Fresno’s Storyland is adding 3 new play areas. Here’s when and what to expect
New attractions are coming to Storyland in Fresno, just in time for summer vacation.
The amusement center at Roeding Park, 890 West. Belmont Ave in Fresno, has been delivering family-friendly fun for more than six decades.
“We provide an interactive and fun-filled experience with a focus on storytelling to foster strong foundations for reading and writing skills” the park said on its website.
Here’s what to expect on your next visit:
What is Storyland?
Storyland, which opened in 1962, features play areas inspired by classic nursery rhymes and fairy tales, including a castle.
“Storyland is so cute, and has all these little playhouses,” Storyland/Playland board member Susan Anderson told The Fresno Bee in April.
Current attractions include playhouses based on “Alice in Wonderland,” “Mother Goose” and “The Three Little Pigs.” Keys activate boxes throughout the park that tell different stories.
The outdoor Daniel R. Martin Children’s Theater hosts performances by local storytellers, musicians, singers, dancers, magicians and more, according to the Storyland website.
The Storyland/Playland board oversees the management of Storyland as well as neighboring amusement park Playland, which is temporarily closed.
Both parks are connected by the Willis B. Kyle Express Train, named after a long-time Fresno resident and railroad industry innovator.
Which changes are coming to Storyland?
According to Anderson, Storyland is getting three new attractions — including a pirate ship play structure named Paul’s Pirate Ship.
It will replace a smaller, older pirate ship structure that had to be removed after it fell apart due to age, according to Anderson.
Kids can clamber over the decks, spin the steering wheel and explore the masts and anchor as they pretend to sail the high seas.
There’s a seating area for parents just outside of the play area, as well as a free-standing treasure chest and crocodiles that children can climb on.
Daniels Wood Land, a playground equipment supplier in Paso Robles, fabricated the pirate ship in addition to two themed houses each measuring 12 feet wide by 12 feet long.
La Cocina Playhouse is based on Gary Soto’s children’s book “Too Many Tamales,” Anderson told the Fresno Bee in April.
The exterior of the playhouse has a scenic stucco look and a Spanish terracotta tile roof, in addition to a green door with blue trim.
Inside, children can cook imaginary meals on the red stove, peek in the cabinets or play on the countertops. There’s also a sink and a blue-and-yellow refrigerator.
The Hmong Playhouse, meanwhile, was inspired by a traditional Hmong fairy tale whose name translates to “Tiger and the Girl” in English.
Inside, there’s a cooking area, a dining table, a bed and sacks of rice. The playhouse has a sculpted concrete bamboo exterior and synthetic thatch roofing as well as pressure-treated roof framing.
The Hmong Playhouse area will include a life-size tiger, according to Anderson.
Storyland worked closely with the teachers who run the Hmong language program at Fresno Unified School District to design the structure, Anderson said.
“Storyland is healthier than ever,” Scott Miller, a Storyland/ Playland board member, told The Bee in April.
When will new additions be completed?
The new attractions will be finished by Tuesday, July 1, ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend, Anderson told The Bee.
According to Anderson, the two playhouses will be completed together, while the pirate ship is a separate project.
As of Thursday, May 29, the pirate ship area was blocked off for construction, according to Anderson.
How much will Storyland improvements cost?
According to Anderson, the board is investing $700,000 in Storyland’s newest attractions.
Funding for the new playhouses came from Measure P, she said, while the new pirate ship is being funded by a private donor.
What else has changed at Roeding Park?
After nearly 70 years at Fresno’s Roeding Park, a century-old Southern Pacific steam locomotive has been moved to a new home in Kingsburg.
The rail vehicle worked in the San Joaquin Valley from 1918 until it was retired in 1956, according to the Friends of the Historic Kingsburg Depot.
The city of Fresno donated the Baldwin S-10 0-6-0 steam locomotive to the Friends of the Historic Kingsburg Depot in 2022 to be displayed along with “350 feet of new display track, locomotive artifacts and other railroad cars,” the group said in a news release.
The relocation was slated to take place Wednesday, May 28.
What are Storyland ticket prices? How much does the train cost?
Tickets to Storyland cost $10, or $8 for children ages 1 to 11 and $9 for seniors 65 years old and older.
The Storyland train costs $8 to ride with park admission. You can ride the train for $10 without Storyland admission.
Parking at Roeding Park costs $5 per vehicle, according to the city of Fresno’s website.
“The park is very affordable for every income level,” said Miller. “Families can go and forget their troubles for an afternoon.”
What are park’s open hours?
Storyland is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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