My favorite memory as a kid at Storyland was the giant green Jack and the Beanstalk slide that was closed more than it was open- but I remember it as the coolest, tallest slide ever. :-)

i've never been in storyland and i'm 23. ): i always loved the boats at playland. but when i was younger, the water looked cleaner than it does now. lol.

xo

My favorite Storyland memory is obviously getting a KEY. I treasured that key!

lots of storyland memories!

nothing can top a birthday party in a castle though!

well, except for when my sister made a run for it and tried to play with the pigs.

that was hilarious.

unsuccessful, but hilarious.

I didn't grow up in Fresno, but my grandparents lived here, in the Tower District, so we'd spend many a summer day enjoying various activities at Roeding Park.
My favorite memory was of my younger brother getting freaked out by the size of the exhibits that in his mind should have been much smaller, as he had seen them in books. My mom couldn't calm him down, so our entire outing lasted about 20 minutes that day. But we came back the next day without him, just like we would keep coming back every summer.

I'm proud to say that my cousin's family donated a nice sum of money to assist with the renovations. They did this by having the guests from their child's birthday party at Storyland/Playland make donations in lieu of birthday presents.

Now future generations have an opportunity to enjoy these two local attractions.

I've never been to Storyland/Playland. And because I'm not eligible for Beehive contests, I suppose I never will ... [violins playing]

pick me i still have my key!!

My family used to picnic on the grass then ride the rides.

I grew up going to both Playland and Storyland and now I take my daughter. We get a key each time we go. They are everywhere...except with you...when you visit and need one.

I don't have a favorite memory. That is why I need to win so I can create some memories.

Taking my son there for his first time and remembering some of the same things from when I was a kid.

I was really little, going on the train through the tunnel. It seemed really long cool ride. Looking back now, I realize that the scale of children's perception is totally altered.

I never went to either of these places but I would like to create memories there and plus it would be nice to take my niece or nephew!

Still have a blue key.

Remember taking my kids in the early 80's to see the live little pigs and rabbits. They enjoyed the exhibits and would get dizzy spinning on the Hansel & Gretal merry-go-round ride. Now I take my grandson to both Storyland and Playland. He loves the train and boats.

I loved going with my family on sunday and bar b que all day and afterwards my youngest sister and I would get on all the rides and then go to storyland like if it was our first time there. We did this for years even if times were hard we would just bar b q in the park just to hear the rides and music. I would love to creat those types of memories with my family.

Question for Barry or Mike: For the book signing, will the Mother Goose book be available for purchase at Storyland?? thanks.

I think the most memorable experience that our family ever had was a birthday party in the castle. With five kids we spent many weekends on the rides. It was so much fun to ride the train around and we all felt as happy as if we were at Disneyland. Every time we lost a key for storyland we had tears and a big bonus was real live animals in the exhibits at Storyland.

Memories of watching my kids get so excited using their 'magic' key.

Mine has to be from Playland when my sister and I were on the Ferris Wheel. I don't know if this particular one is still there or not. It had cages rather than the bucket-style seats that most have. When you were inside these cages you had the ability to spin them around and around (upaide down). My sister did this several times throughout the ride. We got off and walked back to where our parents were when I promptly threw up. That was like 25 years ago and we still talk about it. Thanks, Sis.

I remember as a kid my grandmother took care of all the grandkids,8 of us. And the highlight of the summer was always the trip to playland/storyland. We would get on every ride, it was great!

Favorite memory- going will all my sisters, nieces & nephews & our parents trying to keep us all in line. Great pics! Can't wait to take my 1 year old & 4 yr old niece.

I have twin grandaughters and in this economy it is difficult to find inexpensive venues for their personal growth. Now that the museum is gone, their are few hometown attractions that are available to us. Long live Storyland and Playland in Fresno.

My favorite childhood memory would have to be the times my pops took me to ride the boats. Hmmmm... I wonder if they still have them.

My father took me to ride the merry-go-round usaully 3-4 times a year til I was about 11. My father an old fashioned strict, now deceased, always seemed to let his guard down during those times. I will never forget the smile on his face when I would wave at him. Now I do the same with his grandson.

I am 42 years old and I remeber going to Rotary Playland every weekend in the summer. If all of us kids were good throughout the week, the rides were our reward. Oh how we tried so hard to be good!! When I had kids of my own, we went as a family every weekend also in the summer. We have had lots of birthday parties in Storyland, oh how the kids loved being king/queen for the day. Now we continue the tradition with our grandchildren. We have barbecues and family gatherings quite often at the park. We love you rotary playland!

We are new in town so no memories there yet, but would like to create some : ).

OK one of the best memories I have of Storyland is a marriage that got to participate in as a groomsman. Two of my friends got married there about 7 years ago. The Bride came out of the castle. It was so magical. The wedding party each got a gold key to use. What a fairytale wedding.

I have only been to Storyland once and that was in 1st grade. It was a super special day because my dad came to town to visit me. He got me a key and we went through all of Storyland. I think I must have taken forever because I wanted to hear each story and then talk about each one with my dad.

We are already zoo members and would love to have a membership so my kids can have lots of memories of Storyland too!

I have some of the cutest pictures of my three year old daughter (she is now 10) on the ladybug ride in Playland :)

I have never been to Rotary Storyland & Playland Park. But would LOVE to go!!! We just moved to this area a year ago and we have wanted to go but haven't yet. This would be great to win and take our two boys!!

My Tia would take my brother, sister and I all the time when we were kids. We come into Fresno (from Madera) and spend the whole day at Storyland, Playland and the Zoo. I remember begging my Tia to take us on the Swan Paddle Boats and she always said no and we could never understand why till one day...This couple was "foolin' around" on one and fell into the pond! EVERYONE was pointing and laughing it was great! There are so many memories. Just glad it's still around for me to visit those memories again.

I remember being in a play there in 6th grade and feeling so important, a real star. I was actually just a nameless "shopkeeper" character, but I got to hang out in the maze or the chapel with the boys from the play and thinking I was just so hot.

i love going to storyland so i can check out all the fine latina baby mamas with tramp stamp tattoos!!!

please enter me into the contest for a family pack to Storyland. Thank you.

Gosh, there are so many, but I think my most memoriable one is when I was 16 single mom of a very active little boy and I would scrap up enough for the two of us to spend a day at Story Land going through all the fun mazes, climbing the tree house or visiting the castle - but of all of them, our most favorite one was the ladder and LONG slide down the Jack -n- the Bean Stock! I have many pictures, but that one is my favorite as we rode that slide down together!!!

GOOD TIMES....

I do not have a memory of Storyland or Playland as I did not grow up here, but I would love to win and make some memories there for my children. :)

OK so were looking back some 30+ years and I remember making a whole day of it. The zoo, Storyland and Playland. We thought we were at Disneyland. I used to collect the keys and wear all of them whenever we went. I loved taking my son too who is now 23 haven't got to take my daughter yet (she's 9) can't wait now that its open again she should love it as much as we did!!!!

I love all Roeding Park has to offer the Fresno community. I loved stepping back in time when I went to Storyland, and I loved the bunnies they used to have! Perhaps they still do..

My best memory is from last summer...my daughter and granddaughter were visiting from Kentucky and I took them, along with my 10 year old twins to Playland and they had the BEST time in the little water area! My twins loved it so much (at first I thought they were too old)they wanted writstbands to ride all the rides. So I bought them and we ended up going 4 times last year! They've already asked if they can go again as soon as the weather warms up and informed me that they are still NOT TO OLD! I will definately take them...

I remember my daughter wanted to keep riding the train. I also have this picture of her sitting and wearing her sunglasses.

I love riding the train with my kiddos, they both really enjoy it, and it's not too scary for mom to join them ;0)

Our son will turn one in March & we look forward to celebrating his first Birthday at Storyland.

They used to offer boating classes during the summer on the lake between Storyland and Playland. After the lessons, we were given free time to take the boats around the lake. There were electric boats, rowboats, and paddle boats. One day several of us took some row boats behind the big island in the back and had a massive water fight that resulted in the accidental sinking of a row boat. Fortunately the water is only about three feet deep and we were able to recover the row boat. I do miss the electric boats. They were a lot of fun.

i luv u mike oz!!

My best memories of Storyland are when my grandma would take my cousins and I during our summer breaks and she would have us take turns using the "golden key".

My Nana took my cousin and I to Storyland/Playland often during the summer months. It was a whimsical environment filled with so many things to do and imagine. As a child everything was larger than life and new experiences were had each time we went. We always took a picnic and ate in the park and my Nana always brought a bag of old bread so we could feed the ducks. The most memorable experience regarding the attractions has to be the key to Story(book)land. I still have an old yellow key with the tag attached. For me it symbolizes the key to my childhood.

My favorite memory is taking my daughter who was 18 months at the time and she sitting in the three chairs from Goldilocks and the three bears. She looks so cute in those chairs :)

I remember when I use to go to Roeding Park with my family and have picnics there. I miss those days. I haven't been to storyland in awhile and I honestly can't remember when the last time I've been there but I would love to go again. Money is so tight right now because of the furloughs so I haven't got around to really do much.

I didn't really appreciate Storyland until I had kids. Now I'll always have fond memories of my kids playing on the pirate ship.

My favorite memory of Storyland is the time me & my sister got stuck at the top of the Zipper. She cried, I laughed, and I still make fun of her for it to this day. Good times.

I remember being really young, I'd say 4 years old going to Storyland. There was a slide for the story, the old women who lived in a shoe. Well a rather large girl around my age got stuck going down and I just remember her screaming her heart out as I watched from the ground. I haven't been back since, but want to!

Would love to bring my kids to storyland

I have never been to storyland/playland, but I would love to START making memories for my family there!

My favorite memory is taking my 3-year-old granddaughter on the paddle boats when we were visiting them. She did a great job steering while grammy and pop-pop peddled. There were little yellow ducklings on the island and she was fascinated with them. We sat and watched them for a while. She couldn't wait to go home and tell her parents about her experience. We have now moved here from PA and are looking forward to taking our other 4-year-old granddaughter to Rotary Park.

I have never been there. My husband spent many summers with his family. He has shared his memories with his family with me. I would love to make some memories with my husband and two sons. I would love to win.

Haven't been to Storyland since I was a kid. I need to go back and see how everything is now.

Can't wait to peep it out. It's been FOREVER!!

My Parents took me to Rotary Storyland and Playland all the time when I was little. Some of my favorite memories of this place was of course the Golden Key, I'm pretty sure almost every time I went, my mom always bought me a new key because I always forgot to bring my key. I'm pretty sure I still have a couple packed away somewhere. The train ride was also a good memory, I loved riding that train and watching the people in the paddle boats (I'm pretty sure I was too nervous or scared to ride the boat myself, but I loved watching the people and feeding the ducks!) But I think the most memorable thing for me at Rotary Storyland and Playland would be the Giant Hippopotamus Drinking Fountain! (Is it even still there???) I haven't been back in a very long time, however my mom has pictures of me as a little girl standing by this fountain. I remember this fountain was HUGE compared to me at the time and the faucet that you drank out of was inside the Hippo's mouth, so you had to stick your head into the Hippo's mouth in order to drink some water. I remember being nervous the first time, sticking my head into a Hippo's mouth, but after the first time it was cake and its definitely the most memorable thing for me.

I remember going on this one ride at Playland that went around and around, up and down. I was so scared because I am also terrified of heights. When I got off, I quickly threw up because I was scared and the ride spun me around crazy, but afterwards, I wanted to go on it again. I miss going to Storyland/Playland.

My favorite memory is using the key to hear all the stories. I remember taking my oldest niece,now 29, to see everything at Storyland. She had a great time,

1. Burning my rear end on the Jack and the Beanstalk slide.

2. Feeling determined as a child that, yes, THIS was the year I'd stay on top of the spinning mushroom after a complete rotation.

3. Thinking as a child that only rich kids got their birthdays at King Arthur's castle.

4. The day I realized that as an adult I was too big to climb up the ladder in the Three Bear's house when I went with my own kids, and how bummed I was that the house had shrunk.

5. Eating pink popcorn near the snack bar, then sliding down the Winnie-the-Pooh slide, and getting burned, but loving every minute of it.

6. Seeing real sheep at the Little Boy Blue display/seeing real pigs at the Three Little Pigs display.

7. Really. That giant in the slide scared the heck outta me. I'd keep staring at it and worry that it might actually come to life.

8. Getting thrown off the Hanzel and Gretel merry-go-round because there was always some boy making it go faster than it should, then getting right back on.

9. Going for a train ride with Mother Goose and my small children and hearing about Fresno history from her point of view.

10. Getting to the end of Storyland, and trying to convince my mom to go through the park again, only "backwards."

My family never called Playland by its official name. The small amusement park was known simply as "The Rides". "Wanna go to the rides?" my mom would ask, usually on bright, sunny Saturdays. "Yeah!!" me and my sister would shout, "then clean up your room!!!" And we did.

I haven't been to Storyland myself, but since we moved here both my grandson & granddaughter have been born in Fresno... I want to take them and create some amazing memories that they can tell their grandkids...