New Western Playland Owner Sets 2023 Opening Date
You better start eating your broccoli, y’all.
Western Playland will be cranking up the rides in late February. It's one of the sure signs springtime in El Paso is right around the corner
When it opens for the 2023 season it will be the first time in decades the once homegrown amusement park will not be owned and operated by Pat Thomson.
After 62 years Thompson sold the family business last year to Dallas-based Traders Village. The company owns three other Texas facilities; a Traders Village in Grand Prairie, Houston, and San Antonio.
There’s no word on if they plan to keep the Western Playland name or rebrand it into a Traders Village.
When news of the sale of Western Playland was announced in November, its new owners said it had plans to add new rides and new food and drink options and expand the park’s footprint with an area for concerts and vendors. A timeline and specifics have not been made public yet.
When Does the 2022 Season Start?
The park announced on its website and social media that they’ll be cranking up the rides you know and love like the iconic El Bandido, the newish Fire Ball, and the Hurricane beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 25, 2023.
It will open every Saturday and Sunday only through mid-April with the exception of the two weeks of Spring Break in March when it will open Wednesdays through Sundays.
Beginning April 14, Fridays get added to the weekend mix through June 11 before running Wednesdays through Sundays for the rest of June and July.
Western Playland currently features more than 25 rides and attractions, including 2 roller coasters, a water ride, and an assortment of kid-friendly rides. It's located at 1249 Futurity Drive in Sunland Park, New Mexico.