At Story Land, Moo Lagoon adds a new water element to an old favorite

Moo Lagoon is the newest water element at Story Land in New Hampshire.

Fans of New Hampshire’s Story Land amusement park will be happy to hear of its newest attraction: the Moo Lagoon. A water play area slated to open in early summer, this is the fairy-tale theme park’s largest single investment as Story Land celebrates its 70th anniversary.

“Guests have been wanting this. They have been looking for some way to cool off on a hot summer day,” said Lauren Fullerton, director of marketing for Story Land.

The new whimsical, farm-motif water play area features a 28-foot-tall slide tower with three adrenaline-pumping body slides called the Cob Cruiser, Silk Slider and Husk Runner.

Billed as “New Hampshire’s best new way to stay cool,” the Moo Lagoon Sprayground will become the centerpiece of the water play area. It features a variety of silly sprayers in different splash zones like squirting flowers, a water-spouting tractor, a ready-to-drench-you dump bucket and five water slides for the little ones. Decorative elements are everywhere, from funny frogs to sunglass-wearing cows to reinforce the theme and keep the chuckles going.

Moo Lagoon will feature a new 2,500-square-foot, farm-themed bath house with changing rooms, showers and restrooms plus new handicapped-accessible adult changing stations. There’s also the new Stock Yard retail store with swim essentials, locker rentals and a gift shop.

For lunchtime, the Barn Yard Pizza is a thematic remodel of the park’s previous pizza eatery complete with a cow pizza delivery driver on a tractor. It offers “barn-to-table” fare with pies, slices and more. There are plenty of family-friendly food options in the park, from the Food Fair serving burgers, tenders and salads to spots like the Dutch Village Ice Cream Shop, where you can create your own sundae.

Beyond Moo Lagoon, there are plenty of other fun rides in the 35-acre Story Land. As the park’s last major investment, the Roar-O-Saurus is the most thrilling ride and the only wooden roller coaster in New England. The compact wooden coaster is very legit, offering a fun ride with a dark tunnel and a bunch of rollers all starting off with the 40-foot-tall chain lift hill followed by a 38-foot drop. The top speed is 33 mph.

The Polar Coaster is a more subdued experience with a 36-inch height restriction. It’s a very big deal for young kids’ first coaster ride, traveling uphill with a gradual, sloping downhill ride — scary but you don’t lose your stomach.

One of the park’s most popular rides, Bamboo Chutes, has plenty of splashes during the panda-themed log flume journey traveling slowly up a small hill and then speeding down past a dragon sprayer and more. For more water fun, Dr. Geyser’s Remarkable Raft Ride also is popular. Some other favorites are the Train and Antique guest-operated mini cars as well as the Mad Hatter and Alice in a giant tea cup.

In addition to the rides and Moo Lagoon, this 35-acre amusement park offers dozens of themed attractions ranging from live entertainment to games to shows. There also are interactive surprises throughout the park and character meet-and-greets.

A good way to start the day is with the famous Fairy Tale Wake Up character breakfast featuring the park’s own Katherine Kittycat and Daniel Tiger. Then, you can take a midday break at Tea Time with Cinderella offering tea and snacks. Plus guests receive a signed coloring book from Cinderella.

Since 1954, Story Land has been entertaining families and especially young kids with its attractions like Humpty’s Wall, Cinderella’s Castle and Pumpkin Coach. The broad variety of themed attractions offers something for everyone, from infants to adults.

“The goal of Story Land has always been for families to have fun together and make memories,” said Fullerton.

The 70th Birthday Bash Block Party is scheduled for June 22 and will have a DJ, balloon art, swag plus the eye-popping eight-tier birthday cake. Check the website for information on Nostalgia Nights and Epic September events including a kids’ fun run, grandparents’ day and several hero appreciation days. Also, for a limited time, tickets are only $34.99 when purchasing four.

With the addition of the Roar-o-Saurus a decade ago and now Moo Lagoon, the park has evolved from its fairytale beginnings to an attraction with something for all ages.

Where to Stay

Located in Glen, N.H., Story Land is close to North Conway, with plenty of lodging opportunities. Even closer is Jackson Village, offering quaint spots like the Wentworth Inn, which has 61 rooms, cottages and vacation rentals.

A few miles away from Story Land is the family friendly Grand Summit at Attitash Mountain Ski Resort with a hot tub, pool, on-site dining and more. Also near the mountain is the Attitash Mountain Village lodging complex offering big suites with kitchens. There are swimming pools and river swimming there, too.

For whole house rentals, Bretton Woods Vacations offers 130 properties with concierge-style services like 24/7 on-call help, grocery shopping services, food delivery options and cool customized charcuterie boards.