Elitch Gardens opens 134th season in Denver Saturday

From movies in the wave pool, a full lineup of thrill rides and the return of a classic roller coaster — Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park is set to open the gates for its 134th season in Denver.

The forecast puts Saturday's weather in the lower 50s, but season pass holders will get to experience the park on Saturday before it fully opens on April 27. Meanwhile, the Island Kingdom Water Park is slated to open Memorial Day weekend. Park hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

All Elitch Gardens rides are expected to be open by Memorial Day, according to a park official.

John and Mary Elitch

In 1890, John and Mary Elitch transformed their farm at 38th Avenue and Tennyson Street into a garden, picnic area and zoo, and circus pioneer P.T. Barnum was among the opening day attendees, according to the Elitch Gardens' online record book.

It was a place of many firsts for Denver — the city's first botanic gardens, the site of its first zoo, first children’s museum, first motion picture theater, and its first symphony orchestra and the legendary Trocadero Ballroom.

It also had the nation’s oldest summer theater.

In 1964, “Mister Twister,” the park’s first major roller coaster, opened as the largest roller coaster in the Rockies region. The commonly known “Twister” still stands and operates as a replica clone today.

In 1994, after 104 years in northwest Denver, Elitch Gardens moved to the Central Platte River Valley in downtown Denver’s west side. This was a finance package deal worth $95 million.

Elitch Gardens, as it is known today, reopened in 1995.

Premier Parks, a major theme park operator, took over Elitch Gardens in 1996, ending its long run as a family-owned business.

The “River Mile Development Project,” a mixed-use market rate and affordable housing neighborhood with commercial and retail space, is poised to take over the 62 acres of land that Elitch Gardens currently sits on.

Aurora city leaders have welcomed the idea of Elitch Gardens making a new home there, according to reports.

Denver remains one of North America’s major cities to have a major theme park in its downtown urban area, joining the famous Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.

Rides, slides, family attractions and concerts

Elitch Gardens expects a full lineup of thrill rides, family attractions, water rides, slides during its 2024 season, according to Elitch Gardens Marketing Manager Katelyn Beets.

“We have a lot in store this season,” Beets said.

That includes 54 rides, slides and family attractions, she said.

Elitch Gardens website, which updates when certain rides are closed, is showing that all rides are expected to open by Memorial Day weekend.

Most notably, the classic “Sidewinder,” an original shuttle loop launching roller coaster that relocated from old Elitch’s, is expected to make a return after closing last season.

“Our team has put a lot of man hours into it,” Beets said. “They've been working on it all offseason and we're hopeful we get it back in May.”

It is unclear what the roller coaster's issue was last year, the park official said.

Built in 1980 by the now defunct manufacturer Arrow Dynamics, Sidewinder was relocated from a park in Arkansas in 1990. It features a forward and backwards cable push launch into a drop and vertical loop.

Instead of a standard chain lift, Sidewinder is the first-ever invented model for a launched roller coaster. There are only two of its kind left operating in the world — one in Oklahoma City and one in Blackpool, England, according to a roller coaster database.

“Twister lll: Storm Chaser,” Denver’s classic wooden coaster and the rebuilt version of "Mister Twister," expects to continually operate this season after it was renovated, according to Beets.

“It came back and it was, I mean, better than ever, so we expect that it will be the same this year,” Beets said, adding it's her favorite ride in the park.

Elitch Gardens' 200-foot drop tower, “Tower of Doom,” also expects to open in May after being closed last season.

Everything else, including the “Mind Eraser” suspended looping coaster, “Boomerang” and “Halfpipe," plus most of the kids and family attractions should be ready within the first two weeks, according to the park.

After its Memorial Day weekend opening, Island Kingdom Water Park will continue its pool movie nights: No waves — just inner tubes and movies after hours, which will start on Fridays in July, Beets said.

Multiple concerts, weekly pop-up events, fireworks nights, Fright Fest and Luminova Holidays are in the picture this year, too, she added.

The best way to enjoy Elitch Gardens, Beets said, is to "get here early and do favorite rides first.

"You want to ride them as much as you can."

"I think you shouldn't skip on the 'Big Wheel,'" she added. "Getting up there and seeing the views of the park and the city is unmatched."

Know Before You Go

Elitch Gardens offers accommodations for guests with disabilities, including wheelchairs for rent, and there are options for people with dietary restrictions, the park said.

Elitch Gardens offers its own accessible entrance area with wheelchairs and strollers, allowing for an easier process in entering the park. Wheelchairs may be rented on a first-come, first-served basis, the park said.

For people who use other medical devices, such an an insulin pump or oxygen tank, it is best to consult with the park's guest relations unit about the most suitable rides, the park said.

A "calming room" is also available for guests who may experience sensory overload and need a place to rest for a while, the park added.

Service animals are permitted throughout the park, though not on most rides, and they must be under the control of the handler and on a leash or harness at all times, the park said.

For more information about disability accessibility, the park urged the public to check its guide here: https://elitchgardens.com/theme-park/accessibility-guide.

Plenty of parking is available at Elitch Gardens and adjacent to the park for those without accessibility needs, the park said. For individuals who need accessible parking, it will be on a first-come, first first-served basis and will only be available to those with a valid placard. The accessible parking lot is right next to the accessible entrance.

There are also parking lots not owned by Elitch Gardens that are near Ball Arena and at the Tivoli for those who can walk a bit of a distance and would like to pay less for parking.

At the beginning of this Elitch Gardens season, people should be aware of increased traffic due to Nuggets and Avalanche playoff games next door at Ball Arena, the park said.

For the best experience, the park recommends going on a weekday and planning around the weather.

Daily ride closures are posted outside of the park each day.

For days that are anticipated to be hot, people should plan for mid-day events inside the theaters or the experience Kaleidoscape at Elitch Gardens, the newer interactive attraction by Meow Wolf Denver.

People should also hydrate and bring a reusable water bottle on hot days, including sun protection.

Also, people should not bring loose objects, especially phones to take video, on rides. It is against park rules.