Coney Beach Pleasure Park facts for kids
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| Location | Coney Beach Pleasure Park, Eastern Promenade, Porthcawl, Bridgend area, CF36 5BY, Wales |
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| Coordinates | 51°28′47″N 3°41′48″W / 51.4797°N 3.6967°W |
| Status | open |
| Opened | 1920 |
| Owner | Patrick Evans jr. |
| Operating season | End of February to 5 November annually |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 23+ attractions |
| Roller coasters | 2 |
| Water rides | 2 |
| Other rides | 23 |
Coney Beach Pleasure Park is a fun amusement park located in Porthcawl, Wales. It has been open since 1920, which makes it over 100 years old! Every year, the park welcomes visitors from late February until early November. It was first built to entertain American soldiers returning home after World War I. The park was even named after the famous Coney Island amusement park in New York.
Contents
History
How It All Began
Coney Beach Pleasure Park started way back in April 1920. It was built on what used to be an old pile of rocks and dirt. One of its very first rides was a wooden roller coaster called the Figure Eight. This coaster was moved from another town and first operated out of an old airplane hangar from World War I. It was a popular ride for many years, finally closing in 1981.
In the early days, the park had other cool attractions too. There was a place for bands to play music, indoor and outdoor skating rinks, and even three cinemas! You could also enjoy donkey and pony rides right on the nearby beach.
Another exciting ride was the Water Chute, which opened in 1932. This ride was a big splash and could be seen from far away near the beach. It operated for many years until 1995.
Park Closures During Wartime
The park had to close for a few years during World War II. In September 1939, soldiers from the Welsh Regiment were based at the Coney Beach site. Later, another group of soldiers from Belgium also stayed there until 1942. After the war ended, the park happily reopened its doors in April 1946.
Growing Popularity
Porthcawl was already a popular place for holidays in South Wales. Coney Beach Pleasure Park became even more popular in the 1950s. They held exciting events like boxing matches, amazing firework shows, and even air shows with planes! These events brought in huge crowds from all over Wales.
As roads improved in the 1960s and 1970s, more and more tourists visited Porthcawl. The park became one of the town's top attractions. They started hosting open-air markets, circuses, and even professional darts and snooker tournaments. By the late 1980s, people from all over the world were visiting the park.
Rides
Coney Beach Pleasure Park has many exciting rides for everyone to enjoy! Here are some of the popular attractions you can find there:
- Beach Party
- Super Bowl
- Paratrooper
- Ghost Train
- Flying Bob Matterhorn
- Miami Madness
- Thunderdome Waltzer
- Sizzler Twist
- Fantasia
- Dodgems
- Go-Karts
- Typhoon Orbiter
- Rotor
- Carousel
- Bounce Jump & Smile
- Go Gator Junior Coaster
- Fun House
- Nessi Family Coaster
Past Rides to Remember
Over its long history, Coney Beach Pleasure Park has had many different rides. Some of these rides were very special and are still remembered today.
One of the most famous was the Figure Eight wooden roller coaster. It opened with the park in 1920 and was a classic ride for over 60 years! Another notable ride was the Water Chute, which opened in 1932 and was a huge water slide that stood tall near the beach.
The park also had several other interesting rides over the years, including the "Rainbow" ride, the "Santa Fe Railroad" with its train-shaped vehicles, and the "Enterprise" thrill ride. Many of these rides found new homes at other amusement parks after leaving Coney Beach.
