Adventureland (New York)

Adventureland

Adventureland as seen from NY 110.
Slogan Long Island's Amusement park since 1962
Location East Farmingdale, New York, U.S.
Coordinates 40°45′09″N 73°25′14″W / 40.75239°N 73.42069°WCoordinates: 40°45′09″N 73°25′14″W / 40.75239°N 73.42069°W
Opened 1962
Operating season weekends in March, weekends in April and May; Open all summer; weekends in September and October
Area 12 acres (4.9 ha)
Rides
Total 30
Roller coasters 2
Water rides 3
Website Adventureland.us

Adventureland is an amusement park in East Farmingdale, New York, located on Route 110 (Broad Hollow Road). Adventureland has been Long Island's main amusement park since 1962. There are a total of thirty rides, two of which are roller coasters and three are water rides. Adventureland is opened seasonally: weekends in March, April, May, October and September and all days in the summer. Alvin Cohen and Herb Budin bought six acres of property in 1962 and opened a restaurant, an arcade and mini golf. Along with the building, there were four rides brought to Long Island for entertainment. The original four rides were the Carousel, the train, Little Dipper Coaster, and boats. Willy Miller bought Adventureland from Alvin Cohen on September 15, 1977. Throughout the years, Willy Miller brought in new rides and expanded Adventureland's activities. In 1987, the park was sold to Tony Gentile and Peter Amoruso. In 1991, they began to add water rides to Adventureland. Adventureland celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012. The park is a popular Long Island Attraction for children, schools and day camps.

History

1962-1987

As Long Island became more populated and more housing developments were starting, a source of entertainment was needed. Many kiddielands were popping up throughout Long Island. Two people who were big in the industry were Alvin Cohen and Herb Budin. After visiting a trade show in Chicago, they acquired a 6-acre (24,000 m2) site on Route 110 in Farmingdale, New York. First the team of two constructed a building which housed a restaurant and arcade so the park could be open year round. Along with the building, four rides opened outside: a Carousel, train, Little Dipper coaster, Card, and boats. There was also a mini golf course. In 1962, the 1 million dollar park opened under the name of Adventureland 110 Playland. As the park success went up, the name of the park was changed to 110 Adventureland. Then in 1965 the first major ride opened, a 500-foot (150 m) long Skyliner.

In the early 1970s, the park was extremely successful (perhaps partially due to the closure of parks such as Steeplechase Park and Freedomland U.S.A. in 1964 and Palisades Park a few years later). Alvin Cohen was now the primary owner of the facility and he bought an additional 6 acres (24,000 m2) behind the park for 1 million dollars. Over the next few seasons Cohen turned the ride count from 16 to 30. In 1973, three new thrill rides were built. These rides were the Tobogan (a compact roller coaster), the Amor Express (a high speed circular ride), the Galaxy (a steel coaster). The next season brought on the Wave Swinger - a European ride (a spinning swings ride), and was one of the first of its kind in America. With the success of the Wave Swinger, Cohen decide to import more European rides. In 1976, he imported two more European rides, Enterprise and Troika (both spinning rides). Cohen got these rides from Willy Miller (owner of a business which imports European rides). Cohen saw Miller's interest in the park, and asked him if he wanted to buy 110 Adventureland. Over the next two years the talk, and finally on September 15, 1977 the sale was final.

In 1978, Miller bought several new rides, including an antique auto ride, which originally operated at the 1964 New York World's Fair and was designed by Arrow Development. In the first season under new management, profits increased 50%. Also, during this time Miller changed the name to just Adventureland. In 1979, Miller got a new Merry Go Round, a ride called Black Hole, and another ride called the Lost Continent. Then at the end of the 1982 season, Miller brought in the Looping Star, another European ride. Then, in 1983, Miller brought the UFO. Along with the UFO, Miller brought in six new rides replacing Enterprise and Troika. A new bumper car system and bumper boats were also added. In 1983, a ride called Gravitron replaced Black Hole; Miller also added a Bavarian Village with food outlets and stores. Over the next few years, brick walkways replaced blacktop, and the landscaping was done over. In 1986, the Lost Continent was changed into 1313 Cemetery Way, a haunted house ride. In 2010, 1313 Cemetery Way was replaced with a new ride, The Ghost House.

New ownership

In 1987 Miller sold the park to Tony Gentile and Peter Amoruso (a partner since 1978). The Gentile family and Amoruso kept park operation as normal while taking a major expansion. In this new era, Gentile added a huge new Pirate Ship and a ride called Scorpion. Also added to was a mini golf course called "Treasure Island."

As the 1990s dawned, customers of Adventureland wanted more water rides. Gentile and Amoruso opened Splish Splash (sold in the late 90's to a corporate amusement company), a 6 million dollar water park. Then, in 1991, the Galaxy was replaced by Hurricane- a roller coaster. New rides were regular through the 1990s. In 1992, Super Raider, a climbing/fun house was opened. Then, the next year, the antique car ride was updated, the Scorpion ride was switched with Surf Dance, Tubs of Fun and Flying Clown replaced older kiddie rides. Then, in 1995, the balloon Wheel replaced the Big Wheel. In 1996, the Dragon Wagon replaced the Sooper Jet, a kiddie roller coaster. Then, in 1999, a double decker merry go round replaced the old merry go round. In 2000, a child roller coaster called the Lady Bug was built. In 2001, the mini golf course was replaced with Adventure Falls, a log flume water ride. Top Scan was introduced to the park in 2003, and the next year, Viking Voyage replaced the last original ride, the Kiddie Boats. Then, in 2004 a Spinning alligator water ride called Crocodile Run replaced the bumper boats. In 2006, a kiddie log flume called Little Dipper was added where the Top Scan used to be and the Frisbee was added where Surf Dance was. In 2007, they also added a "Glass House" (a.k.a. "Mirror House") to where some of their games were and also bought all of the outside games and updated them. Two years later, the ride Flying Puppies replaced Tubs of Fun. In 2010, a new Haunted House, imported from Europe, was added to the park in place of the former Haunted House.

50th anniversary and 2012-present

For the 50th anniversary, 2012, the train station was moved to the former area of the Glass House. The old train station became a Wi-Fi lounge/patio for people to eat and relax. The Super Raider was also retired and Pirate Island, a similar type of ride was added. In addition, the back ticket booth was remodeled. In 2013, the Free Whale and John Silver's tower did not return. They were replaced with Alfie's Express, a small "farm train" type kiddie ride and "Surf's Up", a moderate thrill kiddie ride, both manufactured by SBF rides. The Kiddie Swings were also replaced with a newer model, named "Alfie's Swings". Also in 2013, a stage was built across from the Bavarian Village Gift Shop and a charging station next to City Hall. Many locations throughout the park were updated with energy efficient LED lighting, most notably the train station. At the end of the 2013 season, the Flying Puppies and Tour De Paris were closed. On select night's throughout October, Adventureland was host to an exclusive fundraising event, called Nightmare on the Midway. The haunted Halloween event featured four haunted attractions, live actors and multiple scare zones. At the beginning of the 2014 season, two new attractions were opened: NYC race and the Teacups, both made by SBF. A VIP parking car port with solar panels was built in the back parking lot. The lights on Wave Swing were updated with LED technology. A second Charging station was opened near the pirate ship and rear entrance of the park.

Rides

Thrill rides

The 1313 Cemetery Way

Kids and family rides

Kiddie rides

Water rides

Extra-Cost Attractions

Admission

Admission is free. Guests can also purchase tickets or a P.O.P. (pay one price) bracelet to go on rides.

Accidents

Two unrelated deaths occurred within a week of each other in the summer of 2005. The first victim was a ride operator for the "Paul Bunyon" (Ladybug Coaster). The worker was struck by the coaster car; he died the next morning due to internal injuries. The second incident involved a 45-year-old woman on a ride called the "Top Scan" (which replaced the "Looping Star"). She was flung from the spinning ride and crashed into a parked car in the parking lot.[1] The ride was never used again at Adventureland. In 2007, a 6-year-old boy hurt himself by putting his hand in one of the moving platforms on the attraction called "Super Raider" (Fun House), though there were no serious injuries. In 2008, a prop of a skeleton bicycling on a tight rope fell on a 5-year-old girl. She was in the hospital for a few days and then was released. The prop was never put back up after the incident.

Adventureland in pop culture

Notes

  1. ↑ The New York Times, September 3, 2005, Lisa W. Foderaro and Jaron Fisher, "Investigators Are Still Puzzled by Ride That Killed Woman". http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/03/nyregion/03rides.html
  2. ↑ Long Island Newsday, April 1, 2009, John Anderson, "'Adventureland'", Melville, NY

References