Land of Make Believe is one of those family parks that makes more sense once you understand what you are getting. It is not a giant theme park built around record-breaking roller coasters. It is a smaller, old-fashioned amusement park and water park where parents and children can spend much of the day doing things together.
The park sits in Hope, in northwestern New Jersey, and has been operating since 1954. It covers about 30 acres and combines amusement rides, a water park, family attractions, picnic areas, games, food, and a few unusual stops such as a farm, train, safari ride, and aviation display.
That mix makes Land of Make Believe especially useful for families with children of different ages. Younger kids have gentle rides and shallow-water areas, while older children and adults can move toward bigger slides and thrill rides.
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The Park Feels More Manageable Than a Large Theme Park
Land of Make Believe was designed around the idea that parents should take part instead of simply watching their children ride. That still shapes the park today. Many attractions are made for adults and children to enjoy together rather than separating the family into different areas.
The smaller size is a real advantage for families with young children. You do not spend half the day crossing huge themed lands or trying to find everyone after splitting up.
It also has a noticeably traditional feel. You will find a carousel, Ferris wheel, train, farm animals, maze, small roller coaster, and classic spinning rides alongside newer thrill attractions. If your family enjoys simple amusement parks more than highly themed resorts, that can be part of the charm.
Teenagers are not completely left out. Scream Machine 360 goes upside down, Sidewinder is aimed at thrill riders, and Tornado, Drop & Twist, Tilt-A-Whirl, and the Thriller Roller Coaster add more movement than the children’s rides.
Still, families should set expectations correctly. This is not the place to visit for a full collection of huge coasters. Its strength is variety within a family-sized park.
Pirate’s Cove Water Park Is a Big Part of the Day
One of the best reasons to visit during summer is that the water park is included with regular admission. You do not need a second water-park ticket.
Pirate’s Cove has shallow water areas for younger children as well as larger attractions for older guests. Blackbeard’s Action River is a tubing ride with waves, rapids, and waterfalls. Pirate’s Peak has larger water slides, while Pirate’s Plunge provides a smaller slide experience. The park also has a large wading pool and Blackbeard’s Pirate Fort, which includes water-play features and a large dumping bucket.
The water park changes how you should plan the day. Starting with the dry rides and moving to the water park after lunch usually makes more sense than changing clothes several times.
Proper swimwear is required for water attractions. Clothing with exposed metal, rivets, zippers, denim, cotton shorts, and ordinary street clothes cannot be used as swimwear. Children who still use diapers need a swim diaper or waterproof diaper cover.
Bring towels and dry clothes. Changing areas are available inside the water park.
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Height Requirements Can Shape the Visit
Land of Make Believe has rides for small children, but not every child can use every attraction.
For example, the Thriller Roller Coaster allows children from 33 to 36 inches to ride with an adult, while taller children can ride alone. Tornado starts at 38 inches with an adult, and Scream Machine 360 requires riders between 48 and 52 inches to have an adult with them. The Black Hole water slide is limited to guests age 8 and older.
Children under 24 months enter free, but their amusement-ride choices are limited mainly to the Carousel, Train, and Off Road Safari Adventure, along with access to the water park.
That makes the park a better value once children are tall enough to use several rides. Measure younger kids before the trip if there is a particular attraction they are excited about.
The good news is that several rides allow smaller children to join an adult. Families can therefore spend more time riding together instead of having one parent constantly wait on the side.
The Smaller Attractions Are Worth Exploring
Do not rush straight from one ride to another. Some of Land of Make Believe’s more unusual attractions are part of what separates it from a normal amusement park.
The 1863 C.P. Huntington train gives families a slower ride around the park. Old McDonald’s Farm has domestic farm animals, while the Off Road Safari Adventure uses a 4×4-style vehicle. There is also a World War II DC-3 cockpit, a maze, Santa’s Barn, and the Jenny Jump House and Legend.
The Mining Company lets children search for gems and fossils, but it is not part of the standard pay-one-price admission. Games, mining, food, souvenirs, and locker rentals cost extra.
These smaller stops work well between bigger rides or when children need a break from the water.
Bring Lunch If You Want to Keep Costs Down
Land of Make Believe is unusually friendly to families who prefer bringing their own food. Admission includes access to the family picnic area, and visitors may bring coolers into the amusement park. Coolers need to stay in the designated picnic area and cannot be brought into the water park.
Glass, alcohol, grills, and cooking equipment are not allowed.
There are also several food locations selling familiar park food such as burgers, hot dogs, pizza, chicken, fries, ice cream, drinks, and sweets.
Bringing a picnic is not essential, but it can make a noticeable difference to the cost of a family day out.
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Tickets, Parking, and Payment Need a Little Planning
Current 2026 discounted admission is $41 including tax for adults and children ages 2 to 61. Seniors age 62 and older pay $38, while children under 24 months enter free with limited ride access. Regular gate prices are higher. Parking and the water park are included.
The payment policy is more important than it might sound. The park accepts cash, while Discover is accepted at admissions and the gift shop. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are not accepted for normal in-park purchases, although all major cards can be used online. An ATM is available.
Buying tickets online before you leave home is the easiest way to avoid payment surprises.
The park generally operates from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during its public season, with the water park closing slightly earlier. It begins with weekend operation around Memorial Day and moves to daily operation for the main summer period, so checking the calendar before driving to Hope is still important.
How Long Should You Spend at Land of Make Believe?
Give it most of a day.
The park itself suggests treating the 30-acre property as a full-day visit, and that is reasonable if your family wants both the dry rides and water park.
Arrive close to opening, do the amusement rides first, stop for lunch, and move toward the water park during the warmer afternoon. That creates a natural pace without making the visit feel scheduled minute by minute.
Weather deserves attention because the park has a strict no-refund and no-rain-check policy. Rides and water attractions can close because of storms or maintenance.
Check the forecast before leaving home rather than hoping a bad-weather day will be refunded.
Is Land of Make Believe Worth Visiting?
Land of Make Believe works best for families that want amusement rides and water play in the same day without dealing with the size of a major theme park.
It is especially appealing when children are young enough to enjoy carousels, trains, animals, and smaller rides but old enough to meet several height requirements. Older children can still find thrills in the water slides and faster rides.
Free parking, included water-park access, and the option to bring a picnic also make the total cost easier to control than at parks where nearly every part of the day becomes an extra charge.
The park is less convincing for visitors whose only goal is large roller coasters. For a family that wants rides, swimming, lunch on the grass, and a few hours where everyone can join in, its smaller scale is exactly the point.
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Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
It is at 354 Great Meadows Road in Hope, New Jersey.
Yes. Pirate’s Cove Water Park is included with regular admission.
Yes. General parking is free.
Yes. Families may bring a picnic, but coolers must remain in the designated picnic area.
Yes. Children under 24 months enter free, although their ride choices are limited.
Plan for most of the day if you want to enjoy both the amusement park and water park.
Yes. The park has family coaster options including the Thriller Roller Coaster and a spinning coaster.
Card use inside the park is limited. Cash and Discover are the safest options, while major cards are accepted for online ticket purchases.
Yes. Lockers can be rented in the water park.
Some attractions may close, but the park does not provide refunds or rain checks.