La Feria de Chapultepec
Previously known as Juegos Mecánicos de Chapultepec
La Feria Chapultepec Mágico'
La Feria in 2007
LocationMexico City, Mexico
Coordinates19°24′59″N 99°11′44″W / 19.41639°N 99.19556°W / 19.41639; -99.19556
Opened1964 (1964)
ClosedOctober 13, 2019 (2019-10-13)
OwnerVentura Entertainment
Attractions
Roller coasters4

La Feria de Chapultepec (transl. Chapultepec Fair), simply branded as La Feria, was an amusement park in Mexico City, Mexico. Located in the middle of Chapultepec Park near the Constituyentes Metro station,[1] it opened in 1964 as Juegos Mecánicos de Chapultepec (transl. Chapultepec Mechanical Games) and was originally operated by the Mexican government. In 1992 Grupo CIE bought it and changed the name to La Feria Chapultepec Mágico (transl. Magic Chapultepec Fair).[2] In 2015, it was bought by Ventura Entertainment and renamed to its last name.[3]

On 28 September 2019 an accident on the Quimera roller coaster killed two people and injured two others.[4] An investigation determined that design flaws by its designer along with a lack of maintenance by the personnel were likely to blame for the accident.[5] On 13 October 2019, the amusement park authorities announced on their official website the definitive closure of the park after the Mexico City Government revoked their license.[6][7] After Ventura Entertainment lost the license, the government sent a message to other park companies such as Six Flags, Cedar Fair, and Seaworld to take over the license of the property. After Bosque de Chapultepec reopened, most of La Feria's furniture and fences that separate the attractions are being dismantled and the property is being cleaned, and the new owner is yet to be announced, since the six companies that were interested asked for the period of selection, which was meant to be until 20 April 2020, to be extended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the government is yet to announce the new date. The replacement is expected to be named Aztlán.[8]

Attractions

Quimera

La Feria Chapultepec Mágico had approximately 50 different rides and other amusements, as well as several animal attractions.[9][10] While this list includes many flat rides, it also includes several former record-holding roller coasters: among these, Montaña Rusa, which held the world's record for tallest roller coaster,[11][12] and Quimera, which was the first roller coaster in the world with three vertical loops.[13] One of the coasters, Cascabel, was formerly at Kennywood amusement park near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[14] The park also had a wild mouse roller coaster named Ratón Loco.[15]

Another of the park's noteworthy attractions was a zero-emission scenic train that was developed with the help of the Institute of Engineering at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The train was reported by La Crónica de Hoy to be the first of its kind when it was opened for Ecofest 2012.[16]

Pricing and admission

Some travel guides cited the relatively low cost of visiting La Feria when compared to other North American amusement parks.[17] The park had a multi-tiered pricing structure for its ride passes. Lower cost passes allowed for admission to many of the smaller flat rides, while more expensive passes allowed for admission to the more extreme rides, such as the roller coasters.[18]

Roller coasters

Selected thrill rides

The emblematic traction of The Fair of Chapultepec

References

  1. ^ Onstott, Jane (2010). National Geographic Traveler: Mexico. Washington, DC: National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-1426205248. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  2. ^ Marden, Duane. "La Feria Chapultepec Mágico". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  3. ^ Lara, Frida (2 October 2018). "Ventura invertirá mil 600 mdp en los próximos tres años" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Two killed when rollercoaster car jumps rails at Mexico City amusement park". CBS News. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Fallas en diseño y fabricación motivos de tragedia en Feria" (in Spanish). Televisa. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  6. ^ Caseres Senn, Pablo (13 October 2019). "La Feria" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Gobierno de la CDMX cierra definitivamente La Feria de Chapultepec". Forbes (in Spanish). 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  8. ^ https://www.sopitas.com/noticias/el-fin-de-una-era-la-feria-de-chapultepec-inicia-su-desmantelamiento%7Ctitle=EL FIN DE UNA ERA: LA FERIA DE CHAPULTEPEC INICIA SU DESMANTELAMIENTO|language=Spanish|date=9 June 2020/
  9. ^ "Atracciones que te encantaran" [Places you'll love]. La Feria Chapultepec Mágico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Conoce nuestros próximos eventos" [Meet our upcoming events]. La Feria Chapultepec Mágico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  11. ^ Swanson, Bob (19 May 1968). "Mexico's Cheapultepec Park: Family Fun!". Chicago Tribune. p. G18.
  12. ^ Cartmell, Robert (1987). The Incredible Scream Machine: A History of the Roller Coaster. Popular Press. ISBN 0879723424.
  13. ^ Marden, Duane. "Montaña Infinitum  (La Feria Chapultepec Mágico)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  14. ^ Marden, Duane. "Cascabel  (La Feria Chapultepec Mágico)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  15. ^ Marden, Duane. "Ratón Loco  (La Feria Chapultepec Mágico)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  16. ^ "La Feria de Chapultepec Inaugura nuevo Tren Ecológico" [La Feria de Chapultepec Ecological Inaugurates New Train]. La Crónica de Hoy (in Spanish). 11 February 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  17. ^ Deane, Zain (2010). Mexico City, Puebla & Cuernavaca. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press. ISBN 978-1581579000.
  18. ^ "Chapultepec, opción de diversión en días de asueto" [Chapultepec, fun option on days off]. La Crónica de Hoy (in Spanish). 26 December 2009. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2013.

External links

Chapultepec
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