Kent Buescher[2] and his wife Dawn Buescher founded the park on a plot of farmland outside of Valdosta, Georgia. It was established in 1996 for around $10 million. Wild Adventures started as a small petting zoo known as Liberty Farms D&L (Distribution & Logistics ). The park now hosts six roller coasters and numerous flat rides. Rides were initially added to the park in 1998. Splash Island, the park's water park, opened in 2003 as the park's largest expansion which features a 100-meter drop double slide.[3]
In 2004, the Adventure Park Group purchased Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida, a company that Buescher privately held. The expansion of the park was slowed down following the purchase of Cypress Gardens.[4] In 2005, an S&S PowerScreamin' Swing named Gauntlet was added. For the park's 10th anniversary in 2006, the park announced its intent to add the Shaka Zulu River Adventure log flume, relocated from the defunct Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City Beach, Florida. However, the ride was delayed due to engineering problems and was later canceled.
In September 2006, Adventure Parks Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. On September 25, 2007, due to bankruptcy proceedings, Adventure Parks Group LLC auctioned off Cypress Gardens and Wild Adventures. Despite the Chapter 11 filing, the parks remained open for operation. The initial bids were set at $17.4 million for Cypress Gardens and $38.85 million for Wild Adventures, with a combined starting point of $53.25 million. The group's situation only worsened after hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne damaged Cypress Gardens in 2004. Herschend Family Entertainment later purchased Wild Adventures for $34.4 million.[5]
Herschend removed the Gauntlet but opened The Rattler on March 21, 2008.[6] It is a HussFrisbee-type flat ride manufactured by Moser Rides of Italy. Also in 2008, the Tiger Terror roller coaster was sold and moved to Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida, and renamed "Tasmanian Tiger". In February 2009, the movie Zombieland was filmed at Wild Adventures for its theme park scenes.[7]
For the 2010 season, the park added several rides including Viking Voyage, Whirling Wildcats, and Falcon Flyers. All three rides were from the now defunct Celebration City in Branson, Missouri. The Attractions, Gold Rush, and Mystery Maze were removed. Bug Out was renamed Go Bananas. The S&S Double Shot was renamed Firecracker. Two new rides, Tailspin, and Wacky Wheels were added before the 2013 season. In 2015, Jungle Rumble, a flat ride, was also added.[8]
Before the 2019 season, Fiesta Express was moved out of storage and was renamed Swamp-water Snake and the S&S Double-shot was renamed Blazer Blast for a new children-themed area called Discovery Outpost. After the 2019 season, Viking Voyage was moved to Fun Spot Kissimmee. Beginning in the 2020 season, Blackfoot Falls was renovated and renamed Island Falls, and the Pharaoh's Fury was moved to another zone of the park after the closure of surrounding rides. Wild Adventures was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, later reopening in July 2020.[9] In early 2021, it was announced that the park's CCI wooden coaster Cheetah would be retired after its closure in the 2020 season, as well as the park's go-karts and mini-golf course.
For the 2022 season, the Falcon Flyers were renamed the American Flyers and received a new paint job. The restaurant Brews and Bites began selling alcoholic beverages and added covered seating and a live concert area. At the end of the season, the Yo-Yo ride was removed from the park. In 2023, the Go Bananas roller coaster was renamed to Marsh Mayhem, and the Sidewinder flat ride was renamed Sandstorm Chaser and moved to the new Oasis Outpost-themed area of the park.[citation needed]
Sections
In 2019, the park created Discovery Outpost, a new children's section, using old rides that were repainted and renovated to match the theme of the area. Oasis Outpost was added for the 2023 season with two rides being moved to this new section – the Sidewinder was renamed the Sandstorm Chaser and the Trail Trackers. Past themes included Base Camp, Bugsville, Australian Outback, Alapaha Preserve, The Lagoon, African Pride-lands, and Wild West.
Attractions
The Boomerang roller coasterMarsh Mayhem Roller Coaster (Formerly the Go Bananas/Bug Out Coaster)Outpost Express Roller Coaster (Formerly the Ant Farm Express)Swamp ThingSwampwater Snake (Formerly Fiesta Express)Twisted Typhoon (Formerly The Hangman)
A junior wild mouse-style roller coaster. Formerly known as Fiesta Express from 2003-2011. Placed in storage until 2019, added to the Discovery Outpost.
A junior wild mouse-style roller coaster. Formerly known as Fiesta Express from 2003 to 2011. Placed in storage until 2019, added to the Discovery Outpost.
Splash Island is a Polynesian-themed water park that is free with admission to Wild Adventures. It takes up 27 acres (110,000 m2) of the 166-acre (670,000 m2) park and hosts seven rides and five shops. It is frequently the most crowded area of the park. Splash Island first opened in 2003 and was Wild Adventures' largest expansion since rides were introduced in 1999.
When Splash Island was opened, it had no theming and more closely resembled a community pool. In 2008, Wild Adventures announced that Splash Island would undergo a $4 million renovation to turn the park into a Polynesian-themed paradise. Wild Adventures also announced their intent to build a new ride, the Wahee Cyclone.
Rides
Bonzai Pipelines
3 Inter-twined slides featuring the tallest slides in Georgia built in 2004
Catch-a-wave bay
A large 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) wave pool built in 2003
Hakini Rapids
A 5-story "Family Sized" water slide with unexpected turns and drops built in 2011
Kalani Blasters
2 Medium sized intertwined slides built in 2003
Kona Cliffs
A giant family sized speed slide with three drops built in 2011
Paradise River
A relaxing lazy river ride through the water park built in 2003
Polynesian Adventure
A 4-story water fortress built in 2003
Wahee Cyclone
A 5-story water tornado built in 2009
Sea Turtle Cove
A small water play area for younger children built in 2006
A custom, wooden roller coaster with steel supports (except for the figure eight which was rebuilt with wood when the entire coaster was retracted by Great Coasters International in 2010). It was also the largest roller coaster at the park. It last operated in March 2020 and stood idle for the 2020 season; in January 2021 the park confirmed its retirement.
A Screamin' Swing with two arms that sat four riders each. Following Herschend's acquisition of the park, the attraction was removed and sold to Fun Spot America.
A "Big Dipper" kiddy coaster located near Safari Train. It was removed following the 2009 season and replaced in 2010 with the Whirling Wildcats Scrambler from Celebration City.
Mystery Maze
1999
2009
—
A Maze attraction located near Safari Train. It was dismantled and replaced in 2010 by Viking Voyage from Celebration City.
Purchased from the defunct Miracle Strip Amusement Park after it closed in 2004. Wild Adventures touted plans to refurbish and build it for their 10th anniversary in 2006, but it never came to fruition. Following Herschend's acquisition of the park, plans to install the ride were scrapped from the agenda.
A ride for children with a single helix and a tiger-themed train. The coaster was sold to ZooTampa at Lowry Park, where it received a refurbishment and opened in December 2008.
A steel family coaster that operated at Celebration City from 2003 up until the park's closure in 2008, where it was then sold to Wild Adventures. Following a repaint from red to blue track during the 2016-2017 offseason, the coaster was closed in 2018 and sold to Fun Spot America Theme Parks, where after a brief storage time at their Atlanta location, it was set up and opened at Fun Spot America Kissimmee in December 2019 as Hurricane.
Six fixed arms are connected in an asterisk pattern, with two sets of two seats attached at right angles to the arms. The arm assembly is connected to a main arm. Twenty-four riders at a time can be loaded onto the ride. Riders are restrained by an over-the-shoulder harness, with their legs dangling free for excitement.
A pair of dinghy slides situated in the dry park, where the boats were delivered to the top of the starting tower via a conveyor belt. Removed following the 2006 season to accommodate the concert venue building.
^Chambliss, John (September 25, 2007). "Cypress Gardens Has New Owner". The Ledger. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
