Old Orchard Beach: Press Releases

New England’s Last Beachfront Amusement Park

Old Orchard Beach Maine: Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach Maine is the last remaining beachfront amusement park in New England. Best of all, the park continues with its decades old tradition of free park admission allowing all to enter the park and view the numerous galleries, games, arcades and rides. Located directly in the center of the 7-mile beach and adjacent to the famous Pier, Palace Playland is a must for every family visiting Maine!

Palace Playland is a four-acre family fun amusement park featuring 28 rides including 13 kiddie rides and 15 adult rides. Adrenalin was the featured new ride in 2007 and for 2008 two new rides will grace the beachfront amusement park grounds thrilling riders … Wave Swinger and Crop Duster!

Other new Palace Playland rides in recent years include: Drop Zone, over 5 stories high of heart stopping free fall excitement. The 45-foot Euro Slide and the Motor Cycle Jump. Additonal rides of note in the famous park include: Power Surge, lifting you over 50 feet in the air for 360 degrees of pure excitement (in 3 different directions). The Log Flume, one of the tallest water rides in New England, where guests hurtle 750 feet down the mountain on a cushion of 70,000 gallons of water. The Frog Hopper Ride, a 6-passenger fun ride for kids that hops 20 feet in the air. “The Tea Cup,” a kiddie ride with a giant tea pot in the center. Moby Dick, a thrill ride which simply must ridden to be appreciated.

A variety of ticket pricing options are available including a "Pay-One-Price" all-day pass and the 2-day pass or simply pay per ride (rides are $2.30 to $4.60 each). The 24,000 square foot video arcade is among the largest in New England. The Playland features more than a dozen midway games of skill, tasty food, gift shops, "old fashioned photos," a palm reader, and much more!

The beachside amusement park also features two Roller Coasters, the Orient Express and the Galaxi Roller Coaster. Of course there is a giant Ferris Wheel, the Sun Wheel, a 70+ foot high gondola-style Ferris wheel with spectacular views of the beach and ocean. For the brave at heart and those with strong stomachs, there is 360 degrees of pure exhilaration awaiting aboard the Terminator!

Some of the other kids’ rides at Palace Playland include the Menagerie Carousel, Winky the Whale, Bear Affair, Big Rig Convoy, Rio Grande Train and the classic favorite, Dumbo the Elephant. The rolling barrels and twisting disks in the Grand Orient Fun House are sure to raise some smiles and giggles.

The Park's beachside location allows visitors the opportunity to alternate between chillin’ at the beach and thrillin’ on the amusement rides. Palace Playland is open until late in the evening and offers a spectacular fireworks display every Thursday evening, in season, at 9:45 p.m. plus a very special show on July 4th.

Just up the road three miles from Palace Playland is Northern New England’s largest theme water and amusement park - Funtown/Splashtown USA. This park features a giant waterpark - Splashtown USA, which doubled in size for 2007! For 2008 Funtown/Splashtown is adding a new arcade building.

Funtown Amusement Park features several other major attractions including: the Excalibur Roller Coaster - a 4.5-acre wooden coaster that rises over 100 feet and travels as fast as 62 mph. "Dragon's Descent” Turbo Drop - a 220-foot free fall with “breathless” views. Thunder Falls Log Flume, Astrosphere and Grand Prix Racing a thrill when you buckle up and try to claim that pole position. For children, the Frog Hopper, Funtown Train, Red Baron Plane and Cactus Canyon are just a few of the sensational and silly rides.

The third of the Old Orchard Beach area amusement park trio is Aquaboggan, just up the street from Funtown/Splashtown on Route One. This park has several new rides. All three parks offer great family entertainment for all ages.

“We are the last place in New England where families will find amusement parks and beaches like we have here in Old Orchard Beach,” comments Jim Harmon, Executive Director of the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce. “We are so fortunate to have this beach and the variety of parks for families to choose from."

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