MIDDLETOWN - Fantasy Farm and Americana Amusement Park will offer families more ride for their money starting this weekend. 

Fantasy Farm, a 20-acre park featuring farm animals, rides and swimming, will unveil two new attractions for adults - the Octopus and the Moon Rocket. 

Americana Amusement Park, an 85-acre facility with rides, shows and a 13-acre lake, also will swing in with a new adult ride, the Galleon. 

William H. Johnson, owner of Fantasy Farm, said the Octopus will resemble the sea creature of the same name -  it will have eight arms. But these arms will hold 16 passengers. And each arm will move up and down about 15-20 feet in the air while simultaneously moving in a circular motion. "It gives you that moment of restlessness when you drive over an unexpected hill," Johnson said. 

The Moon Rocket, he said, has two rockets that revolve very quickly. "It create the illusion of going twice as fast, he said. 

Both rides will open to the public for the first time today.

Fantasy Farm will open other new additions today, These include a children's barnyard play area, a softball field and two new 750-seat picnic areas. 

Johnson, 49, bought the park in August 1982. He said the park, which was named and established in 1962, has features for the whole family. "There are few places where families can go and enjoy themselves together",  he said. 

Johnson explained that one of the most popular family pastimes is watching movies, but because many films have adult ratings, some families find they can't attend a showing together.

 Americana Amusement Park, another family oriented entertainment facility, is located next to Fantasy Farm. 

Claudia McKee, director of public relations for Holland Advertising, said Americana's newest ride arrived Tuesday and was to tested and Installed Friday. The Galleon is a 60-foot pirate ship that swings passengers in a 200-degree arc. 

The ship, built in Italy for Americana, opens to the public to day. 

The Galleon is part of the park's $600,000 capital improvement pro gram begun last year. Other improvements were completed in time for the park's official open ing April 11. These include a renovated Skipper's Wharf, which houses the park's Water Scooter ride, a new ice cream stand, a new Potato Works con cession and a new Rib Pit, serving barbecued ribs and chicken. 

Americana went by the name of LeSourdsville Lake when it was opened in 1921. The current owner, Howard Berni , bought it In 1961 and re-named it Americana Amusement Park in 1978. 

Guy Sutton, vice president and general manager, said Americana is "the best-kept
secret for a traditional family entertainment in  the tri-state.

Admission to Americana is $8.95 for visitors from 7-59 years old and $3.95 for those from 3-6 years old and 60 and over. The park will open at 10 a.m. daily from June 6 through Aug. 31. 

Fantasy Farm charges $5.95 for those 2 years old and over and $3.50 for visitors 60 and over. The park opens daily 9 a.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day and on weekends in September. The parks are located on Middletown-Hamilton Road (Ohio 4) between Hamilton and Middletown.

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