DelGrosso's Park
Previously known as
| |
Location | Tipton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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Coordinates | 40°38′09″N 78°17′46″W / 40.6358°N 78.2961°WCoordinates: 40°38′09″N 78°17′46″W / 40.6358°N 78.2961°W |
Opened | 1909 |
Owner | The DelGrosso Family of Companies |
Slogan | The Home of Family Fun and Famous Food! |
Area | 79 acres |
Attractions | |
Total | 30 |
Roller coasters | 2 |
Water rides | 6 |
Website | https://www.mydelgrossopark.com/ |
DelGrosso's Park is a family-oriented amusement park located in Tipton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Altoona, Pennsylvania. The park was purchased by the DelGrosso family in 1946 and was named "Bland's Park" until 2000. In 2000, the DelGrosso family decided to change its name to "DelGrosso's Amusement Park." The park is known for its family-friendly ride line-up, food, and games as well as free parking. The park hosts picnics and special music events in its pavilion/picnic area.
History[]
Formerly known as Bland's Park until 2000, the small family-friendly amusement park is located in Tipton, in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Altoona railroad businessman, Fred DelGrosso, purchased the amusement park in 1946.
DelGrosso's Park was originally opened by the Rinard brothers on the Blands' family farm in 1907. It was purchased in 1946 by Fred DelGrosso, at which time the park was home to a number of rides installed by the Rinard's including the current Carouselle. Since purchasing the park, the DelGrosso family has continued to invest in the park with various ride and attractions such as a waterpark addition in 1997 and expansion in 1999 and 2016.
The DelGrosso family is also the founder of DelGrosso Foods, Inc. DelGrosso Foods produces and distributes pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, and other Italian specialty items.
The current park[]
The park includes more than 30 rides, numerous games, food venues, and an adjacent waterpark. The park provides rides for both adults and children with an extensive kiddie-land, pavilions, and catering amenities. The park hosts several annual events throughout the year. The “Summer Thunder” fireworks show for the 4th of July is a highlight of the park's season. Other events include the Native American Pow Wow, Italian Festival, and Harvestfest which is a fall festival held in September to close out the season. The park also hosts "Spaghetti Wednesday" which features a special Italian dish each Wednesday during the summer.
Laguna Splash is an Italian themed waterpark that opened in 2016. Laguna Splash was an expansion of the park's existing waterpark amenities of a new wave pool, lazy river, and a variety of water features including a scale version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and tipping buckets and vases. The Laguna Splash Water Park also features 12 Cabanas that can be rented on a daily basis when the water park is in operation. The water park is open seven days a week, typically 11 AM to 7 PM from approximately the end of May to mid-September.
The park resides on both sides of Old Route 220 with Laugna Splash and parking on the southeast side of the road, while park-side resides on the northwest side of the road. There is a wheelchair-accessible walking bridge connecting both sides of the park over Old Route 220. Ride and water park passes may be purchased on either side of the park.
At the beginning of each day, the park salutes the United States with "The Star-Spangled Banner". At this time, everything in the park is halted as the national anthem is played.
Roller coasters[]
After the 2003 season, the park sold its Pinfari "Zyklon" roller coaster, installed in 1987, to Blue Diamond Park (which closed In 2008). This coaster replaced a smaller steel mini-coaster known for jumping the track every third lap. A Reverchon "Crazy Mouse" was installed in its place in 2004. In the same year, a Fajume "Wacky Worm" kiddie coaster was added to the park.
In 2006, the park purchased the "Revolution," an Arrow Dynamics loop and corkscrew, from Libertyland for $55,000 USD at auction. The coaster has since been purchased by Gloria's Fantasyland in the Philippines and is no longer on site as of June 2019.[1]
Rides[]
Current Roller coasters[]
Coaster | Opened | Manufacturer | Model |
---|---|---|---|
Crazy Mouse | 2004 | Reverchon | Spinning Coaster |
Wacky Worm | 2004 | Fajume | Wacky Worm |
Thrill Rides[]
Rides | Opened | Manufacturer | Model | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rock Star | 2015 | ARM Rides | Rock Star | Replaced Music Express |
Super Spiral | 1979 | Frank Hrubetz & Company | Round Up | |
X-Scream Tower | 2010 | ARM Rides | 120 foot tall Drop tower | Replaced the Ferris Wheel. Purchased from Cypress Gardens |
Swing Buggy | 2012 | Bertazzon | Swing Buggy | Replaced the park's Chance Rides Flying Bobs |
Pharaoh's Fury | 2009 | Chance Rides | Pharaoh's Fury | Replaced the park's Chance Rides Sea Dragon. Purchased from Cypress Gardens |
Family Rides[]
Rides | Opened | Manufacturer | Model | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Scrambler | 1970 | Eli Bridge Company | Scrambler | |
Tipton Creek Railroad | 1980 | Chance Rides | (2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway[2] | |
Yo-Yo | 2009 | Chance Rides | Yo-Yo | Replaced Balloon Race. Purchased from Cypress Gardens |
Tilt-A-Whirl | 1972 | Sellner Manufacturing | Tilt-A-Whirl | |
Casino | 1985 | Chance Rides | Trabant | Originally located at Kings Island in Ohio where it was known as "Wheel of Fortune" |
Dodgem | 1995 | Majestic Rides | Bumper Cars | The park's original Dodgem was destroyed during a blizzard in 1994 |
Carouselle | 1947 | Herschell Spillman Company | Carousel | 36 hand-carved and painted jumping horses as well as two stationary benches |
Paratrooper | ≤1998 | Reverchon | Paratrooper | |
Free Fall | 2004 | Moser Rides | 5+5 Spring Ride | |
Dizzy Dragons | 2009 | Chance Rides | Dizzy Dragons | Teacups-style ride but the ride vehicles are large dragons |
Kids Kingdom[]
Rides | Opened | Manufacturer | Model |
---|---|---|---|
Fire Trucks | 2004 | Hampton Amusements | Childrens fire truck ride |
Corvette Race Cars | Unknown | Unknown | Childrens car ride |
Boats | 1950s | Allan Herschell Company | Boat ride |
Elephants | Unknown | Unknown | Childrens elephant ride |
Whales | Unknown | Eyerly Aircraft Company | Bulgy the Whale |
Turtles | 1930s | Traver Engineering Company | Miniature Tumble Bug |
Helicopters | 1950s | Kasper Klaus | Childrens helicopter ride |
Kiddie Carousel | 1990s | Chance Rides | Childrens Carousel |
Past Rides
- Zyklon
- Little Dipper
- Sky Fighter
- Roto Whip
- Two Bumper Car Rides
- Paratrooper
- Calypso
- Flying Scooters
- Sea Dragon
- Balloon Race
- Ferris Wheel
- Red Baron
- Space Odyssey
- Flying Bobs
- Music Express
Laguna Splash Waterpark[]
- Laguna Waterworks (Formerly known as Tipton Waterworks 1997-2015):
A water-play structure opened in 1997 as the first part of the water-park, showcasing small slides and a tipping-bucket
- Laguna Slides (Formerly known as Tipton Rapids 1999-2015):
A water slide complex opened in 1999 with five slides on two towers called the Red Tower and Green Tower.
Red Tower
- Midnight Express:
A mostly enclosed slide. It is the only enclosed slide of the five.
- Great White:
A wide "double-dip" slide that usually makes the passenger's rafts going down spin.
- Gravity Groove:
A slide that has a hair-pin curve and a dip and an uphill section. Riders must weigh 140 lbs. combined to ride so they can make it over the hill.
Green Tower
- Twin Twisters:
Two identical slides that are the tallest of the slides. On the slide, you race the person on the other Twister slide on a toboggan-style mat.
Wave Oceano Opened in 2016, a large, six-foot-deep Wave pool at the far end of the water park
River Lazio Opened in 2016, a winding Lazy river attraction that offers both a relaxing and wild experience
Bambini Cove Opened in 2016, a children's activity pool featuring a gondola slide, a small splash pad, and the water park's centerpiece, a scale model of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
References[]
External links[]
- Amusement parks in Pennsylvania
- Buildings and structures in Blair County, Pennsylvania
- Tourist attractions in Blair County, Pennsylvania
- 1909 establishments in Pennsylvania