Castle Park (amusement park)
Castle Park, formerly Castle Amusement Park, is a 25-acre amusement park and family amusement center located in Riverside, California. The park utilizes a medieval "castle" theme and includes attractions such as a miniature golf course, arcade, and 22 amusement rides including two roller coasters such as Merlin's Revenge, a junior rollercoaster, and Screamin' Demon, a spinning Wild Mouse rollercoaster. The main "castle" themed building, houses the arcade as well as its only dark ride, "Ghost Blasters", an interactive attraction, designed by Sally Corporation, which can also be found at other amusement parks throughout North America. The park was designed, built and operated by Bud Hurlbut, who designed several rides at Knott's Berry Farm.[1] Castle Park is currently owned and operated by Palace Entertainment.
| Previously known as Castle Amusement Park (1976-2001) | |
 | |
| Location | Riverside, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°54′10″N 117°28′06″W |
| Opened | 1976 |
| Owner | Palace Entertainment |
| Operating season | Year Round |
| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 22 |
| Roller coasters | 2 |
| Website | Castle Park |
History
The park opened in 1976[2] as a Family entertainment center, featuring a castle themed building housing a large two level video game arcade, and an outdoor miniature golf course. In 1985, the park expanded by adding an adjacent amusement ride area, featuring a collection of classic rides such as a Dentzel carousel built in 1905, a miniature railroad, and a log flume ride, thus becoming a legitimate amusement park.
In 1999, the park opened Ghost Blasters, an interactive dark ride designed by Sally Corporation. The ride features laser guns which riders use to shoot at targets to accumulate points. The attraction is the park's first and only dark ride, and occupies the entire second floor of the former arcade area inside the main castle building, reducing the arcade to only the first floor.
In 2008, the park opened "Dragon Flyer", a spinning flat ride, and "Screamin' Demon", a spinning wild mouse rollercoaster.
On May 25, 2019, a woman was critically injured and her husband and child suffered less-severe injuries when the log ride malfunctioned and threw them into the water.[3] The guests recovered mostly from their injuries.
Attractions
Rides:
- Antique Car Ride
- Bumper Cars
- Castle Park Railroad - A 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[4] railroad.
- Crazy Plane - A rotating "bus" ride.
- Dragon Flyer - A "flying" ride.
- Dragons Tower - A vertical drop ride.
- Fireball - A looping ride.
- Flying Animals - A "Dumbo" style flat ride.
- Flying Saucer - A spinning gravity ride (A Gravitron).
- Ghost Blasters - An interactive Dark ride located in the arcade.
- Kings Crown - A swing ride.
- Sawmill Plunge - A log flume ride.
- Merlin's Revenge - A junior rollercoaster.
- Merry-Go-Round - A Dentzel Carousel built in 1907.
- Riverside Express - A 14 in (356 mm) gauge[4] ridable miniature train ride.
- Rockin' Tug
- Scrambler
- Screamin' Demon
- Sea Dragon - A swinging ship.
- Sea planes - A children's flat ride.
- Spaceships - A children's flat ride.
- Spider - A spinning twirling ride.
- Tilt-a-Whirl
- Whip - A centrifugal ride.
- Wiggle Racers
Other Attractions:
- Buccaneer Cove - A water play area.
- Arcade - A video game arcade also housing the "Ghost Blasters" attraction.
- Miniature Golf - An 18-hole miniature golf course area.
- Anthony The Magic - A magic show
- The Big Top - A private parties facility.
Former Attractions:
- Little Dipper - A children's rollercoaster.
- Motorcycles
- Falling Star - A rotating pendulum ride
- Thunderbolt
- Trabant
- Ferris Wheel
- Tornado Coaster - Zamperla Powered Kiddie Coaster
- Cyclone Racer - Musik Express
- Samba - A children's helicopter ride.
- Go Karts - Was originally part of the "Big Top" area. Its former site is now occupied by "Screamin' Demon".
References
- Merritt, Christopher, and Lynxwiler, J. Eric. maxeys Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm, pp. 92-120, 127, 139, 146-7, Angel City Press, Santa Monica, CA, 2010. ISBN 978-1-883318-97-0.
- "Castle Park Riverside - CA". Archived from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
- "Log ride crash injures 3 at California park". No. 92nd year, no. 223. The Desert Sun Publishing Company. Associated Press. May 27, 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- "Denver Rails Database of Railroad Attractions". www.denverrails.com.