Carousel Gardens Amusement Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Carousel Gardens Amusement Park offers a charming, nostalgic amusement experience within New Orleans' City Park, specifically catering to babies, infants, and young children with over 20 rides. It provides unlimited rides with admission, a magical ambiance (especially during the Christmas season), and often includes access to the adjacent Storyland. It's lauded as a unique and essential family-friendly destination in the city, despite its rides being older.
Key Highlights
- ✓Over 20 distinct rides, including a Train, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and the classic carousel.
- ✓Unlimited rides are included with the single admission price.
- ✓Clean restrooms are available on-site.
- ✓Creates a 'magical' atmosphere, particularly noted around Christmas time with lights and music.
- ✓Access to Storyland, a free storybook-themed playground located next door (also included with a season pass).
- ✓Friendly staff, primarily consisting of teenagers.
- ✓The train ride offers a fun way to view parts of City Park.
Standout Features
- ⭐Unlimited rides included with ticket purchase.
- ⭐Direct access to Storyland (free or with season pass).
- ⭐Availability of clean restrooms.
- ⭐Atmosphere enhanced by lights and music.
- ⭐The train ride offers scenic views of City Park.
- ⭐Friendly and accommodating staff.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Consider purchasing tickets in advance for specific time slots, especially for popular holiday events like 'driving tours' around Christmas.
- →Look for 'discounted tickets midweeks', particularly during special seasons.
- →For frequent visitors, a 'Family season pass for 4 for $265' is available and includes Storyland access.
- →Parents should 'pay attention to the height chart' but note that a parent 'can always accompany a child almost on all the rides'.
- →Visiting on 'Sundays' is recommended as there's 'no rush whatsoever'.
- →Budget for admission costs: $21 for a child and just over $12 per parent.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Rides are described as 'old and run down' by some parents.
- ⚠Children, particularly around 7 years old, may 'outgrow the rides' in a few years, limiting the park's long-term appeal for older kids.
Price & Value
Admission costs $21 for a child and just over $12 per parent, offering 'unlimited rides' for the day. A 'Family season pass for 4' is available for $265 and includes access to both Carousel Gardens and Storyland, presenting good value for repeat visitors. Discounted tickets are available midweeks, particularly during holiday seasons. The free adjacent Storyland adds to the overall family value.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific special needs accommodations mentioned.
- •Parents can accompany children on almost all rides, and infants can go on 4 rides, implying broad accessibility for very young children with adult assistance.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Sells pizza and ice cream on-site.
- •General mention of 'the food' as a positive aspect, implying enjoyable offerings.
🚗Parking Info
- •Not explicitly mentioned in reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Reports of 'no lines on a Sunday afternoon in April' and 'no rush whatsoever' on Sundays, suggesting manageable crowds.
- •Requires 'tickets in advance for a specific time slot' for certain holiday events (like driving tours), indicating potential for higher demand/crowds during those periods.
- •Open from Thursday - Sunday, 11 AM - 8 PM.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Parents are advised to 'pay attention to the height chart' for rides.
- •The ability for a parent to accompany a child on almost all rides adds a layer of parental supervision.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If your children are older and primarily seek modern, high-tech, or thrilling rides.
- • If you expect brand new, state-of-the-art amusement park infrastructure.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Individual Season Pass
$85Duration: March-November
Unlimited access to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and Storyland for the duration of the season.
Includes:
- •Unlimited access to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park
- •Unlimited access to Storyland
Family of Four Season Pass
$265Duration: March-November
Unlimited access to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and Storyland for the duration of the season for a family of four.
Includes:
- •Unlimited access to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park
- •Unlimited access to Storyland
Additional Person Season Pass (Family)
$66Duration: March-November
Cost per additional person for the Family of Four Season Pass.
Includes:
- •Unlimited access to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park
- •Unlimited access to Storyland
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Ghosts in the Oaks: Monster Mash at City Park
Oct. 16
Not specified
Halloween-themed event at City Park.
Brews and Boos
Oct. 24
Not specified
Halloween-themed event at City Park.
Birthday Parties
Year-round
Varies per location
Customizable party packages available in Carousel Gardens' Birthday Village, pricing, times, and capacity vary per location.
🍎Food Policy
- • Two cafés with food made fresh to serve are available on site.
- • Parker’s Pizza, located within Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, offers pizza by the slice, 16” large pizzas, desserts, and beverages including beer and wine.
- • If the Carousel Gardens closes due to inclement weather, the cafes will close.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • The safety of Park guests is a priority.
- • An attendant will measure all guests before boarding an attraction.
- • Children are not allowed to sit on laps on any amusement park ride other than the Train.
- • Infants are only allowed on the Train or the Carousel with a paid adult.
📅Booking Policy
- • Events can be booked; packages can be customized.
- • Pricing, times, and capacity for event bookings vary per location (Owl House, Alligator House, Pelican House, Train Ride, Carousel Ride).
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Janelle Bellard
3 months agoThis place is magical, especially at Christmas time. They have discounted tickets midweeks. You must buy tickets in advance for a specific time slot for the driving tours.
Austin Graff
a year agoPerspective is everything. To my seven-year-old, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park provided two hours of fun running from ride to ride. They sell pizza and ice cream. Kids love this place. (At least my seven-year-old did. However, in a few years, she'll outgrow the rides.) To parents, this place is a great way to spend a few hours visiting City Park, but it comes with a price. It was $21 for our daughter and just over $12 per parent. However, once you pay, you get unlimited rides. The rides themselves are old and run down, but the plus is there were no lines on a Sunday afternoon in April. It has clean restrooms and the train is a fun way to see a part of City Park. Next door is Storyland, a storybook-themed playground that's free.
Heath G. Cox
a week agoGreat spot for the kiddos. Would definitely visit again next time I'm in NOLA!
Manish Narang
2 years agoAmusement park at City Park reminds me so much of Central Park in NYC. If you’ve kids, there’s nothing like it in New Orleans ‘heaven’. I bought the Family season pass for 4 for $265 and have no regrets. Babies absolutely love it. Pay attention to the height chart, otherwise, a parent can always accompany a child almost on all the rides. Even an infant can go on 4 rides. Train, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, carousel garden etc are the highlights with 20+ Rides. They’re open from Thur - Sun from 11a-8p and I usually go on Sundays, when there’s no rush whatsoever. The staff consists of teenagers who are super friendly. I would highly recommend the Amusement park. And next door Storyland is also included with the season pass😊
Holly Eve Coleman
a year agoI used to come here with my family as a child very often.. multiple times a year. This was my first time in 5 years and I enjoyed it so much! I felt like a kid again!!! The rides, the lights, the food, the music!!! It was AMAZING! SO MUCH FUN! My fiancé and I went twice this week!