a privately owned amusement park in Farmington, Utah, United States, located about 18 miles north of Salt Lake City. It has ten roller coasters, five of which are unique; Colossus the Fire Dragon, the last Schwarzkopf Double Looping coaster still in operation in the United States ; Roller Coaster, one of the oldest coasters in the world operating since 1921; Wicked, designed by Lagoon's engineering department and Werner Stengel in cooperation with ride manufacturer Zierer; BomBora, a family coaster designed in-house; and Cannibal, built in-house with one of the world's steepest drops.
Lagoon is divided into five main areas: The Midway, containing the majority of the rides and an assortment of carnival type games and food outlets; Pioneer Village which has several exhibits displaying pioneer buildings and artifacts; Lagoon-A-Beach, a water park which is included in the regular admission price; Kiddie Land with several rides for small children, and the X-Venture Zone featuring more extreme rides that cost extra. Lagoon also offers a full-service RV park, a campground, and a shaded walking trail outside the park that stays open all year.
History
1886-1940
In 1886, The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad built a resort on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. It was called Lake Park, and was one of several resorts built along the lake throughout the late 1800s. Through the years, the lake level receded drastically until Lake Park was far from the lake and it closed by the end of the 1895 season.Simon Bamberger, who was building his Salt Lake & Ogden Railroad line from Salt Lake City to Ogden, Utah, was vice president of Lake Park and a 25% owner. To increase passenger traffic on his line he bought most of the original Lake Park buildings from the D&RGW and moved them about 3 miles east near Farmington, Utah. This gave the residents of Salt Lake City a reason to travel over the "Bamberger." The resort was named Lagoon for the small body of water located on the original forty acres. The original lagoon was used to harvest ice in winter; Bamberger had it enlarged to by clearing some swampland.
Lagoon opened in Farmington, Utah on 12 July 1896, and included "Bowling, Elegant Dancing Pavilion, Fine Music, A Shady Bowery and Good Restaurants." In 1899, Shoot-the-Chutes, the park's first thrill ride, was added. In 1900 guests began swimming and rowing boats in Lagoon Lake. Over time more rides were added, such as the authentic Herschell-Spillman Carousel and Cagney miniature gauge Miniature Railroad. In 1901, the park hosted a minor league baseball team in the Inter-Mountain League
In 2003 Lagoon celebrated the 110th birthday of its hand carved carousel that was built in 1893 and purchased by Lagoon in 1906. The carousel consists of 47 animals including: a chicken, swan, snail, lion, tiger, a frog in short pants and a bow tie, a sea dragon, a long-horned goat, a zebra without a saddle, a stork, and a giraffe. In 1953 when the "White" Roller Coaster caught fire, Robert Freed came down and sprayed the merry-go-round with water to protect its hand-carved figures.
One of the most popular rides today is Lagoon's famous wooden roller coaster. Designed by John Miller of Coney Island fame; it was constructed in 1921. Miller gave Lagoon's coaster plenty of dips and turns. Its highest height is fifty-seven feet, and the length of track is two thousand five hundred feet. The ride lasts just under two minutes and the coaster train reaches speeds up to 45 mph. It is locally known as the "White Roller Coaster" due to its white wash paint. Little, if any, of the Roller Coaster is still white, however, since as wooden supports are regularly replaced, the new supports are left unpainted.
In 1927 a swimming pool with "water fit to drink" was built north of Lagoon Lake. It was one of the first filtered swimming pools in the west, and was a cleaner alternative than swimming in the briny Great Salt Lake.
The 1920s and 1930s were popular years at Lagoon. There was betting and horse racing there in the 1920s, but the Utah State Legislature put a stop to that only a few years after it began. The first Fun House was built in 1929, along with many other midway shows, rides, and games. During the "Big Band" era Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Glenn Miller played Lagoon's stage.
1940-1970
The park was closed for three seasons during World War II. By 1946 the park was in bad condition and on the brink of permanent closure. The Bamberger family considered razing it. However, Ranch S. Kimball and Robert E. Freed, seeing an excellent opportunity, convinced the Bamberger family to lease the park to their newly formed Utah Amusement Corporation. Ranch Kimball served as President with Bob Freed serving as Secretary and Assistant Manager.When the Utah Amusement Corporation took over the lease of Lagoon, a Farmington town ordinance prohibited African-Americans from using the swimming pool and the ballroom. By the end of the 1940s, Robert Freed had fully opened Lagoon to the black community, and further extended this policy to the Terrace Ballroom in Salt Lake City.
The Freed family made several improvements, including the installation of new dressing rooms and a general overhaul of the swimming pool in 1949, a rebuilt fun house and the introduction of the "Dodgem Cars" and the "Lakeshore Express" miniature diesel train in 1951, and a new Ferris wheel in 1953.
In November 1953 a fire damaged much of the park, including the fun house, dance pavilion and the front portion of the roller coaster. It was quickly rebuilt to open for the next season and began to surpass the popularity of its main rival, Saltair. Many rides were restored, rebuilt, or replaced, and a few new rides were added. In 1956, Mother Gooseland, Lagoon's first themed area, was opened between the Midway and the swimming pool. It featured rides only for children.
From the mid-1950s into the 1960s Lagoon made many improvements. A showboat was added to the lake, and a new fun house was built, which featured such attractions as a multi-lane giant slide; mazes, mirrors, obstacle courses and mystery rooms; a large turntable which flung its riders off at great velocity; revolving barrels; and the ubiquitous jets of air - activated by a human operator - which startled those who were unfortunate enough to stand over them. There was also a mini-car ride added in 1960, followed by the "Space Scrambler," spook house, I.Q. Zoo, and shooting gallery in 1961. The first Wild Mouse ride came in 1965. On the Midway, musical groups including the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, the Kingston Trio and Johnny Cash drew the crowds to the bandstand.
The Beach Boys made mention of the park in their song titled "Salt Lake City" on their 1965 Summer Days album. The Rolling Stones concert at Lagoon was in July 1966.
The narrow gauge Animaland Train began circling Lagoon Lake in 1967. In 1975, authentic Crown Metal Products-built 4-4-0 steam locomotives were put into operation around the lake and the name was changed to the Wild Kingdom Train.
1970-1997
The turn-of-the-century style Opera House Square opened in 1968 and showcased melodramas, musicals and silent movies. In 1976 Lagoon expanded east by purchasing Pioneer Village, an old west town complete with several historic structures that had been collected and exhibited in Salt Lake City's Sugar House area since 1953. The buildings were moved to Lagoon and the narrow gauge "Pioneer Village Railroad" circled the town. There was also the "Lagoon Miniature Railroad," which looped around the residential area of Pioneer Village using the original miniature gauge steam locomotive acquired in the early 1900s. A log flume ride was brought in from the defunct Pixieland Park in Oregon.One of the most popular rides at Lagoon even today was added in 1976, the Jet Star 2. Before Lagoon purchased the Jet Star 2, it was one of the attractions at the Spokane Washington's Expo '74.
Colossus the Fire Dragon came to Lagoon in 1983, to huge crowds and great reviews as it was selected by People Magazine in 1984 as one of the top 10 coaster rides in the country. Fire Dragon is Lagoon's first coaster to feature inversions, with a top speed of. With its double inverted loops, Colossus was the coaster at Lagoon with the most inversions for 32 years. Cannibal, built in 2015, currently has four inversions, the most for a roller coaster at Lagoon.
In the late 1980s, both the famous old fun house and the "Haunted Shack", a walk-through freaky fright attraction, were closed, victims of escalating maintenance costs, safety concerns and increased risk of litigation. The famous swimming pool closed after its fifth decade in 1987. This made way for the $5.5 million Lagoon-A-Beach which was completed in 1989. Its construction spelled the end of the small-scale railroad operations in Pioneer Village, as some of the supports stood in the way of the track.
1997-present
- 1997 Lagoon, in a major expansion of Pioneer Village, built Rattlesnake Rapids, a river rapid ride located in Pioneer Village in the new Rattlesnake Plaza which included a new game - Rising Waters, manufactured by Bobs Space Racers. Also added was a new food stand - Rattlesnake Grub and a new merchandise location, Pedlers Place, that sells candy, toys, Lagoon merchandise, colored rocks and Rattlesnake Parafinia, but also sells ponchos for the wet ride ahead.
- 1998 Lagoon added Wild Mouse, a Maurer Sohne wild mouse coaster. However, this ride type was not new to Lagoon. Lagoon had a wooden model that was demolished 5 years prior to the current steel model opening.
- 1999 Lagoon broke the mark when it built The Rocket, an S&S space shot tower with two different ride towers: Re-Entry and Blast-Off.
- 2000, Samurai, a Mondial Top Scan, was built and so was Double Thunder Raceway.
- 2001, Lagoon built a Mondial Top Spin, Cliffhanger, on the south midway on the north side of Wild Mouse.
- 2002, Lagoon expanded its X-Venture Zone by adding Catapult.
- 2003, The Spider - Coaster, a Maurer Sohne SC 2000, on the south midway across from Colossus the Fire Dragon
- 2004, Lagoon revamped their children's area, Kiddieland, giving it a garden theme and adding two new rides to the area, Kontiki and Dragon Fly.
- 2005, The Bat, an inverted coaster, was constructed near Lagoon-A-Beach. It is a family-friendly coaster with a minimum height requirement of 42".
- 2006, Lagoon expanded Kiddieland further by adding two new rides, Dinosaur Drop and Lady Bug Bop, Zierer Family Drop Towers.
- 2007, Wicked. Lagoon built a $10 million roller coaster named Wicked! Wicked is a first-of-its-kind Zierer tower launch coaster. It is powered by linear synchronous motors that launch riders up a 110' Tower, at in 2.5 seconds after the tower riders experience several state of the art thrill elements. An Imelmann turn, a heart-line roll, two half-pipe turns and the signature "lake turn" into a final tunnel before returning to the station. Wicked is located in the south midway section of the park, behind the "Fire Dragon". Wicked opened to the public on June 1 at 3:00pm to rave reviews and piercing screams. In addition to Wicked, Lagoon made several improvements to the park. The area in front of Spider and Fire Dragon was expanded and repaved for Wicked, connecting the surrounding areas for the three coasters.
- 2008, OdySea was built, a Zierer "Flying Fish" with aquatic themes. OdySea is an interactive ride with a joystick to control the vehicles height, Arrow will blink to direct the rider to dodge jets of water from the sea creatures that attempt the soak you as a song tells a story. The ride features a giant squid centerpiece, with submarines and fish as cars each holding two passengers. OdySea opened on April 5, 2008, and started a continuing tradition of adding music to every new ride. In addition to 2008, Lagoon expanded its employee kitchen with twice the seating and all new counters, serving areas, etc. the new kitchen made many Lagoon employees very happy. Lagoon also introduced designated smoking areas "Sit and Smoke Stations", in response to a new Davis County law that went into effect on 1 January 2008 that prohibited smoking in privately and publicly owned outdoor places. With the addition of these "sit and smoke stations" caused the removal of one of Lagoons x-venture attractions Peak Exposure, a small rock climbing wall formerly located on the south midway by Roller Coaster.
- 2009, Lagoon opened the "Jumping Dragon", a Zierer "Dragon Roundabout". Jumping dragon has 20 gondolas with 2 riders per gondola, each with their own lap bar making for a much more comfortable ride. Jumping Dragon features oriental themes including a pagoda that the ride travels through and a baby dragon that the dragon of the ride has with the front gondola. Jumping Dragon is also one of the six rides at lagoon to have a soundtrack,. Jumping Dragon opened to the Public on April 4, 2009.
- 2010, Lagoon revamped their large Ferris wheel, Sky Scraper. It was taken down in October 2009 and was back with a new coat of paint in April 2010. Though the park ended their tradition of adding a new ride every year since 1994, due to the economic status Lagoon did not install a new ride that season. Instead, the park improved their entertainment division, with all new shows. One show was presented by Cirque Innosta, called L'Orage. Lagoon also installed a new game "3 point challenge".
- 2011, Lagoon installed another family roller coaster, named BomBora. "We're calling it a family roller coaster" said Dick Andrew, Lagoon spokesperson. From a group of manufacturers and designed by Lagoon Amusement Park itself, this 1960's surfing-themed coaster has on-ride audio and many twists and turns at a height of 45 ft. BomBora was installed in the area formerly occupied by the Lagoon-a-Beach locker building and a pavilion, which were demolished in October 2009. Most of the lockers from that building were moved to an area formerly occupied by janitorial and utility miscellany. That in turn was moved to other locations around the water park. This year also marks when they removed the Terroride mural replacing with a talking vulture and a dark forest theme in the queue.
- 2012, Lagoon installed Air Race in the concrete flat near Jet Star II. This replaced Psycho Dave's Junkyard that normally appears there during Frightmares, which did not return. Another Frightmares haunt, Deception, was replaced with Backlot.
- 2013, Lagoon began work on a new coaster at the site of the former Top Eliminator. Two new family rides opened for the 2013 season, Tipsey Tea Cups and Red Rock Rally. Tipsey Tea Cups features a solid canopy over the ride with a unique chandelier inside. Red Rock Rally features an extensive red stone backdrop for the ride. Every vehicle is named after trails only found in Moab, Utah, thus being themed as all-terrain vehicles. Both feature loading to the ground instead of an elevated platform. The opening of these rides also included new pathways with colored benches. Wild Mouse was re-painted to have a green track instead of the light purple paint it featured when first installed in 1998. Rock-O-Plane also got new paint to feature red and yellow spirals, and upgraded LED lighting was installed. For Frightmares this year, Lockdown was branded as Zombie's Lockdown.
- 2014, Lagoon continues the extensive work on a new coaster, building vertically throughout the entire operating season. With much of its focus on the new coaster, no new rides were added this year. Cirque Innosta came back with another show, called Bosque. Many improvements were done throughout the park this season. Due to maintenance problems Lagoon-A-Beach's old Rip-Curl slide was replaced with a new slide of the same name. A shooting game in Pioneer Village was removed, as the building now houses a retail shop featuring Lagoon-branded goods. A new animal exhibit was added to Wild Kingdom Train which houses wild boars. Another improvement was the addition of Dole Whip to the food line-up at Lagoon. On September 4 at a press conference, Lagoon officially announced Cannibal, their new roller coaster for the 2015 season.
- 2015, The new rollercoaster called Cannibal opens, featuring a 208-foot elevator lift hill, a 116° beyond vertical drop, 3 inversions, and a top speed of 70 mph. During what was to be a spring opening when announced September 2014, Cannibal was still being constructed during the 2015 season which led to many complaints by guests about the delayed opening. Cannibal did however open on July 2 to rave reviews and a 2-hour long line. The opening also introduced the new Cannibal Plaza, a fenced off area separating Cannibal from surrounding rides and exits through Cannibal's Gift Shop that wasn't completed until 2016. Due to Cannibal, Skyscraper now features a different sign and queue with the exit being in the front instead of behind the ride in the years prior. Lagoon also expanded its food line-up with the introduction of BeaverTails next to Terroride and Honolulu Hot Dogs, which was placed in a shack that is part of the new midway entering into Cannibal's queue.
- 2016, Lagoon continues more work on Cannibal with no new rides again this season, as well as the opening of Cannibal's Gift Shop which offers an exit to the fenced-off Cannibal Plaza. The gift shop repurposed the old Pit Stop gift shop that was installed for the now removed Top Eliminator Dragsters. A new purchase stand for Double Thunder Raceway is now featured on the side of Cannibal's Gift Shop by the entrance of the ride. Extensive work was also done on Spider with new black and red paint and new wheel housing bogies for the cars. With the extensive work, the seats now spin freely at the top of the first drop, instead of the previous forward or backward first drop into a sharp curve which released the spinning seats. New wheel housing bogies were also installed on Wicked. This year marks the time Lagoon re-introduced the Colossus sign on top of the first loop of Colossus: The Fire Dragon with red coloring for the letters. The sign was removed a few years prior.
- 2017, A new mural commissioned by Sril Art appeared on the wall above the entrance to Game Time. Two new rides are added to Kiddie Land, Flying Tigers and Ruka Safari.
- 2018, The ride "Centennial Screamer" was moved from the South Side of the park to the North Side very close to Cannibal. The old location of it is now new restroom facilities. The Roller Coaster also had gotten re-tracked and opened later that season.
Attractions
Roller coasters
Lagoon features ten different roller coasters. The oldest, Roller Coaster, was built in 1921 and is an American Coaster Enthusiasts Roller Coaster Landmark.| Name | Manufacturer | Type | Design | Section | Year Opened | Description |
| Roller Coaster | Miller & Baker; Trains by Great Coasters International | Wooden | Sitdown | South Midway | 1921 | One of the oldest roller coasters in the country. Features initial lift-hill and then numerous hills. Partially damaged by fire in 1953, and then reconstructed. |
| Jet Star 2 | Schwarzkopf | Steel | Sitdown | North Midway | 1974 | Spiral lift-hill followed by very intense turns. Maximum elevation is 45 feet. |
| Colossus the Fire Dragon | Schwarzkopf | Steel | Sitdown | South Midway | 1983 | 87-foot lift hill with back-to-back double loop and two large helices. |
| Puff the Little Fire Dragon | Zierer | Steel | Sitdown | Kiddie Land | 1985 | A mild coaster meant for small children with only a small drop and hill. |
| Wild Mouse | Maurer Söhne | Steel | Sitdown | South Midway | 1998 | The original version of the ride was built in the 1970’s. The ride was remodeled into its current state in 1998. Extremely tight turns and sharp stops. |
| Spider | Maurer Söhne | Steel | Sitdown | South Midway | 2003 | Originally called The Spider and the Fly, the ride includes a large drop and tight turns. The cart constantly spins while traveling on the track, making it unlike any other ride at Lagoon. |
| The Bat | Vekoma | Steel | Inverted | Kiddie Land | 2005 | A mild coaster meant for families, it is the only inverted coaster at Lagoon. |
| Wicked | Zierer | Steel | Sitdown | South Midway | 2007 | LSM-launched coaster with a vertical drop and a Zero-G barrel roll. |
| BomBora | Lagoon | Steel | Sitdown | Kiddie Land | 2011 | A short, family coaster with smooth turns and small drops. |
| Cannibal | Lagoon | Steel | Sitdown | North Midway | 2015 | The second steepest roller coaster in the U.S. at 116 degrees with a 208 foot tall tower. The tower doubles up as an elevator that takes carts to the beginning of the track. In construction for 4 years. |
Rides
Kiddie Land| Name | Manufacturer | Year Opened | Description | Thrill Rating |
| Baby Boats | Allan Herschell | 1963 | Small boats travel in an oval formation while surfaced on water. A ride meant for small children, it had a 46" inch maximum height | 0 |
| Bat | Vekoma | 2005 | See roller coaster section | 3 |
| BomBora | In-house | 2011 | See roller coaster section | 3 |
| Bulgy | Eyerly Aircraft | 1960 | Meant for small children, passengers sit in small whale carts as the carts jump up and down. With the introduction of The Dragonfly and Kontiki In 2004, Bulgy was moved. Bulgy made another move in 2006 with the introduction of Dinosaur Drop and Ladybug Bop. It moved again in 2013 with the introduction of Tipsey Tea Cups to where it is now. Each time Bulgy moved, Bulgy was remodeled | 0 |
| Dinosaur Drop | Zierer | 2006 | A family ride much like The Rocket, only smaller. It is 40 feet tall | 3 |
| Dragon Fly | Eli Bridge Company | 2004 | A family ride much like Space Scrambler but toned down and with swings | 1 |
| Engine 86 | Zamperla | 2020 | - | - |
| Helicopters | Allan Herschell | 1963 | A ride meant for small children with helicopter carts that can go up and down using a joystick you control. | 1 |
| Jumping Dragon | Zierer | 2009 | A family spinning ride with a Chinese dragon theme; rotates clockwise, then reverses direction. | 2 |
| Kontiki | Zierer | 2004 | A family ride with a single big cart much like that of Tidal Wave, but smaller. The ride begins with the cart acting much like the cart in Tidal Wave. Later into the ride, the cart starts spinning | 2 |
| Ladybug Bop | 2006 | A family ride exactly the same as Dinosaur Drop, just with a different theme. It is 40 feet tall | 2 | - |
| Moonraker | Zamperla | 1983 | A ride for small children that is space themed. The carts are spaceships that move in a circular formation. Much like Turn Of The Century, the top part of the ride lifts the path of the spaceships. | 2 |
| OdySea | Zamperla | 2008 | A family ride with robotic sea creatures as carts that travel in a circular formation. Sea creatures squirt water at passengers while passengers use the joystick controls to avoid or get hit by the water. | 3 |
| Puff the Little Fire Dragon | Zierer | 1985 | See roller coaster section | 2 |
| Red Baron | Bradley & Kaye | 1984 | A kiddie ride much like that of Helicoptors but with planes and water at the bottom | 1 |
| Red Rock Rally | Zamperla | 2013 | A kiddie ride with Jeep-like carts, an oval track, and sharp turns | 1 |
| Scalawags | 1986 | A small airplane type ride with preschool animals as vehicles | 2 | - |
| Scamper | 1977 | A miniature bumper car ride | 1 | - |
| Sky Fighter | Allan Herschell | 1954 | A small airplane type ride with 2 person vehicles | 2 |
| Speedway, Jr. | 1956 | Miniature cars going around a track | 1 | - |
| Tipsey Tea Cups | Zamperla | 2013 | A tea cup spinning ride | 3 |
North Midway
| Name | Year Opened | Description | Thrill Rating |
| Air Race | 2012 | An airplane ride with vehicles looping sideways while circling a central hub. | 4 |
| Boomerang | 1977 | A bumper car ride | 2 |
| Cannibal | 2015 | 6 | |
| Centennial Screamer | 1987 | The "Screamer" consists of 20 cars around a disc. As the ride begins to spin, the disc stays in a horizontal position. When speed and centrifugal forces increase, the ride is lifted to a near-vertical position as the disc continues to spin. Moved to North Midway in 2015. | 5 |
| Flying Aces | 1941 | An airplane type ride. Riders can move the front sail. Remodeled to its current state in 1986. | 2 |
| Jet Star 2 | 1976 | 5 | |
| Paratrooper | 1966 | A Ferris wheel, tilted on its side slightly | 3 |
| The Rocket | 1999 | A drop tower with two different ride types: "Blast Off," a rapid vertical ascent, and "Re-Entry," a slow ascent followed by a powered drop. | 6 |
| Samurai | 2000 | Six radial arms that spin as the entire ride rotates through an oval arc in either direction. | 6 |
| Sky Ride | 1974 | A chairlift ride that goes across the park and has 2 stations | 0 |
| Sky Scraper | 1991 | A 150-foot Nauta-Bussink R50 wheel with spinning gondolas | 2 |
| Space Scrambler | 1961 | Similar to Dragon Fly, but more intense and with sit-down vehicles | 3 |
| Tilt-A-Whirl | 1954 | The ride that spins with changing height with vehicles that spin | 3 |
Central Midway
- Dracula's Castle
- Terroride
- Interactive Fountain
- Game Time arcade
| Name | Year Opened | Description |
| Log Flume | 1975 | A log flume ride |
| Rattlesnake Rapids | 1997 | A river rapids ride. Features a tunnel and waterfalls that the rafts pass under. |
South Midway
| Name | Year Opened | Description | Thrill Rating |
| Carousel | 1916 | A Herschell-Spillman carousel; one of the oldest in the world. | 0 |
| Cliffhanger | 2001 | A spinning water ride that goes up in a circle and spins down several times through geyser-like water fountains. | 5 |
| Colossus: The Fire Dragon | 1983 | 6 | |
| Musik Express | 1982 | Similar to Jumping Dragon, but with bench seats and slightly taller hill | 3 |
| Rock-O-Plane | 1954 | Similar to a Ferris Wheel, but with spinning cars | 4 |
| Roller Coaster | 1921 | 5 | |
| The Spider | 2003 | 5 | |
| Tidal Wave | 1980 | A swinging pirate ship | 3 |
| Turn of the Century | 1987 | A rotating swing ride | 4 |
| Wicked | 2007 | 6 | |
| Wild Kingdom Train | 1975 | A train ride that goes through a tunnel, then circles Lagoon's lake, passing by many animals. | 1 |
| Wild Mouse | 1998 | 5 |
X-Venture Zone
In 1995, the Skycoaster towers were set up on the North Midway and marked the beginning of what would become the X-Venture Zone. Later the Top Eliminator, Double Thunder Raceway, and The Catapult would all become part of the X-Venture Zone. These rides are not included in Lagoon's all day Passport and require an extra fee to ride.
- Skycoaster: Lagoon's Skycoaster opened during the 1995 season. Lagoon was one of the first amusement parks in the United States to add the Skycoaster to its collection of rides. This was also the first of the five rides that would be included in the X-Venture Zone. The launch tower is tall and the main arch is tall. The flyers, up to 3 at a time, are raised up to a height of. When they are instructed to do so, one of the flyers pulls the rip cord and then the flyers drop rapidly, reaching speeds up to and experiencing sensations similar to hang gliding and skydiving.
- Top Eliminator: In 1996 Lagoon added Top Eliminator to the park. Riders get to simulate a drag race down a four lane race track complete with "Christmas tree" countdown lights. The ride cost $1.2 million and the opening was delayed by about 3 months due to software glitches. The attraction opened for the 1996 season at the end of August. Riders can reach speeds up to in 2.8 seconds. Lagoon was the second amusement park to receive this ride. Kentucky Kingdom was the first. The attraction was removed in 2011; Cannibal was erected on the site.
- Double Thunder Raceway: Double Thunder Raceway, an elaborate go-cart ride, opened at the beginning of the 2000 season. The go-carts consist of two separate tracks; Lightning at and Thunder at. Each track has 28 go-carts and features several sweeping turns, overpasses, 360 degree spirals, straight-aways, and camelbacks. At the time this attraction opened the go-cart drivers had to be at least 54" tall, Lagoon's highest restriction, and passengers had to be at least 46" tall. Guests must be at least 50" tall to drive, or 40" tall to ride only. The ride lasts for 5 minutes, and the go-carts are equipped with a remote-control safety system, ground-control speed devices, and traffic signal lights to indicate the status of the track.
- Catapult: The Catapult, the latest X-Venture Zone ride, was installed in 2002. It hurls two passengers at a time up to in the air. It is powered by extension springs which exert a maximum pull of 80,000 pounds of force. The towers are tall. A spokesperson for Lagoon said that this may be Lagoon's most thrilling ride ever, as there is a strong weightless feeling in the ride, some twists and oscillations. This ride also has a TV screen so patrons enjoying the park or the riders friends may see the riders' reactions while the ride is operating. The tapes made may be purchased at the gift desk. Riders are strapped in a capsule seat by full harness restraints with redundant locking mechanisms for safety and comfort. The capsule is also equipped with a video camera and microphone with remote broadcast capability to transmit video of the riders to the monitors on the ground.
Events
Entertainment
Lagoon has offered varied entertainments to park visitors over the years, from live bands to musicals, and Wild West shows to Pop shows.2017 - 2 shows
- Jungle Rhythm - A story told through song and dance about two explorers who follow a treasure map through the depths of the jungle. A stream of top hit songs and treasure map clues take these explorers on an exciting jungle adventure, where they meet many wild animals. With the help of these animals, they search for the hidden treasure.
- Verano - Lagoon is proud to present, in partnership with Joseph Wartnerchaney, Verano. Verano is a roller-coaster mix of styles that blends comedy, tap dancing, thrilling illusions, powerhouse vocals, breathtaking choreography & beautiful aerial dance. All linked by a hilarious narrative that ignites a succession of wacky adventures, set to the toe-tapping tunes of Postmodern Jukebox. This is not a musical, a variety show, or even vaudeville. It’s Verano!
- Anyway You Want It - Lagoon is proud to present, in partnership with the creator and director of Cirque Innosta, Joseph Wartnerchaney, Any Way You Want It. In a time when denim was distressed, Aqua Net was king and rock was as big as the hair, a local skating rink is threatened by a corporate takeover. One intrepid team of ladies takes a stand and fights for their right to party by competing in a quirky 80's-themed talent show. This gutsy group of gals lets everyone know that there's only two things to be afraid of... a pair of roller skates and girl power! Don't stop believing because the journey is any way you want it!
- Let's Dance - Lagoon is proud to present Let's Dance, directed by Kenneth Plain. Let's Dance will consist of incredible top 40 hits and a fun filled 90's throw back. Artists represented include Rachel Platten, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, DNCE and Nick Jonas. Let's Dance is filled with amazing hip hop and jazz dance that will light up the stage at the Carousel Theatre. So come on, Let's Dance!
- Live in Living Color - Carousel Theater. Featuring: Colton, Riley, Jason, Michael, Lindsay, Becca, Giovanna, and Mikki. Swings: Jared, Shelby, and Shawnee.
- Strawberry Fields/Night Show - Carousel Theater. Featuring: Nathan Waite, Kaylie Gustafson, Devyn Warburton, Angie Petty, Raven Flowers, and Matt Stott. Swings: Michael Hernandez, Shawnee Johnson, Colton Ward, Riley French, and Becca Lichfield. Featuring a live rock band: Chris Petty, Nick Petty, Jacob "Jabob" Ostler, Garret Rueckert, Jaxon Garrick, and Matt Wilson. Show created by: Joseph Wartnerchaney/Manhattan Creative Group.
- The Rainmaker - Traveling Show. Featuring: Scott Taylor. Swing: Quinn Kapetanov. Show created by: The Manhattan Creative Group.
- The Rock Show - Includes a live band performing the songs.
- Simple Joys
- Cirque Innosta Presents Bosque
- The Rock Show - Includes a live band performing the songs.
- Shubert Ally
- Marry the Night
- Shubert Ally
- The Great American Jukebox/pop show - featuring past and present pop, rock, and country hits - Carousel Theatre. Featuring: Lauren Piggott, Camry Madsen, Jeferrson Tuke, Mickelle Tuke, Loren Hawks, Michelle Robbins, Blake Murrey, and Jordan Robbins.
- Hollywood Sings - Carousel Theatre
- Cirque Innosta - Brought back for Lagoon's Birthday Celebration
- The Great American Jukebox - Carousel Theater
- Broadway corner - Carousel Theater
- Cirque Innosta Presents L'Orage
- Extreme Parrots Show
- American 60's Jukebox - Game Time Theatre
- Broadway Corner - Carousel Theatre
- Rock U2 The Top - Carousel Theatre
- Country swing jubilee - Carousel Theater - Featuring: Amy Wilson, Dustin Bolt, Nathan Copier, Chris Squires, Vaden Thurgood, Ali Kaelin
- Rock u2 the top - Carousel Theater - Featuring: Mickelle Bean, Ashytn Nelson, Emily Giaque, Cory Alan Heaps, JT Seumalu, Vaden Thurgood. Swings: Ali Kaelin, Chris Squires
- Broadway Rhythm - Music USA Theater - Featuring: Bronwyn Tarboton, Lexi Giaque, Samantha Bird, Jazzie Welch, Nathan Copier, John Wolfe, David Holmes, Gray Aydelott. Swings: Amy Wilson, Nick Berg
- "Electric '80s" - Carousel theater, featuring: Dallin Allred, Michelle Robbins, Amanda Monson, Elise Groves, Parker Solum, William Richardson, Emily Giaque, Steve Shoemaker
- "Rock U2 the Top" - Carousel Theater, featuring: Gray Aydelott, Mickelle Bean, Daysha Hanneman, Blake Murray, Ashtyn Nelson, JT Seumalu, Emily Giaque, Steve Shoemaker
- "On Broadway" - Music Theater, featuring: Nathan Copier, Cody Jensen, Andrew Lewis, Becca Schwartz, Jennifer Perucca, Kathryn Stratford, Kim Stephenson, Preston Yates, Valerie Larsen, Lexi Giaque, William Richardson
- Club-A-Go-Go featuring: Gray Aydelott, Natassia Clark, James Hales, Daysha Hannemann, Jacob Knight, Andrew Lewis, Ashtyn Nelson and Mandy Stanford, Kim Stephenson, Vaden Thurgood
- Rock U2 the Top featuring: Emily Giaque, Lexi Giaque, Daniel Hamblin, Michelle Hunt, Steve Shoemaker, Vaden Thrugood, Daysha Hannermann, Cody Jensen)
- Jukebox Jive featuring: Nick Berg, Collin Christensen, Nathan Copier, Heidi Evans, Elise Groves, Cody Jensen, Kristen Kemp, Ralynne Riggs, Linton Dean, Kim Stephenson
"A Salute to Broadway" at the "Music USA Theater". Songs performed included "A Pretty Girl" from "The Ziegfeld Follies"; "They Call the Wind Mariah" from "Paint Your Wagon"; "Let Me Entertain You," from "Gypsy"; "Tonight" from "West Side Story" and "I Cain't Say No" from "Oklahoma". Performers: Collette Schlappi, Angi Cannon, Camille Bailey, LauraLyn Oldham, Angela Burnett, Bret Wheadon, Jeff Whiting, Tim Shoemaker, Roger Stephenson, Brett Bradford.
Frightmares
Every autumn the park offers Halloween-themed shows and attractions from mid-September to the end of October, collectively known as Frightmares.List of current attractions
- Frightening Frisco
- Nightmare Midway
- Fun House of Fear
- Malevolent Mansion
- Nightwalk
- Scary & Crow's Super Fun Straw Maze
- Spook-A-Boo Trick-or-Treat Trail
- Pioneer Village Scare Zone
- The Mariner
- Hackenslash Chainsaw Demonstration team
- Windy the Witch
Also in 2006 and 2007 Lagoon hosted the following walk-thru attractions: Haunted Hollywood, Fun House of Fear, Hal O. Ween High, Spook-A-Boo Walk-Thru, and Psycho Dave's Salvage Yard.
The 2007 Frightmares Season featured The Hackenslash Chainsaw Demonstration Team, Vampire Awakening, Monster Classics, and The Master Hypnotist.
The 2008 season lagoon removed the Haunted Hollywood attraction, but Deception was added in the 2009 season in its place.
The 2010 season featured new haunted house, Lockdown. Also went to Knowlton Elementary School to sign autographs.
The 2011 season featured Nightwalk.
The 2012 season Lagoon removed Psycho Dave's Salvage Yard and Deception, replacing them with Backlot, and a children's walk-through named Scary & Crow's Super Fun Straw Maze! Scary & Crow's is located in the main street of Pioneer Village.
The 2013 season only featured a re-branding of a haunt. Lockdown themed to a prison where prisoners are escaping the previous years, Lagoon decided to rename the haunt to Zombie's Lockdown, and gave it a theme of the government trying to control the zombie population, but the zombies want out.
Games
Lagoon has 38 carnival games in which prizes ranging in size from small to giant can be won.| Name | Description | Location | Year Opened | Year Closed |
| Wac-A-Mole | Two to six players whack the moles as they pop up. The first player to whack 10 moles wins | Central Midway SW of the Fountain | 1981 | Open |
| Wacky Wire | Thread a ring along a rotating wire without touching the sides | Central Midway NW of the Fountain | 1991 | Closed 2012 |
| Up, Up and Away | Three to twelve players compete in this water gun game. | Central Midway NW of the Fountain | ? | Open |
| Pop It | Throw bean bags at balloons to win prizes | Central Midway NW of the Fountain | 2013 | Open |
| Pop It II | Pop balloons by throwing bean bags to win prizes | Central Midway South of the Fountain | 2013 | open |
| Darts | Throw darts at balloons to win prizes | Central Midway NW of the Fountain | 1954 | Closed 2012 |
| Darts II | Pop balloons by throwing darts to win prizes | Central Midway South of Scamper | 1981 | Closed 2012 |
| Top Gun | Shooting game | Central Midway NE of the Fountain | ? | Closed 2012 |
| Shoot For The Stars | Throw darts at posters to Win them | East of the Fountain | 2013 | open |
| Tip Em' Over | Throwing game, knock over all three bottles to win a prize | Central Midway NE of the Fountain | ? | Open |
| Tic Tac Toe | Just throw 3 balls into the 3 x 3 square boxes and get three in a row to win a prize | Central Midway NE of the Fountain | 2003 | Open |
| Lucky Duck | Choose one of the ducks floating in the stream of water. Every player is a winner | Central Midway SE of the Fountain | 2003 | Open |
| Bowler Roller | Roll the bowling ball over the hill and into the valley to win a prize | Central Midway SE of the Fountain | ? | Open |
| Kat Attack | Throwing game. Knock down two Kats to win. | Central Midway SE of the Fountain | ? | Open |
| Touchdown | Throw a football through a tyre hoop to win. | Central Midway SE of the Fountain | ? | Closed 2008 |
| Break A Plate | Break the plastic plates with a baseball to win. Break 2 out of 3 for a small prize, or 3 out of 3 for a large prize. | Central Midway South of Terroride | 2002 | Open |
| Spill the Milk | Throwing game. Knock down the milk bottles and win. | Central Midway South of Central Park | 1954 | Open |
| Can It | Throw a ball into a milk can to win a giant prize | Central Midway NE of the Fountain | ? | Open |
| Hot Shot | Race Game | Central Midway South of Scamper | 1981 | Open |
| Drown The Clown | A squirting water race game between 3 and 20 people. Pop the balloon first to win a prize. | Central Midway North of Coca-Cola Corner | ? | Open |
| Hi-Roller | A Skee Ball game in which rolling high scores wins prizes | Moved To Half Original location spot---Central Midway SE of the Fountain | ? | Open |
| Fish R Jumpin' | Catch a fish when it jumps to win a prize | Moved To half of Hi Rollers old Spot ------ | ? | Closed 2012 |
| Goblet Toss Too | Throw the balls into the coloured cups to win a small, medium or large prize | East of Game Time | 1992? | Closed 2012 |
| Plop Plop | Throw ping pong balls into different coloured cups, the cups are floating and moving. | East of Game Time | 1992? | Open |
| Bottle Up | Throw a ring onto a Coca-Cola bottle to win a large prize | South of the Game Time entrance | 1998?/1999? | Closed 2012 |
| Penalty Shot | Kick A Soccer Ball Past Automated Goalie For Prize | South of the Game Time entrance | 2013 | Closed 2019 |
| Slap Shot | Replaced Penalty Shot | South of the Game Time entrance | 2020 | Open |
| Milk Cans | Throw a ball into a milk can to win a giant prize | Game Time plaza on the north end | ? | Closed 2011 |
| Rebound | Throw the ball into a container by bouncing it off an angled board. | Game Time plaza on the north end | 2006 | Closed 2011 |
| Hi-Striker | Swing the giant mallet onto the striker, the harder it is struck the more points are achieved. | Game Time plaza on the north end | 1995 | Open |
| Slam Dunk | Make a basket with a basketball to win. | Most northern game in the park located between the Rocket and Samurai *Now operates as Shoot Till You Win* | 2000s | Open |
| Shoot Till You Win | Basketball game. Shoot until you make a basket. Uses lower baskets with mini basketballs. Price based on size of prize. | Most northern game in the park located between the Rocket and Samurai | 2009 | Open |
| Rising Waters | Shoot water into the target and watch your water rise. The first person to raise his water level to the line wins | Pioneer Village next to Rattle Snake Rapids | 1997 | Open |
| Bonanza | Originally a Rifle Shooting Gallery but was converted by Lagoon into its current format in 2004. Shoot three balls per game, tipping over all 3 cans. Knock over 3 cans with 3 shots to get a small prize; knock over 3 cans with 2 shots to win a large. | Pioneer Village west of the Log fume | 1975/2004 | Closed 2013 |
| Speedball | Throw the baseball and see how fast you can throw; 40-69MPH gets a small prize, gets a large. | South Midway next to Wild Mouse | 1982/1998/2001/2019 | Open |
| Basketball | Make one shot into the basket to win. Prices based on prize size. | South Midway next to Teriyaki Stix | 1964/1998/2001 | Open |
| Guess It | Game operator will attempt to guess your age, birth month, or weight. | South Midway just south of the Wild Kingdom Train Station | ? | Open |
| Hole In One | Knock the golf ball into one of the many holes and win a prize | South Midway just North of Rock-O-Plane | ? | Open |
| Easy Does It | Roll the bowling ball over the hill and into the valley to win a prize | South Midway just South of Rock-O-Plane | ? | Closed |
| Center Ring | Throw a ring onto a Coca-Cola bottle to win a large prize | South Midway just north of Screamer | 1992? | Open |
| Goblet Toss | Throw the balls into the coloured cups to win a small, medium or large prize | Re-Located to Goblet Toss II | 1992/2012 | Open |
| Glass Pitch | Toss a quarter onto the plate to win a prize. | South Midway just East of Fire Dragon | 2001?/2002? | Closed 2012 |
| Plinko | Drop Chips down pegged board into slots with different points to win a prize | South Midway just East of the Fire Dragon | 2013 | Open |
| Day at the Races | Race game where you compete against other players by throwing a ball into holes that moves your horse at different speeds | South Midway East of Fire Dragon | ? | Open |
| Jacob's Ladder | Climb a rope ladder without falling off and win a giant prize | South Midway just East of Fire Dragon | ? | Closed 2009 |
| Shooting Waters | Shoot water into the target and watch your water rise. The first person to raise his water to the line wins. | South Midway just south of Wild Mouse | 1990s?/1998 | Open |
| Three Point Challenge | Shoot Four different balls from three different stations around a three-point ring at a basketball hoop. | South Midway just East of Fire Dragon | 2010 | Open |
Lagoon's past games include a Fascination Parlor, Skee Ball, Dime Toss, and Skatterball/Monkey Ball. "Putter Around The Park," an 18-hole miniature golf course, with obstacles based on rides and attractions in the park, was removed to make way for Jumping Dragon in 2009.
Controversy
In 1989, six year old Ryan Beckstead was struck and killed on "Puff The Little Fire Dragon" after he fell off the ride and stood up in between the track. He had believed the ride was over after he fell and proceeded to try to find his parents before getting hit on the head by the oncoming trainIn 2012, Lagoon became the focus of animal welfare groups' protests which called for a boycott of the park, citing USDA inspection reports that suggested poor care of animals in the Wild Kingdom. The Utah Animal Rights Coalition and PETA pointed to a range of USDA citations over a 15-year span that included insufficient living space for and unexplained deaths of animals. While admitting to some problems, a Lagoon spokesman denied any abuse taking place and said veterinarians and staff regularly monitored the animals.
In 2019, Lagoon was accused of animal abuse and neglect again. A video captured by a guest of the park was uploaded to the internet and went viral, showing a lion in distress in its concrete enclosure. Animal rights activists have called for another boycott of the park, until the animals are transferred or their conditions are drastically improved.
Movies and TV shows filmed at Lagoon
- Mirror, Mirror: You and Your Self Image is a 1969 film by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU. The opening scenes are filmed at Lagoon.
- An episode of the Werewolf TV series was filmed at Lagoon in fall 1987, featuring scenes in and around the Dracula's Castle attraction.
- In My Sister's Shadow
- The Luck of the Irish - A few scenes from this Disney Channel Original Movie were filmed at the North Midway area of Lagoon. The dance festival was held in front of the entrance to the Sky Scraper.
- Wieners A montage featuring scenes at an amusement park were mostly filmed at Lagoon in 2007. The name has been changed in the film.
- An episode of The Aquabats featured brief and edited glimpses of Lagoon.
- In 2015, Christmas Land was filmed in the Pioneer Village section of the park.
- Season 3, episode 13 of Andi Mack featured brief and edited glimpses of Lagoon; including Honolulu Hot Dog, Slam Dunk, The Rocket, Paratrooper, Cannibal, and Sky Scraper.
Notable people who worked at Lagoon
- Atari founder Nolan Bushnell managed midway carnival games at Lagoon while earning his electrical engineering degree at the University of Utah.