Mount Olympus Water and Theme Park
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| Location | Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, United States |
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| Coordinates | 43°36′55″N 89°47′22″W / 43.615145°N 89.789382°WCoordinates: 43°36′55″N 89°47′22″W / 43.615145°N 89.789382°W |
| Opened | 2004 |
| Previous names | Big Chief's Karts and Coasters, Family Land, Bay Of Dreams, Treasure Island Resort, Pleasant View Motel, Copa Cabana (names of former properties merged) |
| Operating season |
May through October (Outdoor Water & Theme Park) Year-Round (Indoor Water & Theme Park) |
| Rides | |
| Total | 53 (7 coasters, 37 waterslides, and 9 go kart tracks) |
| Website | Mt. Olympus Website |
May through October (Outdoor Water & Theme Park)
Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park is a theme park and water park complex in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Mt. Olympus consists of four areas of the park: Zeus' Playground (outdoor theme park), Neptune's Water Kingdom (outdoor waterpark), The Parthenon (indoor theme park), and Medusa's indoor water park. In 2010 and 2011, the park purchased several smaller nearby independent motels and hotels and renamed them, painting them blue and white to fit the Greek theme for the main hotel. Many other area hotels and motels offer free or reduced-priced tickets.
Mt. Olympus was started by the Laskaris family.
Demetrios “Jim” Laskaris (Nick’s father) was born in Katsarou, Greece and immigrated to the US when he was 13 years old. He received a technical degree in Michigan, served four years in the US Navy and then owned and operated several restaurants in Chicago. He then moved to Wisconsin Dells where he made his home and a name for himself and his family. Laskaris and his wife Fotoula started by opening a fast food restaurant in 1970 and named it “Big Chief” after a statue he purchased at a trade show. After opening the restaurant, they started a three-wheeler dirt track. He then got into the motel industry by building a 7 unit motel. In 1975 “Goofy Karts”, Laskaris’ first go-kart track opened on Wisconsin Dells Parkway. The track was operated for 5 years. Nick Laskaris, the family’s 9-year-old son at the time, was the chief mechanic. Between 1978 & 1982, Jim and Fotoula’s family business ventures continued with opening a campground, trailer court, Indian Ceremonial, and a country western show on the County A property.
When the lease ran out in 1980 Jim Laskaris abandoned the “Goofy Karts” go-kart track and built a new cloverleaf track next to the Big Chief hot dog stand on the property that the family owned. It was also at this location that Nick Laskaris started constructing his own go-karts a few years later. Along the way Nick Laskaris became involved in the design and engineering of the multi-level tracks which, at the time, were the only ones in the world. The two developed the elevated go-kart tracks, which have now become a standard for tracks all over the world. In 1990 the family purchased several acres along the Wisconsin Dells "Strip" and continued their expansion of Big Chief Go Kart World. In 1995 the company changed its name to Big Chief Karts & Coasters, Nick Laskaris built the first roller coaster in the Wisconsin Dells – The Cyclops. In 1996 the Pegasus roller coaster was built. In 1999 Big Chief Karts & Coasters acquired King Ludwig's Adventure Park and adjacent go-kart park for a total of 107 acres on the "Strip".
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