Wild Adventures Building New Themed Section "Oasis Outpost" for 2023

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Wild Adventures Theme Park, located in Valdosta, Georgia, has announced Oasis Outpost to open in 2023, a brand new themed area.  Spread over three acres, Oasis Outpost will contain "an adventurous family ride, immersive animal encounters, a playful water attraction, a fun and unique food location, engaging play zones and new ways to create memories."

Located near the entrance to the park's Splash Island water park, "Oasis Outpost has been designed to be exactly what its name suggests, a place of relaxation, fun and adventure for our guests and their families,” said Jon Vigue, vice president and general manager. “When you’re taking your next journey through Wild Adventures in 2023, we can’t wait for you to discover Oasis Outpost and all the unique encounters it has in store.”

 

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A brand new ride will be joining the lineup of Oasis Outpost's offerings, a family car ride called the Trail Trackers Adventures Rides.  Aimed at kids and families, the attraction will let young drivers take the wheel of their own jeep as they travel in and past the park's Sulcata Tortoise habitat.  Passengers will get up close to the tortoises, allowing a unique perspective of the animals.  The area will feature other animal exhibits, four in total, including caracal cats and porcupines and red-footed tortoises. 

Oasis Outpost also features the Misty Springs Soak Zone, a water play area with towering misting posts and splash pads.  There will be two Stay and Play Zones built as well, for kids to explore while parents rest in the shade.  Oasis Outposts will also be home to Paradise Pizza, a new stand with flatbread pizzas, beverages and more.

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This multi-million dollar expansion follows the addition of Waters's Edge Brews and Bites and the Wanyama Observation Deck & Botanical Gardens in 2022, the Liberty Farms Petting Zoo in 2021, the Discovery Outpost themed land with six rides in 2019 and the Ohana Bay expansion in 2017.  Oasis Outpost will open in March 2023.

Wild Adventures Theme Park Announces New Fun for 2022

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Georgia's Wild Adventures Theme Park has announced several new additions for the park's 2022 season, including a brand new animal exhibit, expanded festivals and special events, a new restaurant and more.  The park's general manger, Jon Vigue, stated that the "additions reflect our desire to create new and exciting experiences for our guests and our commitment to growth as we continue to establish Wild Adventures as the premiere entertainment destination for families in our region."

 

© Wild Adventures

© Wild Adventures

Seen in the concept art up top and above is Water's Edge Brews & Bites, a new restaurant and entertainment venue.  Located at the heart of the park's central lake, the area will feature locally brewed beers, wine, gourmet pretzels and plenty of shaded seating for guests to relax in.  Wild Adventures will partner with the Georgia Beer Company for the area's beverages, and guests will only be able to consume them within Water's Edge Brews & Bites.

 

Wild Adventures' festival season will be expanded next year starting with Shamrock The Park, starting March 19th, 2022, and offering Irish themed food, music, scavenger hunts and more.  Pounce & Crunch's Easter Eggstravaganza will grow to two weekends next year, featuring 10,000 candy filled eggs hidden in the park and a new Easter Parade. As in past seasons the park will also offer big concert names in its venue, with 12 acts headlining next summer.  Sweet Summer Nights will take place on Fridays in June and July, with the park staying open late with live music, colorful lights and fireworks in July.

 

A brand new animal exhibit will also open in 2022, named Wanyama Overlook.  It will be the largest new animal habitat the park has added in a decade.  It will "feature a variety of exotic animals native to Africa and Asia, including giraffes, zebras, water buffalo, wildebeests and more.  The unique exhibit will also serve as a fun and immersive catering space with a view for private events and a shaded area for families to enjoy."

Wild Adventures Theme Park to Debut Great Pumpkin LumiNights This Fall

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Wild Adventures Theme Park is excited to hold their first Great Pumpkin LumiNights event this fall, a family friendly affair that is already super popular at other Herschend Family theme parks.  The theme park will spend $700,000 in order to bring the event to life, which feature plenty of family fun and many "larger-than-life pumpkin sculptures" throughout the park.

 

“With Great Pumpkin LumiNights, we are bringing a world-class fall event to Wild Adventures,” said Patrick Pearson, director of sales and marketing. “Thousands of illuminated pumpkins will come together to create amazing, towering sculptures, and around every corner families will find glowing surprises everyone will enjoy.”

 

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Among the displays will be giant animals made of carved pumpkins, including a spider, a 12 foot tall giraffe, and 11 foot tiger, 8 foot alligator and plenty more.  These will be combined with decorative lighting and expanded Trick-or-Treating for kids.  The park will also bring back the Pumpkin Spice Festival, a food festival focused on the popular and prevalent pumpkin spice flavor.

Great Pumpkin LumiNights and the Pumpkin Spice Festival will begin on September 24th and continue on select dates through October 31st.  The event officially replaces Terror In The Wild, the park's former scary Halloween event.

Wild Adventures Replaces Terror In The Wild with Pumpkin Spice Festival for 2020

© Wild Adventures

The pumpkin spice takeover of the world continues, this time at Georgia's Wild Adventures Theme Park.  I kid, though that flavor/scent is continuing to dominate again this year as summer comes to an end.

The park typically holds a scary Terror In The Wild Halloween event in the fall, but has confirmed that they have "made the difficult decision to cancel our Terror in the Wild event this year.  Due to the unique nature of the event, we cannot operate Terror in the Wild while maintaining recommended guidelines from the State of Georgia and the CDC."

Instead, the park will offer up a new event, called the Pumpkin Spice Festival.  Starting on September 26th and running through November 1st, the event will offer up "fall flavors and fun galore" for those who visit.

The park will feature special food treats during the event, themed to the season, including a Pumpkin Spice Funnel Cake, Pumpkin Maple Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Squares and plenty more.

A selection of other family friendly acitivities will be offered, all carefully crafted to respect health and safety concerns surrounding COVD-19.  There will be trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting and Mr. Bones' Glow Experience, plus more.

For more information on the park's new Pumpkin Spice Festival, check out their official website.

Six Flags Over Georgia and Wild Adventures Announce Reopening Dates

Today both Six Flags Over Georgia and Wild Adventures, both located in Georgia, announced their plans to reopen to visitors.

Six Flags Over Georgia will welcome back guests starting June 15th, though the first 7 operating days will be only for season pass holders and members.  Starting June 22nd, regular day ticket visitors will be allowed.  The park's small water park, Hurricane Harbor, will open on June 22nd.

Reservations are required for a visit to Six Flags Over Georgia, and they are already available on Six Flags' website for pass holders and members. 

The park has stated on their website that the all-new Gotham City themed area, featuring two new flat rides, will open on June 29th.  Sadly, the park's update also reveals that Mindbender, a classic Schwarzkopf looper that was receiving a heavy refurbishment this past off-season, won't be ready until the 2021 season.

Also in Georgia, Six Flags White Water announced it will reopen on June 29th to pass holders and members, and July 3rd for all ticket types.

Wild Adventures theme park has also announced that it will greet visitors once again starting June 22nd.  The park is a part of the Herschend family, so its announcement is very similar to those of both Dollywood and Silver Dollar City.

The park will require reservations for both season pass holders and day visitors in order to manage attendance, keeping less people in the park at any given time.  They will also require face masks for employees and guests aged 3 and up, and there will be temperature screenings at the entrance.

Interestingly, the park lists several attractions that will be closed due to social distancing efforts - and on that list is Cheetah.  That's the park's wooden roller coaster, similar to rides that we've been seeing open up across the country with just limited riders allowed.  Both Silver Dollar City and Dollywood appear to be opening all their coasters, so this closure is a bit odd to me.

From The Vault: 1999 Wild Adventures Brochure + Map

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Wild Adventure Theme Park is another property that started off as an independent park and struggled to find its footing for a number of years.  After starting to add rides for the 1998 season, Wild Adventures returned in 1999 with even more attractions to draw guests to the property.

The biggest new ride was The Hangman (now known as the Twisted Typhoon), which is a Vekoma SLC.  It joined the park's Boomerang, another Vekoma ride, as the park's biggest thrill ride.

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Wild Adventures first opened without thrill rides, so the zoological component of the park has always been a big draw as well.  Later down the line the park also added a water park, which has indeed helped to draw guests under the warm Georgia sun.  Back in 1999 a lot of the park's rides weren't very unique, but they offered an interesting reason to visit along with the animals.

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In addition to the rides and animals which we've already mentioned, the park has also always featured a selection of live concerts to draw visitors - and still do in present day.  This page shows that as well, along with different season offerings.  Not many parks were doing both Halloween and Christmas celebrations back in '99!

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Here is a look at the park in 1999.  The park was divided into separate themed areas, which have sort of melted away over the years.  The newest at the time was The Wild West, where the Hangman roller coaster was built.

Wild Adventures is now owned by Herschend Family Entertainment, and while not seeing a massive amount of capital investments, it does seem like the company is trying to "right size" the park for its market - hopefully to help it thrive in the long run.

Wild Adventures to Debut New 3-Acre Alligator Themed Kids' Area in 2019

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Wild Adventures will bring a new children's area to the park in 2019, themed around alligators, the park announced today.  Seen above in concept art, the land will feature a total of six rides for families along with an a new exhibit featuring American alligators.

The expansion will be located near the park's main entrance, and the six rides appear to be a mix of new and refurbished and rethemed existing rides at the park.  They will include rides such as the Okefenokee Express, Flying Gators, Turtle Twist, Swampwater Snake, Hoppin’ Gator and Okefenokee Friends.  The Swampwater Snake appears to be a Zamperla Fiesta Express coaster, one of which operated at the park until 2011 - so perhaps the same ride is being brought back.  Each of the ride will carry an alligator theme, matching the surrounding land.

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The center of the area will feature Alligator Alley, a new exhibit filled with alligators.  Depicted above is the Gator Crossing Rope Bridge, which allows visitors to pass directly over the alligator exhibit on a rope bridge.  The area will also feature a new show, titled Gators!, and the opportunity for guests to feed the animals as well.  The new land will feed directly into the park's Alapaha Trail, which features a swap setting filled with additional animal exhibits.

Construction will start this October with a planned opening of the expansion in March of 2019.

Wild Adventures is also introducing a new Pre-K kids' season pass, free of charge to visitors ages 3-5.  Once guests register online they can bring their little ones to the park the rest of this season along with all of 2019.

Wild Adventures Gets Buggy in 2018 with Mega Bugs! Expansion

© Wild Adventures

If you're afraid of bugs you may be a bit apprehensive about visiting Wild Adventures' new-for-2018 addition, a giant immersive and interactive area featuring larger than life bugs.  There will be a total of 70 new exhibits within Mega Bugs! Adventure Encounters, allowing guests to stroll through the area and learn about insects as they go.

“We are always working to make our guest experiences bigger and better, and in 2017 we expanded our waterpark with Ohana Bay,” said Molly Deese, Vice President and General Manager. “Now, in 2018, we are excited to announce the addition of a new themed area.”

Visitors will find the exhibition at Wild Adventures for only the 2018 season, running as a limited engagement.  The winding paths will encourage visitors to "crawl like a spider, fly like a bee and dig like an ant as they interact with colossal crawlers."

Some notable additions within Mega Bugs!  include:

• a 15 foot tall Emperor Dragonfly
• a 26 foot tall Hissing Cockroach
• a 50 foot tall Madagascan Fire Millipede
• plenty of other critters such as bees, butterflies and ladybugs

Set to be ready for Wild Adventures' opening date of March 10th, 2018, Mega Bugs! will also feature educational displays that highlight the insects' special features, such as their unique sounds and movements.

Wild Adventures Gives a Detailed Look at New Ohana Bay Expansion

Hard to believe, but it really won't be all that long before visitors to Wild Adventures will be enjoying the park's Splash Island water area.  This year the water park will expand with the addition of Ohana Bay, which we heard about previously when it was first announced.  At that point there wasn't much in the way of details aside from the fact that it will be an expansive play area filled with smaller water slides and plenty of places to relax.

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Wild Adventures has been keeping us updated on the progress of Ohana Bay via a dedicated website for the project, which is where this photo comes from.  Sure it appears as though there is plenty of work left to be done, but quick progress is being made as each week passes.  More construction photos are being added to the website, and a few others can be seen from this news story.

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The biggest amount of new detail comes from this layout of Ohana Bay, which was shared by the park.  In addition to the new amenities such as a Splash Deck play area, plenty of lounge space, restrooms and more, we now know a bit more about the slides and their names.

Alani Falls are three miniature racing slides, designed for small kids.  The purple slide seen above is for bigger kids, also racing slides, named Polu Plunge.  A set of small body slides, named Oma Oma O Racers are next in green.  Finally, the largest slides (each 200 feet in length and starting at 27 feet high) are Uli Uli Twisters, which can be enjoyed by both kids and have enough thrills for adults, too.

Ohana Bay is scheduled to open at Wild Adventures's Splash Island on April 1st.

Wild Adventures Expanding Splash Island Water Park in 2017

Wild Adventures's water park, Splash Island, will open an new family area in 2017 named Ohana Bay.  The word Ohana is Hawaiian for "family," so the name of the attraction is perfect when considering its offerings.

Ohana Bay will be located in a previously undeveloped area near a couple of the park's larger waterslides.  The expansion will feature a large lagoon area that is filled with different attractions, surrounded by a new seating area for more than 100 guests.

There will be a total of 7 new body water slides built in Ohana Bay, of varying sizes.  The largest two will stand 27 feet high and feature more than 200 feet of slide each.  Five additional slides will be built that are meant for smaller kids.  The lagoon will also have several spray and splash features to keep kids busy, allowing parents to easily keep tabs on them while they do.

Ohana Bay will represent a $2 million expansion for Wild Adventures - more details on the project will be released over the winter.

Wild Adventures Roars Into 2016 With New Attraction Announcement

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Georgia's Wild Adventures promised something big in 2016, and they delivered on that by announcing that a slew of huge dinosaurs will be featured at the park next season.  The attraction will have a limited run at the park, appearing only next year.

The set up will be similar to exhibits seen at other amusement parks, and will have more than 20 life sized dinosaurs that move, roar and have other special effects. Some of the largest of the dinosaurs, like the brachiosaurus for example, will stand more than two stories tall.  There will be many different types of dinosaurs featured, ranging from friendly herbivores to snarling raptors.  The new exhibit has a planned opening date of March 12, 2016.

All around Wild Adventure new experiences aimed at creating family fun will also debut, though specific details have not yet been released. For now the park is only saying that "life-size mazes, wacky challenges & splashy surprises" are some of the special pop-up fun that is planned.

2015 Additions Announced for Wild Adventures Theme Park

More than $1 million in new capital will be spent at Georgia's Wild Adventures in 2015, the theme park has announced.  The expansion will be centered on a new family thrill ride alongside a new animal habitat.

Named Jungle Rumble, a new 'flying carpet' flat ride attraction will be built, aimed at providing a thrilling yet family friendly ride experience.  The attraction "will take guests swinging, swooping, climbing and dropping" as the carriage rotates and swings back and forth.  When completely vertical, the carriage will reach four stories above the ground.  The ride cycle includes both forward and backward rotations, and with riders seated facing each other that means that everyone will spin in both directions.

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Jungle Rumble is actually already under construction at Wild Adventures, and will be located near the Swamp Thing roller coaster.  The photo above was shared by the park of the ongoing work as a tease before today's announcement.  While not announced by the park, the ride is expected to be moved from the defunct Celebration City theme park, also owned by Herschend Family Entertainment.

Located adjacent to Jungle Rumble will be a new animal exhibit featuring squirrel monkeys.  Guests will be able to watch the "entertaining little critters climb, swing and jump from branch to branch."  The area surrounding the new attractions will also be renovated an rejuvenated.

From The Vault: Wild Adventures 1998 Brochure + Map

The late 1990s were an exciting time for Wild Adventures theme park, located in Valdosta, Georgia.  The park was seeing major expansions, and in 1998 when this media is from that was still quite true.

The cover of the brochure for the year - which is actually a larger sized booklet - advertises some of the additions for the year.  There were both new rides and animal attractions, each of which are key draws for the park.

Here we get a good look at all that was new at the park.  The text here indicates that there were "25 great new family rides for kids of all ages."  The biggest thrill ride that had been added was the Boomerang, but a slew of new flat rides also opened at the park.  These included a Time Warp, Aviator, Chaos, Pharaoh's Fury, and Tilt-a-Whirl among others.  The Plunge was a new wet/dry slide combo that many appreciated during the Summer heat.

While lots of rides had been added the animal attractions at the park were still an important factor in bringing in visitors.  Plenty of exhibits let guests see Elephants, lion, tigers (oh my!), monkeys and plenty more.  The concerts that were held at the park were also a draw - along with the nightly "Wild Laser Adventures" show.

The back of the pamphlet, like most at the time, featured the details such as hours and prices.  Also like most parks they were pushing their season pass, which was a rather cheap $59.95 in 1998.

This is the park map that was given out that year, though it was a bit vague for my tastes.  It has been detailed significantly since then, but it at least gave an idea of where the rides vs. animal attractions were located.  If you compare this to a more recent map you can quickly see just how much expansion has taken place at the park since then!

Wild Adventures' New Ride Ready To Roll

© Wild Adventures Theme Park

Considering the park's new thrill ride, TailSpin, was just constructed in the weeks before Wild Adventures opened for the season this past weekend, I thought it wouldn't be ready opening day.  I was wrong on that one!

When the park opened this past weekend TailSpin was ready to spin, twirl, and rock riders at the Georgia amusement park.  The local ABC affiliate was at the park just before it opened to the public to check out the new attraction.  You can see video of one of their team taking a test spin on the ride, duct taped microphone included!

Wild Adventures is open weekends for now, but will start daily operation around Memorial Day - the park's full calendar is available here.

Spinning Into Wild Adventures' 2013 Season

TailSpin, the new thrill ride under construction at Wild Adventures Water & Theme Park, has already made quite an impression at the park:

© Wild Adventures

Workers have been busy putting the new ride together, piece by piece.  The ends of the Mega Disk'O attraction from Zamperla stand over four stories tall.  The new attraction is located along the park's boardwalk, near the center lake.  The park's second new ride for this season, a children's ride named Wacky Wheels, will also be in the area.

To document the assembly of TailSpin, Wild Adventures has been creating daily YouTube videos - the third of which is embedded below.  While the new rides aren't quite ready yet, the park opens for the 2013 season this Saturday, March 16th.

Wild Adventures Will Have Guests Spinning in 2013

Valdosta, Georgia's Wild Adventures Theme Park has announced two ride additions for the 2013 season, highlighted by a new thrill machine, Tail Spin.

Described by the park as "a rocking and spinning ride on a half-pipe that will take families more than four stories high while facing outward on a motorcycle-like seat," guests are certainly going to be taking a spin in 2013!
 

© Wild Adventures

The ride appears to be a Zamperla Mega Disk'O, a popular family thrill ride already with a great track record at many other parks.  The motorcycle style seats put riders facing outward as the ride spins, and gives a great sense of freedom while still feeling secure and snug. 

The theme park will also add a new attraction that smaller guests will love, the Wacky Wheels.  A teacup style ride, Wacky Wheels will serve as an alternative for those who don't quite reach Tail Spin's 48 inch height requirement.

In 2012 Wild Adventures focused on beefing up the comfort factor of the park, including new paint on rides, new lounging areas, renovated food stands and other amenities such as new restrooms and live entertainment.

Frightening Fun: The Haunts of 2011 - 2

Guests who are looking to check out Phobia, Wild Adventures Theme Park's Halloween event are in for a trick this year, not a treat.

The park has created an entire legend around the park's Blackwater Swamp, and extra special evil area that's full of mysterious goings-on.

Anyone willing to walk the path through the Blackwater Swamp risks meeting inhabitants of a town long gone, and possibly even the Fearmaker himself!  The park is also showing Abra Cadaver, a magic and illusion show by Aaron Radatz.

Universal Studios Florida's annual Halloween Horror Nights are back, and this year Lady Luck is asking visitors whether they feel up to trying their luck against the house... not an offer I'd take.

The park has again totally reinvented itself with all new haunts and scare zones - 8 brand new houses and 6 scare zones in all.  With themes ranging from WWII trenches to celebrated Holidays gone wrong, the park is always offering unique ways to scare their guests.

As a movie themed park, new this year is a maze based on the Thing, tied to the new movie.  Nevermore is a maze based on the scary works of Edgar Allen Poe, sure to torment even the most sane visitors.

Bill and Ted, much like every year, will also be around to host their Excellent Halloween Adventure, where the biggest stars of pop culture get skewered.

This is the time of year when Valleyfair Amusement Park transforms into ValleyScare, filled with plenty of ghouls and other creatures.  This year's new attractions is Camp Wekilou, a fun play on words if you pay attention.

Set in the park's isolated catering area, the camp was closed after a bunch of campers went missing.  It is now open again, but something just isn't right.  Maybe that bloody hand-print is a bad sign?

ValleyScare has a total of 9 haunted attractions, including both indoor and outdoor mazes, as well as elaborate scare zones.  There's also live shows - Blood Drums sounds interesting - to entertain as well.

Six Flags St. Louis has ramped up their Fright Fest event to be bigger than scarier than ever for 2011.  Decked out in its Halloween finest, the park also features plenty of attractions that will get your blood pumping.

One that peaked my interest is the Backlot Terror Tour, a wagon ride through a movie studio that was the home to the worst murders in Hollywood history.  Other mazes include trolls, clowns, zombies, and there's one called the Slaughter House that's filled to the brim with body parts.

Visitors can also check out live shows like Love at First Fright, where all the performers need is a human brain to complete their project, perhaps you are willing?

Last year Silverwood theme park found a tremendous amount of success with their Scarywood Theme Park Halloween event.  To that end, the park has spent even more cash on making the event even bigger and better for this year.

Three mazes are returning, including Blood Bayou, Terror Canyon Trail, and the Zombiewood Express train ride/maze.  New this year is Mind Warp, a maze that will confuse those who enter it with a myriad of tricks.

Also of note is that the park's Timber Terror coaster will be running backwards exclusively during Scarywood!

Sounds to me like Elitch Gardens isn't afraid to push boundaries a bit with their Fright Fest event.

The park offers mazes and scares along with some other interesting stuff... like White Noise, where a "real ghost will appear in the palm of your hand."  I want to see that.

Also, there's Hurl, a show that uses dancers doing gross and bloody stunts that lampoons current events, aimed at adults.  Add to that The Grueling, a show at the end of the night where the ghouls capture a victim and kill them in front of the crowd - and you've got me interested!

Plus walk through Blood Bath, Brutal Planet (Yes!  Still around), and Grind House, all of which sound pretty gory to me.

A Blast From The Past - Cheetah at Wild Adventures

Founded in 1996 by Kent Buescher, Wild Adventures opened as a small petting zoo on a plot of farm land outside of Valdosta Georgia. Buescher began adding rides in 1998 and over the years the park has experienced several rapid growth spurts. Many roller coasters and flat rides were added. And, the park's largest expansion, the Splash Island water park, was added in 2003.




In 2004, Buescher founded Adventure Parks Group and purchased Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida. Wild Adventures was put on the back burner, as the company concentrated on the Florida park. In September of 2006, Adventure Parks Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and both parks continued operating during the bankruptcy reorganization.




In 2007, Wild Adventures was sold to Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. The park currently features approximately 59 rides and attractions, including eight roller coasters, hundreds of exotic animals, shows, Splash Island water park and numerous concerts from country, pop, rock, Christian, to oldies superstars.




Designed by Chad Miller and Larry Bill, and built by Randy Larrick, Jeff Mason and the CCI crew, the park's largest coaster, Cheetah debuted on June 16, 2001.The ride opened with then relatively unknown rolling stock, newly designed trains from Gerstlauer Amusement Rides GmbH.


The Custom Coaster International hybrid coaster (steel structure with wooden track) is located in the African Pridelands section of the park. At 2680 feet long, with a 90 foot drop, Cheetah reached speeds up to 52 MPH.


During the 2009/2010 off season Cheetah received a $1.3 Million overhaul, with the figure-eight being re-tracked, various other rough spots being smoothed out.


We experienced Cheetah for the first time on New Years Eve of 2001. And, rode it again in 2002 and 2008. The park kicked off it's 15th season (on March 12th) and both Wild Adventure and Cheetah are both rolling quite smoothly! We hope to get back to the park this season to experience the "new" Cheetah!