A Great Family Amusement Park with On-Site Accommodations

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On Victoria Day Long Weekend we were invited to check out the new and exciting attractions at Darien Lake in Darien Center, New York. (approximately a 40 minute drive from the Niagara Falls Peace Bridge.)

Darien Lake has recently invested over 5 million dollars into the park and accommodations for the upcoming season. We hadn’t been to the park in over 10 years so it was a good opportunity to see some of the upgrades that have been made.

We arrived on Saturday morning. Though check-in time at the hotel was not until 3pm, the staff was quick to accommodate and offer us our rooms in advance. We stayed on the second floor. Made to look like a cabin or lodge, “Lodge On The Lake” was very warm and cozy with plenty of seating areas. The inside of the hotel reminded me slightly of The Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

We arrived on Saturday morning. Though check-in time at the hotel was not until 3pm, the staff was quick to accommodate and offer us our rooms in advance. We stayed on the second floor. Made to look like a cabin or lodge, “Lodge On The Lake” was very warm and cozy with plenty of seating areas. The inside of the hotel reminded me slightly of The Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Our rooms were simple but provided us with everything we needed for our stay. Each room had two queen sized beds, (which were extremely comfortable!) a flat screen television, hair dryer and mini fridge . The sink was located outside of the bathroom but this actually proved to be very convenient when you are staying with another person. I liked that you could not hear a lot of noise from surrounding rooms. This isn’t always the case in most hotels. Overall we were very satisfied with the rooms and would not hesitate to stay there again in the future.

The property is equipped with water and electric hookups if you have your own trailer. If you would rather bring your tent, there is plenty of campsites available. One of the newest editions to the park is the cabin accommodations. Though we didn’t stay in one, however we walked through the area and they seem like they would be a great option for a small family with children as there is a picnic table out front of each as well as a fire pit to enjoy after a fun day in the park. The lake which is just steps away is full of fish, so the kids may also enjoy feeding them from the dock or edge of the water.

The park and attractions themselves are approximately a 10 minute walk from the hotel and campgrounds. We made our way down the trail to the park gates. There are many benches along the way if you want to stop to relax. I remember bits of the park from the last time we were there, such as some of the coasters and games but it was great to see some of the new rides such as the Motocoaster and the Ride of Steel (Superman ride). The waterpark also has been upgraded to include more water slides and a lazy river.

We started off by going on the Pirate Ship which is a ride that looks like a large boat and swings back and forth. This is a great ride for the entire family since everyone can sit side by side. I love the feeling of weightlessness when the ride reaches its highest point! After the Pirate Ship we rode the “Boomerang” coaster which begins with a steep incline backwards. Once the train releases, guests are propelled through vertical loops and hills. After this the ride goes in reverse! What a thrill!
The “Viper” coaster was one of my favorite rides. It is super fast with many flips, dips and drops. The ride rotates you forward and back. When the train comes to a stop you still feel the rush of the ride after you exit!

The “UFO” ride was very similar to the ride usually found at amusement parks. The ride begins with you standing around the inside of a circular structure. It then begins to spin and before you know it you are defying gravity spinning 360-degrees! This is a very cool ride for people that love the thrill of fast rides, however people with motion sickness may want to select another ride.

Though we didn’t bring any kids with us, the park is designed to appeal to the entire family. There are many other rides for younger children such as the merry-go-round and Ferris wheel. The new Rowdy’s Ridge features five kid friendly attractions including “Rowdy’s Heave Ho!” which allows guests to self-propel to the top of it then let go and plunge back to base camp. While waiting to get on one of the other rides nearby, we saw the “Moose on the Loose” ride. If I was five years old, I would be racing to this one! Each rider moves along a track on a Moose character. I noticed that they had cameras setup along the ride to capture the children’s excitement. The “Hornets’ Nest” is a spinning ride that allows guests to soar to new heights which they control. “Hoot N Holler” is a miniature roller coaster with twists, turns and gentle drops. The coaster travels at a slow speed around the oval track. “Raccoon Rally” is a children’s version of bumper cars. Of course for the adults that still feel like kids, there are the regular bumper cars!

We dined at Maria’s Spaghetti House for dinner which is located near the waterpark. We were greeted and seated in one of the many booths. The waitress took our drink and appetizer order. We ordered the Spinach and Cheese dip. This was absolutely delicious! Once we were done with the appetizer, we placed our entrée orders. We chose the cheese ravioli with marinara sauce and chicken alfredo penne . Both meals were tasty and of a good size. Each were served with a garlic breadstick. The prices were very reasonable, especially for an amusement park. Most of the meals were between $10-$12 per plate. This restaurant is recommended because of the great food, reasonable prices and friendly, prompt service.

We were able to ride a few more rides including the bumper cards and Ferris wheel as well as saw one of the on-site shows, The Comedy Juggler John Park before heading down to the lake for the 10pm Laser Blast Show. Everyone sat on the lawn eagerly waiting for the show to begin. I’ve never been to a laser show so I had no idea what to expect. It started out with some popular music and some illustrations on the big screen. Smoke machines and pyrotechnics began to start. The full colour lasers then moved to the music and timed fireworks went off. Everyone sang and danced along to the variety of different music genres. This laser show was definitely my favorite part of our trip to Darien Lake! The entire family can enjoy this show!

The next day was significantly warmer than Saturday so we decided to head to the waterpark. The hours of operation are 11am to 7pm on park operating days. This day was the opening of Spashtown, the 10 acre waterpark. We went in the wave pool which is great for all ages since the water is shallow and gets deeper the further you go out. The waves are turned on periodically and there are plenty of lifeguards on watch. We then decided to try out some of the waterslides. I guess many of the other guests that day had the same idea because the some of the lineups were quite long. The individual and double riders weren’t too bad so we went on the Canonball Run ride which starts off as a slightly vertical slide and then shoots you into a funnel where you are blasted with water and spun around until eventually you slide back into the main slide then into the exit. We also went on the Cuda Falls which is a high speed slide that twists and turns you until you reach the refreshing pool. We didn’t have a chance to try out the Tornado, Big Kahuna or Lazy Days Lagoon, but these are on our list for next time!

Before the end of the day, we went on the Grizzly Run where your family and friends can all ride together (I believe each boat can ride 6 or 7 people). The ride takes you down roaring rapids under waterfalls and down a river. You will definitely get wet on this ride! The Shipwreck Falls was not in operation that day but we did have a chance to go on the Thunder Rapids which I’m sure was equally exciting. It is a log ride where two or three passengers ride through splash zones, a tunnel and two drops. This ride does not get you as wet as Grizzly Run but is more thrilling because of the drops!

There is definitely something for everyone in the entire family at Darien Lake! The staff works hard to ensure that everyone has a great time. We were very pleased with how quiet the park was compared to other amusement parks. There are only two comments/suggestions I would have for Darien Lake. One being to move the checkout time from 11am to noon. Since the Beaver Brothers Lakeside Café is open til 11am for breakfast, this would give guests enough time to get back to their room to checkout if they decide to eat in the park. I noticed at the waterpark that there is minimal shaded areas aside from the cabanas which available at an additional fee. Basic patio umbrellas similar to the ones that are available at the pool would be perfect. Again, this is a minor but would be really appreciated by guests who are watching their children from wave pool area when the temperature rises.

Overall we loved the Park and Accommodations. A big bonus to staying at one of the on-site accommodations is that you get two days in the park for every night’s stay. Since you are only a short walk to the park, you can come and go as you please throughout your stay. We will definitely plan to return this summer or next. We may consider camping on the campsite now that we see how well kept the grounds are as well as the on-site amenities. We will just have to remember the smores for our campfire!

A huge thanks to Darien Lake and Planet 3 Communications for their hospitality during our weekend! We can’t wait to return!

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