The Mad Mouse steel roller coaster found homes at amusement parks in Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa before retiring on July 29
Credit: Arnolds Park Amusement Park
NEED TO KNOW
- The Mad Mouse steel roller coaster operated for nearly 70 years across three amusement parks before retiring in Iowa
- Arnolds Park Amusement Park cited maintenance challenges and limited operating seasons as reasons for the ride’s closure
- Parts of the ride will be preserved in a museum and shared with another park housing the last operating Mad Mouse model
After nearly seven decades of entertaining families across the country, a beloved steel roller coaster has taken riders for one last spin.
On Wednesday, July 29, the Mad Mouse roller coaster at Arnolds Park Amusement Park in northern Iowa officially retired. The Arnolds Park, Iowa, property honored the 67-year-old attraction with a Facebook post celebrating all the “laughs, thrills and memories it provided.”
“Over the years, this classic ride has created countless memories for generations of guest and kept our maintenance team busy with plenty of repairs along the way,” park officials wrote. “Thank you, Mad Mouse, for the ride.”
Credit: Arnolds Park Amusement Park
The attraction’s history dates back to 1959, when it opened at Bell’s Amusement Park in Tulsa, Okla. It entertained guests there until 1976, when it transferred to the Joyland Amusement Park in Lubbock, Texas. In 2019, Arnolds Park Amusement Park stepped in to give the original ride, designed by Allan Herschell, one “last hurrah,” according to park CEO Jon Pausley.
“This specific Mad Mouse provided decades of excitement, scares and memories with its hairpin turns and fear inducing thrills and moments,” Pausley said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “We found that guests either loved the Mad Mouse and would ride it over and over again or they would be a one and done… The Mad Mouse packed quite a punch for a small coaster and we are grateful for the time we were able to operate it at Arnolds Park Amusement Park.”
Credit: Arnolds Park Amusement Park
Pausley adds that this attraction was one of only two of these models still in operation. Over the course of nearly 70 years, natural wear and tear required additional repairs, maintenance and welding. Plus, welding required inspection and certification — a process that often closed Mad Mouse for days at a time.
“It was decided that between the footprint of the ride in our smaller park and the downtime during our short 100 day season no longer made sense for this ride to stay in operation,” Pausley explained.
As the attraction is disassembled, Pausley says at least one of the cars will be moved to the Arnolds Park Museum while some parts will find their way to Little Amerricka Amusement Park in Marshall, Wis., where the last remaining Mad Mouse is still operating.
The American Coaster Enthusiasts, the world’s largest club of amusement ride fans, also paid homage to Mad Mouse online. “From Oklahoma to Texas to Iowa, Mad Mouse created countless memories and introduced generations of riders to the unique thrills of a classic wild mouse coaster,” a July 29 Facebook post from the organization says.
“American Coaster Enthusiasts extends its sincere thanks to Arnolds Park for preserving this historic ride and giving enthusiasts and park guests the opportunity to experience an important piece of amusement park history. Farewell, Mad Mouse, and thank you for the memories.”
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According to Arnolds Park Amusement Park, the ride will be removed to make way for an “exhilarating new attraction” set to debut in 2027.
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