Seabreeze Amusement Park

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Seabreeze Amusement Park
Previously known as
  • Sea Breeze Grove (1879-1900)
  • Sea Breeze Park (1901-1938)
  • Dreamland Park (1939-1974)
  • Seabreeze (1975-Present)
Seabreeze Amusement Park logo.png
Location Irondequoit, New York, U.S.
StatusOperating
OpenedAugust 5, 1879
OwnerNorris family
Operating seasonMay to September
Area35 acres (14 ha)
Attractions
Total25
Roller coasters4
Website www.seabreeze.com

Seabreeze Amusement Park (Seabreeze) is a historic family amusement park located in Irondequoit, New York, a suburb of Rochester, where Irondequoit Bay meets Lake Ontario. According to the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA), Seabreeze is the fourth-oldest operating amusement park in the United States and the thirteenth-oldest operating amusement park in the world, having opened in 1879. [1] The park features roller coasters, a variety of other rides, a midway, and a water park.

Contents

History

In the 1870s, the lakeshore of Lake Ontario became a tourist destination for residents of the city of Rochester. Several hotels opened at the port of Charlotte and along Irondequoit Bay to entertain summer visitors, and rail lines were built from the city to both destinations. In 1879, the Rochester and Lake Ontario Railroad Company built a line from Portland Avenue in Rochester to the Sea Breeze neighborhood at the inlet of the bay. [2] The company purchased fifty acres to open a resort for picnicking and other summer activities, which opened to the public on August 5, 1879. [3] [4]

The Rochester and Lake Ontario Railroad went bankrupt in 1899 and was reorganized as the Rochester and Suburban Railway. Facing competition from other amusement parks along the bay and lakeshore, the company began adding carnival attractions, and in 1903 the first permanent ride, a figure-eight roller coaster, was built in the park. [3] By the 1920s, Sea Breeze featured several permanent attractions, including roller coasters, dance halls, a Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel, and the Natatorium, a large outdoor saltwater pool. [4] [5] The Natatorium was claimed to be the largest saltwater pool in the world at the time of construction. [6] Fires were a frequent problem and several rides and buildings burned down during this era. [4]

Sea Breeze was forced to downsize during the Great Depression, and the trolley line to the park, now owned by New York State Railways, [3] was closed in 1936. George W. Long Jr. began renting the park from New York State Railways in 1937, and purchased it in 1946, changing the name to Dreamland Park. [4] Long added several rides, including a log flume. [7]

Long retired in 1975 and was succeeded by his grandson, Robert Norris, as president. Norris renamed the park Seabreeze and launched another wave of additions and improvements to attract families and compete with the new Darien Lake theme park in Corfu, New York. A water park was opened in 1986 and expanded in 2001. The park's carousel was destroyed in another fire in 1994 and replaced two years later. [4] [8]

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Seabreeze remained closed for the entire 2020 season. Operations resumed during the 2021 season. [4]

Rides and Attractions

Seabreeze features 25 amusement park rides and water park. The amusement park is home to a variety of roller coasters and rides, food concessions, midway games, an arcade, a museum, live entertainment, and picnic areas. The water park features a variety of waterslides, a lazy river, spraygrounds, a wave pool, sunbathing areas, a bathhouse, a retail location, and food outlets.

Amusement Rides

Attraction NameManufacturerYear OpenedAttraction TypeDescription and Information
Roller coasters
Bear Trax E&F Miler 1997Family Coaster/16 ft Outside Spiral CWA kiddie roller coaster featuring drops and a helix.
Bobsleds George W. Long1962Hybrid Roller CoasterA roller coaster built with a tubular steel track on a wooden structure. The ride has a maximum height of 31 feet and a length of 1,240 feet.

The Bobsleds were built by George W. Long Jr. in the winter of 1961–1962, after he returned from California where he saw the new Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland. Long set out to build his own version of the attraction, transforming the smaller Junior Coaster (1954-1961) into a taller and wider ride with a new layout. The Bobsleds was the second roller coaster to use a tubular steel track, a standard that is used on most steel-tracked roller coasters today.

Jack Rabbit Harry C. Baker and John A. Miller1920Wooden Roller CoasterBuilt in 1920, the Jack Rabbit is the oldest continuously operating roller coaster in America. Designed by Miller & Baker, the giant wood coaster features a modified out-and-back layout. The 2,150 feet of track includes a 75-foot drop.
Whirlwind Maurer AG 2004Spinning Coaster / SC2000Roller coaster with spinning cars that features a 5-story swooping drop, an 85° banked turn, twists, turns, and helices. It originally operated as "Cyber Space" from 2000 to 2003 on the Spanish fair circuit with Family Fraguas before Seabreeze purchased the ride.
Amusement rides
Barnstormers Zamperla 1991BarnstormerAn airplane ride in which riders control their height in the air by pulling back or pushing forward on control sticks in the aircraft's cockpit.
Bumper CarsLusse1938 Bumper Cars Bumper Cars are located in a building that, between 1915 and 1933, was the loading platform for the Greyhound Roller Coaster. The ride has operated various cars over the years. The current cars were built by Duce.
CarouselLong family1996CarouselA hand-carved wooden carousel designed and built by the fifth generation of the Long Family. [9]
Flying Turtles Traver Engineering & R.E. Chambers 1930sA kiddie version of a classic Tumble Bug ride.
Great Balloon Race Zamperla 2014Samba TowerA spinning hot air balloon tower ride.
Kiddie Boats Allan Herschell Company 1949Boat RideA small boat ride with a lighthouse.
Kiddie Swings Zamperla 1988Swing rideA kid's version of the popular swing ride. Previously operated at Mountain Park in Massachusetts.
Log Flume O.D. Hopkins 1984 Log Flume Originally called the "Whitewater Log Flume" when it opened in 1984 and was built by O.D. Hopkins. This ride replaced a similar water ride known as "Over The Falls." While that ride was removed to make way for the new attraction, the signature drop was retained and incorporated into the new attraction.
Music Express Bertazzon 2008 Music Express Previously operated at Wild West World in Kansas.
Revolution 360 Zamperla 2010 Mega Disk'o Riders sit on motorcycle-style seats around the perimeter of a giant disk. The disk rotates 360° while gliding back and forth along a parabolic track.
Scenic Train1974 Train Children and adults take a gentle ride on a train as it rings its bell across the Log Flume and the Jack Rabbit and under a tunnel.
Screamin' Eagle Zamperla 1998HawkRiders climb aboard the Screamin' Eagle. Once fastened in, the floor lowers, and the ride begins to swing back and forth before looping around upside down, 70 feet in the air.
Sea Dragon Chance Rides 1991 Pirate Ship A swinging pirate ship. Previously operated at Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania.
The Spring Moser 2003Family Drop TowerA drop tower ride.
Star Rockets Allan Herschell Company 1955Rocket-themed kid's ride.
T-Birds Pretzel Amusement Company 1958Track car rideMiniature 1955 Ford T-Birds with two steering wheels (for two riders) that travel around an electrified track that controls the cars' movement and steering.
Tilt-A-WhirlSellner1948 Tilt-A-Whirl Originally installed in 1948. A new version was installed in the mid-1970's.
Time MachineTechnical Park2017Super MiamiA clock themed ride similar to the Wisdom Genesis. Stands 30 feet tall.
Twirlin' Tea Cups Zamperla 2011 Teacups A teacup ride.
Wave Swinger Bertazzon 2014 Swing Carousel A modern take on a classic swing ride in which the top oscillates as the swings go around in circles. The ride features single and double seats. The ride previously operated at Freestyle Music Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where it operated as Just A Swingin'/The Texas Swing.
Windstarz Zamperla 2024WindstarZAn attraction where riders can control the ascent of their hang glider vehicle.

Waterpark Attractions

Attraction NameYear OpenedAttraction TypeDescription and Information
Cooldown Cove2012Splash AreaA kid's play area, located on Paradise Island, in the center of the Lazy River.

Originally opened in 1990 as a splash area. Was used solely as a fountain in the middle of the Lazy River for many years. Refurbished and opened as a splash area in 2012.

Helix2006 Waterslide A water slide down a chute into a giant bowl.

Built by Proslide Technology (CannonBowl Slide)

Hydro Racer2012WaterslideA four lane racing waterslide. Riders lay on their stomach, head-first, on foam mats, and slide around a 360° tunneled helix before drooping side-by-side into the splashdown area.

Built by Proslide Technology (Octopus Racer Slide)

Lazy River1990 Lazy River A slow-moving water channel on an inflatable tube with waterfalls and other water-spraying elements.
Looney Lagoon1988Splash AreaA water play area featuring a shallow pool, with two kiddie waterslides (Mini River and Mini Twister) and a water mushroom.

Originally Named Cascade Activity Pool.

Mini River1988Waterslide (Kiddie)A kid's waterslide in Looney Lagoon.
Mini Twister1988Waterslide (Kiddie)A Kid's waterslide in Looney Lagoon
Paradise Island1990Sunbathing AreaSurrounded by the Lazy River, Paradise Island features a grass-covered seating area with lounge chairs and a sprayground.

Remodeled in 2012.

Pipeline2019Waterslide (Kiddie)An enclosed kiddie slide located in Soak Zone.

Built by Proslide Technology.

Riptide Tube Slide1990WaterslideAn open-air tube slide filled with twists, turns and dips.

Built by Proslide Technology.

Soak Zone1999Splash AreaAn interactive water sprayground. Water features include water cannons, geysers, water guns, and a giant dumping bucket. Soak Zone features three different waterslides!

Soak Zone was designed in-house. It was remodeled in 2019 to include the new Twister and Pipeline water slides.

Twister2019WaterslideAn intermediate sized body slide located in Soak Zone.

Built by Proslide Technology.

Vortex Tube Slide1992WaterslideAn enclosed water slide.

Built by Proslide Technology.

Waterslide1999Waterslide (Kiddie)A straight, double-lane, kiddie waterslide in Soak Zone.
The Wave2001Wave PoolA 260,000 gallon wave pool that features waves up to four feet tall. Waves can be generated in five different patterns.

Shows, Retail & Museum

NameTypeDescription and Information
Cirque-En-VolShowAn acrobatics show on the Center Stage. Performances are seven days a week and begin the third week in June when the park opens daily. Showtimes for the day are posted at the stage.
Gift ShopRetailLocated on the midway by the main gate, there are over 1,000 square feet of retail space in the Gift Shop. This store showcases park souvenirs, summer apparel, unique collectibles, a candy counter, and more.
Seabreeze Park MuseumMuseumThe Carousel Museum contains photographs, artifacts, a timeline and other memorabilia from over a century's worth of park history.
Seabreeze Surf Co.RetailA gift shop located in the waterpark, sells beach-themed items including tees, swimsuits, flip-flops, and sundries.

The Jack Rabbit

The star attraction at Seabreeze is the Jack Rabbit, an "out-and-back" wooden roller coaster built in 1920. It is the fourth oldest operating roller coaster in the world and second oldest in the USA. [10] Currently, is America's oldest continuously operating roller coaster. The Jack Rabbit celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2020.

Former Rides and Attractions

References

  1. "World's Oldest Amusement Parks Operating in the Same Location". NAPHA . Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  2. McKelvey, Blake (July 1946). "Rochester Learns to Play: 1850-1900" (PDF). Rochester History. VIII (3): 22–23. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 31, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Smith, Florence C. (January 1994). "Irondequoit Bay: The Business of Pleasure" (PDF). Rochester History. LVI (1): 11–23. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 27, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Greenwood, Marcia (June 3, 2021). "Seabreeze became a Rochester NY landmark in spite of disaster, obstacles". Democrat and Chronicle . Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Kyriazi, Gary (October 23, 2014). "Seabreeze – a shining example of survival". Park World. Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  6. Greenwood, Marcia (June 3, 2021). "Jack Rabbit, Bobsleds and other popular rides at Seabreeze" . Democrat and Chronicle . Archived from the original on May 4, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Morrell, Alan (July 14, 2018). "Whatever Happened to ... Seabreeze's Over the Falls ride?" . Democrat and Chronicle . Archived from the original on November 28, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  8. Cho, Janet H. (April 1, 1994). "Emblem of Area History is Gone" . Democrat and Chronicle . p. 11. Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  9. Burger, Frederick (January 1, 1996). Circle of Dreams [The Making of the Seabreeze Carousel] (motion picture). Rochester, New York, USA: Burger, Frederick. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023.
  10. "National Amusement Park Historic Association, World's Oldest Operating Roller Coasters". Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
  11. Morrell, Alan (August 5, 2017). "Whatever Happened to ... the Gyrosphere?" . Democrat and Chronicle . Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  12. "🗣 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 ‼️... - Seabreeze Amusement Park". Facebook . Archived from the original on May 4, 2025. Retrieved 2025-01-11.