Seabreeze Amusement Park
| Previously known as Dreamland | |
 July 2006 | |
| Location | Irondequoit, New York, United States  |
|---|---|
| Opened | August 5, 1879 |
| Owner | Norris family |
| Slogan | "More Smiles per hour!" |
| Operating season | May - September |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 70 |
| Roller coasters | 4 |
| Water rides | 8 |
| Website | www.seabreeze.com |
Seabreeze Amusement Park, known locally as Seabreeze, is an historic amusement park in Irondequoit, a suburb of Rochester, New York, United States.
Seabreeze is in northeast Irondequoit, where Irondequoit Bay empties into Lake Ontario. It opened on 5 August 1879[1], and, according to the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA), it is the twelfth-oldest operating amusement park in the world (fourth-oldest in the United States). Its most celebrated ride is the Jack Rabbit, an "out and back" roller coaster, and the fourth-oldest operating roller coaster in the world (opened 1920). It is owned and operated by the Norris family, many of whom lived on the property for years.
History
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Like many historic amusement parks, Seabreeze did not begin with rides or attractions but as a trolley park that provided a park and picnic grounds at the end of the trolley line. With Seabreeze's prime location and with its scenic views of Irondequoit Bay and Lake Ontario, rides were added beginning in 1900.
Its popularity was such that during the early part of the twentieth century, it was often referred to as the "Coney Island of the West." The park was known as Dreamland for approximately thirty years during the post-World War II era.
1879 Park opens on August 5th, as the last stop on the steam railroad. Picnic groves and the lakefront are the main attractions; mechanical rides arrive soon after.
1900 Rides are arriving by the dozen. The Long family, carousel concessionaires from Philadelphia, bring a carousel to the park – and with them, the whole future of Seabreeze
1920 The decade of "flapper dresses and the Charleston" is a great one for the park, as thousands of visitors enjoy four roller coasters, the Virginia Reel, the world's largest salt water swimming pool, and a variety of live thrill acts on the Midway
1940 A member of the third generation of the Long family, George Long, buys the park. He renames it "Dreamland", and gets ready for the post-war era. Circus style acts and band concerts become added attractions at the park's bandstand.
1950 After W.W.II, new families (with lots of new babies) come to the park to check out the Lightning Bug ride, the Fairyland Zoo, live shows, and the goin'-upside-down Rock-O-Planes. George Long's sons-in-law, Merrick Price and Bob Norris, run the park during this "decade of family fun," when business is booming
1970 After a few soft years, the grandchildren begin to rebuild the park, adding new and re-themed rides like the Gyrosphere, ManHandlers, Kaleidoscope, Enchanter, Loop-O-Planes, and the Paratrooper. The park's name is switched back to Seabreeze, and that marks the start of a new generation of thrills.
1980 The park begins its second century of fun with several new changes. A new/old element makes a return to Seabreeze, with the addition of body flumes and the return of water-based activities. The Log Flume is modernized, a soft ice cream stand is built, regularly scheduled live shows return, Kids Kingdom is introduced, and a paid admission gate goes into effect.
1990 After a decade of exciting changes and tough challenges the fifth generation of the original Long family moves the park into the Nineties with such new additions as the Raging Rivers Waterpark, the Quantum Loop, and the Screamin' Eagle. After a devastating fire, the park creates a new wooden Carousel for the guests to enjoy.
2000 The new millennium begins with Seabreeze continuing to offer guests the latest in family fun attractions like the Wave Pool, the sight and sound re-vamp on the Gyrosphere, the up & down thrills of the Spring and a variety of live shows are performed on the front lawn stage. The Seabreeze Passport program, offering an individual guest multiple visits, is introduced and is very well received.
2004 For its 125th anniversary Seabreeze celebrates by introducing its latest attraction: a new spinning coaster – The Whirlwind. Attendance has grown tremendously, and each season gets even better as thousands of families from across the region "re-discover" the new Seabreeze – officially listed as the 4th oldest amusement park in the country.
Rides and Attractions
Early rides included its centerpiece carousel added in 1915. (The carousel was almost completely destroyed by fire on March 31 1994; a new carousel of hand-made parts, potentially one of the last to be made in this way, was commissioned to replace it, using four horses that survived the fire.) Four roller coasters were added in the 1920s, including a ride called the Virginia Reel, and the "world's largest salt water swimming pool." [1]
Today, in addition to the carousel and the Jack Rabbit, the park includes a spinning coaster called "The Whirlwind," the "Raging Rivers" water park, and other modern and classic amusement rides. [2]
The Jack Rabbit
The Jack Rabbit, is an "out and back" roller coaster located at Seabreeze Amusement Park in Irondequoit, New York. Opened in 1920, it is the fourth oldest operating roller coaster in the world and second oldest in the USA.[3]
It is a hard ride to learn to operate, there are several brake levers and it takes a while to learn the proper timing and sequence to accurately stop the cars at the platform.[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b "Official Seabreeze website: History". Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Official Seabreeze website: Coasters and More". Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "National Amusement Park Historic Association, World's Oldest Operating Roller Coasters". Retrieved 2008-06-21.