By Jane Smith
5/29/06
May 28, 2006 09:49 pm
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CONNEAUT LAKE PARK — George Deshner, general manager of Conneaut Lake Park, hopes the rest of the summer is as great as the first two days of the 2006 season for the 114-year-old amusement park.
The park was packed both Saturday and Sunday.
“It was beyond my wildest expectations, the crowds, the people, even the parking, the $2 parking,” he said. “The crowds were unbelievable,” he said.
He estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 in attendance on Saturday and between 10,000 and 15,000 on Sunday.
“I set a goal and it’s far surpassed that,” he said. “It was a weekend like Conneaut Lake Park has not seen in a whole lot of years.”
He said he heard tons of compliments all day long about how the place looked and how customers were treated.
There were a few bugs, though, and one major problem. The jet ejectors on the Splash City water slides gave out and the slide itself had to be shut down after Saturday. Parts are on order and he hopes it will be back in full operation by next weekend.
However, the Lazy River and the Kiddie pool are both in operation.
Elizabeth’s Restaurant had to shut down at 7 p.m. instead of the planned closing time of 10 because “we literally ran out of food,” Deshner said. Food orders were for the expected turnout for the three-day holiday, but it didn’t last.
“That’s a good problem to have,” Deshner said, but noted, food was to be purchased last night and the restaurant was to re-open this morning.
“People were coming up wanting to exchange their ride bands for season passes,” Deshner said, citing that as one indicator of how well the crowds received the park so far.
In addition, he said he received “many, many, many requests for brochures to order a brick,” referring to the “Brick by Brick” campaign to get the miniature train back on track.
The traditional Do Wopp event opened the season Friday night with a cruise in and continued with special events Saturday and Sunday.
The rides and midway games opened Saturday to officially begin the season.
It wasn’t just the midway and rides that were busy though. So was Hotel Conneaut.
“The hotel is absolutely jammed full and Camperland is full,” he said. He credits both the Do Wopp and the park itself for the turnout, noting Do Wopp was bigger this year than last year.
The crowd had few complaints about the $2 parking fee, Deshner said. The inside and outside parking lots were full Sunday.
The park has one other problem — it needs more workers, Deshner said, calling for people to work in all jobs, including parkers, midway game operators and wait staff and kitchen help for the restaurant. “We need help in all areas,” he said. Those wishing to apply can go to the park office and fill out an application.
“If the weather holds, we should have a terrific summer,” Deshner said.
Although Do Wopp festivities ended Sunday, the park will continue the Memorial Day opening events today with the rides and water park opening at noon. Rides are to remain open until 9 p.m. — unless the crowd stays around and the park will stay open longer, Deshner noted.
The park was in danger of closing this year because of a lack of operational funds, but a last-minute $250,000 loan from First National Bank of Pennsylvania gave the park the money it needed to begin another season.
The loan was guaranteed by Erie Businessman Joseph Prishak and was an extension of a previous $250,000 loan he had made to the park, which has had financial difficulties for several years.
Jane Smith can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at jsmith@meadvilletribune.com
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