Of course, we chose the hottest day of the year so far to travel the short distance (compared to where other attendees arrived from) to Canobie. With a cloudless day, shady places were in high demand.
I admit that I went to Canobie maybe five years ago when my granddaughter was limited to the kids’ area (under 48” tall) and as we were all too tall/large to accompany her, she had a great time riding the little helicopter, fire engines, and pony carts.
And then my mind wandered back to the 1990s, when a Michael Jackson look-alike was boppin’ around the park and it seemed as all the Pinkerton High School students held summer jobs there (my daughter was a “slushie girl” and often came home with a blue arm from the grape slushies she made.)
But, as Baby Boomers, I — and probably you — can go back even further, when we took our own kids to Canobie when they were children. (I still have those Kodak pictures.) The Ferris wheel is still there (I don’t know if it’s the same one from 25 years ago) as is the renowned carousel. Whirling tea cups, the tranquility of the sky ride that traveled above the park, flying roosters, bumper cars, and the old wooden roller coaster that ran around the outskirts of the park years ago,
The first thing that caught my eye was as we were entering the park. My daughter had purchased tickets ahead of time and only had to show her phone for entrance. [On the website, adult tickets range from $33-$59, under 48” tall $33-$36, and age 60+ are $33-$36. Proud to be a senior, depending on the day and hours the park is open, if you purchase tickets in advance, etc.]
From what I saw, all of the ladies in the ticket booths handling people who were paying that day, were gray-haired senior ladies. Huh? When did that happen? Did I never notice that before? What a wonderful opportunity for seniors to earn a little extra money in an enclosed booth that screened them from the sun. Is such employment in my future? And they were so pleasant! “Have a great day at the park” or other glad tidings were bestowed upon each group entering the gates.
The staff at the park was similar to what I knew: high school and college students at the game areas, serving food, as lifeguards, running the rides and toting around those tall wooden sticks that measure how tall a youngster was to be allowed on the ride. (most 48”, two rides 52” tall.)
When my kids were young, daughter No. 2 was the wild and crazy kid who wanted to jump on every ride that caused nausea and vertigo. Daughter No. 1 was the cautious daughter who preferred the more sedate rides, like the carousel.
So when I accompanied daughter No. 2, her husband, and their 8-year-old on a recent trip, she was the one who accompanied her daughter on all the thrill rides (like mother, like daughter). This time, however, some 25 years later, to quote B.B. King, The Thrill Is Gone. Just like I loved the Salt & Pepper Shakers as a kid (remember them?) but wouldn’t touch them with a 10-foot pole now, daughter No. 2 was a bit tipsy coming off the roller coaster (for which you to run to from the entrance to enter the waiting line). “Let’s go again!” shouted her daughter. That, my daughter said, would be a “no.” This new roller coaster, UNTAMED lifts you 72 feet into the air before sending you into a drop that’s beyond vertical at 97° degrees! Through a series of loops, banked turns and zero-gravity rolls, it truly is one wild ride!
And then those Crazy Tea Cups. Were they both crazy and caffeinated? I don’t remember them being so crazy. She and I both went on this one, one adult with one child per cup, and I never realized how crazy they were! Unbelieveable! I felt my eyes thrown side to side as were our bodies as the cups spun all ways normal human bodies are not supposed to be spun. Another ride we both felt “once was enough,” as we unsteadily carefully walked off.
Just to add an exclamation point to the fact that both she and I were no longer thrill-ride seekers, the Wipeout Ride was the last draw, lifting you into the air as the ride spins one way and the carrier spins another. Just when you think that you’ve “mastered the surf,” the ride reverses and sends you into a wipeout! Again, it was with unsteady feet that we crawled off that ride.
What is probably most apparent to those who haven’t been to Canobie in a generation or two are the water options. I recall years ago there was a very large pool. So passe. Canobie now features the Castaway Island Rain Fortress, Tidal River, River Slides, and Lil’ Squirts Lagoon.
And if you forgot your flip-flops, no worries. You can purchase your very own generic flip-flops at the Castaway Island area for only $15. (Didn’t I buy them in the ’70s for a buck?) Changing/bathroom facilities were fine, but what I was blown away with was the multitude of Castaway Island’s Private Cabanas for rent in and around the Castaway area, featuring a private 12’x12’ covered area for up to 8, including private seating and lounge chairs. Plus, a food and beverage attendant, television with 25 channels and five music channels, a mini-fridge, ceiling fan, and personal code-locked safe. The cost for a private cabana is $319 through June 30. At first I was appalled, but as we sat on a chair directly in the sun, the cost didn’t sound so outrageous if divvied up among the adults. A personal beverage attendant? Bring it on!
Plan your day, bring an adult who can go on those thrill rides without nausea, and know you can re-enter the park with a stamp from one of the lovely ladies at the entrance/exit. Have fun!
