Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Fantasy Island (year unknown)

The most exciting thing happened this past weekend: I set foot inside a park!! No, I haven't lost interest in the industry. (Nor have I lost my marbles, although I seem to lose more and more of those by the hour). It's just that I'm "riding for two" these days, which translates into no riding whatsoever...until this fall, anyway, if I'm lucky! So as you might imagine, I'm going through a bit of withdrawal. A stroll through Beach Haven's Fantasy Island was just what the doctor ordered, and I decided to keep that positive energy flowing right into this week's brochure feature.

This cute little park is tucked away near the south end of Long Beach Island. Although it's geared primarily toward young children (which I suppose I'll appreciate more in the coming years!), it continues to draw crowds well into the evening hours during busy summer weekends. I can't recall exactly when or where I got this particular brochure, but I'm pretty sure it was within the past few years.

"Magic, music, reptiles, and robots". (Oh my?) Neither ruby slippers nor your hard-earned cash are required to enjoy Fantasy Island's free entertainment options. You will, however, have to shell out just a little bit to enjoy this park's well-kept rides. A couple of its family-oriented offerings are pictured here, alongside some of the kiddie selections.

And by the way, they aren't kidding about the brand-name electronics in their arcade. We took a stroll through that building as well, and spied a ginormous flat screen TV just sitting around waiting for some lucky patron to earn the three bazillion tickets required to "purchase" it. (Hey, they don't promise to give the stuff away!)

In addition to games, games, and more games, Fantasy Island also features a custom designed carousel whose horses were crafted from molds that date all the way back to the 1900s.

This quaint little park may not give you an adrenaline rush, but it truly is a gem. For a much more detailed account of everything Fantasy Island has to offer, check out my trip report from last summer. (What's a "trip report" again? Perhaps someday I'll be able to write another one of those!)