Family Guide to Funderland Amusement Park Inside William Land Park in Sacramento
Entrance to Funderland inside William Land Park.
If you are looking for a fun day out with the family, then Funderland is your place. This small amusement park inside William Land Park in Sacramento, California is perfect for families with young children. Funderland is a long-standing family-friendly destination that’s been providing wholesome entertainment for kids since 1946!
This guide was made to help Funderland first timers plan their visit and come prepared for a day of fun. Learn about all the things you can do inside the park and what kid ages are best.
The day that we took the photos in this blog post, my daughter was 3-years-old and my son was 1-year-old. If you have super young kids like mine, I will tell you what you can do with them at Funderland and if it’s worth your time to visit. For older children over the age of 5-years-old there’s plenty of rides for them.
My 3-year-old daughter riding Oscar the Fisher.
Family photos at the Photo Op-Funderland Express Train Depot.
How Much is Admission to Enter Funderland?
The pricing for Funderland is a bit unique in that they don’t go by age, but rather by height for the young children. See the admission pricing breakdown below:
Children under the height of 34 inches are free.
Children over the height of 34 inches cost $22 for the day.
Adults between the ages of 18 - 59 cost $17 for the day.
Seniors are 60 years old and over cost $10 for the day.
What’s Included in the Admission Price?
After you’ve purchased your wristband for daily admission, you get to enter the park and unlimited rides all day.
Is it Worth it to Buy the Funderland Season Pass?
The season pass to Funderland is $80 per child and $80 per adult. The pass runs for the calendar year. If you use the season pass for a child more than 4 times in a year, then you’ve gotten your money’s worth for the year. If you think you will be attending Funderland more than 5 times in a year then it would be worth it to get the pass.
The Funderland season pass does not have any blackout dates, so you can go on the weekends and holidays.
Oscar the Fisher ride.
What days of the week is Funderland open?
Funderland is usually open on the days Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They’re closed on Monday and Tuesday.
The exceptions to these days are holidays that fall on Mondays or Tuesdays when the schools are closed. Examples would be Memorial Day and 4th of July. Be sure to check their calendar before you plan your visit to make sure they will be open.
What Hours is Funderland open?
Funderland is truly a park for small children because it closes fairly early. You really have to plan your day to arrive early enough to give yourself enough time to ride all the rides without rushing.
The hours of operation for Funderland are as follows:
Wednesday - Friday they’re open between 11am - 5pm
Saturday - Sunday they’re open between 10am - 6pm
Crazy Teacups ride.
What is there to do at Funderland?
I’ve broken up this section by age range because the rides available to your kids will really depend on their height, age and motor skills.
What child age ranges are best for Funderland?
Funderland is an excellent place for kids of all ages. There are plenty of rides and attractions to keep everyone entertained. Younger children will love the mellow rides, while older kids and adults can enjoy the more thrilling rides and rollercoasters. Keep reading to see the breakdown of rides for kids of all ages.
If you have a baby that has not yet reached the development stage of sitting upright by themselves and they don’t had full control of their head, they will not be able to ride any of the rides. If you’ve got multiple kids of different ages, be prepared to have one adult stand on the sideline with the baby and younger kids while the older ones ride with another adult.
Strollers are allowed inside the park and I highly recommend you bring one to have a place to put a baby down and to carry all your things.
Family photos at the Photo Op-Funderland Express Train Depot.
Family photos at the Photo Op-Funderland Express Train Depot.
Funderland Rides for Babies and Young Toddlers
The Classic Carousel Ride
The Funderland carousel has been running for over 75 years and it’s still a thrill for riders of all ages. There’s no specific age or height limit for the carousel, but babies must be able to sit upright by themselves and have full control of their head. Parents can stand and hold their toddlers while they ride on the carousel horses. And parents with babies can sit on the swan seats with baby sitting next to them.
Funderland Express Train Ride
This small train travels around the park in a big loop. It moves at a slow and steady pace, making it ideals for young toddlers. Babies must be able to sit up on their own and have full control of their head. So very small babies cannot ride on the train.
Funderland Express Train Depot.
Funderland Rides for Toddlers and Kids Over 34 Inches Tall
The Funderland rides listed below are for younger kids who are at least 34 inches tall. These rides are also slower and more appropriate for 3 years old and older.
Crazy Teacups
This ride is very reminiscent of the famous Alice in Wonderland spinning teacups ride at Disneyland. They have designated that children must be at least 2-years-old to ride this ride. While the ride is in motion, if you sit in the teacup without manually spinning the center wheel, it doesn’t spin super fast. That being said, if you have a child (or adult) that is prone to motion sickness or vertigo, I would skip this ride.
Red Baron plane Ride
The Red Baron Plane Ride is great way to experience the fun and excitement of flight. This ride does go pretty high in the air so I wouldn’t have a child less than 3-years-old ride it. An adult can accompany a child, I rode this ride with my daughter.
The Backroads Buggies Ride
Kids love to pretend that they are driving little cars and this vintage and nostalgic ride was probably my 3-year-old’s favorite ride in the park. She literally made us go again and again on repeat. The concept is very simple, you ride around a windy trail loop in an open air antique-looking car. The car drives itself so there’s no driving skills required.
Oscar the Fisher
The aquatic themed ride of Oscar the Fisher is made for toddlers between the age of 2 or 3-years-old. Adults cannot join the child on this ride so they need to be independent enough to ride on their own while their parents stand on the other side of the gate. Children cannot be over 42” tall to ride this ride. The movements are smooth and slow, ideal for little riders.
Fort Funhouse
The newest addition to Funderland is Fort Funhouse which just opened up in May 2022. This two-story jungle gym is made for children 2-years-old and over. Kids can enjoy climbing and sliding on this new structure. Entrance to Fort Funhouse is included with your admission tickets. We haven’t had the chance to try this one out yet - looking forward to it at our next visit!
Crazy Teacups ride.
Funderland Rides for Older Kids
If your kids are elementary school age starting around 5-years-old, the below rides are faster and require kids to be taller.
The Flying Dragon
One of the most popular rides at Funderland amusement park. It's a family-friendly roller coaster that kids and adults alike will enjoy. Riders must be at least 48” to ride alone, or between 36” to 42” to ride with an adult seated next to them. It does go pretty fast with big dips and twists and turns. Younger children could get scared on this ride.
The Squirrelly Whirl
The ride begins with a slow ascent to the top of the track before swirling you around at high speeds. If you or your child has a fear of heights I would skip this ride because it does go pretty high up. Riders must be over 41″ to be able to ride on The Squirrelly Whirl.
Wild Stagecoach Ride
On the Funderland website it advises that riders of the Wild Stagecoach must be over 3-years-old and anyone under 42” must ride with an adult. This ride goes very fast and has a lot of bumpy and jerky movements. My 3-year-old rode with her dad and afterwards she was a bit rattled and scared. So my advice is to leave this ride for the older kids and adults.
Snow Cones from Funderland.
Wild Stagecoach ride.
Can you have a birthday party at Funderland?
The first time we went to Funderland it was for a friend’s birthday party. They had rented out a space and it was decorated with balloons and party favors. The kids had a lot fun, so much for them to explore!
The way Funderland is currently selling birthday party packages is that the parents much purchase a minimum of 10 admission tickets at $17 each. The max allowed to purchase for a party is 30. This way your guests get unlimited rides for the day. You can see all the details for birthday parties on their website here.
Carnival style food venue inside Funderland.
Snow Cones from Funderland.
What Can You Do at Funderland Besides Rides and Rollercoasters?
Honestly there’s not much more to do at Funderland besides ride on the rides and rollercoasters. They do have a food stand with lunch and sweet treats. And there’s a few photo prop spots such as the Photo Op-Funderland Express Train Depot, Photo Op-Red Baron Plane and the Photo Op-“Duesy” Car.
If your kids are younger and prefer slides, playgrounds and climbing structures, I would skip Funderland and spend your time at Fairytale Town.
The Classic Carousel.
The Classic Carousel.
What food is for sale inside the Funderland park?
There’s an area inside Funderland dedicated to purchasing food and eating on benches with tables. You can buy carnival style foods including snow cones, funnel cakes, caramel apples, hot dogs, corn dogs, popcorn and deep fried Twinkie’s and Oreos.
I will say that I’m not super impressed with the food assortment available for sale inside Funderland. It’s a bit overpriced and there’s no fresh or healthy food available. Be prepared to pay a lot for junk food if you don’t bring your own food.
Can you bring outside food inside Funderland?
Yes, you can bring your own lunch food, drinks and snacks inside the Funderland park. Pack your food in a soft and small transportable cooler, they do not allow hard sided coolers or ice chests. No alcohol, glass bottles or BBQs allowed either.
Right outside William Land Park there’s a Sprouts grocery store at 4408 Del Rio Rd. This is an upscale and healthy food chain which has a deli counter for made to order sandwiches. My advice is to stop here before you enter the park and stock up on picnic foods. They have a large selection of ready-to-eat sandwiches, snacks, drinks and bottles of water.
Funderland Express Train Depot.
Is there a lot of shade at Funderland on hot days?
Sacramento has hot summers with temperatures easily reaching over 100 degrees during the months of June, July, August and September. At Funderland there’s a lot of open space without a ton of shade. They do have trees throughout the park but you are still pretty exposed to the sun and heat. Make sure to pack sunscreen, sun hats and water bottlers.
On the super hot summer days I would go first thing when they open at 10am and leave when the heat starts to set in by 12 noon. Also, bring your own water bottles to stay hydrated.
Red Baron Planes ride.
Do You Have to Pay for Parking at Funderland?
Parking inside William Land Park is free. It does get crowded on the weekends and holidays. Sometimes you have to park a bit far from the Funderland park entrance. The earlier you arrive, the more likely you’ll score a prime parking spot.
What else can you do inside William Land Park?
William Land Park is comprised of 160 acres of pristine park grounds. Not only is there Funderland but there’s also Fairytale Town and the Sacramento Zoo inside William Land Park.
My kids always love to visit the giant Lotus Flower Lily Pond in William Land Park because they have a big community of ducks and geese living in this area. In the springtime you can see little baby ducklings with their mama ducks.
Entrance to Funderland inside William Land Park.
Does Funderland Get Crowded?
Unfortunately yes, it can get crowded inside Funderland on the weekends and holidays. It gets especially crowded on days where there’s nice weather. My advice is to either arrive right when they open, or arrive later in the day a couple hours before closing. Weekdays at are always better to avoid the crowds as well.
If you’d really like to have a leisurely visit without worrying about being crowded by a lot of other visitors, I suggest arriving at Funderland at 11am on a Wednesday morning.
Flying Dragon ride.
Flying Dragon ride.
What Should You Wear to Funderland?
When you’re planning your outfit to Funderland, make sure you’re wearing clothes comfortable enough to ride on the rides. I would avoid short skirts and dresses, and also avoid shoes with heels. You’ll be walking a lot so make sure your shoes are comfortable. Bring layers incase it suddenly gets cold because there’s no indoor place to warm up inside William Land Park.
Entrance to Funderland inside William Land Park.
Squirrelly Whirl ride.
The kids playing on the grass inside William Land Park.
The kids playing on the grass inside William Land Park.
The kids playing on the grass inside William Land Park.
See More Things To Do in Sacramento:
The Best Sacramento Hotels for Visitors:
The Fort Sutter Hotel is located in the heart of Midtown with plenty of restaurants within walking distance. This is a brand new hotel with modern interiors and welcoming outdoor spaces.
Enjoy a unique vacation hotel stay on the Delta King authentic paddlewheel riverboat. This antique relic has been restored to its former glory. It’s located right across from Old Sacramento and walking distance to DOCO Downtown Commons.
The Kimpton is an uber trendy hotel next to the DOCO center in Downtown Sacramento. The adult bowling and arcade entertainment venue known as Punch Bowl Social is also connected to the Kimpton.
More Family-Friendly Things to Do in Sacramento
Enjoy 2 hours of climbing and ziplining up high in the tree tops in West Sacramento. Instructor and safety equipment is all included in one price.
iFLY Indoor Skydiving has a location in Roseville. Soar through the air in vertical wind tunnel that simulates a skydive. Kids as young as 3-years-old can participate.
The DEFY Trampoline Park has over 35 trampolines for kids to play and jump. This is a perfect activity for cold, rainy or hot days when being outside is not an option. They welcome kids of all ages.
