Downtown Seattle and Lake Union, photographed from 2500 feet. Downtown Seattle and Lake Union, photographed from 2500 feet.

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July 21, 2005
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April 22, 2006

Six Flags CEO Says Enchanted Village Doesn't Cut It

The Federal Way Mirror has an article on Six Flags Enchanted Village, where new Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro admitted that the park needs work:

In comparison to the company's other theme parks, Shapiro said more needs to be done to Enchanted Village-Wild Waves to bring the park up to a similar level. "I can't tell you this park is in the shape of the Six Flags standard," he told employees.

I have just two words for Mr. Shapiro: Thank God.

Enchanted Village has always been pretty dismal. It's been around since '77 (according to RCDB) and it's been expanded upon several times, with each expansion adding a slightly different look and feel to the place. The biggest expansion came in the mid-80s, with the addition of the "Wild Waves" water park. When Six Flags bought the property back in 2000, they pumped a bunch of money into it, which added a modern set of rides (and modern theming).

The result, today, is that the park is a low-rent mismash of different styles and eras, with jarring effect. You can literally start in the nice, new, Six Flags-esque section and stroll a few yards down the way, only to find yourself in the "unadorned asphalt chic" of an early-80s carnival midway.

It's interesting to me that Enchanted Village, situated in oh-so-metro Seattle, has been left for 30 years to rot in the rain, while our neighbors to the east in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, have a great local park in Silverwood (that, incidentally, is hardly standing still).

After a walk around the park, Shapiro reiterated that new rides aren't enough to make Enchanted Village-Wild Waves more successful.

"Overall, we have to improve the experience," he said. "It feels like there's a lot that can be done."

Amen. It really would be wonderful for Seattle to have a nice, clean, modern theme park (that, you know, I might actually want to take my friends to).

I can't wait to see Enchanted Village management pay some attention to detail.

Posted by Gavin Shearer at April 22, 2006 5:49 PM. Posted to Entertainment.

Comments

What about "Fun" Forest?

Posted by: tony Author Profile Page at April 22, 2006 8:21 PM

The Seattle Center Fun Forest is hardly an "amusement park" - it's closed most of the year, is fairly run-down, and has exactly TWO coasters: Windstorm, which is an off-the-shelf coaster that you can ride most places (the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has one, for instance), and Dragon Chaser, which is a kiddie coaster.

Posted by: Gavin Shearer Author Profile Page at April 23, 2006 8:11 AM

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