MarineLand

This article is about the theme park in Ontario. For other uses, see Marineland.

Marineland of Canada Inc.
Official logo of MarineLand
Location	Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Website	Official site
Owner	John Holer
Opened	1961
Previous names	Marine Wonderland and Animal Park, Marineland and Game Farm
Operating season	May – October
Rides	15 total 2 roller coasters
Slogan	Everyone loves Marineland

A 1967 flyer for Marineland, using the older name "Marineland and Game Farm"

Marineland (official name Marineland of Canada Inc.)^[1] is a themed amusement and animal exhibition park in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Owing to its proximity to the falls and other natural park areas and its blend of animal attractions and rides, it is one of the main tourist destinations in Niagara Falls, Canada.^[2]

History

The park was founded by John Holer, a Slovenian immigrant who had worked for circuses in Europe before coming to Canada in the late 1950s.^[3] It first opened in 1961 as "Marine Wonderland and Animal Farm".^[4][3] Holer welded two large steel tanks together and brought in three sea lions and charged one quarter for admission and another to feed the animals.^[3] The attraction also featured an underwater show featuring two female swimmers.^[5] In 1964, Holer added two dolphins were added along with a few other animals and the attraction became known as "Marineland And Game Farm".^[5] By 1966, a 2,000 seat "aquatheatre" was completed along with a "grotto" of aquariums and shops.^[5] In the 1970s Kandu(2) the killer whale became the park's major attraction, the "And Game Farm" part of the name was dropped. Although it was still referred to as "Marineland And Game Farm" until the mid 1980s in television and radio advertisements. It was also around this time that the park began adding rides such as Dragon Mountain to encourage teenagers and younger visitors.

Advertising

The park slogan for many years has been "Everyone Loves Marineland". An earlier slogan was "Happiness is Marineland." During the summer months they ran commercials in Ontario, Quebec, Pennsylvania, and Upstate New York television stations (at least as far east as the Burlington, Vermont media market) featuring a jingle that highlights the features of the park, with new verses added for new attractions every year.^[6] The park's mascot is known as King Waldorf, a walrus dressed like a king. The park also runs a campground named after him.^[7] Some versions of the jingle have been sung by Suzie McNeil and Marco Di Felice.

Operating season

Marineland is open from the Victoria Day weekend through to Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October. Rides operate until nightfall.^[8]

Services

• Locker, stroller and wheelchair rentals.
• Allows picnicking and has a corporate area for picnics.
• Offers live musical entertainment with Polka Legend Walter Ostanek performing daily during the peak season.

Animal exhibits

• Friendship Cove: The world's largest whale habitat for viewing orcas above ground and below.^[9] Until the 2006 season, guests were able to pet and feed the killer whales. 'Splash Sessions' have now replaced the interactive sessions in response to guest feedback. The 'Splash Sessions' include the whales jumping and splashing the guests around the walls of the pool. Friendship Cove currently holds one orca: Kiska (female, approx. 35 years-her actual age) . Upon the 2009 opening season, ten belugas from Arctic Cove have been moved into Friendship Cove. Tank arrangements are:

Front Tank (Belugas): Rain, Rose, Meeka, Burnaby, Horus, Jellybean, Tuk, Tofino, Charmin, and Osiris. Side Tank: Kiska. Back/Medical Tank: Currently Open.

• Arctic Cove: Opened in 2004, features beluga whales, it is much like Friendship Cove allowing guests to view belugas above and below ground. Guests also have the opportunity to pet and feed the beluga whales for a small fee. These interaction sessions occur throughout the day.^[10] Marineland currently holds the world record of 39 beluga whales total in their exhibits, both wild and captive born whales in Arctic Cove and Friendship Cove. Current female beluga whales include: Jubilee, Xena, Eve, Isis, Osiris, Kelowna, Sierra, Skyla, Charmin, Peanut, Oceanna, Caspian, Gemini, Cleopatra, Peekachu, Rain, Acadia, Aurora, Talia, Secord, Lillooet, Rose, Meeka, Mira, Charlotte, Qila, and Skyla's calf 2011. Males: Orion, Burnaby, Tuk, Andre, Belyi, Tofino, Horus, Kodiak, and Tank. The gender of Jubilee's calf of 2011 is currently unknown. 2011 births include a female calf to Skyla on August 25, a male calf named Tank to Acadia on August 30th, a stillbirth to Caspian on September 26, and a calf of unknown gender to Jubilee on October 13-14. Apart from having the highest record of belugas in the world, they also have a very successful breeding programme for belugas, without human intervention for mating, birth control or Artificial Insemination. So far, 15 belugas since 2002 have survived, with 11 in Canada at Marineland and the other 4 in the US.^{[citation needed]}

Tank arrangements are: Arctic Cove: Front Tank: Xena and Eve, Cleo and Neva, Andre, Gemini, Peanut, Peekachu, Secord, Kodiak, Orion, Aurora, Sierra and Lillooet, Isis and Qila . Side Tank: Caspian, Jubilee and baby (unknown gender), Skyla and baby(calf-girl), Talia, and Belyi. Medical/Back Tank: Kelowna and Charlotte(calf),Oceanna and Mira(Calf), Acadia and Tank(calf-boy).

• The King Waldorf Stadium Show: Featuring mainly sea lions, walrus and bottlenose dolphins. The King Waldorf Stadium Show includes dolphins jumping in the air and sea lions with comedy. The performing dolphins include: Lida, Tsunami, Echo, Marina and Sonar. Other performing animals include Buttercup,Apollo,Sonja and Smooshi (walruses), and Sydney, Malibu, Holly, Cleveland, Maui, Dock and Tide(sea lions). The sealions' and walruses' performances are rotational throughout everyday

• Aquarium Dome: Show mainly features training of the sea lions. This tank is also a retiring centre for some older animals. Animals in the dome include Curry, Poppy, Larry and Baby (harbor seals), Sandy, Pebbles, Baker (sea lions), and Delphine (northern grey seal).
• Warehouse: This area is a 4 quadron tank area, being larger than Aquarium Dome and King Waldorf Theatre. Marineland has several animals off exhibit from King Waldorf Theatre(backstage-warehouse). They are: Sonja,Apollo,Smooshi,Buttercup(out for performance and training only), Zeus and Pandora(Walruses), Surfer,Coral,Tide,Dock(adult sea lions, out for performance and training only, Surfer and Coral are retired now), Malibu, Sydney, Holly, Cleveland and Maui( young female sea lions, they have started performance 2011 and training 2010), Jack(Gray Seal-retired), Rolo, Squamish and Pepper(harbor seals). Their 5 dolphins are moved here for the winter season.

• Other Animals: Marineland has many animals throughout the park that are not cetaceans or pinnipeds. Marineland has carried over these animals from its days as a 'game farm'.

• Bears: an area featuring black bears sits below a viewing deck, where visitors can throw Corn Pops cereal (originally marshmallows) to them.
• Fallow deer: The deer are in a fenced in area which allow people to move about freely, food is provided for a fee.
• Fish: An area in which carp and koi gather around "deck bridges", allowing easy viewing and feeding (for a fee),
• Elk and Buffalo: allow for easy viewing of these creatures grazing. Feeding also available for a fee.

• 

  One of the Orcas (Nootka 5)

• 

  The Deer

• 

  Feeding a beluga named Priscilla

• 

  Orcas during performance (Orca is Athena)

Rides and attractions

• Dragon Mountain Roller Coaster: an Arrow roller coaster which opened as the world's largest (not longest) non-stop roller coaster - covering 30 acres (1,300,000 sq ft). It features tunnels that lead to the queue area, has two consecutive vertical loops and the only bowtie loop of its kind in the world.^[11]
• Sky Hawk: a spinning ride which also moves vertically up and down. Features one- or two-person cages without restricting belts or harnesses.
• Wave Swinger: a swing ride with a moving top that allows the swings to move up and down. The first adult ride the park ever had.
• Lady Bug Coaster: children's roller coaster, features a lady bug cart.
• Tivoli Wheel: a "hanging" ferris wheel.
• Magic Experience: a spinning ride located near the bear area; features statues of bears on the ride.
• Kandu's Twister: Opened in 2002, this ride is a "teacup" style ride that features orcas on the sides of the cups.
• Space Avenger: a spinning ride that features a control panel in the cages allowing the rider to move vertically up and down.
• Dragon Boats: a simple carousel with a Viking boat theme.
• Flying Dragon a ride that offers thrills for a lot of ages, goes up into the air then falls back down without inversion.
• Hurricane Cove a generic Mack Sea Storm ride.
• Sky Screamer: Opened in 2004 and is the world's highest triple tower ride 91.4 metres (300 ft). It is situated on a 150-foot-tall (46 m) hill, making the total height of the ride 450 feet (140 m), which affords the rider an impressive view of the city and the falls. It is a recognizable landmark with the Marineland logo at the top clearly visible at night. Ascending riders experience 4G's, while descending riders experience a -2G's.^[12]
• Topple Tower: Opened in 2008 this ride has a circular gondola where the passengers sit, is elevated into the air and then starts spinning, and the tower rocks back and forth on a 60 degree angle, giving it a 30 degree angle with the ground, and its scenery features a walrus on top of the tower.
• Viking Adventure: Opened in 2006, it is a small sized Viking boat ride that operates on a track to rock passengers back and forth and spin them around.
• Orca Screamer: Opened in 2005, this is a miniature, child size one-tower version of the famous Sky Screamer.
• Bumble Bee: Opened in 2005, this brightly coloured children's ride allows parents and children to sit in a car together a be elevated and spun around.
• Ocean Odyssey: Opened in 2010, this family ride allows guests to sit in fish shaped cars that are attached to large arms. The ride spins in a circular motion while the arms move up and down.

Animal deaths

In March 2000 a whale died, this time it was a three year old orca named Malik who's mother was Nootka5. Malik died due to a deficient immune system.^[13]

Also in 2001, Member of Parliament Libby Davies tabled a private member's bill which aimed to ban the live-capture and trade of whales and dolphins.^[14] The Department of Fisheries and Oceans commissioned a scientific study, but Minister Herb Dhaliwal chose not to act on any of the recommendations.

Marineland's future

Marineland has plans for a 20-acre (81,000 m²) aquarium complex featuring a shark exhibit, dolphin habitat, ocean reef and freshwater fish. A five-kilometre boat ride on a man-made river and a five-kilometre wilderness steam locomotive train ride are also planned. On these rides, wild animals will be viewed in expansive natural settings.^[2]

References

1. ^ Official Name MarineLand.ca
2. ^ ^{a b} "Niagara Falls Attractions". The Toronto Times. http://thetorontotimes.com/content/view/21/63/. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Casey, Liam (October 3, 2011). "The man behind Marineland: 50 years of controversy". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1063392--the-man-behind-marineland-50-years-of-controversy?bn=1. Retrieved October 3, 2011. 
4. ^ "Attraction is being". Reading Eagle. July 18, 1976. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19760718&id=zzkjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sKAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2157,4711494. Retrieved October 3, 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} "Niagara Exhibit plans call for big expansion". Windsor Star. August 28, 1970. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wkU_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=G1IMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4543,6167411&dq=niagara+marine-wonderland&hl=en. Retrieved October 3, 2011. 
6. ^ "Marineland commercial video clips". Marineland. http://www.marinelandcanada.com/video/. Retrieved 2007-01-28. 
7. ^ "King Waldorf's Tent and Trailer Park". Marineland. http://www.marinelandcanada.com/camping/. Retrieved 2007-01-28. 
8. ^ "Marineland Canada - Niagara Falls Tour Guide". Niagara Falls Kiosk. http://www.niagarafallskiosk.com/niagarafalls-tour/Marineland-Canada.php. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
9. ^ "Marineland Canada - Niagara Falls Aquarium - Amusement Park". Clifton Hill Resorts. http://www.cliftonhill.com/niagara_falls_attractions/marineland_canada/. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
10. ^ "Marineland Canada". Destination 360. http://www.destination360.com/north-america/canada/marineland. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
11. ^ "Dragon Mountain Roller Coaster". Ultimate Rollercoaster. http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/yellowpages/coasters/dragon_marineland_ca.shtml. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
12. ^ "Thrilling Rides". Visiting Niagara Falls. http://www.visiting-niagara-falls.com/marineland.html. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
13. ^ "More Whales Die at Marineland". CFHS. http://cfhs.ca/info/more_whales_die_at_marineland/. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
14. ^ "NDP'S LIBBY DAVIES TO TABLE MOTION TO BAN THE TRADE OF MARINE MAMMALS". Coalition for No Whale in Captivity. http://www.whaleprotection.org/actionalerts/canada/010330.htm. Retrieved 2001-03-30. 

External links

• Marineland website
• Images from the Historic Niagara Digital Collections

Coordinates: 43°03′56″N 79°04′21″W / 43.06556°N 79.0725°W / 43.06556; -79.0725