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Santa's Village Amusement & Water Park (formerly known and colloquially referred to this day as simply Santa's Village) is a theme park in East Dundee, Illinois. It was originally built by Glenn Holland, who also built two other Santa's Villages, in California; one located in San Bernardino County and the other in Santa Cruz County. The Illinois park, the third to be built, was intended to be the flagship of a chain of Santa's Villages across the country. However, parks planned for Richmond, Virginia, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, were never built, and the park in East Dundee became the last of its kind.
| Previously known as Santa's Village (1959–2005) Worlds of Fun (1972) | |
 | |
.jpg) Entrance sign of Santa's Village | |
| Location | 601 Dundee Ave East Dundee, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42.0907°N 88.2598°W |
| Opened | May 30, 1959 (as Santa's Village) May 27, 2011 (as Azoosment Park) |
| Owner | A Zoo To You (2011–present) |
| Slogan | Discover exciting rides, slides, animal attractions and more at Santa’s Village Amusement & Water Park, the place for FUN. FAMILY. MEMORIES. |
| Operating season | May – October |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 25 |
| Roller coasters | 3 |
| Water rides | 4 |
| Website | santasvillagedundee |
The park operated as Santa's Village from 1959 until 2006, when it closed. Five years later, after extensive rehabilitation, the park reopened under new ownership. Renamed Santa's Village Azoosment Park because of the shared focus on both rides and animals, the Azoosment Park has nearly twenty rides and attractions, and hundreds of exotic and farm animals in an interactive environment. For a short time in 1972 the park was named Worlds of Fun. To avert legal feuds with other parks with similar names, the name was changed again to Three Worlds of Santa's Village. In 2021, the park updated its name to Santa's Village Amusement & Water Park.
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The buildings were modeled on what an average child might imagine Santa's Village would look like. When it opened, it was a very prominent theme park. Over the park's history more than 20 million people passed through the front gates.
Initially, rides were purchased individually with colored coins that allowed riders so much time on the attractions. Admission to the park was free. This was eventually abandoned for a one-price admission policy with access to all rides, a model that continued until the end of the park's life.[citation needed]
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1959–2006
The park opened on May 30, 1959.[1] One addition to the park, opened in 1963, was the "Polar Dome" which provided an ice skating and hockey venue under a forced-air supported dome. On November 28, 1966, a strong wind caused the "Polar Dome" to collapse. The dome was then replaced by a flat cedar roof, although the name of the venue was not changed.
During the 1960s, the park featured short Amphicar rides, which simply drove the riders about 100 feet (30 m) to the edge of a small lake, then out about another 100 feet, circled a pier and returned.
Three Worlds (1972–2006)
In 1972, the park was purchased by the Medina Investors, who renamed it Worlds of Fun. However, to preclude involvement in trademark-infringing lawsuits with amusement parks employing the exact name, they renamed it again to the Three Worlds of Santa's Village.
- Santa's World This was the original area and focal point of the park. It was located north of the Polar Dome. It had attractions such as Santa's House, where visitors could get a picture with Santa, the North Pole, a live theater, Frog Hopper, Balloon Ride, Snowball Ride, Giant Slide, Convoy, Train, and the Dragon Coaster.
- Old McDonald's Farm This replaced the Reindeer Barn and consolidated all of the roaming animals to one spot in the park. It had attractions such as the Pony Ride, Petting Zoo, and Animal Pens where the animals were stored at night. The animals were sold before the park closed in 2006.
- Coney Island This was the southern area of the park and last to be developed. It had many attractions such as Tilt-a-whirl, The Yo-yo, Himalaya, Galleon Ship, Bumble bee, and the Magic Show. This area is now occupied by Paintball Explosion.
In 1983, the park owners added Racing Rapids Action Park to the north end of Santa's Village.[2]
Although the parks were connected, there were separate admission gates to either one. A combination ticket was available at either park that would permit visitors to enter both parks that day. Both parks had separate parking lots.
Water Park (1983–2006)
The water park Racing Rapids was the water park attached to the north side of Santa's Village AZoosment Park.[3] When it opened, it was one of the first in the Midwest and the largest in Illinois. It was closed with the park in 2006. The water park reopened for its full season in 2021 under the name Santa Springs.
| Ride | Year opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Twister Tube Slide | Two-person tube slide | |
| Slidewinder's Slides | One-person body slides | |
| Bumper Boats | located in a medium size pool which had fountain in the center of it. | |
| Lazy River | A continuous 450-foot-long (140 m) 42-inch-deep (1,100 mm) pool | |
| Go-Karts |
Closure (2006)
The unsuccessful launch of the "Typhoon" roller coaster, decreased attention to the aesthetics of the park, and a decline of patrons eventually prompted the corporation to sell. The sale did not proceed as smoothly as hoped and, with many setbacks and unmet deadlines, the park had to shut its doors.
In August 2006, the park announced its permanent closure. Most of the rides and fixtures were auctioned in October 2006.[4]
Reopening (2011)
Paintball Explosion opened on half of the site of the original Santa's Village on April 30, 2011. Paintball Explosion converted the existing Polar Dome ice rink into an indoor paintball field. Paintball Explosion built six outdoor fields within the existing park, reusing many of the outdoor structures.
Azoosmentpark opened on May 27 on the other half of original Santa's Village property. They feature various attractions and rides, while also providing exotic pets on exhibit.
According to the park's website, it included two rides from the now-defunct Kiddieland Amusement Park. Those rides are the Midge-O-Racers and the Kiddie Whip Ride. Some of the original Santa's Village rides have also been restored to working order. 2013 saw several new additions including a roller coaster.
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Roller coasters
| Ride | Manufacturer | Model | Year opened | Details | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Cyclone Roller Coaster | Interpark | Super Cyclon | 2017 | A Zyklon/Galaxi-type roller coaster. | [5] |
| Wacky Worm | Fajume | Wacky Worm | 2015 | A Wacky Worm-type roller coaster relocated from Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida (2008–2014). | [6][7][8] |
| Farmer's Fling | SBF Rides | SBF Visa | 2021 | An SBF Visa family roller coaster. The coaster has four cars with four riders each. The front two cars are designed to look like pigs, while the back two cars are designed to look like cows. |
Rides & attractions
| Ride | Manufacturer | Model | Year opened | Details | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaskan Railway | Train | 2015 | Replaced Reindeer Ridge. Travels through animal exhibits. | [7][8] | |
| Azoosment Country Carousel | Carousel | ||||
| Balloon Race | Zamperla | Balloon Race | 1992 | ||
| Blizzard | SBF Visa Group | Frisbee | 2021 | ||
| Ding 'em Dodge 'em Bumper Cars | Bumper Cars | ||||
| Kiddieland Midge-O-Racers | Eyerly Aircraft Company | 2011 | A Carousel ride. Formerly located at Kiddieland Amusement Park as Race-A-Bouts. | [9] | |
| Kiddieland Space Invasion | |||||
| KiddieLand's Roto-Whip | Roto-Whip | 2011 | Formerly located at Kiddieland Amusement Park as Whip. | [9] | |
| Kringle's Convoy | 1988 | A Convoy Ride by Zamperla. | |||
| Little Boat Ride | |||||
| Mega Velocity | Eli Bridge Company | Scrambler | 2016 | ||
| Mighty Mate | |||||
| Miner's Run | Pedal Cars | 2011 | [9] | ||
| Pirate's Revenge | Swinging Ship | 2023 | Swinging Ship ride. Replaced the Viking Sea Dragon | ||
| Pony Go Round | Carousel (Live Ponies) | ||||
| Route 66 Cruisers | Arrow Development | Antique Cars | |||
| Santa's Tree House Slide | 1959 | Formerly known as Tree House Slide | |||
| Snowball Ride | |||||
| Star Jets | |||||
| SVFD Engine No. 4 | Version 4 of the fire engine ride, where riders put out a fire on a working fire truck | ||||
| Tilt-A-Whirl | Sellner Manufacturing | Tilt-A-Whirl | 2011 | Formerly located at Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo. | [8][9] |
| Tri-Nado | HUSS | Troika | 2015 | Formerly located at Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo. | [7] |
| Viking Sea Dragon | Swinging Ship | 2011–2022 | A pirate ship ride by Chance Morgan. Formerly located at Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo | ||
| Deer Feeding Area | |||||
| Exotic Animal Show | |||||
| Horse Sleigh Ride | 1959 | Formerly known as Candy Cane Sleigh (1959–2006). | |||
| Kiddie Ferris Wheel | 2011 | Formerly located at Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo. | |||
| Kidbuck$ Gameshow | An interactive game show where kids win tokens that they can use in the arcade. Hosted by Balster Magic Productions. Formerly known as Santa's Snowstorm Game Show | ||||
| Koi Pond | Formerly known as Silver Slipper Pond (1959?) and Magic Pond. | ||||
| Balster's Sheer Magic Show | 2011 | Magic show hosted by Balster Magic Productions. Formerly known as Christmas Magic Review. | |||
| Petting Zoo | 2011 | Formerly known as Reindeer Barn (1959–1971), Old McDonald's Farm (1972–2006) | |||
| Santa's House | 1959 | Where you can meet and take pictures with Santa | |||
| Scales and Tails | 2011 | Formerly known as Mill Wheel Workshop |
Other venues
| Venue | Year opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aviary | 1959 | Formerly known as Christmas Around the World Post Office |
| Birthday Party | ||
| Face Painting & Tattoo | 2011 | Talented artist can stencil a temporary airbrushed tattoo or freestyle faces. |
| Frozen North Pole | 1959 | Frozen Pole of ice located by Santa's House. Originally located in the North Pole Plaza |
| Main Stage | ||
| Midway Games |
Food and beverages
| Venue | Year opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Picnic Area | Formerly known as Reindeer Glen Picnic Grove. | |
| Arctic Circle Ice Cream Shop | 2011 | Formerly known as Mrs. Claus's Candy Kitchen (1959–?). |
| Picnic Pavilion | ||
| Ginger Bread Cafe | 2011 | Formerly known as The Gingerbread House (1959–?). |
| Reindeer Ridge / Beer Garden | Formerly known as Wee Puppet Theater/Hoffbrau House | |
| Subway | 2015–2017 |
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| Ride | Year Opened | Year Closed | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Room | 1967 | Lounge in the Polar Dome. | |
| Amphicar | Amphibious Car that went through the pond. | ||
| Antique Cars | 1962 | 2006 | Antique car ride |
| Astro-liner | Motion Simulator by Wisdom Industries. A rocket ship that simulated a space mission. | ||
| Bumble Bee ride | |||
| Bumper Cars | Had two types of Bumper Cars. In the 1970s, it was designed to resemble a racetrack and was known as the Dundee Zizzler 500 Raceway. | ||
| Burro Ride | 1959 | Children could ride on a live burro through the forest. | |
| Candy Cane Coaster | 1964 | 1966 | |
| Candy Cane Slide | Circular slide. | ||
| Cannon Ball | 1986 | Roller Coaster replaced by the Dragon Coaster. | |
| Chapel of the Little Shepard | 1959 | A small all faith chapel that reflected on children's bible stories through small exhibits. | |
| Cinderella's Pumpkin Coach | 1959 | A life-size coach that guests could ride in that was pulled by miniature white ponies. The turn-a-round area contained a static display of Prince Charming's Castle. | |
| Christmas Around the World Post Office | 1959 | A large building that housed many exhibits and services such as an actual post office, letter writing to Santa, exhibit windows of the celebrations of Christmas around the world, a souvenir counter, guest services, and rest rooms. Offices were located on the second floor. | |
| The Christmas Tree ride | 1959 | 1992 | A giant whirling tree teacup ride where guests could ride in a Christmas ornament that would go up and down with the pull of a lever. Replaced by the Balloon Ride. |
| Circus Wagon | Trolley Ride | ||
| The Doll House | 1959 | Doll shop with dolls from around the world. | |
| The Easter Bunny's Hut | 1959 | Large egg shaped house where kids could take pictures with the Easter Bunny. | |
| Dragon Coaster | 1986 | 2006 | A Powered roller coaster by Zamperla. Also known as Dracor, the Dragon Coaster (1986–1994). Now located at Vertical Endeavors in Warrenville, Illinois. |
| Dragon Coaster | 2011 | 10/30/2016 | A family coaster by Wisdom Rides. Relocated from Go Bonkers Now in Arlington Heights, Illinois at Rexo Coaster (2000-2010). Opening at Joyland Amusement Park in Lubbock, Texas in 2017[10] |
| English Rotor | Spinning Rotor Ride | ||
| Fire Truck Ride | 197? | 2006 | Trolley pulled by a fire truck. Riders use working fire hoses to put out fires along the route. |
| Fire Chief | 2006 | Crazy Bus ride | |
| Frog Hopper | 2006 | Drop Tower | |
| Galaxi | 1987 | 1996 | Roller Coaster by S.D.C. Sold to a park in Mexico. |
| Galleon | 2006 | A pirate ship ride by Zamperla. | |
| Gas powered tractors | 1959 | Actual small tractors that children could drive. | |
| Giant Slide | |||
| Gingerbread House | 1959 | An actual working bakery that featured gingerbread cookies and baked goods. Large windows allowed guests to watch as "Pixies" made the sweet treats. The Gingerbread House was also home to the "Good Witch" and the "Lollipop Lady". Right behind the outside fireplace, children could accompany the "Lollipop Lady" and pick a sucker from the lollipop tree. | |
| Great Wheel | 1995 | 2006 | Ferris Wheel bought by Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort. |
| Hampton Ride | 2006 | ||
| The Himalaya | 2006 | ||
| Igloo | 1959 | A small concrete igloo that originally served small ice cream novelties. | |
| Kiddie Kars | 2006 | ||
| Jack in the Box | 1959 | A snow cone stand that looked like its name. | |
| Lil' Stinger | 2006 | ||
| The Magic Train | 1959 | 1961 | A small train ride around a fairy tale themed area. Removed for Antique Cars. |
| Merry-Go-Round | 1966 | 2006 | |
| Mill Wheel Workshop | 1959 | An artisan's shop that also sold manufactured toys. | |
| Mrs. Claus’ Candy Kitchen | 1959 | A large building that was a candy shop that sold hand-dip chocolates and hard candies. Mrs. Claus was on hand each day to supervise. | |
| Old Engine 99 | 1964 | 1966 | |
| Paddle Boats | Paddle boats in the pond | ||
| Pixie Pantry | 1959 | The Park's largest eating facility that served sit down meals cafeteria style in the main section and hamburgers, hotdogs, and typical fast food through a walk-up window. | |
| Pixie Press | Trained animals working a printing press. Children could subscribe to the news print and have it delivered to their homes. | ||
| Polar Dome | 1963 | 2006 | Ice Skating Rink. Originally had a forced-air dome roof that measured 87 feet from the ice surface. The dome was replaced by a flat roof in 1966 after a storm damaged it. |
| Pony Carts | 1966 | 1987 | Replaced by the Convoy Ride. |
| Reindeer Barn | 1959 | Santa's reindeer actually lived in the barn. There were eight stalls and at the north end of the barn, "Inky" the reindeer, along with his friends "Peck" the chicken and "Hunt" the duck printed the Park's official newspaper, The Pixie Press. | |
| Rock Spin 'N Roll | 2006 | ||
| Rollo Plane | A Roll-O-Plane by Eyerly Aircraft Company. Nicknamed the Salt and Pepper Shakers. | ||
| Santa's Express | 1962 | 2006 | Train ride added in 1962 to replace The Magic Train. Replaced the CP Huntington Train with a new Amtrak train in 1994. |
| Santa's Gift Shop | 1959 | One of the largest buildings in the Park, the shop was divided into three sections, toys for children, gifts for mom and dad, and a Christmas shop. | |
| Skyliner | 2006 | Chair lift | |
| Snowball Express | 1985 | Roller Coaster by Allan Herschell Company. Located at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as Steel First until 2010. | |
| Snowball Ride | 1962 | 2006 | Teacup ride now located at Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort. |
| Space Ships | 2006 | ||
| Storybook House | 1959 | A small shop that handled children's books and souvenirs. | |
| Swiss Toboggan | 1971 | Roller Coaster by Chance Morgan. | |
| Tarantula | Spider ride | ||
| The Toy Soldier | 1959 | A giant toy drum with a tall toy soldier on top that was actually a "duck pond game" with little toy boats instead of rubber ducks. | |
| Typhoon Archived 2010-10-17 at the Wayback Machine | 1997 | 2006 | Roller Coaster by Top Fun. Bought by Ray Cammack Show company a traveling carnival operator based in Arizona for $250,000. |
| Wee Puppet Theatre | 1959 | Daily hand and marionette puppet shows in an indoor theatre. | |
| Wipeout | 1992 | 2006 | Spin ride |
| Wishing Well | 1959 | A small outdoor seated area where folks could relax and children could drop pennies into a well for a secret wish. | |
| Woodanimals | 1959 | Large wood log sculptures that children can sit and climb on. | |
| Worlds Largest Christmas Stocking | 1959 | A large stocking that was raffled off. | |
| The Yo-yo | 1990 | 2006 | Swing Ride by Chance Morgan. |
List of former attractions
|- |Xtreme Elevation |2015 |2023 |Drop Tower By ARM |}
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- In the movie The Christmas Chronicles 2, Santa possibly references the amusement park when introducing the main characters to the real Santa's Village.
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