Poor old Santa's Village, and Polar Dome

[RBull4life]

http://www.dailyherald.com/search/searchstory.asp?id=159946

After a couple of visits over the last few years, I have to say that the park was turning into a dump. Typhoon is the worst coaster I have ever ridden, and the park was not the cleanest place in the world, and the staff was worse. With that being said, I really hope that the new owners breath a life of fresh air into the park. SV could be a nice little park, and it would be complete shame if it were to be ripped down.

[Ilovthevu']

They are supposed to change it into houses in the near future. They said this along time ago. I thought they said that it would close in 2007.

[RBull4life]

^ It looks like they are having second thoughts about tearing it down.

[Chitown]

If the park were to stay the way it is under the new ownership, I say level it. I know that is harsh, but that park has turned into a rundown piece of garbage.

If the new owners are serious about keeping it as an amusement park and cleaning it up, I would be happy with that.

For a small park geared toward little kids, Kiddieland is by far the better choice to take your children. Kiddieland's admission prices are a little bit cheaper then Santa's Village and they offer more rides that are in better condition along with unlimited Pepsi softdrinks.

[FParker185]

well there is some hope for the park, as the land is no longer leased, that developer bought the land that the park sits on (park used to lease the land from the city and the lease was set to expire in 2007).

I see condos in the near future though

[Chitown]

Yeah. O.K. drama queen.

If your aunt experienced that from riding that coaster, we would see a lawsuit. Stop making b.s. accusations unless you can back it up. That is nothing to joke around about.

[Trailblazer Tony]

I'm all in favor of giving it a second try, especially since i have never been there since the days that Typhoon has opened. However, from what you guys are saying, it seems like i am not missing much and if the new owners run the park the same way, I'm with Chi-Town....bring it down.

[FRD714]

Santas Village sucked. Tyhpoon was good at all.

[zjohn1988]

interesting story

[RBull4life]

I would agree with Chitown. I will not visit the park again, well maybe if the new management cleans it up, and that will be a big task. Kiddieland IS the better value for little kids, and plus they have a cool wooden coaster 'lil Dipper'.
If the park doesn't improve in a few years.......mercy kill.

[Trailblazer Tony]

^Exactly. People go to Six Flags for adult rides, cool characters, and for sort of a weekend getaway. If they want to go for smaller rides and a fun evening, they go to kiddieland. Santa's Village has nothing to offer. According to you guys, the coaster sucks and the park is dirty. That might be why we haven't returned since I was really little.

[RBull4life]

You have no idea how bad that coaster is Tony. When I rode it, it kind of felt like it was a battery operated ride. It seems to take forever to get up the lift. I could probably do the 3 S's before you got to the top.

[pennyroyalest]

Even when I was a kid and went there on field trips in the early 90s, it wasn't the greatest. I definitely preferred Kiddieland and Six Flags over it, and I still do.

[Ilovthevu']

You guys and girls are pretty harsh for some of you not even going to the park. Yes, I do agree that the Typhoon is a bad ride, and does need paint, but there are really fun rides at that park. The Yo-Yo is my favorite. This is the only other ride in which I see needs a little sprucing. The Galleon, Balloons, the other coaster, Merry-Go-Round, Snowballs (tea cups), Skyliner, Bumper Cars, Tilt-A-Whirl, Himalaya (new wooden platform, but needs a new part) , and they have some other kiddie rides that look fine to me.

The problems I see are the Yo-Yo not looking that great, the Typhoon being a piece of garbage, maybe the hoses can actually hit the house on the Fire Truck (This shouldn't be a big deal.), and adding something to "the horse track". Other than those things, what is so run down about it??

I can figure that a lot of you like Kiddieland because it has that PTC instead of a piece of garbage like the Typhoon. There's more to it than one ride.

[Chitown]

It's not just the rides. It's the infrastructure of the place that is in dire need of being maintained.

Attendance has fallen off drastically in recent years to this park. Why do you think the gas and electricity were cut off to the park? The owner can't afford to even pay the utility bills. If you can't afford to pay gas and electric, you sure as heck can't afford to maintain the park in general.

[newjedi]

^ Did you everthink that gas and electric are turned off because it is the off season and the park is in the process of changing ownership?

Their real thought should go into tearing it apart and flatten it. Its so run down and filthy.

How about instead of tearing it down they try to fix it up and get some of those ride running again. And I know it won't happen if the plan is to put houses there. Like we need more over priced huge houses there.

[Chitown]

^ Read the article before spouting off. The Polar Dome ice arena runs during the winter months so this place doesn't have an off-season.

And no. Change of ownership doesn't shut off utilities to a place. The gas company even put a notice of deliquincy at the front door of the park.

So try again.

[RBull4life]

Yes, I do agree that the Typhoon is a bad ride, and does need paint,

Needs more than a new paint job.

How about instead of tearing it down they try to fix it up and get some of those ride running again

It is has never been a problem with rides not operating, but just the state of the park itself.
Santa's Village use to be just a wonderful park to visit. It use to be just as crowded as Great America is today. With Riverview gone in 69, and Great America not showing up until 76, SV was the only really "big" amusement park in the area. Now that title is gone. I am not sure of what the price is to enter SV, but I would guess that for $10-15 more, you could get alot more rides, and attractions at Great America, and that is what slowly killed Santa's Village.

[Ilovthevu']

It's around $20.00.