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    Lake Compounce

    3.2 (352 reviews)
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    Kisha V.

    My family and myself had such an amazing eventful time. A beach is available, which have live shows throughout the day. I didn't get the schedule time for the shows. So many kid friendly water rides and activities. Arcade games available and fun family friendly Carnival games to play at a fee. If you win you get a prize. Ofcourse u have to pay money more than u expect because you want to win. Lol Many options for food to eat but it's pricey and the lines are always long. I would highly recommend a visit for the children's and family before summer is over. Reasonable price for parking and entry fee into the amusement park. I didn't really enjoy my food the burger wasn't cooked well and the fries where soggy but I was able to get a refund. Thank you to the hard working staff.

    Pavilion with resting place (this is where the old dinosaur display was).
    Erin F.

    I've been to this park a couple times and it's definitely changed and adapted over time. Normally a 5/5. Music played and lots of places to sit in shade. Their unlimited fountain stations throughout the park are convenient and cost-effective. There's never really any drastic wait time for rides. Definitely much less crowded than other amusement parks. Clean and lots of staff around. It is a cashless park. They have exchange machines for cards. On this occasion, I came as a school field trip. This is where some changes have occurred and it definitely affects efficiency. The chaos at lunch, we had a 1 o'clock timeslot and literally 1000 kids waited in line and they would not let us until 1 o'clock on the dot. Which I understand in terms of preparing the space and the food. But perhaps a slow drip of children in or maybe a 1 o'clock or 110 or 115 etc.. There are plenty of places to eat and snacks to be had, along with games of prizes, your standard amusement park. The exit of the park was a bit chaotic. Gathering large groups of hundreds of children at the exit and not allowing us out the gate, but through a store instead was extremely ineffective. I had my group ready to go and was denied leaving through the gate where we were congregated, told to go through the store with who knows how many other schools all waiting at the gate to exit....being directed into through the store was wild. This was not the size of a Disney store but a mom and pop deli about to get ransacked. They eventually opened the gate and saw the inefficiency.

    Ameil S.

    Say yes!! With kids without kids you'll have a good time. What's not fun...the long line for entry to park- after that...you're well set! Water rides- wave pool this place has it all. The kids will have an amazing time. Opens at 11 get there then....its a whole day of fun!!!

    Walking in
    Kim V.

    This review is for the Holiday Lights event at Lake Compounce. This is the oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. and it opened in 1846. It's 365 acres and located in Bristol and Southington, CT. The body of water located in the park is the Lake Compounce; there is a beach at the lake and a water park. The name of the lake came from a native American who signed a deed over to the settlers; Chief John Compound, who was from the Mattatuck-Tunxis tribe. There are 44 attractions, 5 rollercoasters, and 13 water rides. Wildcat is the 14th oldest wooden rollercoaster in the world. They also have a newer award winning wooden rollercoaster called Boulder Dash; this has been named the #1 wooden rollercoaster in the world for 5 years. The historic Lake Compounce Carousel was built around 1890 and moved to the park in 1911. In December, they host the Holiday Lights event which runs through December 31. It's a fun event for children and adults. They deck the park with lights and have the tallest Christmas tree in CT, which is 100 ft tall. There were plenty of rides, games, and activities. Some activities include letters to Santa, DIY snow globe, and personalized ornaments. There's an opportunity to visit Santa, holiday characters, and storytime. There are some dining options onsite such as Johnny Rockets, a food truck, and dining hall. The prices were high which is typical for amusement parks. I've read that people bring their own food/drinks and would go eat it in the car and go back into the park after. We went on a Saturday evening which was pretty busy but not too overwhelming. There was a parking booth, large parking lot, and attendants showing people where to park. Upon entering the park, you can't miss that beautiful large Christmas tree. The restrooms were plentiful and clean. There are ticket booths and the lines moved pretty quickly. The rides were plentiful, cute, and fun for the kids. It was very cold and in the teens; there were some fire pits if you want to warm up. The lines for the rides were short and quick; the longest was the train ride. We were there for 3.5 hours and left right before it closed. We didn't get to ride all the rides but felt like we got our money's worth. Overall, my family and especially my child enjoyed the the park. This is definitely going to be a family tradition going forward. Also, I can't wait to check it out in the summer and will provide another update.

    Time for Cheer and fun
    Mary E.

    This is our all season escapade. From refreshing summer to twinkling Christmas lights. They need better training for some events they organize but overall we look forward to spend time here and renew our passes to come back yr after year..

    venus vortex water ride
    Christine D.

    Great day trip with kids! Separate small kids ride area avail. They have a decent water park and fairly clean. One of the oldest wooden rollercoasters in the country. Fast pass options are def worthwhile.

    Andrew I.

    We came here for the first time because it was Phantom Fall Fest. I would suggest buying tickets online before going. If you pick your specific day, it's $20 cheaper. It's $30 for parking which I'm not sure why. I guess you can't escape paying extra when you go anywhere. Cashless so make sure you have a credit or debit card for parking. There are 4 haunted houses to go in. One was boring and not scary. The other three were fun. I don't scare easily but they definitely put effort into it. Overall it was a lot of fun. It is the oldest amusement park in the US. Lots of fun rides, games and concession stands. Water rides are open during the summer. They have a variety of Pepsi products that are free while you are there. Overall a great value for a few hours of fun.

    Chan N.

    Use to come here when was younger and always had a good time with family. I haven't come here in quite a while. Recently came here for a company outing and it was not too bad. Parking was good even though it was packed. The walk from parking lot to park was not too bad. The park was pretty clean for a packed summer day. I was disappointed some of the rides were down. We were looking forward going on the Thunder Rapid but it was closed that day. But I got to go on a new ride called Phobia Phear. That was a great ride if you twist and turn roller coasters. The food at the park was pretty expensive. I had a regular size lemonade for 9 bucks. It was good but not worth 9 bucks. I also got a kid size ice cream for 10 bucks and it tasted like more ice than cream. End up throwing half of it away. It was a long walk to the pavilion where the company picnic was held. The train was packed and took long to get there. The food that was provided was okay and expected from an amusement park. The burgers were really dry but the hotdogs were good. I was disappointed they didn't have veggie burgers as advertised in their package. Some of the guests wasn't able to eat due to that reason. And yes, I did ask an attendant about the veggie burgers and they said no. They also didn't replenished the food as quickly as they should. Overall had a nice time with friends and family. Enjoy the rides we were able to get on. It's a great place to bring kids to have a fun day.

    View of the park on the ferris wheel.
    Lindsay N.

    Did you know Lake Compounce is America's first amusement park? That's a fun fact! I have visited Lake Compounce as a kid with family and for school field trips. Within the past few years after celebrating its 175th anniversary, the park has been undergoing a transformation. From the rollercoasters Wildcat and Boulder Dash getting new tracks to enticing the foodie community with attractive eats, Lake Compounce changes do not go unnoticed. They even have scheduled live entertainment on a floating stage on the lake. They are definitely trying to make Lake Compounce a summer destination. On my most recent visit to Lake Compounce with family, it was a busy summer Saturday. Luckily, it wasn't too hot, but there are a few pockets to escape the sun. The rides posted wait times, most were 45min or less. Most people are over in the water park area. I prefer to stay dry and go on tamed rides like the ferris wheel. They have a wide range of rides from kiddie, moderate, and thrilling. There were a few rides closed while we were there like the popular Thunder Rapids. My family was very disappointed because it's one of their favorite to-do's. The food options were sprinkled throughout the park. They are trying to step of their game with instagram worthy meals like rotating loaded fries, unique topping pizza, and crazy funnel cakes. There is a Johnny Rockets within the park, and special spots serving up Del's Lemonade, Dole Whip, and Dippin' Dots. The prices are what you'd expect from a theme park. I got myself one of the instagram-able food options--The Unicorn Milkshake. It was a vanilla shake blended with rainbow sprinkles, topped with whipped cream, a large waffle cone, and rock candy lollipop. It was $12 and I enjoyed this fun treat. So far I love the changes happening around Lake Compounce, but there is still a lot of work to be had. Some of the employees did not want to be there and it showed. The flow of guest traffic could be more efficient. For example, all guest exiting through a small gift shop, is a Park Operations nightmare!Besides these notes, my family still had a good time overall. I hope to attend Phantom Fest or Christmas spectacular Holiday Lights someday... It might be beneficial to invest in a season pass for next year.

    Sharm S.

    We had a great time at Phantom Fall Fest! 4 haunted houses, rides, games & spooky themed food. My first time going and it was very cute. They do Fall Fest every weekend until Oct 27. It is pricey but you can get 50% off if you book online. I thought the mummy candy apple was so cute! I saw kids and groups of all ages last night.

    Some of the Water area
    Kelly P.

    I haven't been here in about five years. It really went downhill if you have little ones. They took away the huge dinosaur walk through, the kiddie indoor train, the bumper cars. The "arcade" that replaced it has like 5 games, and you need tokens to even play - which the token machine was down. Not sure when it became like six flags with over an hour wait for rides but it was crazy. Hugely overpriced food ($20 for a burger only at one place). The waterpark area was fun for them at least and is included with admission. They need a good clean down on the rides though some were pretty rough. Older kids and adults probably can have a decent time here. I'd recommend for kids under 10 to just do Quassy

    Walk back to the parking lot.
    Marsha N.

    As a caveat, I used to work here every summer back in the early aughts. I know what it used to look like and tricks of the trade like not opening everything up unless the park attendance was commensurate to the level of staffing required. The cost for adult tickets is now about $55 each. We came with one child that is 43 inches so she couldn't go on about half of the rides. However, we didn't run out of things to do and see. We arrived about 1130am and left around 4pm. We chose ahead of time not to do the water park. Zoomerang wasn't running. And Phear coaster didn't start until running the afternoon. The staff in general seems a little lackadaisical. For example, the turnstile attendants and the kiddie coaster stopped working right before it was our turn. Instead of loudly announcing as soon as she realized, so we could move elsewhere she waited until her replacement staff member came and did it for her. Food for 2 adults and 1 child at Nathan's came to $50 for lunch. I do like that they have wait time estimator. However, the estimator for Ghost Hunt said 35 mins and it was actually a 3 min wait. Only one car of Boulderdash was operating. I'm so sad that the SkyRide (chair lift) was taken down in 2017. That had been such a beautiful, calm ride back in the day. I recommend bringing a backpack with snack and water bottles, that way you save on time and money. Also a stroller or beach wagon even for kids up to 5. I easily did 10,000 steps during our stay. I think next time we will plan to spend more time and do the water park.

    Had a great time at their Holiday Lights display
    Kim S.

    Holiday Lights 2024 was awesome. We went the day before New Years Eve and it wasn't crowded at all. The place was beautiful the staff were friendly, especially the dressed up characters. They played great music. The kids were able to go on rides with no long wait times. I lived the dance party area. The decor was perfect! Can't wait to visit during the summer. Parking was $10 +tax. NO CASH for parking not sure about in the park. A new Christmas tradition.

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    6 months ago

    Lots of fun good events like Christmas lights and Fright night halloween good for the kids train ride is nice foods good

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    10 months ago

    Idk never been.... Line was 5 hours to get into the park and it was closed for the day by the time I got there.

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    9 months ago

    I love it I have no other words I have been going there since I was like what 5 4 years old i love the wave pool and phobia

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    11 months ago

    My shoes got stolen FROM MY LOCKER like how and nobody helped me and they were expensive shoes

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Lake Compounce

    Can you bring a cooler in with drinks?

    No you can't bring it in. You can leave it in your car, though, and go out to eat lunch in the parking lot. They will stamp your hand for reentry.

    Is outside food or cooler bags allowed?

    Just water bottles, you have to go back outside the park to eat your packed lunch. They do have reentry stamps though.

    Is there rides here for my almost 2 year old son who is 33 inches?

    Yes and No. For the children's rides the height requirement is generally 36". If you put a high pair of shoes on them that may help. They can go on the kiddos carousel with a parent, but that's all we've been able to get my 33" son on.… Read more

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - Lake Compounce

    There's the intensely thrilling Boulder Dash, a 5-time winner of the World's Best Wooden Coaster award.

    Mentioned in 40 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Lake Compounce - amusementparks - Updated May 2026

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