Jumbo Jet and Old Orchard Beach!
There is this place in Maine called “Old Orchard Beach” and they have a small amusement park called Palace Playland that may be as old as Cedar Point itself, however it has not grown as large as Cedar Point. In my quest to complete Jumbo Jet’s timeline, I have contacted Palace Playland for more information about the Jumbo Jet that was at the park. According to Meagan, the park has changed hands as far as ownership goes and very few of the “Old Guard” still remain. Meagan did confirm that Cedar Point’s Jumbo Jet was at Palace Playland, but was unsure of the actual dates. Here is the email that she sent me:
Hello Jerry,
I’m sorry for the long delay, but I was able to find a few (very few) details about the Jumbo Jet that you were inquiring about. Here’s what I could gather:
-Manufactured by Anton Schwarzkopf from Germany
-Originally from Cedar Point in Ohio
-left Old Orchard Beach previous to 1990, but that’s as much as we could find. It was sold to a traveling showman in the Netherlands (Holland)
I found this link in Wikipedia from entering Anton’s name, the Jumbo Jet from Cedar’s came up, here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbo_Jet_(Cedar_Point)
I know that it is not too much information, but hopefully it will lead you to more! We do not have any photographs currently in our records, but if something turns up, I would be happy to forward along to you.
Best of luck,
Meagan
I find it interesting that the only pictures I have been able to find of Jumbo Jet at Palace Playland is a couple of postcards that were emailed to me…. My quest continues… Let’s Ride!
The Lost Coaster 
Speaking of lost coasters…
I was there in 2011. They have a Galaxi that used to be at Peony Park in Omaha, Nebraska. I rode it when I was a kid. It was cool to ride it again.
nice :
I remember the Jumbo Jet well (at Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach, Maine)…I believe it opened in June of ’79. My high school friends and I were the very first to ride when it opened. We had waited in line for hours while they moved cars on and off the storage spur. When we finally boarded and the car started to pull out of the load platform, the spur track opened and the front wheels of the car derailed with us in it. We climbed out using a step ladder, they pushed the car back onto the track and into the load platform, made sure to lock the spur track, and had us back on the coaster 15 minutes later. No muss, no fuss….that would never happen today. Loved that coaster and rode it many seasons, until it was sold, sometime in the mid 80’s. Before the Jumbo Jet arrived, there was a City Jet located in the same spot for a few seasons. Now a Galaxi sits in roughly the same spot. Palace Playland completely refurbed the coaster a few years ago and it looks and runs great. The park takes great pride in the condition of its rides, and although it’s just a small beachside park, its rides are in far better condition than the larger “theme” park (and I use theme very loosely), Funtown, a few miles away on US Route 1 in Saco. It’s very rare to find a burned out bulb on any of the PP rides. It’s a great beach side diversion where you can still buy single ride tickets. Highly recommend visiting if in the area.
Thanks for the great story Steve2wdw and thanks for sharing it with thelostcoaster blog!
I actually ran the Jumbo Jet in Old Orchard Beach from 1981 through 1984. I don’t think it was there in 1985 as it was replaced with other rides such as go carts. I know I have a photo that I can round up but it consists of 3 photos that when pieced together make up the Jumbo Jet. I remember that in the control booth, there were references written on the wall for cedar Point. The cars were motor driven to the top so if anything failed, we would have to climb a ladder built into the coaster to the car and with a break release bar we would bring it down in reverse 6 inches at a time.
Hi Pete… Thanks for updating us… So you operated Jumbo Jet at Place Playland in 1981 and you believe it left the park in 1984… Another piece of the puzzle comes together. I would like to post that picture here on thelostcoaster blog! Let me know if I can!
I ran it from 1981-84. I think it was first at palace Playland in 1978 or 1979. I know they purchased it from cedar point. I will get the picture to you can I upload it on here?
Hey Pete… You could always post on our Facebook timeline… https://www.facebook.com/thelostcoaster . Can’t wait to see this picture