Weak Season At Playland Fuels Debate About Park's Future

[GADVwow]

The only traditional US amusement park run by a government had a weak season, fueling more debate about the park's future. A very interesting perspective on pay one price vs. pay per ride is on page two of the article.

A short quote from page 1:

...But Spano and park officials may want to forget this summer as a slumping economy, coupled with lots of rain and mostly cool temperatures in June and July, meant Playland didn't get the attendance numbers or revenues it had hoped.

"It was a discouraging summer," said Joe Stout, commissioner of the county's Parks and Recreation Department. "The weather clearly put a damper on the season. There's no outdoor business that can sustain that and make the budget."

Because the park - a National Historic Landmark built in the 1920s - was closed 35 percent of the time because of poor weather this season, Stout expected attendance to be far below the 807,475 that came in 2008.

That means the goal of having park revenues cover its roughly $16 million operating budget won't be reached....

http://www.lohud.com/article/2009910120332

[darkridedan]

It's too bad that the park couldn't make any money this season. They have a haunted house open through October. Here's the website for this attraction:

http://www.scaredbythesound.com/default.htm

[nitrorox1414]

Where is Playland?

[B-mac]

New York area.

[darkridedan]

Playland is located at Exit 19 on I-95, just miles past the NJ/NY state border. It's a park with allot of atmosphere and it's well worth a visit during the main season if you like flats and dark rides. They have a couple of water rides and coasters too.

[B-mac]

Looks like a good park. That dragon coaster looks like something I could, literally, fit in my backyard.

http://rcdb.com/231.htm?p=12558
(Looks like a bigger version of the Millenium Flyer trains.)

[rjholla2003]

Playland was closed 35% of the season due to weather?  If that alone doesn't tell you just how downright horrendous of a summer this was, I don't know what will.  This summer SUCKED!

[B-mac]

Just to add to it, the past few summers sucked.

[GADVwow]

Looks like a good park. That dragon coaster looks like something I could, literally, fit in my backyard.

http://rcdb.com/231.htm?p=12558
(Looks like a bigger version of the Millenium Flyer trains.)

Dragon Coaster is far larger than it looks.  In its day, it was quite the ride.  Of course that was long before the Morgan trains were installed.

[medic738]

My son and I stopped at Playland on a trip up north in August.  This is a fantastic park.  Dragon Coaster was a great ride.  They also had Super Flight that was pretty unique and a good ride.  I loved their dark rides - I think they had 3 including an old mill.  I liked the fact that most of the dark rides were in great shape - all stunts seemed to be working fine.  Also, they kept them in their original shape - not convert them to "shooting galleries" like most newer dark ride attractions seem to be!  The park was very clean.  Good food.  Reasonable prices.  And beautiful scenery (I think it was on Ling Island Sound?).  A few weeks ago I watched the Tom Hanks movie "Big" that had the closing scenes filmed at Playland.  I'd love to go back!