Amusement Park News

Portland, Oregon's Oaks Amusement Park is undergoing some $40 million in improvements over a 20-year refurbishment period.

The historic park, which is celebrating 121 years this season, is seeking to modernize its attractions without losing its charm. Key revamps include constructing a new ride, a 135-foot-tall drop tower; renovating the Dance Pavilion, whose structure dates to 1905; and expanding the park's entertainment areas overall. The park will also update lighting throughout the grounds, relocate many of its rides, restore portions of the Willamette River Overlay Zone, and construct a one-story administrative office building.

The new drop tower will be the tallest in the Pacific Northwest when constructed and is scheduled to debut in spring 2027.

Area avian advocates were concerned that the bright lights from the new ride could disrupt migrating birds, so Oaks Park worked with wildlife professionals to use a specific type of lighting designed to be less disruptive. Some wildlife groups remain concerned, but Oaks Park has expressed gratitude for “the support of local officials in achieving a solution that allows us to bring an exciting new attraction to the community. Throughout this process, we have worked closely with lighting and wildlife experts to help reduce potential impacts on wildlife, and we appreciate their guidance in ensuring that this project reflects our commitment to being a responsible neighbor.”

The historic amusement park is one of the oldest in the country and has been operated by the nonprofit Oaks Park Association for the last 35 years.

According to Emily MacKay, Oaks Park Association's marketing and events director, the park has developed a long-overdue master plan for the next 20 years, focused on “how we can maximize and better use our space and make sure these historic features are preserved for the future.” She adds that part of the park's revamp is intended to make the park more accessible and easier for guests to navigate.

While the updates include modernizing the park, the association is paying considerable attention to maintaining the vintage charm of the attraction, which opened in 1905.

The still-operating Oaks Park Roller Rink opened in the summer of 1906 and has maintained its original 100-by-200-foot maple wood floor.

Nearly as historic is the Noah's Ark Carousel, built in 1912 by Herschell-Spillman and installed at the park in 1926.

Among the park's other rides are a Scrambler from the Eli Bridge Company, added in 1955, and the park's popular kiddie ride, the Herschell Company's Sky Fighter, also built in the 1950s. A circa-1960 Eyerly Aircraft Company Rock-O-Plane and an Eyerly Spider, a six-arm octopus ride first constructed in 1974 and rebuilt in 2017, are also among guest favorites.

Even older are the buildings housing food and beverage vendors, which were constructed in 1905, the same year as the Dance Pavilion.

The park's improvements began last year with the restoration of the Dance Pavilion, which now features improved accessibility, structural strengthening, and enhancements to the classic space. The drop ceiling was removed, exposing the attractive timber ceiling beneath it. Work was completed in September 2025.

Along with the upgrades comes the new Super Shot Drop Tower from RMC Rides. Construction on the thrilling ride has just begun, keeping its planned March 2027 opening on track. The park will soon launch a naming contest, encouraging participation by parkgoers and neighbors alike.

Oaks Park is also rearranging and repurposing its space. The picnic area currently at the center of the park will become an area for rides, with MacKay explaining that the park “will be relocating several existing rides into the new attraction zone, improving access and circulation.” The new drop tower will also be located in that area.

She stresses that no picnic areas will be lost; rather, the picnic grounds will be moved to a “large empty field located at the south end of the property.”

The new attraction zone will also feature replica lighting designed to resemble the earliest fixtures on the midway, which came from the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition after that event closed.


Workers make changes to the parks train tracks preparing for the new Attraction Zone.

Additionally, the park plans to improve access to the Willamette River and position rides to create better views.

New signage and supergraphics will also be part of the park's phase one improvements. During phase one, MacKay says, riverbank reinforcement will be completed and the footings for the new drop tower will be laid. The park will also relocate utilities for the new entertainment zone.

Lease Crutcher Lewis, which completed the Dance Pavilion renovations last fall, will continue to work with the park as its construction partner.

Along with these large-scale changes, smaller ones have also taken place. These include retheming the Willamette Willy Game and the ZOOOOM Coaster; both reopened with new looks this summer. MacKay points out that the revamps were done “in partnership with local artist Mike Bennett.”

Looking ahead, later in the 20-year plan, the park expects to relocate one of its historic gazebos to the new picnic area. Also planned is construction of the new office building near the main gate, which should improve ticketing and provide space for guest services. Throughout the park, new greenery will be added to create a lusher look.

Once phase one is complete, MacKay says additional updates and timelines will be planned for phase two of the park's 20-year improvement process, which will include moving the park's railroad track and opening the drop tower.