05-05-2025
Waldameer & Water World officially open for season Saturday, debuts new attractions
The fifth oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country has opened its doors once again for the season.
Waldameer Park & Water World is filled with over 100 attractions for anyone in the family to enjoy.
President Steve Gorman said they have been working hard to get everything prepared for the summer.
'We do a lot of maintenance work on the rides all year long, so when we reassemble them and then we just have to test them and check it all out,' said Gorman.
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As the park reaches its 129th year, the family-owned business continues to evolve and update.
They have added a new thrill ride called Time Twister this year. It's placed at the former spider location, which operated from 1977 until 2024.
What people will notice the most is that the entrance to Water World has been reconstructed.
Their goal is to create smoother entry and exit, reducing lines and congestion on busy days.
The plaza that was formerly home to the well-known Potato Patch stand that operated for about 40 years has been replaced by a new food and beverage location called Tasty Tater.
'Which will offer the same products but also some new things like some fish and some sausage, and some shrimp,' said Gorman.
Despite the rain, many people still came out to enjoy the rides.
'Sometimes it's worth the bad weather,' said Arianna Milton, who was enjoying Waldameer's first day of the season. 'We had this whole plan for a bunch of people to come, and then no one really showed up, so we're just trying to have fun.'
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Milton, along with her best friends Mary and Olivia, gets season passes every summer and looks forward to opening day all year long.
They plan to ride their favorites, which include Thunder River and Ravine Flyer II, which has recently been ranked number four in USA Today's Choice Awards for best roller coaster in the United States.
'Come out, have fun. It's something to do,' said Mary Skladanowski, who was enjoying Waldameer's first day of the season.
'Summer will come and we will be ready for you,' said Gorman.
Gorman said they are almost fully staffed, but they are still in need of ride operators.
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