- This page was last modified on 15 June 2025, at 13:10. Suggest an edit.
Waldameer & Water World facts for kids
 |
|
Water World and a portion of the amusement park as seen from the Tom Ridge Environmental Center
|
|
| Location | Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°06′31″N 80°09′20″W / 42.108691°N 80.155458°W |
| Status | Open |
| Opened | 1896 |
| Owner |
|
| General manager | Steve Gorman |
| Slogan |
|
| Operating season | Early May to Labor Day |
| Area | 34 acres (14 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 36 |
| Roller coasters | 5 |
| Water rides | 1 |
Waldameer & Water World is a super fun amusement park and water park all in one! It's located right at the base of a beautiful area called Presque Isle in Erie, Pennsylvania. Imagine having two parks in one place, offering both exciting rides and refreshing water slides!
This park has a really long and cool history. It's actually the fourth oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania. It's also the tenth oldest in the entire United States! Waldameer is special because it's one of only thirteen "trolley parks" that are still open today. Trolley parks were old amusement parks built at the end of trolley lines. This helped people get there easily a long time ago.
One of the most famous rides at Waldameer is a wooden roller coaster. It's called Ravine Flyer II. People love it for its exciting twists, turns, and speed.
Contents
How to Visit Waldameer Park?
Waldameer has a unique way for people to enjoy the park. The amusement park part is "admission-free." This means you don't have to pay just to walk in and look around. You can enjoy the fun atmosphere. You can also play games in the arcade. Or you can use the covered picnic areas without buying a ride ticket.
To ride the rides in the amusement park, you have two choices. You can buy a wristband. This wristband lets you ride as many rides as you want all day. Or, you can use "Wally Points" on a "Wally Card." You put points onto the card. Then you scan it at each ride you want to go on. The points are used up as you ride. This gives visitors lots of choices for their day.
The Water World part of the park is different. To enter Water World, you need to pay an admission fee. Once you're inside, you can enjoy all the water slides and pools.
The name "Waldameer" comes from the German language. It roughly means "woods by the sea." This name fits its location perfectly. It's near Lake Erie and surrounded by trees.
A Look Back: Waldameer's History
The story of Waldameer started a very long time ago. It was even before it was called Waldameer! It began as a simple picnic area. It was known as Hoffman's Grove.
In 1896, a company called the Erie Electric Motor Company leased the picnic area. They had a smart idea. They renamed the park "Waldameer." This name sounded nice to the many German-speaking people nearby. To make it easy to get there, the trolley car company extended its line. The park became the last stop. This brought more people to the trolley and to the park!
In its early days, people came to Waldameer for many reasons. They enjoyed the beaches. They listened to live music at a dance hall. A beautiful carousel was added in 1905.
Roller coasters have been at Waldameer for over 100 years! The park's first roller coaster was called Figure Eight. It opened in 1902. It was later updated and renamed Dip the Dips. It ran until 1937. Another coaster, Scenic Railway, was added in 1915. A famous designer named John Miller created a coaster called Ravine Flyer. It opened in 1922.
A dance hall called Rainbow Gardens was built in 1925. It replaced an older one that burned down. Rainbow Gardens also had a fire later. But it was rebuilt. This showed the park's strong spirit.
The 1920s were a time for adding many classic rides. These included the Ye Mill Chutes water ride and the Aerial Swing. Other popular rides from the early 1900s were a Flying Scooters, a Whip, and a Tumble Bug.
After a break from new roller coasters, the Comet opened in 1951. It was the first new coaster since the original Ravine Flyer closed. Comet is still running today! It's an "ACE Coaster Classic." This is a special title from roller coaster fans.
In the 1950s, Waldameer added a special area. It was just for younger children. It was called Kiddieland. This was a great idea for families. Kiddieland has several smaller rides. They are perfect for little ones. The oldest ride still running at the park is in Kiddieland. It's called Pony Cart.
Waldameer also has two classic "dark rides." These are indoor rides. You travel through scenes, often with spooky or fun themes. They are the Whacky Shack, which has two stories, and Pirate's Cove, a walk-through attraction. Both were designed by a famous dark ride creator. His name was Bill Tracy. They opened in the early 1970s.
Dive In: Water World's Story
In 1986, Waldameer added a whole new section. It was just for water fun! It was called Water World. It started with two big water slides. It also had a play area for young children. This area was called the Tad Pool.
In 1988, the park made a big decision. They sold their classic carousel at an auction. They kept a few pieces, like a giraffe and a horse. Most of the money from the sale was used for Water World. It helped make it even better. In 1989, they added four more water slides. These included speed slides and raft slides. That same year, they bought a brand new carousel. It had sixty horses to replace the old one.
Water World has continued to grow over the years. In 2015, they opened a very large wave pool. It was the biggest in the area. More additions for younger kids came in 2016. These were small slides and a splash pad. It was called Kidz Zone. In 2017, a fun water playground was added. It was called Battle of Lake Erie. In 2018, they added a cool bowl slide. It was called CannonBOWL. They also added a ride with hot air balloon-like cars. It was called Balloon Race. A new water coaster slide called Rocket Blast was added in 2023. It won an award for being the best new water park ride that year!
Today, Water World has many major water slides. It has a lazy river where you can float along. There are heated pools and the big wave pool. Plus, there are fun play areas for children.
Thrilling Rides & Fun Attractions
Waldameer has many different rides. There are rides for all ages and thrill levels.
- Roller Coasters: Besides the famous Ravine Flyer II and the classic Comet, the park has added other coasters. Ravine Flyer 3, a smaller coaster for families, opened in 2000. Steel Dragon, a spinning coaster, arrived in 2004. In 2020, a compact spinning coaster called Whirlwind was added.
- Thrill Rides: For those who love excitement, Waldameer has rides like XScream. This is a tall drop tower added in 2007. In 2009, they added a large spinning ride called Mega Vortex. In 2019, a large swinging ride called Chaos was introduced.
- Family Rides: Many rides are fun for families together. These include the Scrambler and Tilt-A-Whirl. They were added in the 1960s. The Sky Ride gives you a nice view from above. It was added in 1978. Other family favorites include Sea Dragon (a swinging ship), the Ferris Wheel, Wipeout, and Ali Baba. All were added in the 1990s. In 2011, a new area called the North End opened. It had family rides like Flying Swings, SS Wally, and Wendy's Tea Party.
- Dark Rides: As mentioned, the classic Whacky Shack and Pirate's Cove offer unique indoor adventures.
- Kiddie Rides: Kiddieland is full of rides just for younger children. This includes the historic Pony Cart and the Happy Swing, added in 2012.
- Water Rides: Besides the slides and pools in Water World, the amusement park side has water rides. Thunder River is a log flume ride. It replaced an older water ride in 1996.
Awards & Special Honors
Waldameer & Water World and its rides have won several awards. They have also received special recognitions over the years.
In 1996, the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) celebrated Waldameer's 100th year. In 2021, NAPHA recognized the park's 125th season. They gave it a special plaque.
The park's owner for many years was Paul Nelson. He was named "Person of the Year" by Amusement Today magazine in 2008. After he passed away, he was honored again in 2024. He received the "Legend" award at the Golden Ticket Awards. This was for his dedication to Waldameer.
The Ravine Flyer II roller coaster has won many awards. It opened in 2008. It was named the "Best New Ride" in 2008. It has been ranked among the top wooden roller coasters in the world every year since 2009. It even reached the top five in 2016. In 2025, Ravine Flyer II was recognized as the second-best wooden coaster. It was also the fourth-best coaster overall in the United States. This was by the USA Today 10 Best Awards.
Waldameer's classic dark rides, Whacky Shack and Pirate's Cove, have also won many awards. These came from DAFE.org (Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts). They are often ranked among the best classic dark rides and walk-through attractions.
The Rocket Blast water coaster slide won an award. It was for "Best New Water Park Ride" in 2023.
What's New at Waldameer?
Amusement parks often make changes. This keeps things fresh and exciting for visitors. Waldameer & Water World is always changing too!
In 2024, the park retired the Spider ride. It had been operating for 47 years.
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, the Spider ride is being replaced. A new ride called Time Twister is coming. It's a type of ride called a NebulaZ. There are also other improvements for 2025. This includes a refreshed entrance area for Water World. The Paratrooper ride was moved. It will not be operating during the 2025 season.
Waldameer has also shared some exciting plans for the future. They have confirmed a new attraction for Water World in 2026. A new amusement ride will be added to the park in 2027. This shows the park is always looking for new fun for its visitors.
Waldameer in Books & Films
Waldameer has even been featured in media! In 1996, a documentary film was made. It was called "Waldameer: 100 Years of Fun." It celebrated the park's first century.
More recently, the park has inspired a series of children's books. They are called "Waldameer Mystery Files." These books started coming out in 2017. They feature made-up characters. These characters solve mysteries happening at the park. The books are written by David Gorman. His father is the park's president and general manager. His grandfather was the late Paul Nelson, the park's owner for many years.
Images for kids
-
Ali Baba and Whirlwind
-
From left to right: Rally Racer, Liquid Lightning, Cannon Bowl, Awesome Twosome, Bermuda Triangle, Raging River, and Wild River