Luna Park

We went to Luna Park Saturday night and it was awesome.

There have been dozens of amusement parks all over the world named Luna Park since 1903. Melbourne’s own opened December 13, 1912. A huge smiling clown face (aka the Hellmouth) greets you as you enter these fairgrounds with traditional amusements rather than high-tech rides. We’re talking simple roller coasters, a carousel, bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, a maze of mirrors, a not-so-scary haunted train ride, and so forth.

Luna Park is small and admission is free, but the rides are not, and it can be pretty costly to ride. A single-ride ticket for adults (13+) is $9.50 and a pass for unlimited rides is $43.95. I strongly encourage visitors to walk around the park and have a look at the rides before making ticket decisions. You may find that some rides are closed and others don’t interest you. Also, opening times vary so be sure to check the website. I think school holidays are the best time to go. Even then, you won’t find Luna Park crowded. To be honest, I’m kind of amazed this old-fashioned park manages to remain open.

It’s simple and small, but I really enjoyed Luna Park perhaps mostly for the nostalgia factor. I hadn’t been to a theme park in many years and it’s been longer since I rode those kind of rides. The Twin Dragon still made my stomach drop and the Scenic Railway made me squeal more than once. I stuffed myself with cotton candy, or fairy floss as the Aussies call it, but sadly there were no elephant ears to be found. When I mention these, I get blank stares.