Story Land Tips & Tricks (from Long-Time Season Pass Holders) - New Hampshire
Post updated for 2026 Season | We’ve been going to Story Land for forever it seems - I went yearly as a child back in the 80’s and 90’s, and now we’ve been season pass holders for the last 10+ years. This may be our last year as season pass holders as our kids are getting too old to make Story Land trips a regular occurrence, but we’ve learned a lot over the years and I thought I would share some of our tips, tricks, and hacks with you. | This post is not sponsored. Contains personal opinion/reviews and affiliate links |
Disclaimer: This post shares opinions and tips based on our personal experiences. Please be aware that you may encounter things differently and things are subject to change. Please do your own research.
Story Land is a family-focused storybook themed amusement park in Glen, NH.
Consider Season Passes
If you’re a New Hampshire local (like us), or come up to the area at least 2-3x a year, Season Passes are definitely the way to go! They can pay for themselves in just two visits. Make sure to pay attention to levels of passes when purchasing as some have blackout dates and some have different perks - like free parking, discounts for food or merchandise, free or discounted “Buddy Passes,” or tickets to Living Shores Aquarium next door. It’s also really nice not feel pressure to do or see it all when we’re at Story Land because we know we can catch something next time; it gives us a lot of flexibility to just come for a few hours when we want.
PRO TIP: Buy season passes ahead of time for the following season on Black Friday! That’s typically when prices are lowest.
Season Pass Monthly Perks
If you are Season Pass holders, Story Land typically has bonus pass perks that change every month on top of your regular season pass perks! It could be something like 50% one souvenir for a certain month, or “buy one get one free” ice cream for a particular month. These bonus monthly perks change month-to-month and are announced at the beginning of every month (in other words, it’s a surprise what the next month’s perks are going to be).
Buy Day Tickets Ahead (if not Season Pass Holders)
If possible, NEVER buy tickets at the gate - always buy ahead online. Buying ahead gives you the best deal on day tickets. Sometimes they can be be 50% or more off depending on current offers, though you may have to buy a week or more in advance to get the best deal.
Go Midweek if you Can
Weekends can be insanely busy at Story Land. We highly recommend going Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday if you can - those definitely seem to be the lighter days.
“Final Three = Next Day Free!”**
Story Land often has a promotion where if you first enter the park in the final 3 hours of operation you can come back the next day for free! This is a great way to get some extra time in the park, especially if you’re from out of the area and staying in a hotel locally.
**NOTE: We have seen this offer come and go over the years — some years they offer it, some years they don’t. Do your research and confirm with customer service in writing if they are currently honoring that offer and how best to use it with dated tickets before you try to use it.
**EDIT 2026: This year I saw an offer where you can come for the last three hours the day before your dated ticket, so it’s backwards of what it used to be. DEFINITELY CALL/EMAIL AND CONFIRM HOW IT WORKS BEFORE YOU TRY TO USE IT.
Paid Parking
New in 2024, Story Land is now asking you pay to park in certain lots (namely all the ones surrounding the park), though free parking is included with Season Passes. Parking across the street in the dirt lot is still free and there is a pedestrian tunnel under the road to safely cross. (Personal note: I am really disappointed about this change.)
Bag Policy
Make sure to check Story Land’s bag policy before coming. It’s new in the last few years, but be prepared for security to check your bags on the way in and limitations on the size of bags brought in (exceptions can be made for diaper bags or medical supplies). You may also have to go through a metal detector as well. And just like before, Story Land still does not allow glass bottles/containers or hard sided coolers brought in.
Now that I don't need a diaper bag these days I pack light and simple - a quality belt bag with wallet, phone, keys, and hand sanitizer. That's really all you need and it's small enough to wear on almost all rides.
Story Land is Cash-Free
Starting a few years ago Story Land became a cash-free park. This means they ONLY accept credit card/debit cards for payments at all places (food, gift shops, concession stands, etc) in the park - so make sure to bring your plastic with you ;) If you forget or don’t have a credit card, there are machines in the parks that can transfer cash onto pre-paid gift cards that can be used instead.
Pack a Lunch
This is an easy way to save big if you come frequently - make sure to pack your lunch to avoid paying for over priced food and drinks in the park. You can leave your lunch cooler in your car and go out* and have a “parking lot picnic” (*don’t forget to get your hand stamped on the way out so you can re-enter the park!) or you can bring your lunch into the park with you as long as it fits in with Story Land’s bag policy and doesn’t contain glass containers. When our youngest was a baby we used to always eat our lunch on the train - that way the baby could take her time finishing her bottle while my oldest ate her sandwich and no one felt like we were missing out on anything - we’d just ride the train in circles until everyone was done.
Buying Food in the Park
If you do buy food in the park, it’s worth scoping out what the different food stalls have. There is a Dunkin Donuts when you first come in if you need that coffee/breakfast fix. For lunch, Food Fair in the center of the park has all the standard items but can get very busy on crowded park days. Some stand alone stalls like Barn Yard Pizza or The Farm Stand may have different offerings than any other food stall in the park and often shorter lines too. While you’re walking the park in the morning it’s worth checking out their menus as you pass by to decide what everyone is interested in eating for snacks or lunch. Keep in mind some food stalls may not be open during the shoulder seasons or due to staffing on certain days so it’s important to stay flexible. Offerings can also change seasonally. (Occasionally Story Land also has food trucks in the park or manning one of the food stands which is a fun change and always really good food!)
PS - if you’re a Season Pass holder, don’t forget to scan your season pass if you have food discounts as a Park Perk! (Note: Discounts aren’t available for food trucks vendors/3rd party vendors.)
Consider Baby Wearing Over a Stroller
I have been doing Story Land for years - with babies, pregnant, not pregnant, with toddlers, with pre-teens, etc. - and I am solidly in the camp “no stroller.” Personally I find it so much easier to just have everything on my person and not have to worry about watching a stroller or coming back for a stroller if we decide to get off at a different train stop, etc - and not to mention it’s much easier navigating crowds and the giant hill in the middle of the park (which is avoidable if you choose to go around - but it’s a nice shortcut) without a stroller. Story Land also isn’t a huge park, it’s very walkable and doable without a stroller for most people. I always wore our baby/toddler in a front carrier and then carried a backpack as a diaper bag that had all the essentials - diapers, lunch, bottles, etc. Obviously everyone has their own preferences and if you decide to use a stroller or wagon that’s totally fine but this is what I found to be the best for our family in this park.
Many families choose to take strollers or wagons into Story Land. Please keep in mind that they are subject to search and go through the metal detector when you enter the park. It's also not a bad idea to AirTag your stroller or wagon too, just in case.
(Personal note: I loved using the Boba Baby Carrier when our kids were small. It's good for infants through toddlers and very comfortable to wear. I would also carry a modest-sized backpack diaper bag, similar to this one so I could keep my hands free and move around the park easily.)
Plenty to Do and See with Infants or While Pregnant
If you’re pregnant or have an infant it will limit what you can do - no rollercoasters or thrill rides for example. However there is still a reasonable amount of things to see and do - make sure to check the ride information boards at each ride to see if it’s suitable for infants or pregnant women and obviously use your best judgement and advice from your doctors on what you can/can’t do. It’s better to play it safe.
Walk Up to Cinderella’s Castle, Then Ride Down
This is a simple tip I’ve realized over the years - WALK UP to Cinderella’s Castle, and then ride the Pumpkin Coach DOWN. Most people feel the need to ride up to Cinderella’s Castle to get the full effect, but if you don’t mind doing it a little backwards you can walk up to the Castle (over a really pretty bridge, mind you), meet Cinderella, and then get in line to ride the Pumpkin Coach back down. The line at the top to ride back down is almost always considerably shorter than the line at the bottom to ride up - and often there isn’t even a line at the top at all!
Take Your Own Picture with Cinderella
At Cinderella’s Castle you can stand in line to meet her and get your photo taken by a staff photographer, which is available for purchase afterwards at a little desk by the exit. Thankfully though you can take your own cell phone photo while you’re there and aren’t obligated to buy the Story Land photo which is rather expensive.
Some Rides Don’t Open Until 10:30
Story Land typically opens at 10AM, but keep in mind that the water rides (Dr. Geyser’s Remarkable Raft Ride and Bamboo Chutes) and the back section of the park that includes Moo Lagoon do not open until 10:30. We recommend doing one or two other dry rides first before circling back to catch those.
And Some Rides are Temperature Dependent
Keep in mind that most of the water rides and Moo Lagoon won’t run if it’s below 70 degrees. These rides also may not operate early in the season or after Labor Day.
The Roar-O-Saurus is ROUGH
The Roar-O-Saurus is the wooden rollercoaster in the back of the park; it has highest height requirement of all the rides at Story Land and is meant for older kids and adults. It’s a great wooden roller coaster and quite thrilling - but be warned it’s ROUGH riding it. The ride is very jolting and “jittery.” There are signs on the loading dock warning you to take everything out of your pockets and leave it in cubbies on the platform because they will be shaken out (my husband can attest to that… his wallet shook right out of his pants pocket once!). They used to even have a white board tally behind the operator logging how many items have been lost so far that season on the ride.
(Personal Note: Unfortunately this ride hurts my neck so I typically don’t ride it.)
EDIT Fall, 2025: Be warned - as of October, 2025 they will no longer let you even wear RX glasses on the Roar-A-Saurus. I usually don’t ride this ride because it bothers my neck, but my daughter needed someone to ride with her on our last trip of the season so I agreed to go on it with her. I was surprised and disappointed that I was told I could not wear my glasses on the ride, which has never been an issue before. I tried explaining that I am legally blind without them (literally, I am) and I’ve never had to take them off in all the years of riding it but it was non-negotiable on their part. We decided to get off the ride at that point because I can’t be parted from my glasses.. it was very disappointing. I understand where they’re coming from that they’ve had too many people loose items on this ride, but properly fit RX glasses will not fall off and it’s unfortunate they won’t allow even those on the ride anymore.
Pack Your Swimsuit for Moo Lagoon
Moo Lagoon, which opened in 2024, is a splash pad/water slide park located where the old Oceans of Fun Splash Pad was. If you’d like to take advantage of Moo Lagoon make sure to wear or bring your swimsuit to change into. Appropriate swim wear without buckles or anything that can “catch” is needed to use the water slides - and they don’t allow you to wear glasses of any kind on the waterslides, including prescription eyeglasses.
One thing to note is that the entrance stairs to the three tallest slides are outside of the main Moo Lagoon area. This makes it tricky to always have eyes on your little ones so keep that in mind.
Never Busy at Cuckoo Clockenspiel
Pro Tip: Even when the park is slammed and there’s crazy lines at every ride, there never seems to be line at the Cuckoo Clockenspiel! Seriously, so many times we’ve attended on insanely busy days and my kids have been the only ones on the Cuckoo Clockenspiel ride. This ride is located at the top of the giant hill that’s kind of in the middle of the park (maybe that’s why everyone misses it?). The ride itself is a beautiful giant cuckoo clock and you ride in barrels that spin (like tea cups) along the bottom. You can control how fast your barrel spins by turning the center wheel, so it’s up to you if it’s a leisurely spin or a crazy top that makes you super dizzy. (Note: Now that I shared the secret of it never being busy that may change things… maybe it’ll suddenly be busier now!)
Don’t Sleep on the Live Shows!
The live shows at Story Land are always fun too - there’s usually several different shows a day, throughout the day. They have musical shows with live singing, a Farm Follies show with characters and animatronics, Daniel Tiger shows, and more. In past years they used to have a magician show which we really enjoyed (and I hope they’ll bring back again). Make sure to check the schedule to see what shows are when. The shows can be great for downtime and cooling off in the AC on hot days too!
Update 2026 Season: We’re sad to see they have cut back on some of the free live shows and now one of them is a paid add-on experience.
Add-On Experiences
Story Land also offers some add-on experiences like a Character Breakfast or Tea with Cinderella. These are booked and paid for in addition to your day ticket or Season Pass. We’ve done the Cinderella Tea with both of our kids and even packed play princess dresses for them to put on over their clothes for the tea party. It was definitely a cute experience to give them when they were younger and the Cinderella Tea was pretty reasonably priced in my opinion. (We haven’t done the Character Breakfast yet so I can't give personal feedback on that.)
Be Wary of Rain Park Closure
Years ago Story Land would sometimes close the park early for really bad weather - I’m talking like lighting and hail kind of weather. These days they seem to close the park a lot more often due to weather - sometimes just for what seems like moderate rain. This is something to keep in mind when you make your trip there - if it’s a rainy day there is the possibility the park will close early (or maybe not even open for the day at all!). The good news is that if the park does close early you should be able to request a rain check ticket to come back another day - make sure to stop at the Customer Service desk and ask. If it’s a full closure for the entire day you should be able to use your dated park tickets for any other day that season, but it’s worth reaching out to Customer Service to confirm details.
Get your Hand Stamped if you want to Re-Enter!
Super important to know - if you’re planning on leaving Story Land and re-entering that day you need to get your hand stamped on the way out! Make sure to ask the cashier at Yum Yum Junction (the gift shop you exit through on the way out) for a hand stamp. Story Land will not honor your ticket or season pass if you try to come back in the same day, you really do need that hand stamp.
Special Needs & Autism Awareness
For those that have special needs or sensory issues, Story Land is a Certified Autism Center (CAC) with staff trained for awareness and signage available at every ride entrance that describes in detail what to expect on each ride as well as it’s IBCCES Sensory Guide (Touch, Taste, Sound, Sight, Smell) rating for each ride. In the past Story Land used to have Sensory Friendly Weekends where they would turn off or down the music in the park and on rides, however we haven’t noticed that on the calendar lately. If someone in your party is unable to wait in lines, they may qualify for the Alternative Access Program (in other words a special medical pass that lets you skip the line one time for certain rides) - you must see Customer Service to apply for this and see if you qualify when you enter the park.
There is also an adult changing room and quiet space at the front of the park behind Humpty Dumpty.
See Story Land's Accessibility Page for more information and definitely reach out to customer service if you have questions.
Nostalgia Nights
On certain nights during the season, Story Land has been offering “Nostalgia Nights” for grown-ups (age 21+). This is a separate ticketed event, though some levels of Season Passes include admission for Nostalgia Nights for those of age. During these nights Story Land is open late for the grown-ups to relive their childhood, enjoy the rides, listen to live music, and enjoy some adult beverages (available for purchase - drinks/food are not included in admission). (Personally I have never attended a Nostalgia Night myself so I can’t give specific feedback on these events.)
PS - 90's throwback t-shirts and outfits are encouraged!
Happy Hauntings
Happy Hauntings (started in 2024) are special themed weekends in October. They offer trick-or-treating, seasonal food offerings for purchase at the concession stands, seasonal decor, a new themed live show, and some rides open. We have attended during Happy Hauntings - it was very cute and our kids had fun but we felt as though the ride offerings were extremely limited — personally I don’t think I would buy day tickets to the event because you’d miss out on so many rides that are closed for the season, but as a Season Pass Holder it was a fun way to end our season. (I would also avoid Columbus Day weekend - it was insanely packed.)
Happy Hauntings weekends are a great time to wear a costume or a fun Halloween shirt!
TimeSaver Pass (New for 2026)
New for 2026: Story Land has introduced a TimeSaver Pass (kind of like Disney’s Lightning Lane Fast Passes). These passes are expensive and will let you skip the line on some of the most popular rides. Personally, I am really disappointed to see Story Land go in this direction. Thankfully though we have not seen many people utilize these yet so it hasn’t affected our wait times.
Living Shores Aquarium
Next door is Living Shores Aquarium, which opened in 2019 - it’s owned by Story Land but please note that admission is not included with your regular ticket in most cases! Sometimes they offer bundle deals so if you’re interested in visiting Living Shores as well definitely look into current offers when purchasing your tickets.
Living Shores is rather small and can easily be done in about two hours. There are a lot of touch tanks and birds to visit with, along with some fish and animals that are for viewing-only. Overall it’s really cute and worth doing at least once. It’s also open year-round if you’re looking for something to do in Story Land’s off-season!
Disclaimer: This post shares opinions and tips based on our personal experiences. Please be aware that you may encounter things differently and things are subject to change. Please do your own research.
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