Palace Playland facts for kids
Palace Playland is a fun amusement park that opens for part of the year in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. It has been in the same spot since 1902, making it a very old and loved park!
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Contents
History of Palace Playland
Early Days: 1900s Fun
When Palace Playland first opened in the 1900s, it was a small park. It had a place for roller skating and a fun merry-go-round. Visitors could enjoy simple treats like lemonade and salt water taffy.
Growing Through the Years
In the 1950s, a man named Bernard Osher ran the park. He was from Maine and later became a banker and a philanthropist. A philanthropist is someone who gives money to help others.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Palace Playland was famous for its old carousel. This carousel was built in 1910 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. But in 1996, this special antique ride was moved to Ohio.
In the 1990s, Palace Playland was known for having "New England's largest pinball and video arcade." An arcade is a place full of games!
Palace Playland Today
A Beachfront Amusement Park
Today, Palace Playland calls itself "New England's Only Beachfront Amusement Park." This means it's the only amusement park right on the beach in New England!
Around 2010 and 2011, the park replaced its old Ferris wheel with a new one. Palace Playland also welcomes many visitors from Quebec, Canada, who speak French. They even have a website in French for them!
In 2018, a new roller coaster called the "Sea Viper" opened. Riders sit in a cart that looks like a sea snake. It takes them on exciting turns and steep drops at high speeds!
Finding the Park
Palace Playland is right on the waterfront. It's across Maine State Route 9 from the Old Orchard Beach train station.
Exciting Rides at Palace Playland
Palace Playland has many different types of rides for everyone to enjoy.
Roller Coasters
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orient Express | 2000 | Wisdom Rides | |
| Sea Viper | 2018 | Preston & Babieri | This ride replaced the old Galaxi coaster. It's part of a new, bigger area of the park. |
| Wipeout | 2018 | SBF Visa Group | Added at the same time as the Sea Viper, as part of a big park update. |
Thrill Rides
These rides are for those who love excitement!
| Name | RideType | Notes | Year Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenaline | Pendulum | A Technical Parks Street Fighter ride. | 2007 |
| Matterhorn | Matterhorn | ||
| Pirate | Pirate Ship | 2005 | |
| Power Surge | Power Surge | Made by Zamperla. | 2003 |
| Riptide | This ride replaced an older one called Moby Dick. | 2012 |
Family Rides
These rides are great for families to enjoy together.
| Name | Ride Type | Notes | Year Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Falls | Log Flume | The park's fun log flume ride. | 2000 |
| Dodgems | Bumper Cars | ||
| Drop Zone | Drop Tower | ||
| Electra Wheel | Ferris Wheel | This new Ferris Wheel replaced the park's old Sun Wheel. | 2011 |
| Super Star | Troika | ||
| Tilt-A-Whirl | Tilt-A-Whirl | ||
| Wave Swinger | Wave Swinger | 2008 |
Kiddy Rides
Fun rides for younger children!
| Name | Ride Type | Notes | Year Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carousel | Carousel | A Chance Menagerie Carousel. | |
| Convoy | |||
| Crop Duster | 2008 | ||
| Dizzy Dragons | 2012 | ||
| Dumbo | |||
| Euro Slide | Fun Slide | 2005 | |
| Frog Hopper | 2012 | ||
| Grand Orient Fun House | Fun House | This fun house moved from one part 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 | |
| Winky The Whale |
Past Attractions
Here are some rides that used to be at Palace Playland.
| Name | Ride Type | Notes | Year Removed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Lightning Water Slides | Water Slides | When they opened, these were the "Tallest Water Slides in Maine." | 2002 |
| Terminator | Kamikaze | 2009 | |
| Galaxi | Roller Coaster | This coaster was replaced by the Sea Viper. | 2017 |
| Fiesta Loca | Octopus | 2018 |
