Palace Playland
 | |
| Location | Old Orchard Beach, Maine, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1902 |
| Owner | John Golder Paul Golder |
| Slogan | New England's Only Beachfront Amusement Park |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 28 |
| Roller coasters | 3 |
| Water rides | 1 |
| Website | https://www.palaceplayland.com/ |
Palace Playland is a seasonal amusement park located in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. It has operated on the same site since 1902.
History
[edit]In the 1900s, Palace Playland's startup decade, the then-small amusement park centered on a roller skating rink and adjacent merry-go-round. Simple summer refreshments were served, such as lemonade and salt water taffy.
In the 1950s, Palace Playland was operated by future banker and philanthropist Bernard Osher, a Maine native.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Palace Playland was noted for operating a 1910 Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel, PTC #19; however, in 1996, the valuable antique was withdrawn from service and moved to Ohio.[1]
In the 1990s, Palace Playland claimed to be "New England's largest pinball and video arcade." A guidebook writer recommended the park to "aficionados of the garish."[2]
Today
[edit]In the 2010s, Palace Playland describes itself as "New England's Only Beachfront Amusement Park." In 2010–11, the park tore down and replaced its Ferris wheel. The Playland has positioned itself as a provider of amusement-park-experience services to French-speaking residents of Quebec, including offering a webpage in French.[3] In 2018, Palace Playland opened another new roller coaster known as the "Sea Viper" replacing the "Galaxi". In April 2020, Palace Playland implemented a cashless card system for its arcade.[4]
Palace Playland is located directly on the waterfront, across Maine State Route 9 from the Old Orchard Beach Downeaster passenger railroad station.
Rides
[edit]| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orient Express[5] | 2000 | Wisdom Rides | |
| Sea Viper[6] | 2018 | Preston & Babieri | Users board a cart resembling a sea snake. Then, passengers whip around sharp turns and steep gradients at high speeds. Replaced the former Galaxi coaster and partially sits on a 1-acre expansion[7] |
| Wipeout[8] | 2018 | SBF Visa Group | Added alongside Sea Viper part of a $4 million expansion. |
| Name | RideType | Notes | Year Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kraken | Pendulum | Technical Park Street Fighter Revolution. Replaced Adrenalin | 2024[9] |
| Cliffhanger | Cliffhanger | 2022 | |
| Matterhorn | Matterhorn | ||
| Pirate | Pirate Ship | 2005 | |
| Power Surge | Power Surge | Zamperla; Moved to the former Cascade Falls plot for the 2022 season. | 2003[10] |
| Riptide | Replaced Moby Dick | 2012[11] |
| Name | Ride Type | Notes | Year Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodgems | Bumper Cars | ||
| Drop Zone | Drop Tower | ||
| Electra Wheel | Ferris Wheel | Replaced the parks former Sun Wheel(Ferris Wheel)[12] | 2011 |
| Super Star | Troika | ||
| Tilt-A-Whirl | Tilt-A-Whirl | ||
| Wave Swinger | Wave Swinger | 2008[13] |
| Name | Ride Type | Notes | Year Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carousel | Carousel | Chance Rides Menagerie Carousel | |
| Convoy | |||
| Crop Duster | 2008 | ||
| Dizzy Dragons | 2012 | ||
| Dumbo | |||
| Euro Slide | Fun Slide | 2005[14] | |
| Frog Hopper | 2012 | ||
| Grand Orient Fun House | Fun House | Relocated from the Galaxi side of the Park to near the Ferris Wheel in the early 2000s | |
| Hampton Cars | |||
| Hampton Motorcycles | |||
| Motorcycle Jump | 2005 | ||
| Tea Cups | Kiddie Tea Cups | 2002[15] | |
| Winky The Whale |
| Name | Ride Type | Notes | Year Removed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Lightning Water Slides | Water Slides | "Tallest Water Slides in Maine" When Opened | 2002 |
| Terminator | Kamikaze | 2009 | |
| Galaxi | Roller Coaster | Replaced by Sea Viper | 2017[16] |
| Fiesta Loca | Octopus | 2018 | |
| Cascade Falls | Log Flume | 2022 |
See also
[edit]- Euclid Beach Park - discussion of history of PTC #19
- Funtown Splashtown USA - nearby OOB amusement park
References
[edit]- ^ Curtis, Wayne (1998). Maine: Off the Beaten Path (3rd ed.). Old Saybrook, CT: Globe Pequot Press. 27. ISBN 0-7627-0190-0.
- ^ Curtis, Wayne (1998). Maine: Off the Beaten Path (3rd ed.). Old Saybrook, CT: Globe Pequot Press. 26. ISBN 0-7627-0190-0.
- ^ "Palace Playland". Palace Playland. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
- ^ Achenbach, Meagan (2020-04-28). "Arcade Opening / COVID-19 Park Updates & New Card System". Palace Playland. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
- ^ "Orient Express - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Sea Viper - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ Writer, Kelley BouchardStaff (2017-09-02). "Roller coaster's last days in Old Orchard Beach herald a larger ride to come". Press Herald. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Wipeout - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2007-07-01. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2003-10-02. Archived from the original on 2003-10-02. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "What's New | Palace Playland | Maine Amusement Park | New England's Only Beachfront Amusement Park - Old Orchard Beach, Maine". 2012-10-19. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "What's New | Palace Playland | Maine Amusement Park | New England's Only Beachfront Amusement Park - Old Orchard Beach, Maine". 2011-06-15. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2008-11-01. Archived from the original on 2008-11-01. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2005-11-03. Archived from the original on 2005-11-03. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2002-06-02. Archived from the original on 2002-06-02. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- ^ "Galaxi - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.