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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Funtown Splashtown USA

Funtown Splashtown USA (commonly referred to as "Funtown") is a family-owned amusement park located in Saco, Maine, in the United States.

History

In 1960, Ken Cormier (October 8, 1932 – January 8, 2013) and his wife Violet Cormier opened Marvel Drive-In, a drive-in restaurant. Ken’s brother-in-law, Andre Dallaire had opened a mini-golf course next to Marvel Drive-In the previous year. In 1963, Andre opened a go-kart track behind his mini golf course, and in 1964 Ken added batting cages and an archery range in 1967 behind Marvel Drive-In. Over the next few years, Cormier and Dallaire added several kiddie and carnival-style rides including SkySlides and Swinging Gyms. A gift shop was also opened.

In 1967, Cormier and Dallaire formed a partnership and established Funtown USA Over the next few years, Funtown added a Zipper, outdoor bumper cars, and a Bayern Kurve named “Luv Machine.”

In 1996, Cormier bought out the remaining Dallaire interest at the park and renamed it to Funtown Splashtown USA with the addition of a waterpark.

The park features Northern New England’s tallest and longest wooden roller coaster, Excalibur, as well as New England's longest and tallest log flume, Thunder Falls. It also has a 220-foot-tall (67 m) Drop Tower called Dragon's Descent.

One of the park's most popular rides is the Astrosphere, an indoor Scrambler which features a state-of-the-art laser and light show while playing ELO's "Fire on High."

The Splashtown area features Pirate's Paradise, a large interactive waterpark playground which dumps hundreds of gallons of water onto its guests every few minutes. For the 2007 season, an expansion was built that doubled the size of the waterpark and added two new thrill slides, Tornado and Mammoth. An additional expansion in 2012 added another 6 thrill slides to Splashtown.

Current attractions

Funtown USA Rides

Height Requirements Ride Name Ride Type Manufacturer Year Opened Notes
Antique Cars Antique Taxi Cars Arrow Dynamics 1982 Rail-tracked vintage Tin Lizzys chug along a center-railed paved track.
Astrosphere Scrambler Eli Bridge 1976 The Astrosphere is an indoor dark Scrambler ride (inside a dome) with a choreographed music and lights show; theme song is Fire On High (The Astrosphere Mix) by ELO. In 2019, the Astrosphere attraction was outfitted with a new dome made out of concrete. The light and sound show was also upgraded to include new video projectors that brought back many of the original photo slides.
Balloon Race 8-arm single axle family Ferris Wheel Zamperla 1994 A small-fry family sized Ferris wheel with 8 balloon seats gently goes around up-and-down.
Barney Oldfield Roadsters Rail-tracked vintage Sportscars 1993 Vintage roadsters ride along on a railed paved track through the section.
48-in to ride alone*⁵ Adult Bumper Boats Adult size bumper boats 1993 Families rock and bump along on full sized bumper ring boats in a pool inside a pavilion.
Casino Trabant Chance Morgan 1987 This Trabant ride looks like a roulette wheel, taking its riders on a wild spinning, rising, and dipping journey.
Less than 48-inches Cactus Canyon Canoes Junior canoe water tracked ride 1982 Cactus Canyon takes riders in mini canoes along a water-filled trough track, and through a teepee.
Classic Carousel Fairground model carousel Chance Rides 1982
Dragon's Descent Turbo Drop tower ride S&S 2001 A drop tower ride that stands 220 feet (67 m) tall. Following a brief freefall, the ride uses hydraulics to bounce riders back up and down until the carriage eventually returns to ground level.
Excalibur Roller Coaster Wooden tracked roller coaster CCI 1998 The Excalibur is Maine's first wooden roller coaster since 1948. Named for King Arthur's sword.
Flying Trapeze Yo-Yo flying swings ride Chance Rides 1988 The Flying Trapeze takes riders up high and around.
Between 36-inches and 48-inches tall*¹ Frog Hopper Junior Tower Drop S&S 2001 This junior-sized version of a drop tower ride.
Grand Prix Racers Individually driven go-karts Johnson 1993 The Grand Prix Racers are gas-powered go-karts that race along a winding paved track. An enforced limit of 2 trips per rider on this attraction is in place.
Haunted Hotel Dark Ride Sally Dark Rides 2023
Less than 48-in*⁴ Helicopters Junior flying helicopter roundabout 1972 These mini copters go up-and-down by controlling the handlebars.
Less than 48-inches tall*² Kiddie Boats Junior sized motorboat roundabout 1976 This ride takes junior riders in small motorboats slowly around within a water-filled ring trough, with a mini lighthouse as its centerpiece.
Less than 42-in Kiddie Bumper Boats Junior sized bumper ring boats 1993 A junior sized bumper boats ride for younger junior riders.
Less than 48-in Kiddie Cars Auto Umbrella junior roundabout Hampton 1972 A kiddy ride consisting of mini cars, trucks, buses and bikes.
Less than 48-in*³ Kiddie Swings Junior flying swings ride 1972
Less than 48-inches Kiddie Train Junior tracked mini train ride 1987 This junior train ride goes through a mini town.
Merry-Go-Round Fairground model carousel 1967 The original Merry-Go-Round had its place near the Auto Umbrella and Sock-It-To-'Em bumper cars for many years, and was enjoyed by its many fans, who were sad to see it leave after the 2012 season (as part of the Mount Olympus Water Slides expansion); the Auto Umbrella was then moved closer to the Kiddie Swings and Kiddie Copters.
Less than 48-in Red Baron Planes Junior biplane roundabout 1976 These biplanes look like mini replicas of warplanes, and go up-and-down by controlling the handlebars.
Sea Dragon Pendulum swinging pirate ship Chance Morgan 1987 The Sea Dragon pirate ship ride swings its riders fore and aft.
Sock-It-To-'Em Bumper Cars Traditional style bumper cars Soli 1975 This is the ride that replaced the original outdoors Hydrobumpers ride (see below—Former Attractions). Familiar bumper cars inside a steel floored building with a central bumper median strip often bump-and-sock into each other.
Tempest In The Tea Cups Spinning tea cups platform ride Zamperla 1987 Large tea cup cars (3 on each bull plate roundel) spin riders around inside a gazebo tea house.
Thunderbolt Flying Bobs Chance Morgan 1988 This ride has swinging shuttle podkarts that race forwards—then backwards while pop music is playing.
Thunder Falls Log Flume water tracked ride Hopkins 1984 Thunder Falls is Maine's first log flume ride—race through Snake Canyon and Hopkins Rapids on the longest and tallest log flume ride in Maine.
Tilt-A-Whirl Tilt-A-Whirl Sellner Manufacturing 1976 A ride where its riders are inside domed tipkarts that are spinning very fast, while the platform races along an invisible inner track.
Wild Mouse Roller Coaster Wild Mouse steel compact family roller coaster Maurer Söhne 2009 The Wild Mouse is a steel compact coaster that winds its riders up-and-down through hairpin turns and fast drops. (Replaced the Galaxi Coaster which is now in Ecuador according to some staff at the park.)

Splashtown USA Water Slides and Pools

Attraction Name Attraction Type Manufacturer Year Opened Notes
Poseidon's Plunge AquaDrop WhiteWater West 2012 Part of the Mount Olympus Water Slides
Triton's Twist FlatLine Loop WhiteWater West 2012 Part of the Mount Olympus Water Slides; only installation in the Western Hemisphere
Amphitrite's Challenge Whizzard WhiteWater West 2012 Part of the Mount Olympus Water Slides
Mammoth Dark Mammoth ProSlide 2007
Tornado Tornado 45 ProSlide 2007 First and only Tornado slide in Northern New England
Pirate's Paradise Rain Fortress 2003 Branded "Portland Pirate's Paradise" from 2007-2013 through a partnership with the Portland Pirates, the local AHL affiliate
Splish tube slide (Green) Inner Tube WhiteWater West 1999 Replaced the Thunderbolt Water Slides
Splash tube slide (Black) Inner Tube WhiteWater West 1999 Replaced the Thunderbolt Water Slides
Liquid Lightning tube slide Inner Tube WhiteWater West 1999
Fun Lagoon Lagoon-style pool 1999
Swimming Pool Wading pool 1982 Expanded in 2012
Corkscrew Mat slide 1982

Former Attractions

A car from the park's Galaxi Roller Coaster returning from the unload platform to be reloaded
Photo Ride Name Ride Type Year Opened Year Closed Notes
Balloon Flight Flying balloons roundabout 1984 1986 The Balloon Flight took its riders flying up-and-down for 3 years. Removed after the 1986 season to make room for the Casino Wheel (Trabant).
Captain Isaiah Cutler's Haunted House Indoor walk-through haunted fun house with mechanical props and tricks 1967 1995 This famous haunted fun house was a long-time fixture at the old MainePlay Amusements area (now the Splashtown water park section) for its first 30 years. It featured 3 to 6 live actors in costume, various mechanical props (ghosts, witches, and monsters), and mechanical tricks (moving shuffle bridge, spinning dizzy tunnel, amongst others) in a mainly darkened house building. This house was closed—and removed—after the 1995 season due to high operational costs.
Ferris Wheel #8 Ferris Wheel (Big Eli) 1975 2000 This 8-seater classic Ferris wheel was removed after the 2002 season in favor of the Frog Hopper.
Galaxi Roller Coaster Family compact steel figure-8 roller coaster (S.D.C.) 1978 2008 The Galaxi was Maine's first-ever roller coaster in an amusement park. It had 7 autocar style coaster cars that went through an undulating figure-8 steel compact track. This mainstay ride lasted for 31 years, and was removed after the 2008 season to make room for the Wild Mouse.
Giant Slide Fiberglass grooved amusement slide ride 1972 1986 Riders walked up the long stairway to the top station of the Giant Slide, then—slid down in burlap bags. Another mainstay during Funtown's earlier years.
Hydrobumpers Flying saucer bumper ring cars 1967 1974 This was the original outdoors hydro bumper ring cars ride with the headlight post at its center, and pennant streamers emanating from it. It was at Funtown USA for 8 seasons, after which the Hydrobumpers—along with the Zipper—were removed. The area is now occupied by the building which houses the Sock-It-To-'Em traditional bumper cars.
Hydrofighter Water gun fight tower ride 1988 2000 Riders climbed aboard bibbed seats, and rose high, then—squirted each other with on-board water guns. It got removed after the 2000 season to make room for Dragon's Descent.
Kartland Go-Karts Individually driven gas-powered go-karts (Johnson) 1967 2000 Kartland was MainePlay's original go-kart track that served Funtown USA for 36 years. During the earlier years, this attraction was a pay-per-ride owned by MainePlay; in 1993—after the merger with Funtown USA proper—the ticket booth closed down, and operated on a 2-trips-per-rider policy. The Kartland Track was enjoyed by its fans for so long, until it retired at the close of the 2002 season. The area then became a picnic area for 9 years. It's now the home for the new Apollo's Water Slides Area, which opened in 2012.
Noah Zark Ark themed junior play area 1982 2000 Noah Zark (a corruption of Noah's Ark) was a kiddy play area that looked like an ark boat.
Paratrooper Rise-and-fall seated roundabout 1982 1987 Another classic spinning ride that was enjoyed by fans for 6 seasons; got removed at the close of the 1987 season.
The Luv Machine Bayern Kurve 1975 1981 The Luv Machine was a groovy psychedelic themed Bayern Kurve bobsled tracked platform ride that speeded its riders up-and-down along its grooved inner track; got removed after the 1981 season to make room for the Antique Cars.
UFO Rise-and-fall spinning platform ride 1972 1981 The UFO Ride was a one-of-a-kind spinning platform ride; part Round-Up, and part Enterprise! UFO was removed from Funtown USA after the 1981 season to make room for eventual expansions.
Water Bugs Bumper Boats Family sized bumper ring boats 1984 1992 This was a bumper boats attraction housed in a pavilion behind the Sock-It-To-'Em bumper cars. After 1995, the boats were removed, the water was drained, and the pool was filled in with white gravel. It's now part of a picnic area.
Zipper Zipper 1967 1974 The classic Zipper ride was at Funtown USA for only the first 8 seasons, and was—afterwards—removed. It stood where the Cash Cube game does now.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Funtown FAQ's".
  2. ^ "Home".
  3. ^ "HISTORY < Funtown Splashtown USA". Funtown Splashtown USA. Retrieved 2021-04-17.

Notes

  1. Riders over 48-inches can sit in the center seat when accompanying a guest less than 48-inches.
  2. Guests over 48-inches can ride when accompanying a guest less than 48-inches tall.
  3. In order to ride your feet cannot. touch the floor while sitting.
  4. Guests over 48-inches tall can ride when accompanying a guest less than 48-inches tall.