OT: Let's talk about Storyland in NH

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

Just thought I'd open this up to discuss Storyland in NH. We live in MA, about 2.5 hours away. We have done a long weekend at Storyland for the past 2 summers and plan to go again this summer. DDs will be 5.5 and 2. My older dd loves it there, and talks about it all year long. Even though we just got back from our first trip to WDW, she has been asking to go to Storyland again this summer.

We find the park to be clean, accessible, and not too crowded if you plan it well. It is geared towards younger kids, I'd say ages 2.5 or 3 to about 8 or so. If you go in after 3pm, you can stay for the rest of the day and then return for free another day. There are lots of great places to stay in the area, and it is very family friendly. We especially like Nordic Village, which is just 2 minutes from Storyland, and offers nightly entertainment for the kids, as well as a bonfire to toast marshmallows. FUN!

Has anyone else been? Any additional comments?

 

[Darcy03231]

We went to Storyland every year when my kids were little. Santa's Village is also a lot of fun too. We'd plan a long weekend and do both. I have to admit sometimes I miss going. My kids are now 15 & 13 and there's no way I'd get them to go now.

 

[bevemjake]

I agree with everything you posted. We have gone for several years and even stayed in Nordic Village last summer.

It's a great place for the younger crowd. I have to say that my "almost-eight-year-old" DD had a good time but is getting too old for it.
Sadly I don't think we'll be going back next summer.

 

[Embel]

We love Storyland. If you enter the park after 3PM, your tickets are good for the entire next day. Can you imagine if Disney did that?

When we visited the castle in Storyland, a teenage brunette in red dress & cloak came out & introduced herself to my girls as Cinderella. My 3 year old, who has already been to Disney twice, said "No you aren't!" The girl kept trying to convince her, but DD was having none of it. It was pretty funny.

 

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

When we visited the castle in Storyland, a teenage brunette in red dress & cloak came out & introduced herself to my girls as Cinderella. My 3 year old, who has already been to Disney twice, said "No you aren't!" The girl kept trying to convince her, but DD was having none of it. It was pretty funny.

My dd did that too when she was 3.5. She finally decided that it was Cinderella's sister.

 

[tjmw2727]

Great family park we LOVE it. We spend our summers in NH so we visit every year and now that my dd's are 10 and 12 they enjoy taking my neice and nephew 2 and 4 almost as much when they were little. I can just hear the music in the story area

Very reasonable food and drink prices, picnic lunches are welcome and IIRC the highest height restriction is 36". The polar coaster was both my dd's first coaster!

We always arrive early and head to the left, antique cars first and circle around the "wrong way" by the time we hit the story area everyone is at the other end of the park.

TJ

 

[swillis]

I went to Storyland a lot as a kid. That was our "family vacation destination" every summer. We would go for a weekend and do Storyland and either one of these: The Lost River, Santa's Secret Village, Clark's Trading Post or The Flume.

I took my daughter to Storyland when she was about 2, but we never made it there with my son. Great place, for low key style fun.

 

[tjlovespooh]

I also remember going to storyland as a child & Dh & I plan to take our children someday too! We also go to Canobie Lake Park often too, good for older kids as well as young ones.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

We go to Storyland and Santa's Village every summer- we love it! We usually stay at the Town n' Country its at the halfway point for both Storyland and Santa's Village. Although the last time we were there we wrote down some other hotels to try. We've also stayed at The Storybook Inn right next to Storyland - a little pricey for what ya get but location location location!

 

[Tinkim]

We used to go to Storyland every summer too but the kids are now 14, 12, and 9 and we don't go anymore. My DD9 is a thrill seeker and there aren't really any thrilling rides here and the boys aren't really interested in going there. We will probably do Canobie Lake Park this summer but Storyland is great for the younger crowd. We used to go after 3:00 and then save our ticket to go another day for free. Have fun! It's hard to think of NH as a vacation destination because we live here but there are definitely some fun things to do. We like CLP and Hampton Beach now but Storyland brings back fond memories of when the kids were little.

 

[*love*2*shop]

we Live here in NH and go 1 time each spring...Since we live not far away we just make it a day trip...we leave our house @ 715 am....make 1 pit stop and get into the parking lot 15 mins BEfore they open.....we Stay until around 2 pm, then head out.......

*BUT* last year we went / my kids were 4 and 6 and they were BORED...BOTH my kids are Thrill seekers and at the time we had just come back from Disney only a few mos before...SOOOO< for US, it will have to be the likes of Canobie lake and/or SIX Flags for them from now on.....

So this summer we have on tap a few day trips:

Water Country in Portsmouth NH

Canobie Lake

and of course my kids love YORK BEACH....

NEXT year/ summer, we plan to hit SIX FLAGS!


I would NOT think Twice about Storyland if you have small kids, IT IS a Great Place!!!

 

[DDreamer]

We live in NH, and it's only about an hour ride for us. We also make a day out of it. We leave first thing in the morning, and aren't usually back until dinner time at least. We go at least once a year, and my younger daughter who is 6 LOVES it!! I'll be sad when she outgrows it

 

[chrismom2005]

i live right next to storyland and have gone every summer when i was younger and now with my ds 6 he loves it he is def not a thrill seeker i cant even get him to try the polar coaster yet lol. they are always adding new rides too. almost a new one every year. after we went to disney last april my dh told me that after disney it wouldnt be worth going to storyland anymore i told him not on his life of course its no disney but its still fun. plus we get in for free cause i have a few family members who work there (my aunt designs the rides and my uncle is the head electrion, just a little brag lol) who can pass up free.

 

[champagne27]

Storyland is great! We are trying to decide if we will make it or not this year. Another fun & very inexpensive thing to do is Loon Mountain on the other side of the Kangamangus (sp). We take the gondola to the top and they have a great playground at the top and a cool trail where you can climb rocks & wooden ladders - just alot of stairs!

 

[solgent]

So, I have a friend who hates Disney. I have never really understood why, except that they did have a bad experience there-- a very bad family argument. They love Storyland. A couple of years ago we agreed for our families to meet in NH there for a few days. (They live in MA, we live in VT.)

I was pretty underwhelmed. It just made me want to go to WDW.

We had a fine time and did other fun things in the area, but I wouldn't go again.

 

[kribit]

I went to Storyland a lot as a kid. That was our "family vacation destination" every summer. We would go for a weekend and do Storyland and either one of these: The Lost River, Santa's Secret Village, Clark's Trading Post or The Flume.QUOTE]

Same here...we stayed at Woodwards Motor Inn or Indian Head every year. I remember it like it was yesterday. So much fun and such good memories. Don't forget the Attitash Slide and Polar Caves.

 

[golden1]

Hi fellow New Englanders!

We went for our first trip to Storyland last year and I was pleasantly surprised. We went for a day trip last year and had a blast! We are going back this year and we are going to try camping with some friends. I am actually really excited for this year because ds will be tall enough to ride all the rides.

One of the best things about Storyland for me is the lack of commercialism. They aren't shilling merchandise everywhere and all the stores are indoors. The snacks,food and drinks were reasonably priced as well. It was nice to go somewhere and not feel ripped off!

 

[Melissa]

We always have fun there, My dd's logic about why Cinderella looks like a highschool girl in a prom dress is b/c the real Cinderella lives in WDW and the further you get from the magic the more things fade. Very clean and fun park especially for little ones