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Fantasy Island is an Amusement Park in Glen Rose, Texas. The park opened up on November 7th, 1920; the park currently resides on the outskirts of Dinosaur Valley State Park, a National Natural Landmark. The amusement park was initially a grape and berry farm owned by Joseph and Melinna Walsh. It was later sold to Cedar Fair, a publicly traded partnership soon after their death in 1982 following a fatal car crash.

1920's
The now renowned Amusement Park, Fantasy Island was initially a small grape and berry farm owned by Joseph Walsh and Melinna Walsh. The Walsh family sold grapes, berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand along Hereford Street in Glen Rose, Texas.

In 1934, the Walsh' began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property, and built several shops and other attractions to entertain visitors with the help of James Motley.

1930's - 70's
It was on May 16th of 1936, when the Walsh family officially changed Walsh Farms into Walsh Family & Fun Farms after the ensuing crowds prompted the site as a tourist attraction.

As more and more attractions came in, it was time the Walsh's added their first ride, "The Carousel", in 1949, built by Arrow Development. This small, howbeit significant, investment ultimately paved the way for the families amusement park gig.

In 1976, the Walsh family decided it was best that they stepped up their game, and belt their first true thrill: "Matador", an Arrow Development Custom-Looping Coaster. The ride was designed by Arrow Development and built by Motley Fabrication, owned by James Motley, who, as mentioned, was a great friend of Joseph and Melinna.

1980's
Unfortunately, not all stories have a happy ending. This could also be applied to the legacy of the Walsh family. On September 26th of 1982, Joseph Walsh and Melinna Walsh died after a fatal car crash just 2 miles from Walsh Family & Fun Farms.

Their children, Ashley Walsh, David Walsh, and Martha Walsh sold the amusement park to Cedar Fair, a publicly traded partnership headquartered at another famous amusement park, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.

Though they had only 9 amusement rides, the Walsh children trusted Cedar Fair to not only continue their family legacy, but to expand the park itself.

On August 3rd, 1983, Cedar Fair announced the addition of Walsh Family & Fun Farms to their collection of amusement parks, as well as its rename to Walsh Farms: Fantasy Island, often shortened as Fantasy Island.

It wasn't long before Cedar Fair began their take on the classic amusement park, as in November of 1984, the company announced their newest refurbishments to the park at 1984's IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, Florida.

It was quickly revealed that a Roller Coaster manufacturer by the name of "Vekoma" would build their second and third roller coaster, the "The Texas Cobra, and "Snoopy Funhouse".

The Texas Cobra was a 78 feet tall Vekoma Wooden Coaster and Snoopy  Funhouse, was a 17 feet tall Vekoma Kiddie Coaster.

1990's - 2005
Over the years Cedar Point continued to make small investments to the park, including general park enhancements, the addition of several kiddie rides, and the addition of a small in-park Pier.

Eventually, in 1995, Cedar Fair announced not only the relocation of "Planet Snoopy" towards the west end of the park, and its former location's transition to "Fantasy City", furthermore expanding upon the parks fantasy theme.

The company also announced the addition of Fantasy Island's new and first of it's kind launch coaster,  "Banshee", the same year. Banshee was a Premier Rides LIM Catapult Coaster, that took riders a towering 189 feet in the air!

With even more thrill-seekers and tourists pouring in Cedar Fair continued to invest into the park, with the addition of the parks 15th through 30th ride between 1995 to 2005. Including a B&M Invert, an S&S Screamin' Swing, a Zamperla Discovery, and a B&M Sit-Down, and many more.

2006 - 2010's
At the parks peak, it finally achieved what every park wishes to achieve, hit the 200 feet mark.

In 2006, Cedar Fair officially announced the addition of a 229 foot tall Intamin Hyper Coaster, which would replace the Texas Cobra.

The ride, "Oracle", opened on the park's opening day in March 3rd 2007. And become the second tallest roller-coaster in Texas, just behind the 245 foot mark that Titan sits at.