Aerial Antics: Family Kingdom

I'm still dreaming of a warm getaway, so here's an aerial look at a great beach spot!

Ahh, to be at a beach right now as nice looking as the one above, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  That amusement and water park you see weaved among the hotels and other attractions is Family Kingdom, which has been in operation since 1966.  It goes without saying that the park has a fantastic location!

The big attraction at Family Kingdom is the Swamp Fox, a classic wooden roller coaster that dates back to the park's opening.  It was badly damaged during Hurricane Hugo (1989) and had to stay closed for a season or two, but was repaired and has been operating since.  The coaster featured a 'traditional' layout, a large figure eight.

Family Kingdom has a nice selection of other rides and attractions, including this log flume that's located over by the park's go-karts.  I must say... it looks like it might benefit from a little landscaping!

Immediately adjacent to the ocean is the small water park that is a part of Family Kingdom, named Splashes.  You can see that it has a number of slides, and also a small area that looks like it is meant for little kids.

Family Kingdom has a dark ride, named The Great Pistolero Roundup, seen above.  Sally created the ride, in which riders are equipped with guns and score points throughout the ride.  Seems like a pretty unique attraction, and most of it in located in a former restaurant!

Family Kingdom is currently advertising four new rides, including a Twist 'n Shout coaster (from Magic Springs) and a couple kiddie rides they just picked up from the former Hard Rock Park.

Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Family Kingdom 2008

This week we head to Family Kingdom to find out exactly what it takes to survive the seemingly constant turmoil in Myrtle Beach's amusement landscape. The year 2008 was likely a bit nerve-racking for this park. Let's see how their marketing gurus responded!

"Nothing Rocks Like Family"? Oh SNAP! Wait, I get it--because you're Family Kingdom, right? Of course. What was I thinking? I'm sure that new-for-2008 tag line had nothing whatsoever to do with a certain rock 'n roll theme park that opened down the street that same year. Now that's what I call good old-fashioned clever marketing with a side of contempt.

And that contempt just continues to roll on! I love it. Don't get me wrong, I mean no disrespect toward Family Kingdom or the target of its jabs. There's just something inspirational about David trying to out-market Goliath, and in this case I daresay David won by a landslide.

But it's not just about witty tag lines. If you read the fine print, you'll see that Family Kingdom really does have a lot to offer, and that "lot" is very affordable. They're also quite proud of the high ranking they received from TripAdvisor. Could we debate the validity of such "rankings" till the cows come home? Sure we could. But the bottom line is, if you've got it, flaunt it. There are a lot of parks in this world that do not have such claims to fame, so obviously Family Kingdom is doing something right.

One thing Family Kingdom has that its key competitor does not is a water park. And an oceanfront one, at that. Talk about ambiance! I just want to know one thing: Does the kid wearing the makeshift towel cape sign autographs? Because he is my hero. I've said it once, twice...Oh heck, let's make it a nice round three times. Nothing spells fun like a cape!!

A major selling point for Family Kingdom is that, as we've seen, it is truly "seaside". And let's not forget the fact that this park is home to Myrtle Beach's only surviving wooden coaster, the Swamp Fox. As long as we're talking "est" [even though we're not--humor me and pretend that "only" ends in "est"], Family Kingdom also has the largest Ferris wheel in the state of South Carolina. So let's see: A wooden coaster, a Ferris wheel, a drop tower, a flume...Sounds to me like this park has a lot of family favorites that you can't find at "the other guy", and they really did a great job of emphasizing that in this brochure.

Now let's talk value. Despite having over 30 rides, Family Kingdom charges no general admission. And although you can pay for your rides piecemeal, the all day and combo passes listed here are a heck of a good deal. This park knows exactly who it is and how it needs to position itself in the market. And unlike "the other guy", it didn't experience an identity crisis after the 2008 season either!

A Family Affair at Family Kingdom

From the same crack reporting team that brought you the Freestyle Music Park brochure featured in SBS this week, I now bring you photos of a much more established Myrtle Beach landmark: Family Kingdom!

Fun Fact #1: Family Kingdom has the largest Ferris wheel in the state of South Carolina!

I had a hankering for a Myrtle Beach TR, and surrogate enthusiasts Bob and Dolly were hot on the trail. Since they prefer to forgo most of the actual "riding" these days, a gated park was out of the question. Luckily for them, Family Kingdom has never charged admission.

Our super sleuth reporting team tracked down their target on the 300 block of S. Ocean Boulevard. They've shared their high-tech GPS device with us so that we can have a frame of reference too. This is a nice touch. Well done, surrogate enthusiast Bob.

View from the spyglass

From the moment they stepped foot in the park, it became clear to our reporters that Family Kingdom has come a long way since its previous incarnation as Grand Strand Amusement Park. Back in the day when I was a kid, this park resembled a glorified carnival: Dingy with a collection of uninspired, semi-permanent rides whose operators didn't exactly dispel the feeling that their charges might collapse at any time.

Fun Fact #2: Family Kingdom's carousel (a.k.a. PTC #87) was built in 1923 and originally resided at New Jersey's now defunct Asbury Park. Read more here.

Not so anymore! Family Kingdom may be the only park on the planet that has a hurricane to thank for its revival. When Hurricane Hugo tore through Myrtle Beach in 1989, it destroyed much of Grand Strand Amusement Park, including the park's famed Swamp Fox roller coaster. Shortly thereafter, William and Cynthia Parker--the original owners--sold the park to the Ammons family, who own a nearby oceanfront resort. The new owners proceeded to rebuild and expand the park, which reopened in 1992 under its current name.



Family Kingdom's signature attraction has always been the Swamp Fox. Designed by John Allen of PTC fame, the Swamp Fox was built in 1966 and now stands as one of the few remaining seaside woodies in the country.

I haven't a clue who or what bestowed that advertised #8 ranking upon this coaster (or how long ago, for that matter). But our reporters know all too well that enthusiasts love stats and rankings of any kind, so they captured this one for posterity. It's all a matter of opinion anyway! And from what I can recall--though it has been an ungodly long time since I've ridden this thing--it is a good coaster. So give it a go before dismissing that claim!


Sling Shot provides 110 feet of freefalling fun. This is technically Family Kingdom's newest ride, although our reporters tell me that everything at this park looks brand new: Fresh paint, beautiful litter-free midway, even clean restroom facilities! If Family Kingdom is looking for a ringing endorsement, I know exactly where to direct them.

Among Family Kingdom's 30+ rides are quite a few treats for adults, including the aforementioned Swamp Fox and Sling Shot. But family and kiddie rides are where this park really shines. In addition to family favorites like a log flume and bumper cars, Family Kingdom boasts a wide selection of rides for the smaller set. Our reporters were impressed. "I would definitely bring a child here," reports surrogate enthusiast Dolly.

What's a seaside amusement park without an accompanying water park? Family Kingdom is home to Myrtle Beach's only oceanfront water park. No need to manufacture a beach ambiance here. Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby!

Fun Fact #3: The Hurricane, located in front of the Ferris wheel on the right, was featured in a 2005 music video by country singer Kenny Chesney.

As I reflected upon this trip to Family Kingdom that I never took, two thoughts crossed my mind. First and most importantly, I have my parents trained well. (Very well.) And secondly, great parks come in all shapes and sizes. Don't be too hasty to dismiss that smaller, traditional park in favor of the nearest concrete jungle. There is plenty of wonderment to be had at both!

Many thanks to our surrogate enthusiasts for sharing this trip report with us!

Is There Yet Another Park in Myrtle Beach's Future?

The amusement park scene in Myrtle Beach seems to have fallen into a perpetual cycle of expansion and contraction. In the wake of the Pavilion closure, followed by the Hard Rock Park/Freestyle Music Park drama, it now appears that Myrtle Beach may be gearing up to welcome another newcomer.

The Sun News reports that two local businessmen are backing a proposed plan to build a small amusement park around 91 S. Ocean Boulevard. Those backers are Mark Lazarus, owner of Wild Water & Wheels, and H.G. Worley, who co-owns the land on which the park would be built. Dreamland Amusements, a company which specializes in providing amusements for state and county fairs, is being tapped to supply the rides.

While precious few details are revealed in the article, it does mention that the park would be named "OD Pavilion and Amusement Park" and would feature a Ferris wheel, small roller coaster, games, and "other rides". No gate admission would be charged; instead, each ride would cost approximately $2-$3, which is pretty much in line with what nearby Family Kingdom Amusement Park charges for ride tickets.

Plans for the new park are dependent on a change to the North Myrtle Beach city code which has already been unanimously approved by the board and now awaits sign-off by the City Council. If all goes well, the park could open as early as August 2009.

In light of all the emotions stirred by the Pavilion's closure, a new park which pays tribute to that tradition--even down to its name--could do well in Myrtle Beach. Over the past year, the local community has made it clear that they are interested in good old-fashioned seaside family fun as opposed to blockbuster theme parks. The real question is, how would the arrival of a new "traditional" park affect Family Kingdom's business?

Below is a map illustrating the distribution of some of the past, present, and [potentially] future parks in Myrtle Beach. Clockwise from the upper left-hand corner, the blue markers represent Freestyle Music Park, Pavilion Nostalgia Park, the former site of the Pavilion, the proposed site for OD Pavilion and Amusement Park, and Family Kingdom. There is not a lot of breathing room between the last two!

Myrtle Beach: And Then There Was One

Amusement industry headlines have been absolutely littered with all the bad news coming out of Myrtle Beach over the past couple years. The classic Myrtle Beach Pavilion had no sooner met its untimely demise than the news began to break about the fate of its flashier upstart cousin, Hard Rock Park. But while the industry at large was busy focusing on these stories of gloom and doom, a silent success story was being written by nearby Family Kingdom Amusement Park.

© Family Kingdom

This charming little park, which stands proudly as one of the last true seaside amusement parks in the United States, has gained from its competitors' losses and shows no signs of following in their unfortunate footsteps. In fact, TripAdvisor recently named Family Kingdom the #5 best amusement park in the country outside Orlando. And you'll be hard pressed to find a newspaper or magazine article about the Grand Strand which fails to mention this family favorite.

But don't take my word for it--Family Kingdom's web site includes links to a whole host of articles covering the park's rich history and continuing popularity. A few of their rides really have a story to tell! It's also interesting to note the caustic tone taken toward Hard Rock Park in some of these articles, and that's putting it gently. Regardless, one common theme rings clear: A whole lotta love is still bestowed upon Family Kingdom, and it is well deserved.