Palace Playland
LocationOld Orchard Beach, Maine, U.S.
Opened1902
OwnerJohn Golder
Paul Golder
SloganNew England's Only Beachfront Amusement Park
Attractions
Total28
Roller coasters3
Water rides1
Websitehttps://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.

Former Galaxi roller coaster at Palace Playland (2017)

History

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noted for operating a 1910 Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel, PTC #19; however, in 1996, the valuable antique was withdrawn from service and moved to Ohio.[1]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

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

Roller Coasters
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.
Thrill Rides
Name RideType Notes Year Added
Adrenaline Pendulum Technical Parks Street Fighter 2007[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]
Family Rides
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]
Kiddy Rides
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
Notable Former Attractions
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

References

  1. ↑ Curtis, Wayne (1998). Maine: Off the Beaten Path (3rd ed.). Old Saybrook, CT: Globe Pequot Press. 27. ISBN 0-7627-0190-0.
  2. ↑ Curtis, Wayne (1998). Maine: Off the Beaten Path (3rd ed.). Old Saybrook, CT: Globe Pequot Press. 26. ISBN 0-7627-0190-0.
  3. ↑ "Palace Playland". Palace Playland. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  4. ↑ Achenbach, Meagan (2020-04-28). "Arcade Opening / COVID-19 Park Updates & New Card System". Palace Playland. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  5. ↑ "Orient Express - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  6. ↑ "Sea Viper - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ "Wipeout - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  9. ↑ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2007-07-01. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  10. ↑ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2003-10-02. Archived from the original on 2003-10-02. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  11. ↑ "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.
  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.
  13. ↑ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2008-11-01. Archived from the original on 2008-11-01. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  14. ↑ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2005-11-03. Archived from the original on 2005-11-03. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  15. ↑ "Palace Playland Amusement Park, Featured Attractions". 2002-06-02. Archived from the original on 2002-06-02. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  16. ↑ "Galaxi - Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.

43°30′53″N 70°22′29″W / 43.5147°N 70.3747°W / 43.5147; -70.3747

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