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USA - NEW YORK : NEW YORK STATE’S HISTORICAL AMUSEMENT PARKS
 For visitors to New York State’s historic theme parks, the best ride of all may be a trip back in time. While amusement parks have grown and expanded to keep thrill-seekers coming back for more, several in New York State still operate original rides and attractions – dating back decades.
These historic amusements offer parents and grandparents a whimsical reminder of their own childhood and continue to delight children of all ages:
With 31 water rides with heated water, Enchanted Forest Water Safari at Old Forge is New York State’s largest water theme park. It is also one of the oldest and best preserved storybook attractions in the country. Built in 1956 “for the young and young at heart,” Enchanted Forest opened with a fairytale theme featuring characters from favorite children stories.
At 19-feet tall, Paul Bunyan welcomes guests at the park’s entrance and visitors can still stroll through the original Storybook Lane to visit Sleeping Beauty, Little Bo Peep, Cinderella’s House, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Since opening its doors in 1928, Playland at Rye has always been a favorite destination for nearby New York City families. Grandparents, who once enjoyed the historic rides at Playland, now bring a new generation to experience the same attractions.
Situated along Long Island Sound, just north of New York City, Playland is an old-fashioned seaside amusement park, complete with the original boardwalk and pier. Along with modern amusements and thrills, the park still operates seven original rides that pre-date 1930. Some of these include:
• Dragon Coaster: A wooden roller coaster that shoots cars out of the dragon’s mouth and down an 85-foot slope at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
• Old Mill: A boat that floats passengers through a 1,200-foot long, water-filled tunnel.
• Carousel: An elaborate organ and 66 hand-carved, painted wooden horses and chariots await visitors.
There is no admission to enter the park; instead, guests purchase tickets for their favorite rides. Playland also offers a public beach, swimming pool, mini-golf course, and indoor ice-skating rink.
Open to the public 1879, SeaBreeze at Rochester is the fourth oldest amusement park operating in the United States. Originally a picnic area near Lake Ontario with a few mechanical amusements, in the 1900s it grew into a popular amusement park. It has since added modern thrills and attractions, but is still home to several original rides, including the Jack Rabbit wooden roller coaster — the fourth oldest coaster in the country.
Built in 1920, the 150-foot high Wonder Wheel is the highlight of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park on Coney Island in Brooklyn.
An official New York City landmark, the Wonder Wheel has a diameter of 140 feet and holds up to 144 people at once. The “Kiddie Park” features 17 rides for children and their parents.
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