Marineland closing

https://twitter.com/walruswhisperer/status/1771614832900419880

I enjoyed my visit there in 2005, but I’m less surprised that it’s closing than I am that it remained open as long as it did.

I know that has been a "challenged" park for quite some time. It will be interesting to see, as while the real estate in that area is valuable, I'd also think that could be a pretty decent park with the right investments.

I’ve been to Niagara numerous times but never once planned to include a day at Marineland. While there were several unique and worthwhile attractions I somehow felt that it just wouldn’t be to my liking overall. Now I guess I’ll just be eternally sorry.

It pains me to see any Arrow coaster close, let alone such a unique and one of a kind Arrow. But knowing their proven inability to properly care for animals, I'll sacrifice any coaster if it means animals no longer have to live in the conditions Marineland was providing them.

The first time I went there, I got there when the park opened, rode every ride in the park, had a reasonably good time but with the place pretty much all to myself (though with a dozen rides crammed into 1,000 acres, it probably always feels like that) and I think I found my favorite Arrow looper. Animals? Did that park even have animals (Yes, but I kind of ignored that facet...).

Anyway, I had comfortably enjoyed the park, so I went back out to my car and tried to navigate the parking lot. Got on the right path, but as I was heading down the main driveway in the opposite direction from everyone else, the parking lot attendant who was directing traffic helpfully stopped me.

ATTENDANT: "Where are you going?" (implying I was in the wrong place and going the wrong way)

ME: "Toronto!"

ATTENDANT: "Oh. That way, then!" (pointing in the direction I was heading)

I love the way this hobby lends itself to creating odd stories.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did after the founder's death.

It's one of the weirdest places (not just parks, but places) I've ever been.

That being said, I'm genuinely bummed about Dragon Mt. I hate Arrow loopers with a passion, but this one was amazing! It will be missed.

This story has been going around Twitter, but I've yet to see it confirmed on a reputable news source.

I think this part went a long way toward harming the reputation of ethical, AZA-accredited aquariums and zoos. I doubt anyone in that business will feel bad about it closing.

I cannot believe it lasted this long. I drove by an empty parking lot in 1994 and I understand most days were like that.

Guess we'll never get that Niagara Falls replica at the far end of Dragon Mountain that was originally planned. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

There were some cool things about Marineland. I thought the little queue areas they had for each ride were nicely done and looked slightly fancy. Dragon Mountain's entrance was one of the best looking stations in North America (seriously, walking through that dragon's mouth into a pitch black cave was pretty impressive). And their oddly-placed S&S tower had one of the best views from the top of any drop tower in the world if you were facing the Falls. I am struggling to think of anything else that was good, so I'll just end it there because the rest of the park and its "exhibits" were simply not good.

I've always wondered if this location would be a profitable one for a well-managed and maintained theme park. Yes, there is North America's most attended seasonal theme park, Canada's Wonderland, an hour or so north. And sure, I guess we can say Six Flags Darien Lake would be competition also. But summer crowds in the Falls the past 2 seasons seem to have been huge and they usually were before the pandemic also. I believe a theme park that is different enough from Wonderland and DL could be a success, but that's just my 2 cents (or 3 cents CAD, buddy!)

Richard Bannister:

This story has been going around Twitter, but I've yet to see it confirmed on a reputable news source.

The source on Twitter is a former employee and whistleblower who, according to some commenters, has claimed incorrectly that the park was closing in the past.

I loved that park... around 2014. HUGE, lots of space to walk... lots of space for people. A giant coaster that could easily run 3 trains. I hope Cedar flags gets it. It's too nice a property. Kind of a Canadian Magic Mountain.

Something I found cool about the park is that John Holer the founder of the park created it from scratch with his own money. Obvioulsly he was pretty whealthy. He wanted to have the largest steel coaster in the world at the time and went to Arrow (probably the best company back then) and asked them to build it! The land was flat. They created a mountain for the new coaster, Dragon Mountain. John loved animals. I was at the park 2 days after he passed and one employeeIwas talking to only had good things to say about him.

Schwarzkopf76:

I hope Cedar flags gets it.

There's no way they (or any reputable company) would want it given the baggage associated with it.

If the closing news is in fact true, I can't imagine a scenario where it remains an amusement/marine park of any kind. Between the earned bad reputation for animal welfare and the classic amusement park scenario of "the land is more valuable as anything except for an amusement park" I don't see an outcome where it remains as a park.

Rick77:

John loved animals.

He definitely loved them enough to illegally capture wild animals back in the 70s and fail to provide adequate care for the animals at his park for decades

Objective journalism at its finest.

We always knew that the Canadian side of Niagara Falls was a trashy craphole, but the local sea creature-based amusement park, Marineland, just might be the most hellish attraction in all of Ontario.

On niagarafallsreview.ca Marineland denies lay offs and closure.

Link: Marineland denies claims of layoffs, closure

Vater:

We always knew that the Canadian side of Niagara Falls was a trashy craphole

I'm of the opinion that Canadian Niagara Falls is way better than the American side.

CNF>USNF>RRR

I was only at Marineland once and it was in the 80s, so over 20 years ago. I remember Dragon Mountain, the Flying Carpet, and that an animal gave birth as we were looking at it, and it was yucky.