Lake Compounce Review | America's Oldest Amusement Park
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Lake Compounce is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States. Operated by Palace Entertainment (Parques Reunidos), Lake Compounce oozes charm. This park features a picturesque backdrop of a lake and wooded mountain, and several rides use that setting to their advantage. However, the park has received a lot of flack in recent years for several changes. But is the park still worth visiting? Find out in this review!
Video Credits
Boulder Dash POV (New Jersey Coasters)- • Boulder Dash in-betwee...
Ghost Hunt (Lagotronics Projects)- • Interactive upgrade Gh...
Haunted Graveyard (Haunted Graveyard)- • The Haunted Graveyard ...
Background Music
Cinematic Drone Documentary by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / Flight- • Cinematic Drone Docume...
![All Coasters at Lake Compounce Ranked [With POVs]](/img/n.gif)
They got a kiddie credit, a smooth Vekoma Boomerang, a Sky Rocket 2, a fantastic terrain CCI, and of corse, the most important, Canobie Coasters absolute favorite wooden coaster of all time, Wildcat!!!
The one refurbished by old Vekoma employees.
Boulder Dash is all I need.
If I have a choice between rolling down a hill in a barrel full of rocks and riding wildcat. I'd take the barrel!
@@waterzipper lmfao
WILDCAT IS THE WORSE
Part of the reason that Lake Compounce didn’t run two trains on Boulder Dash for a while was because of the original ride system not being able to run two trains reliably, and because of a collision in 2017. In 2021, the ride got a new control system, and as such has been running with two trains much more often.
I'm glad the 2 train operations has been more consistent this year on busy days.
collision was due to them overriding the PLC not a ride control issue
I actually went there several times in 2021 and it still only runs one train.
I wish Lake Compounce would fix their Wurlitzer 153 band organ. It has been broken since 2011 and there have been rumors that it will get restored. But I have heard several people who went to the park this year say it hasn't been operational. I hope to see that interesting instrument play again. I haven't seen it in action since I was a kid.
I hope it is fixed.
I am a local and Wildcat was my first roller coaster. The years it was closed, they opened for a weekend to keep their "continously opened" status.
Thanks!
I grew up in Connecticut, and this was our local park. Much more enjoyable today than the riff-raff filled and always overcrowded Six Flags. A good lineup of rides (Wildcat isn’t that bad), excellent food, and a nice campsite as well. Besides all that, the in-house made fudge offered for sale is amazing.
I just wish their operations were better.
Wildcat is horrible
The scenic beauty is right up my alley. But despite it being a Wednesday, the park was so packed, it soured my feelings on it. I'm glad I did my first Boulder Dash ride and Boomerang before the crowds arrived. Phobia was closed, which also was a bummer. Downtime's line took about an hour, and I mentioned before the 90 minute line for Wildcat. I was so frustrated, I just wanted out of the park. I'm glad I sucked it up for a 2nd Boulder Dash ride, now warmed up, and riding in the front row. I hope to get back someday and get a better experience, but it's a tough park for travelers to manage. It's so strange that the smaller parks would be so busy, while Six Flags New England had no lines.
You've had bad luck with Wednesdays. If you ever go to Maine, avoid those parks on Mondays. Those are their busiest days for some reason.
thank you so much for adding closed captions
You're welcome!
I went for the first time yesterday, so this is a timely review. The lines weren't terrible for Labor Day. They added a second train to Boulder Dash a few hours into the day, so that helped. The only line that was above 30 minutes for me was for food!
I was there too, I wonder if we ran into each other?
@@cycloid2326 possibly, I saw a few enthusiast-type people around. Guy in a Candymonium shirt, two guys who said they were gonna marathon BD at the end of the day. I was there by myself.
@@blakestoudt2131 The Candymonium shirt was me, hope you enjoyed your time at my home park!
@@cycloid2326 😂 dang, I should've said something, Hershey is my home park! I did enjoy my visit.
That's awesome!
I LOVE this place. If your touring connecticut then this is a must. Missing out on this would be terrible. And dont judge it just because it is an old park. This place holds hearts to people. I havent been here since childhood and I cant wait to see the new stuff there. Definatly come to this park if your stsying a day in connecticut.
I like the park. I just wish ride closures weren't as frequent.
I live 30 minutes away from Lake Compounce. I have been going there for over 13 years. They have many kid rides, and is a nice family park, but they do have some good thrill rides. A Vekoma boomerang, a skyrocket 2, and an insane CCI that is one of the best terrain-based coasters ever. This park also has much charm. I love Lake Compounce.
Me too.
That kiddie coaster is exactly the same as "Lil' Phantom" at Kennywood, which is exactly the same as the defunct "Lil" Thunder at Six Flags Great Adventure that used to be called "Lil' Screamer" when it 1st opened in 1976 and when my brother and I rode it in 1977 before its name was changed in 1979.
It's a popular model.
I recently went to lake compounce for the first time and the carousel actually played its band organ which was very interesting, overall it’s a fun park
Nice!
On my last visit, the whole time I was riding the carousel I was trying to figure out if the band organ was really operating or not. I think it wasn't but I'm not sure since I'd stashed my glasses in my locker so I could ride Phobia.
Fun fact: Zoomerang was the first ever Boomerang to run Vekoma trains rather than Arrow trains. That probably explains why it’s one of the smoother ones.
Makes sense!
Zoomerang is the only Boomerang I've actually ridden, and I recall my reaction was "...that wasn't that bad, kind of good actually." I understand the quality mostly goes down from there.
Wow! Lake Compounce is as old as an Ivy League institution and located in the very region!🎠
Yes
Wild Cat has just reopened after a long refurb, They re-tracked the coaster. Almost all the ride is smooth now except for the last turn around. They have Phantom Fall Fest now, so they are doing more scare themed Halloween. I saw many people dumping soda all over when it was free for everyone and causing problems with bees etc. Parking is up to $30 now. Best to get a season pass and all the perks. Also, Boulder Dash has also been re-tracked as well.
Wildcat is running much better this year. The first 3/4 are fun.
I went for the first time Saturday!! This was a very good review!
Hope you enjoyed the park!
@@CanobieCoaster I did! I got to go with my younger sisters who I don’t get to see often and they also loved it!
I grew up in Bristol, CT, and Lake Compounce was a part of my childhood. The Nortons, who owned the park back in the 1970's, lived only a few blocks away from the house I grew up in. We sort of knew their family and I went to school with their daughter. Very sad how the park has had a tumultuous history since the 1980's.
Very cool that you knew them!
Awesome video! Sky Coaster is also worth mentioning. It’s annoying that it costs extra to ride, but I would say it’s well worth it. It’s definitely one of the most fun attractions at Lake Compounce!
I agree.
$55 for a ticket isn’t bad. It’s $45 for a wristband at a small fair. I’ll take late Compounce:)
That's true.
I was gonna go to Lake Compounce the last day they were open late this year just for boulder dash. Bought the ticket but, didn't go because I live on Long Island and it was looking like we were gonna get hit by hurricane Henri at the time id be driving home. Turns out I'd have been fine and miss out for nothing.
Edit: apparently there's a day I either missed or was just added to the calendar where they're open til 9. guess I can get on boulder dash at night this year.
I'm glad they added one more day with a late close!
I live in Rhode Island, like 2 hours east, we got absolutely clobbered by Henri
With the trolley and the sky ride gone in that awkward way to thunder rapids, I think what the park should do is to have a small midway of carnival games, and maybe bring back paddle boats.
It looks like longterm they want to complete the loop with the water park, which would help bring traffic down there.
Last weekend I went back to Compounce for the first time in several years, got to ride Phobia for the first time. It seems like Boulder Dash has gotten rougher, and this concerns me, but it's still one of the most intense coasters I've ever ridden. The sky ride is sorely missed. Many rides didn't open with the park, Thunder Rapids was closed entirely, and the bumper-cars ride was hobbled by over half of the cars being out of order.
That said, after a slow start, I still had a great day. I was worried Boulder Dash would be closed all day but they did get it running. Phobia Phear Coaster is a phenomenal ride for a park like Compounce, and it was pretty much a walk-on--I noticed the same phenomenon Xscream Thrills did a few years ago, that many people waiting in line for Boulder Dash seemed too scared just by the appearance of Phobia to dare to ride it (even though Boulder Dash is really a far more intense experience). Videos of Phobia often get non-enthusiast comments worrying that it is unsafe. I guess it is accurately named. I got around to riding Ghost Hunt and the big raft waterslide, Mammoth Falls, for the first time, and both were a lot of fun.
Compounce's Ferris wheel is smaller than Canobie's but its location up the hill means it has fantastic views of the park. From there, we noticed that the flume, Saw Mill Plunge, which had been closed earlier, was running, but my family didn't want to ride it and we were preparing to leave, so I still haven't ridden that one--it's my remaining to-ride for the park.
I almost always wait extra to ride Boulder Dash up front. It's smoother and has the best airtime.
...just remembered I haven't ridden their flying scooters either, will have to try that sometime. And I've been avoiding Wildcat on reputation.
I went here on the busiest day of the season this year and it was awful. Almost an hour for Wildcat and the log flume. (Wildcat was for the credit, I’m never going on that again though lol) it was so crowded, the employees were about to walk right out!
Thankfully, since it was a coaster event, we got ERT on Boulder Dash! Amazing ride, probably my 4th favorite wooden coaster behind Voyage, Phoenix, and El Toro.
Boulder Dash makes the park.
I work at Lake Compounce and the park is hosting the 2nd rides night of the season for employees on Saturday, September 11th, from 8pm to 9:30pm. A very good time to have a night ride on Boulder Dash. There are only a select few rides open (Boulder Dash (of course), Down Time, Thunder n Lightning, Twister, Bumper Cars, and Wildcat or Phobia if Wildcat doesn't get fixed over the week). I can only bring one guest with me to the rides night that isn't an employee. I genuinely would like to go with someone that has the same excitement as me about roller coasters and I don't have any friends who do so I would be very happy if anyone has the possibility of going at the time I listed earlier.
Hopefully you find a taker!
Palace Entertainment(Parques Reunitos) has been known to take risks...such as Steel Curtain and Skyrocket...imagine the first S&S Axis coaster in the dead spot between the rapids and Boulder Dash's turn around where the skyride was and go out over the lake.
Also...was at BGW this weekend...Phobia really makes you realize had bad tbe Sea World Skyrocket 2s are. Tempesto is garbage compared to Phobia.
I'd love to see an Axis here, but I think they need a family coaster more.
@@CanobieCoaster get a competent company to retrack Wildcat and there's your family coaster. Even a smooth Wildcat will never be a thrill coaster imo
Went here for the first time yesterday. Had a great time!
Nice!
“It (Boulder Dash) is the best ride in New England.”
Wicked Cyclone and Superman: The Ride would like a word with you.
Front row on Boulder Dash beats those two. Wicked Cyclone or Superman in any row beats Boulder Dash in any other seat.
@@CanobieCoaster Dunno about that. Over my 16 times riding it this year, I found the airtime on Boulder Dash to better in the back, but only towards the end of the day once the ride had warned up. However, I do think that front row on Boulder Dash beats front row on Wicked Cyclone.
I also prefer BD over Superman and WC...and i love both of those.
It's his favorite in New England. I am definitely not on board with that, but I don't have as much experience as he has with it. In my lone 2 rides (front & back), Boulder Dash was very good, but nowhere near a top 50 coaster in the country. But Superman & WC are both solidly in my top 10. Every ride on both of those were mind-blowing!
Great park! Nice video. They need a few new coasters. Wildcat needs help! It's far too rough. I know, it's old... it still needs something to smooth it out. No complaints otherwise.
Was there yesterday, saw it getting track work in the valleys, hopefully it helps next year.
@@cycloid2326 Thank heavens!! It would be great to ride it without Your internal organs moving in ways they've never moved before being on that train!
@@cycloid2326 really? Wow that's great to hear! It's my home park!
@@airogeneric Same, hope to see it running better next year!
I hope the trackwork pays off for Wildcat.
It surprised me that Lake Compounce was pretty pricey for its size. I am not saying it's not worth the price because it definitely is. I just don't understand why when Six Flags New England is bigger, cheaper and not far from here.
i mean...Six Flags is known as the budget park.
Six Flags season passes make the passes at every other park look pricey.
It sounds like Six Flags is re-evaluating the whole "budget chain" strategy--the reason may just be that Six Flags is leaving too much money on the table.
It wouldn’t be a Palace park without the Potato Patch!
Oddly enough, whenever I set my GPS to Idlewild, it always directs me to the employee parking lot first. According to the employee I had talked to, this was a common occurrence.
I'm glad Google Maps fixed the issue with Lake Compounce.
I want to go to this park
It's cool.
Hope to get here one day. I've heard good things from here.
It's a charming park.
nobody talks about the sky coaster. I was not expecting that to be there when i went, highlight of the day tbh, boulder dash was closed :I
Sorry to hear Boulder Dash was closed.
I might be able to go this year but i'm not sure. Bolder dash looks amazing but it doesnt have a lot compared to a lot of other parks
Boulder Dash alone is worth it.
I hear that the park is getting the gravity group to retrack Wildcat. So Wildcat might be finally be great!
I still don't think the layout is all that good, but this hopefully will make it smoother while allowing it to remain a wood coaster.
@@CanobieCoaster Rode it last week and it did a complete 180, its now my number 3 in the park.
Imagine if Cedar Fair bought this park
I know!
aw my home park!
It's one of my local ones too.
@@CanobieCoaster awesome!
if it weren't for cedar fair nor kennywood, lake compounce might be long gone, along with wildcat, and many other rides that existed at the park in the mid 90's.
True!
Sounds like the pricing is on par with Kennywood/ other Castle Entertainment parks.
That's fair.
I been there on halloween 2 times. Its in my state so its easier but when your on the ferris wheel boulder dash gets so annoying.
I like the roar coming by.
Ranking Lake Compounce's coasters worst to best (my opinion):
5. Kiddie Coaster
4. Wildcat
3. Zoomerang
2. Phobia Phear Coaster
1.Boulder Dash
I agree with the top 3.
which was rougher, wildcat or blue streak at conneaut
Wildcat easily.
I would love to see a family coaster installed in the place of the old now defunct haunted graveyard. Either a gravity group wooden hybrid coaster or Vacoma Jr. and then back by the River rapids ride put an Put an RMC Raptor I don't care if it's a clone. Give me a good reason to walk all the way to the back of the park.
I want something by the Rapids most.
is bolder dash really better than wicked cyclone and superman the ride?
In the very front, yes.
@@CanobieCoaster wow
The management of this park is so unfortunate. If it were ran like Knobels or Holiday World, the skyride would still be open, Wildcat would be rideable, the ops would be tolerable, and I'm sure there would be 1 or 2 more quality rides by now. This park seems like such a missed opportunity.
I agree.
@@CanobieCoaster that would be if the park was owned by a family
The premium season pass is absolutely worth it- free soda, discounts on food, free parking, and the ability to skip lines
Since when can you skip lines with it?
@@CanobieCoaster I mean at the entrance- don’t have to buy a ticket, then go to Security. Just walk up to security, head through the metal detector, have fun.
Noo!!11! Wildcat is the smoothest coaster!11!
Not to me.
I’m just so glad that my homepark Wildcat isn’t the worst one lol
It's hard to be worse.
@@CanobieCoaster Lol my homepark is Hersheypark
The oldest operating theme park is only 3-5 hors away from me yet I have never been
Maybe next year?
@@CanobieCoaster Mabey Lol
I tried to go over to the river rapids ride with my friend last year and they stopped us because we were in our bathing suits and no shirt
That ride has always required shirts and shoes.
Rest in peace pinks hot dogs :-(
I was surprised to see it leave
How is this parks merch
It's ok. They have a small gift shop by the exit.
@@CanobieCoaster any good shirts and other accessories