Denver: Lakeside Amusement Park at night

The photo policy is in place since some people don't want their photos or their children's photos taken. I've spoken with Rhoda (owner) and the employees and I've never been stopped from taking pictures (it does help that I'm friends with the owner and also the regional ACE rep). If you go during a club event, they will make the exceptions.

As for the park itself, Rhoda keeps the prices low to keep the park affordable. They take great care of their rides, even if it means being closed for an extended period of time, right now the train is in that situation. Before the train, the Dragon coaster hadn't run in close to 4 years, but on closing weekend 2012, it was running again and has been all of this season. Also closed for an extended period was the Dutchman, but that too is working this season as well. Also coming out of retirement from when Zoom (drop tower) was installed, the Roll-O-Plane should be reassembled soon. The ride has undergone full restoration and should be operating shortly.

That photo essay from the Westcoaster was beyond annoying. Someone walks in, talks to an employee or two, and then passes off 10 pages of rhetoric about what he thinks is going on at the park. I would imagine he has no idea "how easy" it would be to turn the park around or what motivates or challenges the park owner about running the place. It's irresponsible to post things like that without facts.

My husband and I drove by the park last year and found the surrounding area to be a bit sketchy. I'm amused by the comments that suggest you really only want to see the park at night. I guess you don't want to see the park without its makeup on. :-)

I actually though the photos were quite good, and from many things I've heard, he was spot on with his evaluation of what that park's issues were.

I'm excited to hear the Roll O Plane is still planned to come back. That was my favorite ride there and I've been missing it since the Tower of Zoom opened.

I wouldn't say the neighborhood is that bad, it's just kind of old. The area is being revitalized too, the Lakeside Mall has finally been redeveloped, with a brand new shiny Wal Mart.

It can't be any worse of an area than Coney Island. And Kennywood is in a rundown part of a rundown city. That kind of stuff doesn't bother me I guess, since I grew up in one if the poorest counties in the nation. Everything was rundown.

As we looked for a place to live recently, we discovered that there are really no inherently "good" or "bad" communities in the Denver metro area. Most have a mixture of everything.

coaster kevin said:

The photo policy is in place since people have a fear that their children are being photographed by pedophiles.

So in addition to being a run down park in a questionable area of town, they have a pedophile problem so prevalent that they need a no-photos policy?

Gee, this keeps getting better and better.

Y'know how Kings Island used to have non-functioning metal detectors out front to make people "feel" safer? Maybe Lakeside could have fake fingerprint scanners and tell people they connect to the sex offender registry. Then parents wouldn't "feel" like every dude with a smartphone is a ped.

It's their call, because it's private property, but I think it just screams of pedophile paranoia. They shouldn't be denying real photographers the chance to artistically shoot photos of their interesting buildings.

There is more to life than just sex. Not everyone with a camera has bad intentions.

Oh, I have bad intentions - they just don't involve children...or cameras.

With regards to the Staride:

http://www.westcoaster.net/images/updates/071212/071212-lsp007-lrg.jpg

A friend of mine told me that their first visit to the park was in the late 80's and it looked the same then as it does today. We had a tour of the park and were told their intentions are to renovate it eventually. I'm thinking the better idea at this point would be to just clean it up and light it.

Does anyone have any pics of what this ride looked like when it was operational?

Carrie J. said:

That photo essay from the Westcoaster was beyond annoying. Someone walks in, talks to an employee or two, and then passes off 10 pages of rhetoric about what he thinks is going on at the park. I would imagine he has no idea "how easy" it would be to turn the park around or what motivates or challenges the park owner about running the place. It's irresponsible to post things like that without facts.

I got the same gist from it. I couldn't even finish looking at it.

I was there around 6 years ago, and the place didn't look like it was falling apart, just old. Like Knoebels west, only in the middle of a city. (Plus they both have a glaring non-operational ride right in the middle of the park!) It looks like there's fresh paint. All the neon was working well, and with the amount they have I'm sure it's a pain in the ass to keep up with.

Somehow, that isn't any less weird.

kpjb said:
All the neon was working well, and with the amount they have I'm sure it's a pain in the ass to keep up with.

More than most seem to realize...those aren't LEDs all over the place!

I have no idea what the cost would be. But, it would be nice to see the entrance tower lit in it's former glory.

Here is a video from ACE's trip earlier this year.

http://youtu.be/WPT6zCbSgxk

Lakeside is on my of favorite parks. It is just incredible at night. I have never seen a park more beautiful at night (not even Kennywood). I cannot wait to return to this park again.

I have been wanting to get to this park ever since i saw it on the show Great old amusement Parks. :)

Looks like a fun family park. Just bring something to cover up the kids.