Little Amerricka is a small but notable amusement park in Wisconsin.
While this park caters mostly to families, coaster enthusiasts will find a small collection
of extremely rare roller coasters.
This park has such a unique feel and I genuinely enjoyed my time here.
Find out everything you need to know about this park in this review.
Little Amerricka opened in 1991.
The park’s spelling may look weird at first glance, but the name is derived from the park’s
late founder in Lee Merrick.
He previously was a livestock renderer and a dog-food plant owner before building an
amusement park as a passion project.
Merrick acquired most of the park’s attractions at auction of the years.
This had two benefits.
One, it kept costs low.
The park’s three largest roller coasters were purchased for a total of $45,000.
That’s a fraction of the cost of a flat ride, let alone a roller coaster.
Two, it has allowed the park to have an unusual ride lineup with some attractions you barely
see nowadays.
The park is located in Marshall, Wisconsin, which has a population of just 4000 people.
The main section of the park is understandably small, spanning just 11 acres.
But the park’s signature ride goes well beyond the park’s borders.
The Whiskey River Railway is a miniature train ride that travels over 3 miles.
Just to put in perspective how much ground this train covers, it occupies twice the acreage
of Kings Island’s Beast!
Heck, this ride has a separate station at a campground.
Let’s talk about the arrival experience.
While the park doesn’t have too many tall attractions, the Swiss Toboggan roller coaster
runs along the main road to draw people in.
After parking in a dirt lot, you enter through the park’s modest main entrance.
And this is one of those rare parks with free admission!
Guests can either pay-per-ride or purchase an all-day wristband.
This park is super affordable.
As of 2022, tickets cost $2 each.
Most rides cost just one ticket.
Or you can buy a wristband.
There are four levels priced by the height requirements.
The kiddie wristband costs just $14.
The cheapest band that includes all roller coasters is $22.
Then the most expensive band is $27, which includes the go karts and miniature golf course.
This park has a relaxed feel to it between the operations and crowds.
I love the staff here.
They seemed to be on the older side and I suspect they have a lot of returnees.
If an employee didn’t have anyone riding their attraction, they would socialize with
guests walking down the midway.
But the best employee was the guy working Meteor.
This coaster gives 3 laps.
He would tease riders after each lap whether they were getting another.
And the ride has a brake lever that he would goofily release with his feet.
That is something you would never see at a corporate park.
The lack of lines gave the operators freedom to behave in this manner.
I visited on a beautiful summer weekday and the longest lines were 5-10 minutes for the
three biggest roller coasters.
However, these lines all moved very slowly due to the limited capacities on their major
rides, so that could be an issue on a busy weekend.
The only attraction I had to plan around was the train, which departs roughly every 35
minutes and the train station posts the daily departure schedule.
The park doesn’t look too flashy.
In fact, it looks pretty dated because of the abundance of classic attractions.
But it fits the overall vibe of the park.
There also isn’t much in terms of theming, outside of a random Mario statue in the center
of the Tilt-a-Whirl.
But this is one of those parks that doesn’t really need theming to work.
Moving onto the ride lineup, one of the most admirable aspects about this park is the attraction
availability for younger guests.
There are a whopping 15 rides for those under 36” tall and anyone over 42” can experience
all the attractions.
I would have loved a park with this much to do as a kid.
This park has four different roller coasters, all of which were relocated.
My favorite of the bunch was the Mad Mouse.
This small Herschell wild mouse is notable for the cars.
The wheel assemblies are far back, so the edge of the car extends beyond the track before
turning, which is a frightening visual.
Then there are no restraints, so this accentuates the already strong laterals.
Plus you get a surprise pop of airtime entering the brake run.
I have a review going into more detail, but I think this is better than most modern mice
because of the strength of those hairpin turns.
The most notable of the bunch may be the Swiss Toboggan.
Chance built 32 of these coasters, but only a handful still remain.
They were the first model ever with a vertical lift and they feature a bizarre spiral around
a central column.
This is a disorienting element.
However, this ride is a nightmare for taller guests due to the cramped vehicles.
I’m just 5’9” and my head was scraping against the ceiling.
Make sure you slouch or else you can really smack your head on the finale when you get
airtime on those final bunny hills.
Check out my review if you want to hear more.
Meteor is the park’s lone wood coaster.
This classic PTC creation is quite small and it’s a hair tamer than the junior woodies
found at the Cedar Fair parks.
This ride doesn’t have any airtime, but it is well-maintained and smooth.
Plus you get a few laps as I mentioned earlier.
The final coaster is Little Dipper.
This Herschell kiddie coaster has a standard layout, but it is most notable for its setting
overlooking a cemetery.
It’s one of the craziest views you can get on any ride.
For flat rides, Little Amerricka has a small but balanced lineup.
You have a cluster of kiddie rides, a few observation rides,and some family friendly
spinning rides.
The most notable flat is easily Test Pilot, a rare Eyerly Roll-O-Plane.
This is the park’s most intense attraction, as the ride nearly inverts before rotating
riders upright at the very last second.
For dark rides, Little Amerricka only has a simple walkthrough Haunted House.
It’s not too intense given the park’s target demographic.
For water rides, you also only have one option with a set of Bumper Boats.
One area where this park excels is the observation ride department.
You have a classic Ferris Wheel, a Monorail circling a large chunk of the park, and the
aforementioned Whisky River Railway.
That train is a really long and scenic journey through the park, past farms, and through
a campground.
I can’t speak to the quality of the other entertainment or food options at this park.
I spent the entirety of my time riding the attractions.
So do I recommend Little Amerricka?
If you’re nearby in Wisconsin, it’s worth a pit stop.
This park has such a unique atmosphere between the old rides and staff members.
None of the coasters are world-class, but they are models you will struggle to find
elsewhere.
I think this park is best for kids and families.
There is plenty for them to do.
And then if you’re a train enthusiast, the Whisky River Railway is a must.
It’s one of the best theme park trains out there.
Considering this park is less than an hour from the Wisconsin Dells, it’s well worth
considering if you’re vacationing in the area.
The park doesn’t have the longest hours- it closes by 5 pm daily- but that makes sense
given the park’s offerings.
I think coaster enthusiasts only need an hour to do all the credits, but add a second hour
if you want to experience the train and any of the rare flats.
Then kids and families could easily spend a half day here.
So those are my thoughts on Little Amerricka.
What are your thoughts on this little park in Wisconsin?
Do you enjoy this park’s weird ride lineup and charm?
Let me know your thoughts down in the comments.
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