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Park Hoppin’ In association with Park Hoppin’with Susan Storey W
hen we discuss the
history and legacy of the attractions industry, we often mention parks that have been around for generations. Certainly
oldest amusement park comes to mind. Also located in Denmark, the beloved Tivoli Gardens is another favourite and is 260 years younger than Bakken! In the United States, our parks are much younger
than their European counterparts. There are several that are 100 years old and continue to delight opened in 1846, followed by Six Flag Agawam; Idlewild; Cedar Point, and Seabreeze respectively. Seabreeze, located in Rochester, New York opened grandparents enjoyed, my dad and uncles visited as children, and then, the place my brother, sister, and I grew up loving. We enjoyed Kodak buyouts, school field trips, and even visits after prom. My fast, topping out at 42 mph (67 kph) but it packs a punch and has an unexpected tunnel at the end. Certainly, Seabreeze has many rides, but it is the Jack Rabbit that holds my favourite memories from the park.
Rochester, and Seabreeze was one of our stops. We had three generations visit together. My uncle proudly reminded us his first job had been at Seabreeze, and that I would visit him after preschool. I laughed when he inquired if Rob worked at the park. I proudly told him that (happily) Rob is retired and his daughter, Genevieve is now For my siblings and me, the visit back to
Seabreeze was the first in over 25 years, and our first with our children. We talked about the beautiful carved horses. Sadly, the carousel was destroyed by a fire in 1994. Seabreeze invested in the creation of a new wooden carousel. The complete process took two years, and today, four horses from the original are joined by 38 majestic steeds, carrying on the tradition for guests, new and nostalgic. We also talked about the Bobsleds, a quirky Seabreeze original. The wooden structure features a tubular Mouse while also being unique. Admittedly I decided the ride was slower than I had remembered
SEPTEMBER 2024 IAAPA EUROPE EDITION 5
as a child, but as my car twisted and turned behind Throughout the day our family switched back
and forth for each ride. Some, we all rode together, and others were a mix of adults and children. We mixed and matched, seamlessly rotating the 11 of us you know our winters are brutal, but summers are perfect. Seabreeze invests in its horticulture providing a park landscape complete with colourful flowers and tall shade trees which round out a summer day. It remains the perfect place for families bravery, and stamina! We also reminisced a lot. We talked about visits from decades earlier and pointed ever rode. The best part of the day was our shared
experience on the Jack Rabbit. The five kids were been on a roller coaster before, but they still felt the bit of anxiety and anticipation that comes as you ready for a new ride experience. As we waited in fast it went, would it go backward, was it scary, and more. Then I heard my brother tell my nephew, made me smile. I have told my son that very same sentence for many years. My grandmother loved roller coasters, and her daughter (my mom) does not. Grandma saw it as her duty to give each of her grandchildren their first roller coaster experience. It was a rite of passage for us when we grew to the as the perfect excuse to visit Seabreeze. My grandparents lived less than 10 minutes from the park and visiting became a frequent outing followed
an ice cream cone, or two. Nine Storeys climbed aboard the Jack Rabbit
together; my parents carried on their longstanding tradition of watching by the ride exit. Click, click, click, went the train as it climbed the lift hill, our hands high in the air. Then, away we went. Down and flying around curves. Screams and giggles filled the air from my family and the other guests sharing our train. The long dark tunnel elicited even louder shrieks as we raced through, heading to the station. When we came to the stop and slowly eased back into the station, the kids waved to their grandfather as he snapped their picture. He had done this years ago, when I was their age, and rolled into the same station.
are the hallmarks of the attractions industry. They are the reasons we continue to visit the parks of our past and explore new parks to move the industry forward for the future. They also mean that one day,
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