Lagoon, Utah’s only amusement park, has been a cornerstone of Utah recreation since 1886, when Simon Bamberger founded it as Lake Park Bathing Resort on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Relocated to Farmington in 1899 and renamed Lagoon, the park has remained independently owned and is now operated by the Freed family.

Lagoon has been Utah’s only theme park since its founding for 139 years. The park also has the third-oldest operating rollercoaster in the United States, has hosted bands like The Rolling Stones and The Doors and hosts events like Frightmares, building a deep connection within the community.

What makes Lagoon different

Lagoon is one of the ten oldest amusement parks in the United States. Its closest competitors of similar size are hours away, with Denver’s Elitch Gardens more than seven hours from Farmington. The lack of nearby competition, combined with the park’s longevity, has given Lagoon a wide range of freedom in its operations.

For Landon Allen, a Logan resident who grew up visiting the park, Lagoon’s independence is a major part of its appeal.

“Compared to other parks like Six Flags or Disneyland, Lagoon obviously isn’t as big or flashy, but it’s ours,” Allen said. “What’s always stuck out to me is the fact it’s independent, it’s not part of some big chain and you feel that.”

Lagoon’s newest ride, Primordial, boosted the park’s success and was named the No. 1 theme park attraction of 2024 by USA Today. The ride also helped the park justify a recent increase in ticket prices.

Losing public support

Throughout its history, Lagoon has expanded with new rides while steadily raising its prices. In 2005, a regular ticket cost $32.95 and a season pass cost $82.95. By 2025, those prices had climbed to $104.95 for a single-day pass and $227.95 for a season pass.

If prices had risen only with inflation over that time, a day ticket today would cost $55.88. “The price hikes have been noticeable, especially if you’re taking a whole family. Between tickets, food and parking, it adds up fast. It hasn’t totally stopped me from going, but we think harder about it now,” Allen said.

The steepest jump came in 2023, when Lagoon announced the opening of its new coaster, Primordial, and raised the price of a day pass from $84.95 to $97.95. Lagoon spokesman Adam Leishman attributed the increase to rising costs of “shipping, materials, food and operational expenses.”

Not all Utahns see the higher prices as justified. “I’m not going to spend $94 for a ticket. I’d rather go to Disneyland,” said Laney Portillo, a communications student at the University of Utah.

“I don’t think it’s worth it. There aren’t many rides, and I’ve seen TikTok videos of people saying ‘Oh my gosh, I almost fell out.’ That really scares me,” she added. “It’s run by high school kids, compared to Disney, where there are actually adults running it.”

Community hesitation

The minimum age to be employed at Lagoon is 14, while Disneyland requires employees to be at least 18. Utah’s child labor laws allow younger workers in non-hazardous roles, and Lagoon has frequently employed minors, particularly during the busy summer months when school is out.

The park has experienced several accidents and fatalities, including a case in which a sixteen-year-old employee lost her arm while on shift. Her family later filed a claim, alleging that Lagoon assigned her to illegal, hazardous work due to her age. In 2023, an accident involving an HVAC technician at Primordial led to a lawsuit, with Lagoon denying several claims.

Some Utahns remain ambivalent about the park’s appeal. “We would mostly go to Six Flags or Disney World when we were younger. In Utah, that’s really it, just Lagoon,” Portillo said. “Compared to other amusement parks you can go to, I just don’t see the hype around it. I actually don’t really hear many people talking about it, to be honest, in my age group.”

Some, however, point to the park’s near-monopoly in the region as a reason for its enduring popularity. “I think some competition wouldn’t hurt. Lagoon does what it wants because it knows there’s nowhere else nearby,” Allen said.

“If another park opened, that’d be great,” he added. “I’d check out a new park if it was well done and if it led to lower prices or better quality at Lagoon, I might even go to both.”

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