Darien Lake - Darien, New York - large family theme park

Darien Lake Theme Park Resort is a large theme park and resort located in upstate New York. Originally opened as Darien Lake Fun Country in the early 1900s, the small picnic area and campground has changed hands several times over the years and grown into a theme park that covers nearly 1,000 acres and features 35 rides, including six roller coasters.

Darien Lake Fun Country was actually born in the 1970s when owner Paul Snyder added amusement park rides to his campground and picnic area. Through a special deal with HUSS Maschinenfabrik, Darien Lake featured state of the art amusement park rides, often prototypes of new rides that the manufacturer wanted to sell to U.S. amusement parks. Through the 1980s and 1990s, Darien Lake changed hands three times, first being sold to Funtime Parks, then to Premier Parks, which eventually also bought the Six Flags chain of parks. Darien Lake Fun Country changed names along with owners, becoming first Darien Lake, then Six Flags Darien Lake.

During those years, Darien Lake added some enduring attractions. Funtime Parks bought and installed the Giant Wheel Ferris wheel that had been built for the 1982 Worlds Fair in 1982. The Giant Wheel still stands as a centerpiece of the park. Also during the 1980s, Darien Lake added entertainment venues, including a performing arts theater and an amphitheater. In the 1990s, Darien Lake added a laser light show and water park attractions. In 1999, Darien Park opened under the name of Six Flags Darien Lake, but by 2006, Six Flags was in financial trouble. At the end of the 2006 season, the amusement park company announced that Six Flags Darien Lake was for sale. The amusement park was sold to PARC Management in April 2007.

Darien Lake Theme Park Resort has evolved into far more than a simple amusement park. The theme park does include rides of all kinds, from thrill rides to kids' rides in a dedicated section of the park. In addition, the park features a water park complete with wave pools, a pirate-themed play pool with water falls and "wrecked ships''. The biggest attractions at the water park are Tornado, a 60 foot tunnel slide, and the Big Kahuna, a 700 foot raft ride with twists, turns and spirals.

The resort offers accommodations in a hotel and in the campground. While the original picnic area and campground is now off limits to park guests, it has been expanded to include 1,200 campsites. Half of the campsites house RV's owned by the park and rented out to guests. The other half of the campsites are available for guests with their own RVs or for campers in tents. The 160 room Lodge on the Lake Hotel features luxury accommodations and room for possible expansion to include an indoor water park. Guests at the campground and the hotel get daily access to the theme park.

Darien Lake Theme Park Resort is open from May through October. From the end of June through Labor Day, the park is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Hours during the other months of operation vary. Guests can purchase season tickets, which feature unlimited visits throughout the season, or pay a one-day admission. There are discounts available for groups, and special offers for season ticket holders. For more information and for up-to-date information on operating hours and prices, contact Darien Lake Theme Park Resort at 585-599-4641.