155-465: Cedar Fair Entertainment Company , or simply Cedar Fair , was an American company headquartered at its flagship Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio , United States. The company was a publicly traded master limited partnership that originally formed in 1983 following Cedar Point's acquisition of Valleyfair , in which the name of both parks were combined to form the name Cedar Fair . By 2006,
310-417: A Looney Tunes reboot film titled Acme , in development. Former Saturday Night Live cast member Jenny Slate was said to be on board as writer for the new film. Jeffrey Clifford, Harry Potter producer David Heyman , and Dark Shadows writers David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith were slated to produce the film. On August 27, 2014, writers Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz were hired to script
465-475: A German immigrant, built two boats to transport the prisoners. In 1870, he began to ferry locals to the Cedar Point peninsula, which opened as a public bathing beach. Zistel opened a bathhouse on the north shore of the peninsula and the same year built a beer garden with a small dance floor. He charged 25 cents per person to ride from Sandusky to Cedar Point on his boat, Young Reindeer , widely recognized as
620-642: A Hat , such as Oliver Owl and the twin dogs Ham and Ex, were also given a sampling of shorts. Beans and Porky proved much more popular in comparison. Beans was later phased out when his popularity declined, leaving Porky as the only star of the Schlesinger studio. The debuts of other memorable Looney Tunes stars followed: Daffy Duck in Porky's Duck Hunt (1937), Elmer Fudd in the Merrie Melodies short Elmer's Candid Camera (1940), Bugs Bunny in
775-403: A big difference and with Magnum we started branding ourselves as a big time roller coaster park". To keep the momentum going, Mean Streak opened in 1991 as the northernmost attraction in the park. It broke records for the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, reaching a maximum speed of 65 mph (105 km/h) and a height of 161 feet (49 m). Between major releases,
930-535: A black duck who was originally portrayed as a screwball , but later became greedy and egocentric; Porky Pig , a stuttering pig who often appears as the straight man to Daffy, and is the oldest of the franchise's recurring characters; Sylvester the Cat , his prey Tweety (a small canary), and their elderly owner Granny ; Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner , who routinely engage in high-speed chases in their home in
1085-465: A budget dispute with Schlesinger, they took with them all the rights of the characters they had created. A new character called Buddy became the only star of the Looney Tunes series for a couple of years. New directors including Tex Avery , Friz Freleng and Bob Clampett were brought in or promoted to work with animators in the Schlesinger studio, with Avery's unit housed in a bungalow which
1240-522: A businessman from Indiana, as the park's new manager. Under his tenure, the peninsula was transformed from a picnic ground into a nationally recognized amusement park and resort destination. The second roller coaster at Cedar Point, the Figure-Eight Roller Toboggan, debuted in 1902. It was moved several years later and renamed The Racer. A pony track was built near the beach the same year. Mosquitos were an issue, so in 1904,
1395-484: A cash transaction valued at US$ 1.24 billion. Shortly following the transfer of ownership, Cedar Fair began the process of integrating the two companies. With the purchase of the Paramount Parks, Cedar Fair LP announced that it would do business under the name Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Cedar Fair LP remains the legal company name. The individual parks continued to operate under their Paramount names during
1550-525: A few have gained theatrical releases with movies. In the 1970s through the early 1990s, several feature-film compilations and television specials were produced, mostly centering on Bugs Bunny and/or Daffy Duck, with a mixture of new and old footage. These releases include The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie (1979), The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie (1981), Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales (1982), Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island (1983), and Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988). In 1976,
1705-431: A history of low ridership and a serious incident in 2013 injuring seven riders. WindSeeker , a 301-foot (92 m) tall tower that spins riders along the shoreline of Lake Erie, was introduced in 2011. WindSeeker did not open on time due to construction delays and opened to the public on June 14, 2011. On June 20, 2011, Cedar Fair announced that Dick Kinzel would retire on January 3, 2012, and Matt Ouimet would become
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#17327799782841860-481: A major economic center over the next three decades. Railroad and steamship travel supported an emerging tourism industry, and rapid development of the area began. In the 1860s during the American Civil War , housing for a battery of four field artillery pieces was constructed at the tip of the peninsula. It was used to defend a prison for Confederate soldiers on nearby Johnson's Island . Louis Zistel,
2015-440: A more lucrative partnership with Adam Stoll and Louis Adolph, who owned land at Cedar Point, along with investors Charles Baetz and Jacob Kuebeler. The partnership's first venture was constructing a Grand Pavilion, which opened the same year in 1888 and marked the first concerted effort to operate the peninsula as a public resort. It was a two-story theater and concert hall with a bowling alley and photographer's studio. The building
2170-550: A new arrangement, by William Lava , of " The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down " which had first been used in the 1963 experimental short " Now Hear This " directed by Chuck Jones. In 1967, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts commissioned an animation studio in South Korea to redraw 79 black-and-white Looney Tunes produced from 1935 to 1943 in color which were syndicated to TV stations from the late 1960s to the early 1990s. The original Looney Tunes theatrical series ran from 1930's Sinkin' in
2325-578: A night-time LED light extravaganza with floats themed to the four seasons. The $ 1,000,000 attraction took place on the Frontier Trail nightly beginning at twilight. In 2010, Cedar Point added a new flume ride on the park's Frontier Trail named Shoot the Rapids , which included two drops and a three-minute journey through a rustic, western-themed environment. It was removed in February 2016 following
2480-541: A popular vacation destination for the emerging middle-class in the United States. The Lake's islands, such as Kelleys Island and South Bass Island , were gaining a reputation for their freshwater bathing resorts . The Cedar Point peninsula, named for its abundance of cedar trees , was originally known for its fishing. Local fishermen leased land and built living quarters there. Sandusky, which featured an important shipping harbor and two railroads, transformed into
2635-577: A real estate development company, for $ 310 million. Cedar Fair signed an 11-year lease from the buyer and intends to close the park at the conclusion of the lease. On November 2, 2023, Cedar Fair announced plans to merge with Six Flags , forming a new company and retaining the Six Flags name. Described as a "merger of equals", former Cedar Fair management will remain in control of the new company, which will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina ,
2790-404: A recreational destination led to the formation of Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company in 1887. The company was founded with the purpose of expanding the resort commercially. An economic depression in the 1890s threatened the resort's future, however. A newly formed business, Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company of Indiana led by George Arthur Boeckling , purchased Cedar Point for $ 256,000 in 1897. It
2945-632: A result of the COVID-19 pandemic . In April 2021, Carrie Boldman became vice president and the first female general manager in Cedar Point history, after Jason McClure was promoted to a corporate position at Cedar Fair. HalloWeekends returned in 2021 with an expanded operating calendar, which included Halloween Haunt and Tricks and Treats Fall Fest. Wicked Twister closed permanently on September 6, 2021, to make room for future development. An incident at Top Thrill Dragster in August 2021, which resulted in
3100-469: A serious injury to a guest waiting in line, prompted an investigation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture . The park closed the ride the following two seasons and announced in 2023 that it would be modified by Zamperla to feature a second 420-foot (130 m) tower and two additional launches. In 2024, it briefly reopened as Top Thrill 2 , before being closed after a few days of operation for
3255-466: A show called Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon between 1988 and 1999. Initially, the Nickelodeon package included cartoons that were typically omitted from the higher-profile Saturday morning network and syndicated weekday packages, including black-and-white Bosko cartoons that had not aired in many years and cartoons from the late DePattie–Freling and Seven Arts eras. In January 1999, it was reported that
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#17327799782843410-548: A site once occupied by Paramount Parks before being acquired by Cedar Fair in 2006. Some financial and administrative operations will continue to reside in Sandusky, Ohio. The combined company was projected to have 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and 9 resort properties in its portfolio and would operate under the Six Flags name with plans to use Cedar Fair's stock exchange ticker symbol , FUN. President and CEO of Cedar Fair, Richard Zimmerman, will serve as President and CEO of
3565-514: A style reminiscent of the styles of Tex Avery , Bob Clampett , Chuck Jones , Friz Freleng and Robert McKimson . According to co-executive producer Peter Browngardt , "We're not doing guns, but we can do cartoony violence — TNT, the Acme stuff. All that was kind of grandfathered in." Sam Register , president of Warner Bros. Animation also served as a co-executive producer for the series. The series ended on July 27, 2023. On February 11, 2021, it
3720-571: A suspended roller coaster, debuted on the Million Dollar Midway near the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad station. In 1988, Soak City (now known as Cedar Point Shores), Cedar Point's outdoor water park, was constructed near Hotel Breakers. It featured speed slides, more than 10 body and tube slides, a family raft ride, a water playhouse, and two lazy rivers. Cedar Point added several record-breaking rides from 1989 to 2011 under Kinzel's management. Magnum XL-200 debuted in 1989 as
3875-412: A ten-year licensing deal for Paramount names and icons, such as Star Trek , Cedar Fair opted to terminate the agreement and not pay an annual licensing fee. All references to Paramount/CBS-licensed properties were removed before the beginning of the 2008 season. This deal also included a four-year licensing deal for Nickelodeon names and icons, such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Rugrats , this agreement
4030-426: A tribute to the Looney Tunes sister shorts) which features the characters singing original songs, as well as CGI animated shorts starring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner (which were removed after the first season). The series was cancelled after its second season. Also, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner returned to the big screen in a series of 3-D shorts that preceded select Warner Bros. films. There were six in
4185-498: A vicious, brutal marsupial with an insatiable appetite; Pepé Le Pew , a French skunk who is always looking for love and romance; and Speedy Gonzales , the self-proclaimed "fastest mouse in all of Mexico". One additional major character was introduced in post-Golden Age Looney Tunes media (starting with Space Jam ): Lola Bunny , a female rabbit who is usually portrayed as Bugs' girlfriend. Due to content considered offensive, stereotyped or insensitive, in 1968 Warner Bros. removed
4340-590: A wooden roller coaster, opened in 1929. Boeckling, who was still attempting to expand the park, died from uremia on July 24, 1931. Edward Smith took over Cedar Point's management after Boeckling's death. As a result of the Great Depression , little expansion happened through the 1930s. One of the few rides built in during this time was the Tumble Bug. The decaying Leap the Dips coaster was demolished in
4495-476: Is SlingShot, which was introduced in 2014. Cedar Point has 8 family rides/attractions. Cedar Point has one water ride, excluding attractions located in Cedar Point Shores . Kiddy Kingdom opened in 1970 as Kiddieland but was renamed in 1993. It is located near Gatekeeper and contains 11 rides. Planet Snoopy is a children's area that opened in 2008. All of its rides were relocated from
4650-534: Is an American media franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The franchise began as a series of animated short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside the related series Merrie Melodies , during the golden age of American animation . Following a revival in the late 1970s, new shorts were released as recently as 2014. The two series introduced a large cast of characters , including Bugs Bunny , Daffy Duck , and Porky Pig . The term Looney Tunes has since been expanded to also refer to
4805-801: Is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the US behind Lake Compounce . Prior to the merger with Six Flags in 2024, Cedar Point served as the "flagship park" of the Cedar Fair amusement park chain and hosted the corporate headquarters. Known as "America's Roller Coast", the park features 17 roller coasters , which ranks third among amusement parks in North America behind sister parks Canada's Wonderland (18) and Six Flags Magic Mountain (20). Cedar Point's normal operating season runs from early May until Labor Day in September, which
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4960-430: Is followed by weekend-only operation through Halloween during an annual event known as HalloWeekends . Other amenities and attractions featured within the park include a one-mile-long (1.6 km) beach, an outdoor water park named Cedar Point Shores , an indoor water park named Castaway Bay , two marinas, and an outdoor sports complex called Cedar Point Sports Center. The park has reached numerous milestones over
5115-483: The Boomerang streaming service and HBO Max . Five dozen Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts from before December 1943 have lapsed into the public domain and are thus freely distributed through various unofficial releases. The major characters of the original Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series are Bugs Bunny , a clever and insouciant rabbit or hare who is portrayed as a trickster ; Daffy Duck ,
5270-750: The Disneyland Resort . He officially became CEO on January 3. Cedar Fair launched new websites for their parks in 2012 as well as a new marketing campaign, Thrills Connect . On November 20, 2012, Cedar Fair announced it had sold its Knott's Soak City: San Diego location to SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment . About nine months later, Cedar Fair announced it had sold its Knott's Soak City: Palm Springs location to CNL Lifestyle Properties . Cedar Fair's portfolio, according to an SEC report filed in 2013, contained eleven amusement parks, four outdoor water parks, one indoor water park, and five hotels. On September 5, 2016, Cedar Fair closed Wildwater Kingdom,
5425-527: The Looney Tunes characters made their way into the amusement park business when they became the mascots for Marriott's two Great America theme parks in Gurnee, Illinois, and Santa Clara, California. After the Gurnee park was sold to Six Flags in 1984, they also claimed the rights to use the characters at the other Six Flags parks, which continues to the present. (Warner Bros. parent company Time Warner would own
5580-519: The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota . In 2005, Cedar Fair withdrew from the lease arrangement leaving Mall of America to manage the park on its own. Mall of America formed a partnership with the Nickelodeon franchise in 2007 and continues to operate under the name Nickelodeon Universe . Several new water park properties named Knott's Soak City opened around the southern California area since
5735-407: The Merrie Melodies short A Wild Hare (1940), and Tweety in the Merrie Melodies short A Tale of Two Kitties (1942). Bugs initially starred in the color Merrie Melodies shorts following the success of 1940's A Wild Hare , and formally joined the Looney Tunes series with the release of Buckaroo Bugs in 1944. Schlesinger began to phase in the production of color Looney Tunes with
5890-426: The Merrie Melodies shorts of the early 1940s, Looney Tunes moved from black and white to color production, Merrie Melodies having already been in color since 1934. The two series gradually lost their distinctions, and shorts were assigned to each series arbitrarily. From 1942 to 1964, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were the most popular animated shorts in movie theaters. Looney Tunes has become one of
6045-646: The Southwest American desert; Elmer Fudd , an unintelligent hunter who is Bugs' oldest nemesis; Yosemite Sam , a hot-tempered cowboy who is another of Bugs' archenemies; Foghorn Leghorn , a rooster who is known for his often excessive ranting; Marvin the Martian , an alien commander from the planet Mars , who aims to conquer the Earth; the Tasmanian Devil (often nicknamed "Taz" in later media),
6200-523: The highest-grossing media franchises of all time, spawning several television series, feature films, comic books, music albums, video games, and amusement park rides. Many of the characters have made and continue to make cameo appearances in television shows, films, and other media. Bugs Bunny, in particular, is regarded as a cultural icon and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Many Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies films are ranked among
6355-537: The 1942 cartoon The Hep Cat . The final black-and-white Looney Tunes short was Puss n' Booty in 1943, directed by Frank Tashlin . The inspiration for the changeover was Warner's decision to re-release only the color cartoons in the Blue Ribbon Classics series of Merrie Melodies . Bugs made a cameo appearance in 1942 in the Avery/Clampett cartoon Crazy Cruise and also at the end of
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6510-410: The 1990 spinoff series Tiny Toon Adventures , from executive producer Steven Spielberg , where they played teachers and mentors to a younger generation of cartoon characters ( Plucky Duck , Hamton J. Pig , Babs and Buster Bunny , etc.), plus occasional cameos in the later Warner Bros. shows such as Animaniacs (also from Spielberg) and Histeria! . Traditional cel animation was used to animate
6665-593: The 2006 season, however Cedar Fair began removing the Paramount name and logo from the parks in January 2007. The names of the parks were changed back to their original pre-Paramount names (the Paramount's prefix was removed) with the Cedar Fair corporate logo added. Bonfante Gardens was changed to Gilroy Gardens. Cedar Fair began removing references to Paramount Pictures . Although the acquisition granted Cedar Fair
6820-517: The 2009 Cartoon Network upfront , The Looney Tunes Show was announced. After several delays, the series premiered on May 3, 2011. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation , the series centers on Bugs and Daffy as they leave the woods and move to the suburbs with "colorful neighbors" including Sylvester, Tweety, Granny, Yosemite Sam, etc. The series introduced the character Tina Russo , a duck who becomes Daffy's girlfriend. The show also features 2-minute music videos titled respectfully "Merrie Melodies" (as
6975-411: The 2012 season to make room for Luminosity. This was the first time since 1978 that a roller coaster was removed from Cedar Point. On July 13, 2012, Cedar Point announced the removal of Disaster Transport and Space Spiral . Exactly a month later, Cedar Point announced GateKeeper , the longest wing coaster in the world, which opened on May 11, 2013. Along with GateKeeper, a new main entrance plaza
7130-744: The Bathtub to 1969's Injun Trouble by Robert McKimson . A Cool Cat cartoon called "Stage Cat" was planned, about Cool Cat being in a stage production, but it was cancelled when Warner Bros.-Seven Arts shut down. The Looney Tunes series' popularity was further strengthened when it began airing on network and syndicated television in the 1950s under various titles and formats. The Looney Tunes shorts were broadcast with edits to remove scenes of violence (particularly suicidal gags and scenes of characters performing dangerous stunts that impressionable viewers could easily imitate), stereotypes, and alcohol consumption. Production of theatrical animated shorts
7285-477: The Bosko characters from Harman and Ising's estates. Meanwhile, the Schlesinger studio continued to make popular cartoons until 1944 when Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. Since then, Warner Bros. has owned all rights to all post-1933 characters created by Leon Schlesinger Productions and Warner Bros. Cartoons, even after the rights to individual cartoons were placed in other hands. In 1955, Warner Bros. sold
7440-542: The CEO of the company. Ouimet was employed by The Walt Disney Company for 17 years, including tenures as president of Disney Cruise Line and the Disneyland Resort . In 2012, Cedar Point added Dinosaurs Alive! , a walk-through exhibit featuring approximately 50 life-size animatronic dinosaurs. It was located on Adventure Island and replaced the Paddlewheel Excursions boat cruise ride. Dinosaurs Alive!
7595-598: The Fast Lane queue. A “limited” number of wristbands are sold each day. The two options available for purchase are "Fast Lane" and "Fast Lane Plus". The standard Fast Lane offers access to 17 attractions, while Fast Lane Plus covers the same rides and adds Valravn, Maverick, Millennium Force, Top Thrill 2, and Steel Vengeance. Beginning in the 2014 season, Cedar Point offers a Halloween-themed version of Fast Lane called Fright Lane, available during HalloWeekends. This version provides priority access to haunted attractions within
7750-687: The Frank Tashlin 1943 cartoon Porky Pig's Feat , which marked Bugs' only official appearance in a black-and-white Looney Tunes short. Schlesinger sold his interest in the cartoon studio in 1944 to Warner Bros. and went into retirement; he died five years later. More popular Looney Tunes characters were created (most of which first appeared in Merrie Melodies cartoons), such as Pepé Le Pew (debuted in 1945's Odor-able Kitty ), Sylvester (debuted in 1945's Life with Feathers ), Yosemite Sam (debuted in 1945's Hare Trigger ), Foghorn Leghorn (debuted in 1946's Walky Talky Hawky ), Marvin
7905-616: The Golden Ticket Award for " Best New Ride of 2007 " with the roller coaster Maverick . Cedar Point has also won several IAAPA awards, including the Applause Award in 1996. Cedar Point's roller coasters have consistently ranked high in the Golden Ticket Awards. In the 2013 rankings, GateKeeper debuted at 28th, marking the first time that the park had six steel roller coasters in the top 50. Later,
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#17327799782848060-518: The Halloween events. For the 2016 season, Cedar Fair began testing all season Fast Lane at Valleyfair and Dorney Park. By the 2019 season, all parks offered all season Fast Lane. See aslo: Template:Six Flags for anything after the merger (2024). Cedar Point Cedar Point is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio , United States, owned and operated by Six Flags . It opened in 1870 and
8215-531: The Martian (debuted in 1948's Haredevil Hare ), Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner (debuted in 1949's Fast and Furry-ous ), Granny (debuted in 1950's Canary Row ), Speedy Gonzales (debuted in 1953's Cat Tails for Two ), the Tasmanian Devil (debuted in 1954's Devil May Hare ), and Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog (debuted in 1953's Don't Give Up the Sheep ). It was during this era that
8370-537: The North American theatrical distribution rights to the film. On December 31, 2022, 256 shorts were removed from HBO Max, including What's Opera, Doc? and Duck Amuck , though many were later re-added in March 2024 when the shorts on the service were rotated. In August 2024, it was announced that Warner Bros. was planning to relaunch the Looney Tunes theatrical film series in 2028. In October 2024, it
8525-488: The Pain , in 2014. In March 2000, it was revealed that the entire Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies library would be exclusive to Cartoon Network, starting with the fall of that year. Looney Tunes shorts were still airing on Disney's ABC as part of The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show at the time and the decision led to the show's cancellation. This decision would remain in effect for over 20 years until MeTV began airing
8680-462: The Six Flags chain in whole or part form most of the 1990s.) In 1988, several Looney Tunes characters appeared in cameo roles in the Disney film Who Framed Roger Rabbit . The more significant cameos featured Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Tweety, and Yosemite Sam. It is the only time in which Looney Tunes characters have shared screen time with their rivals at Disney (producers of the film)—particularly in
8835-464: The TV distribution rights to the black and white cartoons. In 1956, Associated Artists Productions (a.a.p.) acquired television distribution rights to most of Warner Bros.' pre-1950 library, including all Merrie Melodies (except for those sold to Guild and Lady, Play Your Mandolin! ) and color Looney Tunes shorts that were released prior to August 1948, while Warner still owned the copyright to all of
8990-485: The United States among seasonal amusement parks, with an estimated 3.6 million visitors. Cedar Point's attendance peaked in 1994 with 3.6 million visitors, a feat not matched again until 2016, and beaten in 2018/2019. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic , there was a greatly reduced number of visitors at the park, from 3.73 million in 2019, down to only 1.02 million in 2020. However, regular attendance numbers would reappear in 2021. Looney Tunes Looney Tunes
9145-560: The World" from Amusement Today for sixteen consecutive years from 1997 to 2013. Among seasonal amusement parks in North America, Cedar Point consistently ranks as the second-most visited behind only Canada's Wonderland, with an estimated 3.44 million visitors in 2022. In addition, several of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . In the late-19th century, the south shore region of Lake Erie became
9300-462: The a.a.p. library to WB. Since then, Warner Home Video (now Warner Bros. Home Entertainment ) has held the video rights to the entire Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodies animated output by virtue of Warner Bros.' ownership of Turner Entertainment. Starting in 1960, the cartoons were repackaged into several different TV programs that remained popular for several decades before being purchased by Turner Broadcasting System. Turner's Cartoon Network reran
9455-588: The acquisition which included Buena Park in 1999, Chula Vista in 2000 and Palm Springs in 2001. Michigan's Adventure in Muskegon, Michigan was purchased for $ 27.6 million in 2001. Cedar Fair opened its first indoor water park in November 2004, Castaway Bay . It was added to the former Radisson Hotel which was then renamed. The indoor waterpark resort is open year-round. Larger acquisitions followed in 2004 with Six Flags Worlds of Adventure . Cedar Fair purchased
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#17327799782849610-459: The adventures of such characters as Bosko and Buddy . However, the shorts gained a higher profile upon the debuts of directors Tex Avery , Friz Freleng , Chuck Jones , Bob Clampett , and Robert McKimson , and voice actor Mel Blanc later in the decade. Porky Pig and Daffy Duck became the featured Looney Tunes characters, while Merrie Melodies featured one-shot cartoons and minor recurring characters. After Bugs Bunny became popular in
9765-662: The animals. The amusement park remained in Cedar Fair's portfolio through 2007, and the water park continued to operate as Wildwater Kingdom through 2016. On May 22, 2006, Cedar Fair announced it had outbid competitors and intended to purchase all five parks in the Paramount Parks chain, including Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton and the management agreement of Bonfante Gardens . On June 30, 2006, Cedar Fair announced that it had completed its acquisition of Paramount Parks from CBS Corporation in
9920-415: The animators dubbed " Termite Terrace ." In 1935, the first major Looney Tunes star debuted, Porky Pig . He first appeared along with Beans the Cat in the Merrie Melodies cartoon I Haven't Got a Hat , directed by Friz Freleng. Beans was the star of the next Porky/Beans cartoon, Gold Diggers of '49 , but it was Porky who emerged as the star instead of Beans. The ensemble characters of I Haven't Got
10075-479: The beginning of commercial tourism on the Cedar Point peninsula. In 1878, James West opened a group of bathhouses near the beach. By 1880, a local newspaper had observed that the popularity of the beach was increasing, with picnicking on the grounds becoming a popular pastime. The popularity of the peninsula attracted the attention of Benjamin F. Dwelle and Captain William Slackford, who leased land on
10230-608: The box office. A reboot of Tiny Toon Adventures titled Tiny Toons Looniversity premiered on September 8, 2023, on Max and then aired the following day on Cartoon Network. The Looney Tunes characters reprise their roles as the professors at Acme Looniversity in this series. In September 2021, it was reported that a film based on the Looney Tunes Cartoons , titled The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie and starring Daffy Duck and Porky Pig ,
10385-714: The cartoons from its launch in 1992 until 2004, again from 2009 until 2017, and making a temporary return in April 2023 to celebrate WB's 100th anniversary. The Looney Tunes Show (not to be confused with the 2010s animated series of the same name ), an early 2000s anthology produced by Warner Bros. Animation for the network, was broadcast from 2001 to 2004. The show featured shorts from the original Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical series. As of 2021, classic cartoons continue to air on CN's sister channel, Boomerang and MeTV . Differing curated collections of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies are available for streaming on both
10540-401: The cartoons shown on Nickelodeon would move to Cartoon Network in the fall of that year. To date, Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon is the longest-airing animated series on the network that was not a Nicktoon . In 1996, Space Jam , a live-action animated film , was released to theaters starring Bugs Bunny and basketball player Michael Jordan . Despite a mixed critical reception, the film
10695-530: The cartoons. Unlike the previous TV package, this package had the Warner titles kept intact and an "Associated Artists Productions presents" title inserted at the head of each reel (as a result, each Merrie Melodies cartoon had the song " Merrily We Roll Along " playing twice). Two years later, United Artists bought a.a.p. (which had also bought Paramount's Popeye films) who merged the company into its television division, United Artists Television . In 1981, UA
10850-514: The characters for Looney Tunes' cartoons until 1999 when it was replaced with digital ink and paint animation . In 1979, Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol premiered. After The Chocolate Chase , there would not be another short released for seven years. In 1990, it was made so there would be about one short per year until 1998. In 2003, there would be seven shorts produced to promote Looney Tunes: Back in Action . The first of these to be released
11005-520: The characters themselves. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were initially produced by Leon Schlesinger and animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising from 1930 to 1933. Schlesinger assumed full production from 1933 until he sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944, after which it was renamed Warner Bros. Cartoons . The Looney Tunes title was inspired by that of Walt Disney 's Silly Symphonies . The shorts initially showcased musical compositions owned by Warner's music publishing interests through
11160-433: The classic Warner Bros. cartoons (along with MGM and Paramount's library) in January 2021. In 2003, another feature film was released, this time in an attempt to recapture the spirit of the original shorts: the live-action/animated Looney Tunes: Back in Action . Although the film was not financially successful, it was met with mixed-to-positive reviews from film critics and has been argued by animation historians and fans as
11315-441: The company's portfolio had grown to eleven amusement parks, eleven outdoor water parks, and one indoor water park in the US and Canada. The acquisition of Schlitterbahn added two more outdoor water parks in 2019. Cedar Fair and longtime rival Six Flags merged on July 1, 2024, forming a new company and retaining the Six Flags name. Announced in November 2023 as a merger of equals , former Cedar Fair leadership remained in control of
11470-416: The contract. On February 1, 2022, news broke that SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment made an unsolicited all-cash bid to buy Cedar Fair for $ 3.4 billion. Exactly two weeks later, on February 15, 2022, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment issued a statement that the offer had been rejected. In June 2022, the company announced that it was selling the land occupied by California's Great America to Prologis ,
11625-466: The debut of Top Thrill Dragster , which opened as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world in 2003. It reached a height of 420 ft (130 m) and a maximum speed of 120 mph (190 km/h). Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure broke both records two years later. maXair debuted in 2005 as only the second HUSS Giant Frisbee ride in the United States. Dan Keller also retired in 2005 as vice president and general manager. He
11780-430: The defunct Geauga Lake amusement park, with the exception of Joe Cools Dodgem School. It is located near WindSeeker and contains eight rides. Camp Snoopy opened in 1999 and is located near Gemini . It contains seven rides and two kiddie coasters. Constructed in 1906, the coliseum has a ballroom on the top floor with a large arcade in the bottom floor. Cedar Point's water park opened in 1988 as Soak City and
11935-511: The film, directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa were in talks to direct the film, while actor Steve Carell was rumored to be starring in a lead role. Despite this, the film never entered production. At the 2014 Cartoon Network upfront , another series titled Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Production (later New Looney Tunes ) was announced. Starring Bugs Bunny, the series premiered on both Cartoon Network and its sister channel Boomerang in late 2015. The series had an unusually slow rollout, with
12090-663: The final volume of the Golden Collection was released. Then, from 2010 until 2013, the company released the Looney Tunes Super Stars DVDs. There have been numerous complaints regarding the Super Stars releases, however (particularly the first two), having the post-1953 shorts in a 16:9 widescreen format. The last DVD in the Super Stars series was Sylvester and Hippety Hopper: Marsupial Mayhem , released on April 23, 2013. 2010 and 2011 saw
12245-535: The finest original feature-length appearance of the cartoon characters. In 2006, Warner Home Video released a new and Christmas-themed Looney Tunes direct-to-video film called Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas , a parody of Charles Dickens ' A Christmas Carol . Other Looney Tunes TV series made during this time were Baby Looney Tunes (2001–2006), Duck Dodgers (2003–2005) and Loonatics Unleashed (2005–2007). On October 22, 2007, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons became available for
12400-705: The first time in High-definition via Microsoft 's Xbox Live service, including some in Spanish. From February 29 – May 18, 2008, many Looney Tunes artifacts, including original animation cels and concept drawings, were on display at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio , just off the campus of Youngstown State University , near where the Warners lived early in life. At
12555-498: The first titled Daffy's Rhapsody with Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, the next being I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat with Sylvester, Tweety, and Granny. Daffy's Rhapsody was to precede the film Happy Feet Two , until the studio decided to premiere I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat instead. Daffy's Rhapsody instead premiered in 2012, preceding Journey 2: The Mysterious Island . All five shorts were directed by Matthew O'Callaghan . In 2012, several announcements were made about
12710-474: The former vice president and general manager of Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom. Two new family attractions called Pipe Scream and Lake Erie Eagles were added in 2014, along with a pay-per-ride thrill ride named SlingShot . Camp Snoopy and the Gemini Midway underwent renovations the same year, and some rides within those areas were relocated and given new themes. In 2015, the stand-up coaster Mantis
12865-521: The greatest animated cartoons of all time, and five of them have won Academy Awards . In 2013, TV Guide counted Looney Tunes as the third greatest television cartoon series of all time, behind The Simpsons and The Flintstones , the latter of which also featured the voice talents of Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet . Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were so named as a reference to Disney's Silly Symphonies and were initially developed to showcase tracks from Warner Bros.' extensive music library;
13020-582: The largest hotels in the Midwest; it had 600 guest rooms and a cafe that could seat 400 guests. A new area of the park called "Amusement Circle" was designed in 1906 to link the pier to the beach. It was located southeast of the Coliseum, a large arena built the same year that featured a grand ballroom and other attractions. The Dip the Dips Scenic Railway roller coaster opened in 1908, but it
13175-466: The last operating part of the former Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom. A portion of the land that once contained both properties has since been redeveloped. On October 4, 2017, Cedar Fair announced that Ouimet would step down as CEO and be succeeded by COO Richard Zimmerman on January 1, 2018. Ouimet would remain with the company, taking the newly created position of executive chairman of the board of directors. On March 27, 2019, Cedar Fair announced it
13330-445: The mid-1930s. In the late 1930s, the resort was on the brink of being sold to the state of Ohio for US$ 3,000,000 (equivalent to about $ 63,583,300 in 2023). After the 1938 season, the directors had the second floor of the Coliseum modernized in the art deco style with a new stage. In the middle, the giant dance floor remained. Some of the top bands of the time played in the ballroom. As a result, it kept Cedar Point operating through
13485-532: The middle of the park to the back. In 1964, Cedar Point built its oldest surviving roller coaster, the Blue Streak . It was named after the local high school's sports teams, the Sandusky Blue Streaks . Jungle Larry's Safari Island was a well-known attraction that operated from 1965 until 1994 despite the death of Jungle Larry in 1984. The Cedar Creek Mine Ride opened in 1969; it is currently
13640-454: The middle of the ride reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). In 2008, Cedar Point introduced Planet Snoopy , a kids' area constructed on the site of Peanuts Playground; it consists of family and children's rides relocated from Cedar Point's sister park Geauga Lake after it closed. The area also consisted of a "Kids Only" restaurant called Joe Cool Cafe, which had a small menu for adults. In 2009, Starlight Experience debuted,
13795-535: The new Cedar Fair company came in 1992 when Cedar Fair bought Dorney Park from Harris Weinstein. Cedar Fair also bought Worlds of Fun from Hunt-Midwest in 1995. One of the biggest acquisitions came in 1997 when Cedar Fair bought Knott's Berry Farm from the Knott family. This marked the first time Cedar Fair operated a year-round amusement park. The acquisition included operations of the Camp Snoopy indoor park at
13950-399: The new combined company, while Selim Bassoul, President and CEO of Six Flags, would become the executive chairman of the company's board of directors. On July 1, 2024, the merger was successfully completed. Fast Lane is an expedited queue system in use at parks formerly associated with Cedar Fair. It was first announced for Kings Island on July 18, 2011. The park served as the testing park for
14105-439: The new company, along with two former Six Flags executives. The company's headquarters will reside in Charlotte, North Carolina , a site once occupied by Paramount Parks before its acquisition by Cedar Fair in 2006, while the company will continue to use its Sandusky office location for financial and administrative operations. Cedar Point Amusement Park began as a bathing beach resort in the 1870s, and its growing popularity as
14260-418: The number changed to five, which are all in the top 25. The following steel and wooden coasters were ranked by Amusement Today in 2019: In 1960, the park's attendance reached 1 million for the first time. Five years later, the attendance reached 2 million. In 1975, attendance reached 3 million for the first time. In 2017, the park was ranked fourteenth overall in North America for attendance and first in
14415-535: The offer was turned down. On July 29, 2021, Cedar Fair announced the submission of plans to the City of Sandusky to build a $ 28 million esports arena expansion of the Cedar Fair Sports Center. Targeted opening in the first half of 2023 On December 31, 2021, the contract to manage Gilroy Gardens expired. Both Gilroy Gardens Inc., the nonprofit that owns the park, and Cedar Fair agreed not to renew
14570-430: The old powerhouse were demolished, and a new $ 50,000 bathhouse, boiler house, and maintenance shop were built in their place. In the 1960s, the idea of "pay one price" season passes became common. On March 28, 1960, Cedar Point announced plans to transform the park into a "Disneyland" amusement center. Those plans fell through, however. Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad opened in 1963, transporting passengers from
14725-401: The park and the midway held many Christmas festivals, including a Christmas tree. In 1996, Cedar Point opened Mantis , then the tallest, steepest, and fastest stand-up roller coaster in the world. Originally, the ride was to be called "Banshee", but it was later changed after negative public reaction. The discarded name would later be reused for Banshee at Kings Island in 2014. In 1997,
14880-422: The park continued to service and transform other rides, as well as build additional rides, areas, and amenities. For the 1990 season, Avalanche Run was transformed into Disaster Transport , adding special effects and fully enclosing the ride. Challenge Park was built between Hotel Breakers and Soak City in 1992. Challenge Park included RipCord, Skyscraper, and two eighteen-hole mini-golf courses. Snake River Falls
15035-437: The park for $ 145 million, reverting its name to Geauga Lake, as it was before its Six Flags branding in 2000. Subsequently, Cedar Fair stripped the park of all references to Looney Tunes and DC Comics characters which were licensed properties owned by Six Flags. The zoological and marine life portion of the complex ( SeaWorld Ohio ), which was annexed to the theme park in 2001, was also shuttered. Six Flags retained ownership of
15190-477: The park hired the Detroit Dredging Company to drain swampy areas on the peninsula, thereby connecting a series of lagoons to form a water passageway that quickly became one of the park's signature attractions. Aside from sightseeing passenger boats, the passageway was used to transport coal to power plants near the center of the peninsula. The historic Hotel Breakers opened in 1905 as one of
15345-457: The park introduced HalloWeekends , a Halloween -themed event with haunted houses and mazes, which typically operates from September through late October. Camp Snoopy debuted in 1999 featuring eight Snoopy -themed attractions, with the exception of a Tilt-A-Whirl . The area also features a junior roller coaster built by Vekoma , Woodstock Express . Cedar Point built the first giga coaster , Millennium Force , in 2000. When it debuted, it
15500-576: The park's rides. Several additional hotels and restaurants were constructed in the remaining years of Boeckling's tenure, including Hotel Cedars, White House Hotel, Crystal Rock Castle and Crystal Gardens Ballroom. Cedar Point continued to update its ride attractions, replacing the Racer, the Circle Swing, and other rides to make way for a Shoot-the-Chutes water ride, a Tilt-A-Whirl, and fun houses such as Noah's Ark and Bluebeard's Palace. The Cyclone,
15655-610: The park. Cedar Point won the Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today for "Best Amusement Park in the World" for 16 consecutive years from 1997 to 2013. The park has also placed in categories for "Friendliest Park Staff" (2002, 2004 – 2006), "Cleanest Park" (2004, 2005), "Best Capacity" (1998–2002), "Best Kid's Area" (2004, 2013), "Best Outdoor Night Production" (2004–2007), "Best Shows" (2004, 2005), "Best Games Area" (2002), "Best Souvenirs" (2002), and "Best Halloween Event " (2005 – 2008, 2013, 2014). The park also won
15810-455: The peninsula in 1882 and built eight new bathhouses, a dance hall, and wooden walkways on the beach. The steamboats R.B. Hayes and Lutts provided transport to Biemiller's Cove and Cedar Point Light . Building on early success, Dwelle and Slackford continued to expand the offerings for their visitors each year and added picnic tables, cleared acres of brush, and built a baseball diamond. After Slackford became ill in 1888, Dwelle entered into
15965-497: The proposed transaction. Cedar Fair also adopted a unitholder rights plan as a preventative measure to help protect unitholders in the event of any future hostile takeover . On September 16, 2011, JMA Ventures, LLC entered into an agreement to purchase California's Great America from Cedar Fair and take ownership of the Gilroy Gardens management contract. The agreement required approval of Santa Clara's city council which
16120-588: The releases of The Essential Bugs Bunny and The Essential Daffy Duck DVDs. In 2011, the shorts were released on Blu-ray Disc for the first time with the Looney Tunes Platinum Collection series. On September 19, 2017, Warner Home Video 's Warner Archive Collection released the five-disc Porky Pig 101 DVD-set. In 1933, Harman and Ising left, taking the rights to the Bosko characters with them. However, Warner Bros. retained
16275-609: The remainder of the season for extensive repairs. On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags , and the combined Six Flags Entertainment Corporation took over Cedar Point. On September 19, 2024, Cedar Point announced Siren's Curse , the tallest, fastest and longest tilt coaster in North America, to open in 2025. At the end of the 2024 season, it was announced that Boldman would be stepping down from her role as vice president and general manager. Sources: As of May 2024 , Cedar Point features 17 roller coasters. 5 Cedar Point has 15 thrill rides. The newest
16430-524: The rest of the Depression. Momma Berardi's Home Made French Fries came to Cedar Point, Momma Berardi's family played an important role in the food industry at Cedar Point. Momma Berardi's fries were sold there from 1942 until 1978, winning four Reader's Choice Awards. By the end of World War II, Cedar Point was in need of financial help. The wood of the Cyclone roller coaster was rotting, the boardwalk
16585-467: The rights to the cartoons and the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies brand names, leaving their former producer Leon Schlesinger to start his own animation studio to continue the Looney Tunes series. With their retained Bosko rights, Harman and Ising began making cartoons at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1934 until they were fired in 1937 due to a lack of success. MGM proceeded to form their own studio to create its own cartoons. Time Warner eventually acquired
16740-400: The roller coaster was, in fact, being refurbished. In August 2017, Cedar Point officially confirmed that Mean Streak would reemerge as Steel Vengeance in 2018. The park was set to celebrate its "150th Anniversary Season" in 2020, introducing a new family boat ride attraction called Snake River Expedition . However, both the celebration and the new ride's debut were postponed until 2021 as
16895-476: The sales of sheet music and phonograph records. Warner made a deal with Leon Schlesinger to produce cartoons for them. Schlesinger hired Rudolf Ising and Hugh Harman to produce the first series of cartoons. Schlesinger was impressed by Harman's and Ising's 1929 pilot cartoon, Bosko, The Talk-Ink Kid . The first Looney Tunes short was Sinkin' in the Bathtub starring Bosko , which was released in 1930. When Harman and Ising left Warner Bros. in 1933 over
17050-529: The scenes where Bugs and Mickey Mouse are skydiving , and when Daffy and Donald Duck are performing their "Dueling Pianos" sequence. On July 10, 1989, after a battle with heart problems, Mel Blanc died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of cardiovascular disease . A picture depicting the Looney Tunes characters entitled "Speechless" was released shortly after his death. Viacom-owned Nickelodeon aired Looney Tunes cartoons in
17205-492: The second oldest roller coaster at Cedar Point. In 1970, the Centennial Theatre, named in honor of Cedar Point's 100th anniversary, was built. 1972 brought Giant Wheel and the now-defunct Jumbo Jet coaster. During the summer of 1974, Cedar Point reached an agreement with Marriott Corporation to be acquired in a stock-trade, where Roose and Legros would receive Marriott stock in exchange for Cedar Point stock. At
17360-671: The series being moved to the Boomerang streaming service in 2017, and was eventually cancelled on January 30, 2020. On June 11, 2018, another series, titled Looney Tunes Cartoons , was announced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on May 27, 2020, on the streaming service HBO Max . The series features "1,000 minutes of new one-to-six minute cartoons featuring the brand's marquee characters", voiced by their current voice actors in "simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories" that are rendered by multiple artists employing "a visual style that will resonate with fans", most noticeably having
17515-414: The series won five Academy Awards : During the mid-late 1960s, the shorts were produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises (and Format Productions ) (1964–1967) and Warner Bros.-Seven Arts (1967–1969) after Warner Bros. shut down their animation studio. The shorts from this era can be identified by their different title sequence, featuring stylized limited animation and graphics on a black background and
17670-400: The system. For an increased cost, visitors get a wrist band which gives them the ability to wait in a shorter queue for most attractions. Originally, it could only be used from noon to 7:00 PM, but it was soon expanded to be available all day. Fast Lane would be rolled out to all Cedar Fair parks for the 2012 season. There is also Fright Lane, which is Fast Lane for the haunted attractions during
17825-451: The tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. It was the first coaster to exceed the 200-foot (61 m) barrier, which led to the coining of the industry term hypercoaster . It was also the first to reach speeds greater than 70 mph (110 km/h). Magnum is often credited as shifting the focus of Cedar Point, as noted by then-park Vice President, John Hildebrandt: "We all were smart enough to know we had something. Big steel made
17980-525: The tallest, fastest, and longest inverted roller coaster in the world, and the first ever to feature the signature cobra roll element. To accommodate the footprint of the new coaster, the Mill Race log flume was removed, and the circular Calypso was relocated. In December 1994, the park held its only Christmas in the Park. The Midway Carousel was open, a horse-drawn carriage gave behind-the-scenes tours of
18135-451: The television distribution rights to 191 of its cartoons (which included the black-and-white Looney Tunes and the black-and-white Merrie Melodies made after Harman and Ising left) to Guild Films. The copyrights to those cartoons were assigned to Sunset Productions , an entity owned by Warner Bros. The cartoons were distributed by Guild Films until it went bankrupt and was bought by Seven Arts. Seven Arts bought WB in 1967, and WB regained
18290-614: The theme music for Looney Tunes was " The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down " by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin , and the theme music for Merrie Melodies was an adaptation of " Merrily We Roll Along " by Charles Tobias , Murray Mencher and Eddie Cantor . In 1929, to compete against Walt Disney 's Mickey Mouse short cartoons , Warner Bros. became interested in developing a series of animated shorts to promote their music. They had recently acquired Brunswick Records along with four music publishers for US$ 28 million (equivalent to $ 511 million in 2024) and were eager to promote this material for
18445-639: The time, Marriott was expanding into the theme park business with locations in Illinois and California . The agreement was short lived as the deal was called off by Labor Day of that year. Around the same time, Cedar Point acquired property in the Irish Hills of Michigan in an attempt to build a second amusement park. The project was eventually cancelled due to local opposition. In 1975, Robert L. Munger Jr. took over as president of Cedar Point after Roose retired. The record-breaking Corkscrew roller coaster
18600-436: The title of the first Looney Tunes short, Sinkin' in the Bathtub (1930), is a pun on Singin' in the Bathtub . Between 1934 and 1943, Merrie Melodies were produced in color and Looney Tunes in black and white. After 1943, both series were produced in color and became virtually indistinguishable, varying only in their opening theme music and titles. Both series made use of the various Warner Bros. characters. By 1937,
18755-410: The total value of the transaction close to US$ 2.4 billion. Cedar Fair planned to hold a shareholder meeting on March 16, 2010, to vote on the transaction but postponed the meeting to April 8, 2010, implying that two-thirds of the shareholder vote needed for approval wasn't yet secured. On April 6, 2010, the deal was terminated, and Cedar Fair paid $ 6.5 million to reimburse Apollo for expenses incurred from
18910-540: The works that began with the first short, Coyote Falls , that preceded the film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore , which was released on July 30, 2010. On September 24, 2010, Fur of Flying preceded the film, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole , and on December 17, 2010, Rabid Rider preceded the film, Yogi Bear . On June 8, 2011, Warner Bros. Animation announced that there will be more Looney Tunes 3-D theatrical shorts;
19065-422: The years, including one in which Cedar Point became the only amusement park in the world with five roller coasters that exceed 200 feet (61 m) in height – Magnum XL-200 , Millennium Force , Valravn , Steel Vengeance , and Top Thrill 2 – as well as the only park with roller coasters in all four height classifications . Cedar Point also received the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Amusement Park in
19220-457: Was The Whizzard of Ow , which appeared on a DVD release of Back in Action that was sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores. Only about half of the shorts were shown in theaters; the rest would not be made available until 2004, when all seven shorts were included on the general home video release of the film. In 2010, five computer-animated shorts would be released and directed by Matthew O'Callaghan , who would also direct another short, Flash in
19375-430: Was a major box-office success, grossing nearly $ 100 million in the U.S. alone, almost becoming the first non-Disney animated film to achieve that feat. For a two-year period, it was the highest grossing non-Disney animated film ever. The film also introduced the character Lola Bunny , who subsequently became another recurring member of the Looney Tunes cast, usually as a love interest for Bugs. In 1997, Bugs Bunny
19530-414: Was also moved in the process to the beach area near GateKeeper, where it was renamed Tiki Twirl. Raptor and Top Thrill Dragster were repainted as well. As the 2016 season came to a close, Cedar Point announced that Mean Streak would close permanently on September 16, 2016, although park officials declined to confirm that it was being torn down. The park teased subtle hints over the following year that
19685-421: Was announced for release on HBO Max and Cartoon Network. However, it was reported in August 2022 that the film would instead be shopped around to other streaming services. In October 2023, it was announced the film would instead be released in theaters, becoming the first animated non-compilation feature film in the franchise to do so. In early August 2024, it was announced that Ketchup Entertainment acquired
19840-690: Was announced that Cedar Fair had signed a $ 261 million deal with Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts to buy their Galveston and New Braunfels locations, with the option to buy Schlitterbahn Kansas City for an additional $ 6 million, and the rights to the Schlitterbahn name. On July 2, 2019, it was announced that Cedar Fair had acquired the Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio. The property cost $ 13.5 million. In October 2019, Six Flags offered to buy Cedar Fair for $ 4 billion, however
19995-535: Was announced two new series were in the works: Bugs Bunny Builders and Tweety Mysteries . Bugs Bunny Builders began airing on Cartoon Network as part of Cartoonito and HBO Max on July 25, 2022; Tweety Mysteries would also air on Cartoon Network . Bugs Bunny Builders is aimed towards preschoolers; while Tweety Mysteries is a live-action/animated hybrid. However, the latter was scrapped for unknown reasons. A sequel to Space Jam titled Space Jam: A New Legacy , starring basketball player LeBron James ,
20150-699: Was built at the front of the park. Avalanche Run opened in 1985 close to the beach and would later be re-themed as Disaster Transport. That same year, the San Francisco Earthquake Ride was transformed into the Berenstain Bear Country. While Cedar Point operated independently up until this point, Munger saw the opportunity to expand by acquiring Valleyfair amusement park in Minnesota in 1978. Parent company Cedar Fair Limited Partnership , commonly known as Cedar Fair,
20305-599: Was built in 1957 and is still in use. The president of Cedar Point, Bernie Zeiher, was replaced by George Roose around 1958, and Emile Legros was elected chairman that same year. In the 1950s, the Pagoda Gift Shop was a post-office and the Crystal Rock Castle was turned into a maintenance shop in the late-1950s. In 1959, the hotels were repainted, new admission gates were installed, and over US$ 1,200,000 (equivalent to about $ 12,542,500 in 2023)
20460-487: Was built in 1976; it was the first roller coaster to span a midway and have three inversions. Gemini opened in 1978 and was advertised as the tallest, fastest and steepest roller coaster in the world. A kiddie coaster, named Jr. Gemini (now known as Wilderness Run), opened the following year across from the Gemini. White Water Landing opened in 1982, replacing the original Shoot the Rapids log flume . In 1983, Demon Drop
20615-441: Was constructed in 1993 as a result of Soak City's popularity. The 82-foot-tall (25 m) structure sent riders plunging down a 50-degree angle at 40 mph (64 km/h). At the bottom of the hill, the ride ended with a splash landing that created a large wave, which splashed spectators on an overlooking bridge. It opened as the tallest and fastest water ride in the world. In 1994, Cedar Point unveiled Raptor , which opened as
20770-465: Was constructed, replacing the entrance that was built in the 1960s. It features two 100-foot (30 m)-tall support columns that the GateKeeper trains go through. Cedar Point invested $ 60 million in its resort hotels over the next three years, starting in the 2013–2014 offseason. At the end of the 2013 season, John Hildebrandt retired as the park's general manager and was replaced by Jason McClure,
20925-541: Was cracked in many places, and the fishing dock was in need of repair. In 1946, Cedar Point's oldest still-existing ride, the Midway Carousel, was installed. By 1951, the Cyclone coaster was razed because of its poor condition, leaving the resort without a roller coaster. As the Cyclone was being removed, the Laff-in-the-Dark, Rocket Ships, and Loop-A-Plane attractions were installed. Cedar Point Causeway
21080-560: Was designed as two identical tracks side-by-side – one for the ride down and the other for the train to be hauled back to the top by the ride attendant. Representatives of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad purchased the peninsula for US$ 256,000 (equivalent to about $ 9,375,700 in 2023) in 1897 and formed the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company. The company appointed George A. Boeckling ,
21235-399: Was dormant from 1969 until 1979, when new shorts were made to introduce the Looney Tunes to a new generation of audiences. New shorts have been produced and released sporadically for theaters since then, though usually as promotional tie-ins with various family movies produced by Warner Bros. While many have been released in limited releases theatrically for Academy Award consideration, only
21390-425: Was featured on a U.S. 32 cent postage stamp, the first of five Looney Tunes themed stamps to be issued. The Looney Tunes also achieved success in the area of television during this era, with appearances in several originally produced series, including Taz-Mania (1991, starring Taz) and The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries (1995, starring Sylvester, Tweety, and Granny). The gang also made frequent cameos in
21545-414: Was formed in 1983. Its name was derived from both parks – "Cedar" representing Cedar Point and "Fair" representing Valleyfair. The company went public on April 29, 1987. Under Cedar Fair's leadership, Cedar Point grew to become one of the largest amusement parks in the world, and the company increased its portfolio by acquiring other amusement properties throughout the United States. The first acquisition of
21700-481: Was later formed in 1983. Its name was derived from both parks – "Cedar" representing Cedar Point and "Fair" representing Valleyfair. The company went public on April 29, 1987. Robert L. Munger Jr, who also served as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Cedar Fair, stepped down in 1986 due to health issues and was replaced by Richard "Dick" Kinzel . Thunder Canyon , a river rafting ride manufactured by Intamin , also opened in 1986. In 1987, Iron Dragon ,
21855-584: Was later reorganized as the G.A. Boeckling Company. The resort thrived under Boeckling's leadership, which lasted through 1931. G.A. Boeckling Company continued to control operations at the amusement park for much of the 20th century. A proposal in 1974 to build an amusement park in Cambridge Township, Michigan , was contemplated and later abandoned the following year. Then in 1978, Cedar Point acquired Valleyfair amusement park. Parent company Cedar Fair Limited Partnership, commonly known as Cedar Fair,
22010-476: Was purchasing the land occupied by California's Great America from the City of Santa Clara. The 112 acres beneath the park cost $ 150 million. Cedar Fair had been previously leasing the land from the County of Santa Clara for 6 to 7 million per year. In April 2019, Cedar Fair announced a partnership with Feld Entertainment to bring a Monster Jam Thunder Alley Area to select Cedar Fair parks. On June 13, 2019, it
22165-450: Was recognized for its unusual architecture and still stands in the park. The first amusement ride at Cedar Point, a water toboggan ride consisting of a ramp that launched riders into Lake Erie, opened in 1890. Electricity was installed at Cedar Point in 1891. The first roller coaster, Switchback Railway, opened the following year. It stood 25 feet (7.6 m) high and had a top speed of 10 miles per hour (16 km/h). The Switchback Railway
22320-548: Was released in theaters and HBO Max on July 16, 2021, after a Los Angeles special screening on July 12, 2021. It is a film with a story of LeBron James' second son, Dom, who gets kidnapped by an evil AI named Al. G Rhythm ( Don Cheadle ), into the Warner Bros. server-verse. LeBron then assembles the Tune Squad to play against the algorithm and get his son back. It received generally negative reviews and underperformed at
22475-422: Was renamed Cedar Point Shores following an announcement on August 18, 2016. It is adjacent to Cedar Point and requires separate admission. Fast Lane , introduced at Cedar Point in 2012, is a secondary queue system that offers shorter wait times on the park's most popular rides. In addition to the standard admission charge, visitors can bypass the standard wait line by purchasing a wristband that grants access to
22630-430: Was replaced by John Hildebrandt, who had been vice president and general manager of Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom since May 2004. In 2006, Skyhawk was built next to Snake River Falls; it is currently the tallest Screamin' Swing in the world. In the 2007 season, Cedar Point built Maverick , which features a 100-foot (30 m) drop at a 95-degree angle and includes a linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch in
22785-561: Was replaced with Forbidden Frontier after the 2018 season. A six-lane mat racer slide complex called Dragster H 2 O was added to Soak City. The slides around Dragster H 2 O were repainted and the Speed Slides were dismantled to make room for Dragster H 2 O. Cedar Point also introduced Fast Lane , their version of a fast-pass system, and a new nighttime show, Luminosity – Ignite the Night! . Cedar Point also removed WildCat for
22940-561: Was reported that Warner Bros. was working on a "super secret Looney Tunes project". In the 1980s, the shorts received VHS releases, with the pre-August 1948 shorts released by MGM/UA Home Video and the post-July 1948 shorts released by Warner Home Video . In 2003, Warner Home Video began releasing select shorts on DVD , aimed at collectors, in four-disc sets known as the Looney Tunes Golden Collection starting with Volume 1 . This continued until 2008, when
23095-410: Was retained until it expired prior to the 2010 season. In December 2009, it was announced that Apollo Global Management would offer Cedar Fair $ 11.50 per share, a 28 percent premium over the market price, as part of a takeover plan which would also make Cedar Fair a private company. The deal included a cash payment of $ 635 million in addition to assuming Cedar Fair's debt of over US$ 1.7 billion putting
23250-462: Was scheduled to vote on the matter on December 6, 2011. However, JMA canceled its plans to purchase Great America and bowed out of the agreement. On June 20, 2011, Cedar Fair announced that long term CEO Dick Kinzel would retire on January 3, 2012, and that Matt Ouimet would take his spot as the CEO of Cedar Fair. Ouimet had been employed by The Walt Disney Company for 17 years, including serving as president of Disney Cruise Line and president of
23405-479: Was sold to MGM, and five years later, Ted Turner acquired the pre-May 1986 MGM library, as well the rights to the a.a.p. library. In 1996, Turner's company, Turner Broadcasting System (whose Turner Entertainment division oversaw the film library), was purchased by Time Warner (now Warner Bros. Discovery ), which was also Warner Bros.' corporate parent. Then when MGM/UA terminated its distribution deal with Time Warner in 1999, it surrendered its home video rights to
23560-570: Was soon overshadowed by the larger Leap the Dips ride that opened in 1912. In 1917, Dip the Dips was razed and replaced by the Leap Frog Scenic Railway. With a growing assortment of rides including three roller coasters, Cedar Point was beginning to grow as an amusement park. However, that wasn't a priority for Boeckling. He marketed the peninsula primarily as a bathing resort complete with shows, exhibits, motion pictures, and other forms of entertainment, but did not place emphasis on
23715-459: Was spent to refresh Cedar Point. The park's first roller coaster since the Cyclone, the Wild Mouse, was built. The resort also got a new kind of ride, a monorail , that was the most popular ride in 1959. Breakers Hotel was restored and the neglected cottages were demolished. The Coliseum and Grand Pavilion were both painted and remodeled. The Crystal Rock Castle Maintenance Shop, bathhouses, and
23870-408: Was the tallest and fastest complete-circuit roller coaster in the world, climbing 310 ft (94 m) and reaching a maximum speed of 93 mph (150 km/h). In 2002, Wicked Twister opened as the tallest, fastest, and longest inverted impulse roller coaster of its kind. In the midst of a highly-competitive industry with other parks, Cedar Point again set new records the following year with
24025-471: Was transformed into a floorless roller coaster called Rougarou , receiving new trains and a new green and orange paint scheme in the process. Also in 2015, Hotel Breakers received a $ 25-million renovation. A new roller coaster called Valravn debuted in 2016 as the tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in the world. The 223-foot-tall (68 m) ride replaced the 40-year-old Good Time Theater along with an antique car ride known as Turnpike Cars. Calypso
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