Valleyfair is a amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota, United States. Operated by Enchanted Parks, the park opened in 1976 and features over 40 rides including eight roller coasters and an included water park named Superior Shores. EPR Properties, a real estate investment trust, owns the park.
Cedar Point and Valleyfair were the first two parks in the Cedar Fair chain and a combination of the park names – "cedar" and "fair" – were used to name the original company. Cedar Fair merged into Six Flags in 2024, with the new company selling the park to EPR Properties in 2026.
History
Valleyfair opened on May 25, 1976, featuring 20 rides and attractions on , with the roller coaster High Roller being the main attraction. The carousel in the park came from Excelsior Amusement Park which was closed in 1973. It is the oldest ride in the park. In 1978 in an effort to increase investment capital for continued park expansion, Valleyfair was acquired by Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Five years later, Cedar Fair Limited Partnership was formed as the parent company for Cedar Point and Valleyfair (the name being derived from the names of both properties). Since 1976, Valleyfair has invested over $96 million into the park, and today the park has over 75 attractions on of land.
A height restriction was imposed in 2000 with the building of the Power Tower. After negotiations with the FAA and the nearby Flying Cloud Airport, the FAA restricted the building height of the Power Tower at due to its proximity to the airport. Power Tower's original plan was to be a height of and to take riders to .
Valleyfair did not open for the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, although it was reopened for the 2021 season.
On July 1, 2024, a merger of equals between Cedar Fair and Six Flags was completed, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. This officially retired the Cedar Fair branding that was partially derived from Valleyfair. On March 5, 2026, Six Flags announced it would sell Valleyfair as part of a $331 million sale of seven parks in total to EPR Properties. Completed on April 6, 2026, the new operator of Valleyfair is Enchanted Parks. Valleyfair will retain its branding for the rest of 2026.
As the park is located on the banks of the Minnesota River, flooding can become an issue during the springtime months before the park usually opens (or when the park is open for the season), notably in 1988, 1993, 1997, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2024. Excalibur and Thunder Canyon are built outside of a pre-existing river dike, and were built with this flooding potential in mind.
Attraction timeline
1976: Valleyfair opens with Antique Cars, Bumper Cars, Carousel, Ferris Wheel, Flying Trapeze, High Roller, Scrambler, SuperCat, and Wheel of Fortune 1977: Monster, Tilt-A-Whirl and Giant Tilt Ride (The only Super Tilt Model 14-car Tilt-A-Whirl ever built by Sellner Manufacturing) open 1978: Ye Olde Log Flume opens 1979: Enterprise, Kiddie Ferris Wheel and Wild Rails open
1980: Corkscrew opens 1981: Tot Town opens 1982: Pepsi IMAX theater opens, New entrance marquee 1983: Panic Falls Body Slides open in Liquid Lightning 1985: The Looping Starship and Bayern Curve open 1987: Thunder Canyon opens 1988: Two water slides (now known as Panic Falls Speed Slides) and Half Pint Park open 1989: Excalibur opens
1990: Minnesota River Valley Railroad opens 1991: Phase one of Challenge Park opens 1992: The Wave opens and two 18-hole golf courses added to Challenge Park 1993: Whitewater Country water park expansion; Bumper Boats added to Challenge Park 1994: Berenstain Bear Country opens 1995: Hydroblaster opens 1996: Wild Thing opens; RipCord added to Challenge Park 1997: Chaos opens 1998: Galaxy Theater opens 1999: Mad Mouse opens
2000: Power Tower and Frog Hopper open 2003: Steel Venom opens 2004: Foam Ball Factory and The Rockin' Tug added to KidWorks 2005: RipTide and Skyscraper open 2006: Xtreme Swing opens and Halloween Haunt occurs for the first time. 2007: Renegade opens 2008: Halloween Haunt is renamed Halloween Haunt at ValleyScare 2009: Re-theme of the water park to Soak City
2011: Planet Snoopy opens 2012: Fast Lane; Antique Cars closes 2013: Dinosaurs Alive! 2014: Route 76: Northern Lights opens, Scrambler and Tilt-A-Whirl relocated and Antique Cars to be re-added as Antique Autos; Pepsi IMAX theater and hydroblaster closes 2015: Soak City: New Slide Tower, New Children's Splash Pad; Subway relocated, Airbrush Tattoo stand closed 2016: Flying Eagles, All Wheels Extreme (Upgraded Amphitheater), New High Roller Trains, Subway Takes Place of Ben and Jerrys, 40th Anniversary Events, Enterprise closes 2017: North Star, a Funtime Starflyer swing ride, opens for 2017, New Caribou plaza 2018: Delirious, Larson International super loop, RipTide closes, New light package for Route 76, Snoopy's bounce house is removed, Free WiFi throughout the park. 2019: Superior Stage opens to host Peanuts Celebration, Updated Bathrooms, Variety of new food options, Dinosaurs Alive! and Looping Starship close.
2021: Grand Carnivale, a new event, launches in the park. ValleyScare announces it is ending after the 2021 season. 2022: TRICKS AND TREATS, a new event, launches in the park. 2023: A Chaperone Policy is implemented at the park. 2024: ValleySCARE's return is announced for the 2024 season. 2025: Panic Falls Body Slides close. 2026: Soak City is re-branded to Superior Shores; Coho Curl, Surgin' Sturgeon, Wild Walleye, and Pike Plunge open as part of waterpark expansion.
Attractions
Roller coasters Coaster Picture Year opened Manufacturer Description Thrill RatingRatings assigned per Valleyfair's own system, where "1" is the least intense and "5" is the most. See their for more specific details.Corkscrew 1980Arrow DynamicsA Looping Corkscrew roller coaster. Cosmic Coaster 2011ZamperlaA powered roller coaster. Previously located at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom as Dragon Coaster. Excalibur 1989Arrow DynamicsA mine train coaster with a wooden structure. High Roller 1976Opus GroupA wooden roller coaster. It is currently the oldest coaster at Valleyfair. Mad Mouse 1999Arrow DynamicsA Mad Mouse coaster model. Renegade 2007Great Coasters InternationalA Wooden roller coaster. Steel Venom 2003IntaminAn Impulse roller coaster and the only one that still has a holding brake. Wild Thing 1996D. H. Morgan ManufacturingA steel hyper coaster. It is currently the tallest roller coaster at Valleyfair and the very first roller coaster manufactured by Morgan.
Thrill rides Ride Year opened Manufacturer Description Thrill Rating Delirious2018Larson InternationalA Larson 22M Giant Loop Ride opening in the 2018 season. Northern Lights2014ZamperlaA Disk'O Coaster flat ride where a single car travels along a long, U-shaped track, reaching a height of . North Star2017FuntimeA Star Flyer, in which riders, seated in two-person chair-linked swings, will reach a height of , reaching speeds of . Power Tower2000S&S WorldwideA combo Space Shot and Turbo Drop tower. Xtreme Swing2006S&S WorldwideA Screamin' Swing ride. It is currently the second tallest of its kind.
Family rides Ride Year opened Manufacturer Description Thrill RatingAntique Autos2014Gould ManufacturingGuests operated Antique Autos are powered by a gas-powered engine and travel around 1,500 feet of track with a center guide rail to keep the auto on track. Bumper Cars1976Rauenhorst CorporationA Bumper cars attraction. Carousel1925 (at Excelsior Park)1976 (at Valleyfair)Philadelphia Toboggan CoastersAn antique 48-horse Carousel. This ride previously was installed at Excelsior Park until its closing in 1973. An Artizan Band Organ provides the carousel's music, but the rolls have been converted to Wurlitzer 150 rolls. The carousel model number is PTC #76. Charlie Brown's Wind Up1976Chance Rides Yo-YoThe ride consists of 32 swings lift off the ground while travel in a circular motion and tilting at the top. It was originally called the Flying Trapeze, but received a facelift and renamed for Planet Snoopy. Ferris Wheel1975Chance RidesA classic Ferris wheel ride reaching 85 feet in the air. Flying Ace Balloon Ride1988Zamperla Samba BalloonEight balloons that can accommodate up to 4 riders. It was originally called Hot Air Balloons. Flying Eagles2016Larson InternationalA flying eagles ride with eight carriages that each have a paddle, enabling guests to change the movement of their carriage. Minnesota River Valley Railroad1990Crown Metal ProductsA narrow gauge train ride around the park. Monster1977Eyerly Aircraft CompanyA classic Monster ride. Scrambler1976Eli Bridge CompanyA classic Scrambler ride. SuperCat1976RamagosaA Caterpillar/Music Express style ride. Tilter1976Sellner ManufacturingA classic Tilt-A-Whirl ride. Wheel of Fortune1976Chance RidesA Trabant ride that holds 40 riders and raises to a tilted position while rotating backwards.
Water rides These are the water rides besides those in Superior Shores. Ride Year opened Manufacturer Description Thrill RatingThe Wave1992Hopkins RidesA Shoot-the-Chutes water ride. There is a bridge at the bottom where visitors can get soaked. Thunder Canyon1987Barr EngineeringA six-person River rafting ride
Planet Snoopy Planet Snoopy is a kids area within the park created for the 2011 season as part of a $9 million expansion. Ride Year opened Manufacturer Model/Type Description Thrill RatingKite Eating Tree2000S&S WorldwideFrog HopperA kiddie version of Power Tower. It was originally called the Frog Hopper. Linus' Beetle Bugs1976RamagosaA little spinning ride. It was originally called Bumble Bees. Linus Launcher2011ZamperlaKite Flyer Lucy's Tugboat2004ZamperlaRockin' Tug PEANUTS 5002011ZamperlaSpeedwayA kiddie Whip ride PEANUTS Playhouse Play Place PEANUTS Road Rally2000ZamperlaConvoy Sally's Swing Set2011ZamperlaHappy SwingA kiddie swing. Snoopy vs. Red Baron1988Chance RidesIt was originally named Sea Planes. Snoopy's Deep Sea Divers2011ZamperlaCrazy Bus Snoopy's Rocket Express2011ZamperlaAerial RideA kiddie monorail around Planet Snoopy Woodstock Whirlybirds2011ZamperlaMini Tea CupA kiddie spinning ride
Route 76
Route 76 is an area of the park featuring three classic rides which made their debuts in the opening season of Valleyfair in 1976. These rides include the Antique Autos, which was formerly deconstructed to make room for the construction of Dinosaurs Alive!, the Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Scrambler. The area also includes new attraction named Northern Lights. The Route 76 area features a full-service catering and picnic area, titled Picnic Point. Route 76 is located in the front of the park near Steel Venom, and opened on May 16, 2014. In 2017, North Star, a 230-foot swing ride, was opened near the front of Route 76 near Tilt-a-Whirl. Debuting in 2018, 'Delirious', a 70-foot-tall looping flat ride is the newest addition to Route 76.
Superior Shores
Superior Shores is a water park included with the price of admission to Valleyfair. Rides include a lazy river, a wave pool, and water slides. Newly added slides such as "Breakers Plunge" were added as part of the 2015 water park expansion. In 2026, the Panic Falls body slides, original to the water park when it opened in 1983, were closed and replaced by a new water slide tower consisting of the Coho Curl, Surgin' Sturgeon, Wild Walleye, and Pike Plunge water slides. That same year, the water park added a kiddie section and rebranded from the previous Soak City name, which it had used since 2009.
Fast Lane
Fast Lane is Valleyfair's virtual queue system. For an additional charge, visitors get a wrist band that enables them to get to the front of the line on twenty of Valleyfair's' most popular attractions without queuing including attractions like Wild Thing, Renegade, Steel Venom, Xtreme Swing, and some attractions in the Superior Shores water park.
Shows