About a month after Rye Playland opened with two-thirds of its rides shuttered, Westchester County is touting its continued rollout of more rides this week, as well as food vendors, entertainment, and expanded hours at the park.
Peter Tartaglia, the county parks department’s deputy commissioner, confirmed in a press conference Monday that 22 rides are now up-and-running at Playland — up from the 13 that were operable during the Memorial Day opening weekend.
“What a difference a month makes when you can have so much help and support from a very functioning Westchester County,” Tartaglia said during Monday’s press conference.
The county announced before opening weekend that it would work on repairing rides in sections, beginning in Kiddyland to serve the park’s youngest thrill seekers. Westchester officials only gave the green light to eight of Kiddyland’s 21 rides.
But four more rides in that section of the amusement park opened this week.
The county has also opened 10 thrill rides, up from the five open over Memorial Day weekend.
“We’re very proud of that as well,” Tartaglia said.
He added that the county has also been welcoming more food vendors and entertainment options since the historic park re-opened in May.
The park will also hold its annual Independence Day event, with a July 4 fireworks show at 9 p.m. on Friday – as well as every Friday thereafter through Aug. 29. County officials also announced expanded hours for the holiday weekend: from noon to 9 p.m. on July 2, 3, and 6; and noon to 10 p.m. on July 4 and 5.
“It shows that Westchester County really means we’re back, when it comes to Playland,” Tartaglia said.
The waterfront amusement park has faced turmoil this season as the county returned to managing Playland after its dramatic fallout with for-profit management partner Standard Amusements, which announced in late January it would be exiting their 30-year management contract to run the historic park after three years.
Earlier this spring there was speculation that the county wouldn’t be able to open Playland in time for the full 2025 season, after the county declared an “emergency situation” at the park in order to hire an Italian ride manufacturer — Zamperla, Inc. — with a no-bid contract to inspect, repair, and maintain the rides at Playland.
The $1.7 million deal with Zamperla runs through Sept. 30.
County officials on Monday credited Zamperla with getting more rides up to code since the park opened. Zamperla also runs Luna Park on Coney Island, and owns 11 of the rides at Playland.
Westchester Executive Ken Jenkins, a Democrat, pleaded with customers to have patience as the county continues its ride rollout, noting that it takes a long time to get new parts to safely operate the machinery.
“Everyone keeps asking us about the rides that aren’t open. ‘Guess what? If we could open it, we would,'” Jenkins said at the press conference. “At the end of the day, if we can’t make it happen, we just can’t physically make it happen.”
While admission to walk through Playland remains free, the county has started charging $15 for all-day ride wristbands and $10 for parking.
In addition, Playland beach and pool are both open seven days a week through Labor Day, from 11 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the last entry at 6 p.m.
