Darien Lake started in 1964 as a simple campground adjacent to a small body of water
called Darien Lake. In 1977, waterslides were built over the lake. The first
couple of amusement park rides arrived in the next few years. The park was owned by Funtime Parks, but Premier Parks purchased Funtime in 1995. The
park was renamed Six Flags Darien Lake in 1999, and Premier Parks was renamed Six Flags, Incorporated in 2000. This park, and six others,
were sold by Six Flags in 2007 for $312 million. For the 2007 season, its name reverted again to just Darien Lake. The park was owned by
PARC Management in 2007, but Herschend Family Entertainment took over in 2011, Premier Parks assumed control in 2014, and Six Flags resumed its
control over the park in 2018 when it began leasing the park again. The park's name changed again in 2018 and is now back to Six Flags Darien Lake.
Nightmare at Phantom Cave, an enclosed Jet Star coaster from Schwarzkopf, ran here from 1996 to 1998. It was
originally Starchaser (1987-1995) at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, and was presently Nightmare At Crackaxel Canyon at
Great Escape in Lake George, New York from 1999 until 2006. It then sat dormant for a few years before being demolished.
In January 2006, the Intamin stand-up coaster from the defunct Six Flags AstroWorld was relocated to Darien Lake. It never was reassembled and was
eventually scrapped after sitting in a field for a little over a decade!
