Happy Halloween from Coaster101! During the month of October, Lake Winnepesaukah (or Lake Winnie), nestled in the Georgia outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, transforms into Lake WinnepeSPOOKah.
This was my first time visiting the small lakeside amusement park, and I was impressed with the park’s ride offerings and overall presentation.
Wild Lightnin’ had a short line so I decided to tackle it first.
I’m not a huge fan of the hairpin-turn-happy wild mouse coaster, but this was a bit smoother than some others I’ve ridden recently.
It’s an L&T Systems (defunct in 2009) model. I wasn’t racing to get back in line, but it complements the classic nature of the park’s signature coaster, which I rode next.
Opened in 1967, the Cannon Ball wooden coaster was designed by the legendary John C. Allen and the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
It’s a hard coaster to photograph (at night), because it races away from the park into a parking lot. I was surprised by the coaster’s classic lighting display. It added a very nice touch to the overall presentation of the ride.
Cannon Ball was one of the smoothest pre-RMC wooden coasters I can remember riding. The airtime was plentiful (more so in the back). The start-to-finish fast pacing was a welcome change for some slow-to-a-crawl out-and-back wooden coasters I’ve ridden in recent years.
The Oh Zone drop tower stands 140 feet above the park. Drop towers are one of the few rides that still make me sweat, but I rode it multiple times just for the beautiful view of the illuminated park.
If free-falling 14 stories isn’t your speed, the park’s Alpine Way chair lift also provides beautiful views of the park as you cross the lake.
Although I wasn’t able to ride it, I would imagine the Pirate Ship ride also gives excellent views of the lake.
Both of the park’s coasters are situated across from each other. When the lines are short, you can bounce back and forth between the two with ease. Or just re-ride Cannon Ball over and over. That’s probably what you’ll want to do.
I was blown away by the park’s flat ride selection. It seemed every nook and cranny of the park was home to a different ride (see the aeroplane-style ride in the background).
The light-covered midway was a very nice touch.
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Cannon Ball’s line was around 20-30 minutes long since only one train was in operation.
The Cannon Ball features the old-timey classic hand brake in the station. These are becoming rarer and rarer to see, so kudos to Lake Winnie for preserving theirs.
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A few goons were able to sneak a ride on Cannon Ball. They may have screamed more than the other riders.
The Wave Swinger made for a dazzling light show for onlookers and Alpine Way riders alike.
Unfortunately, the 1927 historic Boat Chute ride (see the trough in the bottom left corner) was not operating. All the more reason for me to return.
The park is centered around 3/4 of the lake, which makes beautiful views like this one possible.
I was bummed that I was unable to ride the Wacky Factory dark ride. But when at a park for less than three hours, coaster-riding takes priority.
While the park’s Halloween props weren’t necessarily groundbreaking, they were clever and plentiful.
Ghoulish scenes like the one above were sprinkled throughout the park.
A few were a bit more morbid than others.
The park’s ferris wheel is another great ride for those looking to take in the beautiful scenery.
You don’t see many of these slides at parks any more, so it was a welcome sight to see.
The Fire Ball looper is one of the park’s newest attractions, and it seemed to attract a big crowd, especially being positioned so close to the entrance.
I definitely could have spent a few more hours at the park, but I was thankful to have ridden the park’s two main coasters (I didn’t make it to the Wacky Worm coaster).
I highly recommend a trip to Lake Winnie if you’re ever in the area. You can ride most of the park’s signature attractions in a few hours, so it makes for a great half (or full) day experience.
Have you visited Lake Winnie during the Halloween (or regular) season? Share your thoughts about the park in the comments section below.
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