Walking around Lagoon Amusement Park last June, at first I was NOT impressed. I had paid $100 to get in and it was clearly not a $100/day park. Rides don’t open on time. There’s no place to put your stuff during rides. There’s no app, no wifi, and the hyper-stylized park map is nearly useless. Since apparently there is still a way to pay for rides in tickets (a method they don’t sell anymore), you get a smeary handstamp to indicate you have an all-day ride pass. Loading for each ride is pretty much self-directed, there’s no one directing traffic. There never seemed to be a bathroom when I needed one. There’s no bag check or security, no ride photos, and no skip-the-line pass (which, honestly, I don’t mind.) They DO have smoking stations and pay phones, however.
All day I walked around the park and thought, ok, this is cool, but not $100-a-day cool. UNTIL I made it to their newest (at the time) coaster, Cannibal. That ride was so impressive that I forgave all and would (almost) gladly visit again. And since then, they have opened another ride, Primordial, a hybrid roller coaster/dark ride with 6 different possible endings. (And not raised the ticket price – apparently, they did that ahead of time.)
Touring Suggestions
I toured roughly counter-clockwise starting from the right, which I liked in that it felt like I rode the roller coasters from oldest (Roller Coaster from 1921) to newest (Cannibal, and now, Primordial.) Plus, it gave me a “grand finale” feeling to my day, and lower wait times on the biggest rides. But I would totally understand if you head to Primordial and Cannibal first, then the rest of your day would be gravy. Just know that almost everyone else is probably doing that too.
Let’s take a look at all of Lagoon’s rides and rank them, just for fun.
Lagoon’s Roller Coasters
Lagoon is known for building their own roller coasters in-house, which is almost unheard of for a single, independently-owned park. They started with BomBora, a smaller family ride, then leveled up by several orders of magnitude to Cannibal, and now to the impressive Primordial.
Lagoon is clearly a family-oriented park, so your family’s opinion on their favorite rides may differ from mine, but this is how I would rank the 11 roller coasters at Lagoon. And if you’d like to see POV videos of all the roller coasters at Lagoon – check out yesterday’s post on Roller Coasters in Utah.
#11 – Puff the Little Fire Dragon
By default, the only kiddie coaster in the park is at the bottom of the list. Even though it is a really cute dragon and a nice shady track.
Puff is named for the popular Colossus the Fire Dragon, which was installed a couple of years before, back in the ’80s. They aren’t anywhere near each other, however. Puff is in the middle of the park with several other kiddie rides, while Colossus is towards the front.
#10 – The Bat
The Bat isn’t a terrible ride, but it falls in the kiddie category too, as a very mild inverted coaster. No loops, very short, and very headbangy. You can find it towards the back on the left side of the park, almost back to the picnic pavilions.
#9 – Wild Mouse
Lagoon’s Wild Mouse is as brutal as wild mice tend to be – sharp, unbanked curves, hard on the brakes. But I like that this one has a fun double-dip through a tunnel near the end. It’s cute, has a bit of a thrill, and offers nice views of the mountains and other rides.
#8 – Spider
Spider is another gentle ride, with spinning cars on a steel track. It’s not terribly thrilling, but slotted in between two more jarring rides, it wins points for a super-smooth ride. The huge spider and the castle-like entrance are fun.
Lagoon is definitely very good at scenery. It’s rarely just a ride plopped in place.
#7 – BomBora
BomBora is Lagoon’s first self-made roller coaster, and another gentle entry into the lineup, except for how bumpy it is. It features a beach & surfing theme and soundtrack, which is fun, but incongruous to what’s around it. I guess it is marginally close to the water park.
The surfing theme fits the track well, however, with more wavy side-to-side gliding motion than any big drops or hard g’s.
#6 – Jet Star 2
Jet Star 2 is a ’70s Schwarzkopf with a unique spiral lift hill and zoomy downhill track. You’ll either get dizzy or enjoy the rotating view.
I did NOT get to ride Jet Star 2, a fact I’m still bitter about. Due to the bench-y style seats, you have to load two people in each seat, so solo riders aren’t allowed. Grump, grump, grump.
#5 – Wicked
Wicked might be the first properly thrilling coaster on our list. It features a fast launch out of a tunnel, then straight up and over a completely vertical lift hill. The rest is rattly, but zoomy, with one barrel-roll inversion. The seat restraints will hit you right in the gut, but it’s nice that they’re not over-the-shoulder.
And, wonder of wonders, Wicked has a single-rider line! I was able to get on very quickly, even though the ride didn’t open until later in the day and was pretty crowded. Almost makes up for Jet Star 2.
#4 – Roller Coaster
Lagoon’s 1921 original wooden Roller Coaster is still a treat (though it looks pretty rebuilt.) A solid coaster, a good long ride, and a pretty rainbow neon ride station. If you look to one side, there is a 100-year celebration in pictures. It has a nice view of the mountains – and a close view of the parking lot.
Another benefit is that I could ride this one when the park opened. After that, I was left wandering around until more rides in the area opened up.
#3 – Colossus the Fire Dragon
If Lagoon’s newest coasters weren’t around, Colossus the Fire Dragon would easily be the best roller coaster in the park. And it probably was for about three decades! It’s nothing super fancy, but features two butter-smooth Schwarzkopf loops right off the top, then a lovely zippy track right on the ground, which is fun. I like sitting in the left seat to be closer to the ground.
They tell you FOUR TIMES to NOT PUT YOUR ARMS OVER YOUR HEAD – and when you ride, you can see why! Some of the supports come quite close overhead and you might even touch the ground if you are particularly fond of losing body parts. Maybe that adds to the thrill, but I fell in love with this ride.
#2 – Cannibal
Cannibal is the ride that made me finally forget Lagoon’s $100 price tag. It features an elevator lift to an over-90-degree first drop, and three inversions, one of which is a barrel roll over – and back – over a pool of water high on a rock ledge. In fact, the whole second half zooms through and around fun rock formations, while the first half is zippy and super high. While Lagoon doesn’t do themed lands, they do themed individual rides pretty well.
Cannibal also has a single-rider line! I was able to ride three times in the evening and it was almost a walk-on every time. Lines at Lagoon are overall kind of short. I mean, the queue lines themselves aren’t set up for super-long lines. Sort of tells you what kind of traffic Lagoon sees on a daily basis. The restraints are the same bladder-targeting gut punch as Wicked, so maybe pee before you ride.
#1 – Primordial
While I haven’t ridden Primordial, I’m just going to go ahead and put it at number one. At Lagoon, it’s definitely in one of the top two slots! It’s not as thrilling a coaster ride as Cannibal, but it includes a backward section, a dark ride portion with animatronics, 3D screens, a laser-shooter game, characters, and the possibility of six different endings.
There are two screen options at the end, and three possible trick-track options: a drop track, or a sliding track that goes forward or backward. I’m not 100% sure what that means, but it sounds really interesting! It looks like Lagoon did a bang-up job with this one.
Other Rides
Lagoon has more than roller coasters, of course. Let’s rank the rest of the rides too, just for the heck of it.
#22 – Boomerang
Boomerang is Lagoon’s bumper car ride, and as a solo traveler, I can’t get excited about it too much. It’s worth noting there’s a kid’s version of them too, called Scamper.
#21 – Music Express
Lagoon’s Music Express is the jankiest version I’ve ever been on. I feel like they are usually padded on the outside where you press into them during the ride. At Lagoon, there are no pads and the seat belt digs into your hip. Ride operation on these things should be like a DJ at a party. Here it was lackluster at best.
A simple Music Express can be done well. I swear the best one I’ve ever been on is at Waldameer in Pennsylvania. This is not like that.
#20 – Wild Kingdom Train
Did you know Lagoon has a zoo? They do, and it’s only accessed by the Wild Kingdom Train. The train is super slow and while it offers a nice view of the lagoon, the little cages that the animals are in are pretty sad. I was NOT expecting there to be big cats – there’s at least a tiger and a lion, plus birds, cattle, and a camel.
The trip around the lagoon takes 10-15 minutes, and I’m surprised it only takes that long, since it feels like the train only goes maybe 2 miles an hour. Having a train at all is a callback to when Lagoon was a lakeside park on the Bamburger train line.
#19 – Merry-Go-Round
I did not go on the Merry-Go-Round myself, but it looks like a beautiful version of its type. Lovely paint job and fun, unique animals, all in a fairytale pavilion in a wooded setting. It’s perfect for little kids who can’t go on Terrorride nearby.
#18 – Rock-O-Plane
There’s an old Rock-O-Plane at Lagoon. (There used to be a trio of these commonly found in old amusement parks – the rock-o-plane, the roll-o-plane, and the fly-o-plane – and sometimes the loop-o-plane.) I had never been on one, so while I was waiting for other rides to open in the morning, I tried it out.
It’s a hoot! I wrote in my notes that it’s like a kid’s Ferris wheel but with extra danger. Each enclosed pod is attached to a big wheel and if you time it and rock it right, you can flip the car all the way over. I never could get all the way upside down, but the kids in front of me did. I’m not saying I’d ever do it again, but it was fun to try! (And it was open, unlike a lot of the park first thing in the morning.)
#17 – Space Scrambler
The Space Scrambler is a basic scrambler. Fun, but nothing special or unique.
#16 – Tilt-A-Whirl
Similarly, the Tilt-A-Whirl is a Tilt-A-Whirl. I got some good spins on it, but it’s pretty much the same everywhere.
#15 – Paratrooper
Lagoon’s Paratrooper is just plopped on site, and it’s decently zippy. Since solo riders aren’t allowed on the nearby Ferris wheel, I mostly liked the Paratrooper for taking pictures of other rides nearby.
#14 – Tidal Wave
Tidal Wave is Lagoon’s swinging pirate ship, and I like that it’s right on the water. That’s exactly where a ride like this should be. It’s fun, it’s cute, and it’s especially cute when riders turn it into a “who can scream loudest” contest, which often happens on these.
#13 – Centennial Screamer
This enterprise-style ride is the kind you and your boo can cram into to be smooshed together as the spinning picks up steam, then raises up until you’re almost vertical in a constant loop-de-loop. Alone, you kinda slide around a lot and it was the only ride that properly made me dizzy. Your view from the car is essentially the world outside turning over and over – you really feel upside down!
This ride is a good example of how riders just take care of themselves at Lagoon. No one hardly comes around to lock you in or help you out, all the riders just do it themselves. I’m sure someone came around to check, but that’s about it.
#12 – Flying Aces
Flying Aces is one of those single-wing swings ride where you can pan the big wing left and right. If you do it right, you can get a really big swing going and get some real height!
I might be getting too old for these, however. When I got out of this one (again, with no help), I nearly did the splits getting out. The cars are not fixed to anything on the ground.
#11 – Sky Scraper
I’m a little miffed about the Sky Scraper Ferris wheel because I couldn’t go on it. They don’t allow single riders on the gondola-style cars. But it looks like you can turn each car like a teacup, so that’s cool if that’s true.
I’m sure it offers a beautiful view of the park and the mountains, regardless. But I can’t say it lit up at night like some Ferris wheels I’ve seen. (I think the one at Hersheypark is the best.)
#10 – Dracula’s Castle
For a family park, it’s really interesting that they have two pretty darn scary dark rides. Dracula’s Castle is the less scary of the two, but has a beautifully atmospheric look, especially at night.
#9 – Terroride
Of the two dark rides, Terroride is the scarier of the two. And it’s properly scary! It’s also open right when the park opens, or even a little before, so make sure to head there first, because a long line can build up here quickly.
#8 – Turn Of The Century
I’m really fond of swings rides like Lagoon’s Turn of the Century. And this one is perfectly placed right next to the water. It felt decently fast, and it gives a great view of the water and the mountains.
#7 – Sky Ride
I’m not going to lie, I love a good Sky Ride! And this one serves as a properly decent mode of transportation, from the far end of the park nearish Colossus, all the way over to almost the Ferris Wheel.
The view over the trees is a great way to get off your feet and above it all. It’s so relaxing!
#6 – Jumping Dragon
Jumping Dragon is a simple circular ride, but honestly, it’s super fun. It’s richly themed, goes pretty fast, and then goes backward! I saw plenty of older kids and adults on this, even though it’s near some kiddie rides. Just a beautifully-done ride.
#5 – Rocket Blast Off/Re-Entry
The Rocket tower features two ride experiences – a Blast Off version that shoots you straight up with a gentler return to earth, and Re-Entry where you are slowly lifted to the top to be dropped back down fast. It’s a reasonably thrilling example of its type, mainly good for the view.
I slot it a little lower than the next two mainly because here is where I encountered my first properly long line, which is also full in the sun. Lagoon’s do-it-yourself loading is hit or miss here too. There are circles painted on the ground which indicate how many riders and where to go, which not everyone paid attention to. Having such an inefficient system is just frustrating after standing in such a long, hot line.
#4 – Rattlesnake Rapids
Rattlesnake Rapids in the back of the park is good example of its kind. Though again, there’s nowhere to put your stuff, and not even any seat belts on the bench seats. You could escape getting wet on this ride, except there’s a waterfall at the end that gets everyone. It’s nicely set back near the Pioneer Village and feels far from the rest of the park and deep in the woods.
There used to be a fairly simple Log Flume back here too, but it was quietly retired at the end of the 2022 season, I think.
#3 – Samurai
Samurai and Air Race might be about tied as far as thrills go, but I never got a full feet-over-head experience on Samurai, just some rocking back and forth. One thing about the ride is that you can choose how extreme you want your experience by sitting farther out on each arm (if you can manage it).
Since it’s themed to samurai/Japanese culture, there are signs for RESPECT, OBEY, and HONOR, in line. It made it feel…kind of oppressive? I didn’t love having signs in my face that say OBEY.
#2 – Air Race
Air Race is properly thrilling and visually exciting, with four-person airplanes at the ends of huge rotating arms. The whole thing spins, giving you the feeling of flying in wide spirals. It will even hold you upside down at times, so the over-the-shoulder restraints are very welcome here.
#1 – Cliffhanger
I really enjoyed the Cliffhanger, though I had to wait until later in the day for it to open. It’s a short ride meant to get you wet, and a lot of the thrill is being threatened by the tall water jets. It looks like you might be flipped over a lot, but it only happened once.
In my notes, I called it “honestly hilarious.” Just a fun, fast way to cool off.
X-Venture Rides: Catapult & Sky Coaster
I don’t rank these extra-fee extreme rides – you can find them at almost any theme park. Here, Catapult is just that, a 2-person orb that gets pulled down with heavy-duty springs and is launched over 200 feet in the air. It costs $20 per person and $10 for a “re-launch.”
Sky Coaster is the same thing in every park – 2-3 riders get hauled up 150 feet off the ground, then pull a rip cord to swing back and forth at speeds of up to 80 mph. Here, it costs $15 per person. Both X-Venture rides are first-come, first-served and might sell out on high-traffic days.
Bonus: Double Thunder Raceway
The Double Thunder go-kart track is also considered an X-Venture ride and carries an extra cost. Two separate tracks of Lightning and Thunder cost $6 per driver and $3 for an extra passenger.
I never saw this open while I was there.
Kid’s Rides
Besides all these rides – most of which are already pretty family-friendly – Lagoon has 18 more rides just for smaller kids. They are mostly “in-a-circle” rides – boats, whales, dragons, jeeps, planes, fish, etc. that go round and round. Add a couple of frog-hopper drop rides, pint-sized antique and bumper cars, teacups, and a swoopy skateboard-like ride, and you have a lot of choices for your little ones.
In a list, they are: Baby Boats, Bulgy, Dinosaur Drop, Dragonfly, Flying Tigers, Helicopters, KonTiki, Ladybug Drop, Moonraker, Odysea, Red Baron, Red Rock Rally, Ruka Safari, Scaliwags, Scamper, Sky Fighter, Speedway Jr, and Tipsey Tea Cups. Adults can join on some of these, but most are found in the central Kiddieland section of the park.
Lagoon A Beach Waterpark
Between kiddieland and the Pioneer Village is a whole water park, called Lagoon A Beach. It’s desperately hard to tell what slides they have from their website and park map, but Google Maps shows they have 9 slides, a lazy river, a rockwork/lagoon pool, and a kiddie/activity pool. If you want to ride a slide that uses a tube, you’ll have to rent one for $5.
While admission to Lagoon A Beach is included in your daily ticket or annual pass, the only entrance is nearer BomBora, on the side where all the picnic pavilions are.
Besides the water park, there is a play fountain right at the entrance to Lagoon. It’s a little walled area with flush spouts so kids (or adults) can run through and cool off.
Pioneer Village
There is a whole, HUGE Pioneer Village section to Lagoon Amusement Park. And it’s not a land with rides, it’s a whole separate area with no rides in it. Behind the lagoon with the train and the zoo, there is a wild west-looking street with an old-timey photo place, a few places to eat, and lots of unmanned storefronts with various collections, like an old pharmacy, bookmaker, print shop, or musical instruments. There are mini-museums for the telephone, carriages, model trains, dolls, and the circus.
It’s almost bewildering, but it was also a really nice break in my day. Since I started counter-clockwise from the entrance, I had done most rides to the right starting at 10 am, and by the time I made it back to the pioneer village, it was about lunchtime. I found a nice salad place on this street, plus there is an Arby’s across the street and an Olde Mill with BBQ meats and sides in this area.
I ate my lunch and walked around the street, then around the back of the park to Rattlesnake Rapids and more pioneer buildings in a park setting with lawns and peacocks. Here, there are more cabins and Victorian-style houses, plus a jail, a school, and a church. You can walk inside, go upstairs, walk all around. I’ve been to museums with fewer items than this amusement park.
Shows
While I didn’t do the water park, I did do pretty much everything else and still had time for Lagoon’s two live entertainment shows. These are put on in the same building and switched out halfway through the day. I think they are pretty impressive! Especially for an independent park. (There are no photos allowed during the show – they make a big deal about it, so no proper action shots here.)
The first show was called Smoke and Mirrors, a decently good rock ‘n roll magic show with some impressive illusions. It was a little uneven in the pacing and after a while, I was calling it “Jacket: The Show” due to the magician’s parade of coats, changed for nearly every trick during the 30-minute set. But he even made a joke about it and it was a really fun act in the end.
The other show was Edge of Wonderland, a pop music Alice-in-wonderland story, which was very well danced and sung. It was so much better than it had a right to be, and I almost teared up at the end! I don’t think there was much (or any) talking, and it was all crafted from existing music, but they strung together a plot with enough energy and skill to be moving. What a superb job by the writers and cast! Six Flags shows should be this good.
Food & Shopping
Lagoon isn’t particularly known for their food, but they have chains like Subway and Arby’s in the park, plus all the usual pizza, chicken tenders, burgers, fries, and ice cream. There’s a funnel cake window in the Pioneer Village and a Beavertails next to Terroride. The Olde Mill looks like it has decent BBQ meals. And there’s a new-looking Biergarten restaurant near Roller Coaster near the entrance. (In fact, I think the Biergarten stays open all year long, even when the park is closed. BUT it doesn’t stay open as long as the park when it’s operating. At least it didnt’ on my visit.)
I had a big, fresh salad back in the Pioneer Village that was pretty decent, and some ice cream. I also had a pretzel in the evening and was miffed that they only offer cheese for it, no mustard.
Fully the back quarter or more of the park is full of huge picnic pavilions, clearly set up for families, parties, and school or church groups to bring their own food and hang out for the day.
Shopping is pretty typical, with some fun stores and merchandise. Though I didn’t find anything I had to take home. Lagoon doesn’t have that typical gift-shop corridor on the way out like most parks.
Frightmares
It seems like the only event at Lagoon is Frightmares during Halloween. All the rides are open (minus the water park) but added in are eight fright zones, from non-scary, kid-friendly areas to “absolutely too scary for most kids” haunted houses, plus spooky atmosphere and walk-around characters. You can buy a $1 glowstick for your kids if you want to assure them a “no scare” experience.
While the rides and those scare areas above are included in your ticket, there is one big show that costs $15 extra to experience. You can also purchase a “time warp fast pass” to skip the line at all the haunted houses for $25, or $30 on Saturdays.
Amenities
There is no wifi in the park. There is no Lagoon app (so far.) They do have a “my fun portal” webpage you can bring up on your phone to store your season pass. (Though I’m not sure what else it can do.)
I wrote in my notes that this is the worst park for bathrooms. There never was one when I needed it, and I ended up going to a small one by Kiddieland several times. There are some newer bathrooms here and there, advertised by a toilet on a straight-up plinth, and a lid that opens and closes as it spins. So at least they’re trying, and with some humor.
While I’ve griped about not having anywhere to put your stuff while you ride – and it’s true, there is no bin system or cubbyholes at ride stations. But there are lockers everywhere. I see one blog from 2021 that states lockers are free for the first hour. But basically, no one was using them. Most folks just throw their stuff to one side and pick it up after, which is what I did, or even wore it for many rides.
Parking is pretty easy in a not-huge lot. It costs $20 for regular parking, $30 for closer preferred parking, and $25 for an RV or oversized vehicle. You can get an annual parking pass for $85.
Hours
Lagoon Amusement Park opens for the season in late March (the 23rd in 2024) and starts daily operation in late May through mid-August. Then it’s back to weekend operation through the Frightmares season to the end of October.
Operating hours usually start at 10 am (though not all the rides are open!) and you can enter the park at least 30 minutes early. Closing time varies throughout the season, anywhere from 6 pm to 10 pm. Lagoon A Beach water park is open from late May through August.
As always, check hours and prices before your visit!
Tickets
The biggest downside to Lagoon is the high ticket price. It offers a lot for it, but it’s hard to pay more than you would for a Six Flags or Cedar Point for only 2-3 outstanding coasters and a huge Pioneer Village.
Online, it’s $92.95 for a day at Lagoon Amusement Park, or $97.95 at the gate, plus taxes and fees. Meaning, that $93 ticket actually costs $101.69. A youth ticket for anyone under 48 inches is $74.95, pre-tax, and anyone 65 or older is $87.95. Season passports hover around the $200 mark. Occasionally, Lagoon will offer discount codes on their Facebook page, and maybe there’s a local way to save, like through a credit union or grocery store. If you know of one, let us all know!
To compare, Six Flags Magic Mountain in California with 20 roller coasters – the most in any park in the world – costs around $60-70 online ($110 at the gate.) And Cedar Point, with 16 world-class coasters, starts around $50.
Conclusion
I grit my teeth and say it’s worth it (although it really wasn’t until I met Cannibal.) But it’s really not a repeatable park unless you’re local and can afford (or get a deal for) an annual pass and make the most of it. It would be a wonderful place to be without worrying about price – hanging out in the water park and having big cookouts at the picnic pavilions, wandering around the random museums in the Pioneer Village, just riding kiddie rides with your littles. But it’s a lot to ask for the out-of-town visitor.
And maybe that’s the point. Maybe it’s geared towards families and locals who can afford the annual pass price. Maybe for a small, one-off park to afford rides like Primordial and pay their employees well, they have to charge that much. But it’s a hard pill to swallow.
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