McDonald's (Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin)

USA / Wisconsin / Wisconsin Dells / Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin / Wisconsin Dells Parkway (US-12/WI-23/County A), 2325

wifi hotspot, McDonald's, fast food restaurant, 2002_construction, 21st century construction, 2000s construction

Restaurant #25680

Opened on June 20, 2002, this is the largest McDonald's restaurant in Wisconsin. It is built on the former amusement parks Fort Dells which operated from June 28, 1959 until Fall 1985 and Dells Crossroads which operated from mid 1986 until its permanent closure in Fall 1991 (amusement park wasn't fully demolished until December 1997). The Fort Dells McDonald's is a 9,000-square-foot cabin-like structure of cedar and stone with a green metal roof. It features high ceilings, a 27-foot stone fireplace, structural timbers, and taxidermy. It also has two kitchens and a video arcade/game room. The cost of building the restaurant was $3 million (roughly $5.258 million in today's money). Madison-based McKee Associates, Inc. was the general contractor and John and Yvonne "Bunni" Orr were the owners and operators during that time when this fast food restaurant opened. The unique design of the Fort Dells McDonald's was inspired by Frontierland, an attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. This is the second McDonald's in the Wisconsin Dells area after Lake Delton.

Around 2007, Rick and Wendy Lommen of Courtesy Corporation became the owners of this McDonald's restaurant (including the two locations in Lake Delton). Courtesy Corporation is an Onalaska-based family-owned business that owns and operates 65 McDonald's locations throughout western Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northeastern Iowa.

The northeastern corner of the restaurant building is where Fort Dells' Totem Tower (later Dells Crossroads' Space Tower) used to stand! It was a 335-foot gyro tower that transported guests into the air by a slow-spinning two-level drum-shaped carriage for panoramic views of almost all of the Wisconsin Dells area (e.g. Wisconsin River, downtown area, waterparks, resorts, hotels, and Lake Delton). The attraction was the 4th ride of its kind in the US and 7th in the world. It went into operation from June 1, 1966 until 1990, five years after the Fort Dells amusement park closed its doors and one year before Dells Crossroads closed permanently.

A log-cabin themed McDonald's, filled with wildlife taxidermy animals on the walls and on ledges, wood-carved bears, wood decorations for outdoor activities (such as fishing), and chandeliers made from deer antlers. There are three picture frames of the former Fort Dells hanging on the walls inside the restaurant (one at the main entrance and two at the fireplace area). There's also a game room next to the order counter.

2325 Wisconsin Dells Parkway
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Phone: (608) 254-5745
Web: www.mcdonalds.com/

Hours
Sun-Thurs: 5am-11pm
Fri & Sat: 5am-midnight

Drive-thru open 24/7
Free WiFi
Food and drinks are not allowed in the game room

Read more
www.wiscnews.com/community/wisconsindellsevents/fort-de...
www.wiscnews.com/community/wisconsindellsevents/gallery...
wwisradio.com/wisconsin-dells-mcdonalds-named-one-of-th...
milwaukeerecord.com/food-drink/a-visit-to-the-wisconsin...
www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/midwest-mcdonalds-makes-a...
wgntv.com/news/wgn-news-now/see-one-of-the-worlds-most-...
q985online.com/wisconsin-dells-mcdonalds-named-most-bea...
y105music.com/a-mcdonalds-in-wisconsin-was-voted-one-of...
www.onlyinyourstate.com/wisconsin/most-unique-mcdonalds...
www.rmhcmadison.org/mcdonalds-owner-operators-fulfill-1...
www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/beautiful-mcdonalds...
rolandopujol.substack.com/p/im-lovin-it-the-story-of-th...
retrologist.com/post/708652182859366400/architectural-d...
www.lovefood.com/galleries/189726/the-most-surprising-a...
www.waymarking.com/waymarks/wm4KCH_Fort_Dells_McDonalds

Former Fort Dells' Totem Tower
www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=40815870&fcfToken...

Twitter
twitter.com/mcd_madison

Foursquare
foursquare.com/v/mcdonalds/4bdc15ac3904a59354cc4c9e

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