New England and the surrounding area is a really great spot for a theme park road trip, with heavy hitters like Six Flags New England, Great Adventure, and Lake Compounce, as well as hidden gems like Canobie Lake Park. However, there is another park in the area that you may not know as well: Quassy Amusement Park, located in Middlebury, Connecticut. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Quassy for their Oktoberfest event, and I had a really great time. Keep reading to hear all of my thoughts, and to learn about the park.
(Please note: some pictures featured in the article were provided by Quassy, and were not taken this year, so they don’t reflect the modern COVID safety protocols like mask-wearing and social distancing.)
Quassy has been around since 1908, where it welcomed its first guests to enjoy the picnic grove and swimming in Lake Quassapaug. It grew in popularity in the 1930s, when it was home to a trolley stop along the way to Woodbury Connecticut, and it was around this time that they really started adding true amusement attractions. Nowadays, it is one of only 11 “trolley parks” left in the United States, and one of the few parks I can think of that still uses a ticketed ride system, with free entry to the park.
The park itself is beautiful, every area is extremely picturesque. It’s location on Lake Quassapaug makes for some amazing views, and they even have paddle boats available to rent that I am very much looking forward to trying the next time I visit the park.
Most people know Quassy for their 2011 Gravity Group coaster, Wooden Warrior. It was the first coaster to use the now-popular Timberliner coaster trains, and was one of the first modern family coasters from Gravity Group that have become very renowned in recent years. It still remains one of my favorite wooden coasters, it’s extremely smooth, and is a great coaster for thrill seekers in training.
The park also has a 1950s Alan Herchel steel kiddie coaster, which is a little rough, but worth it to ride a piece of history. I usually am not the type to ride a kiddie coaster just for the credit, but this was a fun exception, and worth a ride.
It’s also worth mentioning that the park has some frankly hilarious signs around Wooden Warrior reminding guests to secure or store their loose articles and cell phones.
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Quassy also has a good amount of classic rides, including some old school bumper cars, a paratrooper ride, a tilt-a-whirl, a flying bobs ride, and a yo-yo swing that overlooks the lake. They also have a fun family drop tower, that gives some unexpected thrills and airtime.
Their modern thrill rides, like Reverse Time, an outward facing wipeout style ride, and Frantic, a smaller inverting frisbee, offer some great thrills, and round out the park’s flat ride collection.
The park also has an indoor arcade, which features a great mix of classic token games and modern video games, and is a really fun way to break up the day.
As far as the COVID protocol, I was very impressed with how Quassy handled the policies. They were social distancing on all the rides, had frequent reminders about proper mask wearing, and offered plenty of hand sanitizing stations. If any guest was not wearing a face mask, or not wearing it properly, the employees were quick to point it out.
The Oktoberfest event featured authentic German food, a live band, and an unlimited ride wristband with the purchase of a ticket. It was a very enjoyable event, and everyone who was there looked like they were having a great time.
Since the park graciously provided me with a ride wristband, I did not need to purchase a park ticket, but if I did, I certainly would’ve gotten an Oktoberfest event deal, which was $24.99 for an unlimited ride wristband, and an included dinner meal with two sides. This is a fantastic deal, because the food options were plentiful, and everyone I was with loved their meals. For myself, I got a knockwurst sausage with a side of french fries and roasted vegetables, and really enjoyed it.
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Overall, Quassy is a perfect example of what a family park should be, and is a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Connecticut. Definitely do not skip this park if you’re making a New England trip, and be sure to check out this week’s podcast, which is about Quassy, and features some extra information not talked about in the article!
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