Lake Compounce has opened for its 175th season with a refresh that stretches throughout the entire park. Various areas have been redesigned and repainted on top of several new additions to the park and elements returning after having been closed for the 2020 season due to the pandemic.
After having gotten a chance to view the construction of the update, I got a chance to view the entire park's redesign on opening day. Here is a report and review of all of the new and reimagined offerings in the park as of opening day.
Entrance Redesign
The most immediate change that is evident from the moment you enter the park is that the entire entrance area has been redesigned.
As you walk into the park from the parking lot there is a new photo op replacing the old number topiaries that used to be located in this spot and were relocated inside the actual park for this year.
The entrance tunnel also received a refresh with a new entrance sign and images from the park's history throughout the tunnel.
The actual entrance plaza is the most major change, with the entire area being painted yellow for this season. This is a much brighter color that gives the entrance more energy from the moment you emerge from the tunnel. The central greenery was also reimagined with an all-new larger carousel horse (the old one was relocated inside the park).
This area feels entirely new but not outside the classic charm that Lake Compounce has always had, with the new horse being by far the best part of the new area.
They were giving out free birthday cake on opening day, which was a great touch to celebrate the park's birthday (and it was delicious).
Redesigned Areas
Most of the work this year was on various redesigns of areas of the park that give it a fresh feeling and start to give the entire park what feels like a consistent theme. We will be going through the various redesigns from the entrance around the park in a clockwise direction. If you want to learn about Venus Vortex or Timberjack Chowhouse, each of them has their own sections below.
The main street area has received a fresh coat of paint as well as new lighting above the walkway.
New murals also adorn the main street shop buildings joining the nearby mural that was added to the park last season.
Wildcat also features new lights throughout the layout that when in action are a great addition to the park's skyline.
The old entrance carousel horse was also relocated to this area giving it some added detail.
While it is not open yet due to the waterpark remaining closed until Memorial Day Weekend, the new color scheme on the Bathhouse is very pronounced and looks great alongside the new entrance area.
Mammoth Falls also looks great with its new purple and green giving the slide a new feel, although it too is not yet open as of the publishing of this article.
The old C P Huntington Train has also been reimagined as the Compounce Railway, although it is basically the same ride as it was before, just under the new name. Also despite the back half of the park behind the lake being open this year, the ride is still only being run full circuit without stopping at the second station.
The carousel has started a multi-year refurbishment but the effects are already starting to be apparent, and will hopefully only get better.
The old Wipeout location is now completely empty, and it gives some great temporary unobstructed views of Boulder Dash.
This area also now features a repainted games building that has actually reopened this year.
We now come upon the park's signature attraction, Boulder Dash which received a newly reimagined queue line and entrance sign after going without one last year. It was unfortunately not open for the first day of the season due to work on the ride's control panel.
Saw Mill Plunge got one of the most extensive redesigns this year, with a new color scheme for the entire queue building. On top of this, the old entrance number topiaries were relocated here, making for a great photo op for the celebration.
American Flyers also received new artwork that is vibrant and gives the ride a new more modern look.
Zoomerang, the park's Boomerang roller coaster has been given a fresh coat of paint, that while similar to its most recent color scheme is immediately obvious for its darker shades of purple and blue. The old paint was starting to peel so this was a needed change.
Kiddie Land looks much better than last year with all of the attractions actually open this year, including the Wave Swinger, which was the most obvious closure of last year due to its central location.
Venus Vortex
While it is not open yet, the construction of the Venus Vortex waterslide looks to be nearly complete. We have been covering this construction since it was paused in March 2020, so it is exciting to see it nearing completion and getting ready to open for Memorial Day Weekend.
Timberjack Chowhouse
The Timberjack Chowhouse is the new restaurant for this season, and it manages to perfectly merge elements of a classic mountainside cabin and a modern lodge. This is a massive improvement over the Parkside Diner that was formerly found in this location.
Seating is a little limited inside due to pandemic considerations, but there are plenty of outdoor tables nearby to enjoy your food at.
Final Thoughts
The park looks better than it has in years and if these types of improvements are representative of what is to come in the next few years then the park has a bright future ahead of it.
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