Here's what's new, what's back, what's under construction at Bay Beach Amusement Park for its 2024 season
GREEN BAY - The biggest question surrounding the 132nd season of Bay Beach Amusement Park might be which new attraction to make a beeline for on opening day.
Do you go straight for the shiny bumper cars that look like vintage Corvettes and don’t have any miles on them yet?
Or do you make a mad dash to the buzzed-about NebulaZ that debuted at the tail-end of last season and is sure to be one of this summer’s biggest draws.
Or, after two years without Bay Beast at the park, are you headed straight for the new reincarnation of the thrill ride?
Decisions, decisions.
When the park opens May 4, families will find new rides, the return of old favorites and spiffed-up versions of some of the classics. Also coming to the park this summer is a new $3.1 million all-inclusive playground still under construction.
After delays with a couple of projects last year, park manager Jason Arnoldi is excited to have the full slate of rides open this year. April is crunch time as Bay Beach management and maintenance staff put the finishing touches on a busy offseason of work that ensures the park is ready for the season ahead.
When the area sees a weekend with 70-degree temperatures like it did recently, the phone starts ringing from folks eager to know when they can come enjoy one of Green Bay's greatest summer traditions.
“We’re excited to get open, because when you put in all that work, it always pays off when people are in the park,” Arnoldi said.
While you try to remember where you stashed your extra ride tickets from last season or how good a soft-serve ice cream cone tastes after watching the kids on the Granny Bugs on a July day, here’s a look at all the fun that awaits this year.
Rubber surfacing will make new all-inclusive playground accessible for everyone
Guests will see a colorful new addition on a previously unused space on the west end of park property. The city's first all-inclusive playground will be a place for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to enjoy. Its poured-in-place rubber surfacing will make it easy to navigate for wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and other mobility devices.
A few of its many features:
Brava Universal Swing, a way for children to swing themselves by using their arms, core or legs.
Volta Inclusive Spinner, a spinning social space with an outward-facing, 18-inch high seat for wheelchair transfer.
Extreme MOVMNT, a large video game that disguises exercise as entertainment.
Tot Lot, an area geared for 2- to 5-year-olds with height-appropriate slides, climbing experiences, a Braille Panel and cut-out faces for photos and play.
Serenity Spot, a fort-like environment with built-in games and a rubber kick pad that children can go to when the hustle and bustle of the playground gets too overwhelming.
The nonprofit group Friends of Bay Beach, with the help of community donors, raised the $1.3 million for the project, which has been in the works for five years.
“A lot went into the selection of the different play structures for it to make sure that as many people from the entire range of abilities could utilize it and enjoy it,” Arnoldi said. “There’s a little something for everyone on it.”
There is not yet an opening date for the playground, but it’s possible it could be ready by Memorial Day weekend, he said.
New Bay Beast is taller, smoother and all set for opening day
After six years of heart-dropping thrills and some of the best screams in the park, the original Bay Beast closed permanently ahead of the 2022 season due to costly repairs. Bay Beach was able to purchase another one, and after two years of refurbishment work, the spring ride that shoots riders high into the air on a tower and then drops them back down will be ready for opening day this year.
“It’s very much like the old one. It’s just a little bit taller and a little smoother, I think,” Arnoldi said. “People love that ride. It’s a little different than anything we have around here, so it’s kind of unique to the park. We have a lot of spinning rides, a lot of flat rides, but the drop ride adds a little bit of a change of pace.”
After a delay last year, the new bumper cars are ready for action
Guests will be able to do their best crazy driving from behind the wheel of 15 sporty new cars in the style of ’50s and ’60s Corvettes. They’re a spiffy new upgrade from the park’s previous fleet, which was more than 30 years old. The new models were originally expected to make their debut last year but didn’t arrive until October due to production delays, Arnoldi said.
With 15 cars on the floor at once, it means not only the line to climb into a car should go quicker, but with more bumpees comes more laughter.
“It’ll make for a more fun ride,” Arnoldi said.
NebulaZ expected to be popular during its first full season
Last year’s new attraction didn’t open until Labor Day weekend, so for most visitors this season will be their first chance to see what the flashy NebulaZ is all about. Manufacturer Zamperla has said its “hypnotic movement is like a visual riddle,” which means describing it is difficult.
It has four arms each with a four-person gondola that rotate in rapid intertwining orbits. The synchronized arms swing about horizontal axes in a circular motion while the central tower rotates around itself. The gondolas stay upright.
The east train is back; Giant Slide is getting an upgrade
Both the east and west trains will be making tracks this year. The east train was sidelined last year as the staff had to prioritize work on several other projects going on at the same time.
The Giant Slide, a towering presence at the park since 1971, is getting an upgrade to its stairs. The manufacturer is working hard to get the steps back to Bay Beach hopefully in time for opening weekend, Arnoldi said, but that’s not yet certain.
The Zippin Pippin is now 'Jeopardy!' famous, thanks to Ben Chan
If the line to get on the Zippin Pippin roller coaster is longer this season, chalk it up to Ben Chan. The “Jeopardy!” champion from Green Bay who won $354,600 talked about how much he loves riding the wooden coaster during his incredible run on the quiz show's Tournament of Champions in March. He even gave national TV viewers a little bit of its history as Elvis Presley’s favorite coasters during the ’70s when it was at Libertyland in Memphis, Tennessee.
“It was really cool to see him wearing the Zippin Pippin pin and talk about us on ‘Jeopardy!’ Any kind of publicity like that is welcomed, of course, and just the fact that he enjoys coming out here,” Arnoldi said. “To hear anybody say anything positive about coming out here makes what we do worth it.”
A few words to keep in mind about ride maintenance and closures
They both come with the territory at a destination that is all about its moving parts.
“We’re always disappointed any time a ride is down, because we know people come out here and a lot of them might have a specific ride in mind, and it’s always kind of a bummer when you get here and your favorite ride is not running," Arnoldi said. "We do everything we can to make sure they’re running.”
Bay Beach has done numerous upgrades on many of the older rides in recent years, and while visitors might not always immediately notice them, they go a long way in helping to extend the life of some of the rides, Arnoldi said. It's often the newer rides that need more love, because many of them are computer-driven, and computers can quickly become outdated.
When does Bay Beach Amusement Park open and what are its hours?
Opening day is May 4. The park will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays only May 4-5, 11-12 and 18-19.
Daily operations begin May 21 and run through Aug. 25. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 21-24, 28-31 and June 3-7 before switching over to 10 a.m to 8 p.m. for the bulk of the summer schedule. Hours revert back to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 19-25 and Aug. 31-Sept. 2.
The park is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays only in September. Last day of the season is Sept. 29.
Will there be any nights when the park stays open late?
Yes. Plans call for approximately four nights with a closing time of 10 p.m. so visitors can enjoy the lights. Those dates will be announced throughout the season on the park's Facebook page.
How much is park admission?
Admission is free. Ride tickets are 25 cents. Most rides require one, two or three tickets.
What about updates on hours, weather delays and ride closures?
Facebook.com/baybeach has the most timely updates during the season. For information about each ride, including height or weight restrictions, and more details about the all-inclusive playground, visit greenbaywi.gov/445/Bay-Beach.
Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com. Follow her on X @KendraMeinert.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Bay Beach Amusement Park has new rides, inclusive playground for 2024
