The Challenge: To renovate one of America’s most famous historic water rides. The ride was built in 1929.

Playland is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and The Old Mill is a Playland landmark.

The challenge to bring the attraction into the 21st century was daunting. There’s little space to install equipment because it runs directly under the famous Dragon coaster. Sally had to integrate the coaster supports into the design, and meet a fixed budget.

Creating “Magic”   The Great American Dark Ride Company and R & R Creative Amusement Design created the Playland Waterworks and Crystal Mine–operated by amusing, friendly (and sometimes klutzy) animatronic gnomes. Floating past whimsical machines, riders are caught in a blasting explosion and narrowly escape a downpour in the waterworks, while the kindly gnomes warn not to venture past “The Point of No Return.”  Once past the sign, visitors face fierce dragons in a smoky, volcanic grotto; and evil trolls in Troll City use water cannons, swinging logs and other diabolical ploys to capture the “intruders.”  A creaking, collapsing dam, provides a hair-raising finale.