News: Wild Adventures to debut water ride, celebrate 10th anniversary

Posted at 5:51 PM EST (2251 GMT)

Oct. 30th, 2005 -- Wild Adventures will celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2006 with numerous events. New to the park will be a river adventure ride, new events, an upgraded version of the season pass, and more concerts.

To see a video report of the 10th Anniversary plans, see WALB-TV.

Valdosta, GA- Ask Kent Buescher if he thought that the purchase of a simple horse farm would result in a multi-million dollar theme park that ranks amongst the Top 50 parks in North America. The question earns you a grin and emphatic, “Never in my wildest dreams.” But sometimes the wildest dreams do come true and Wild Adventures will celebrate a decade of affordable family fun in 2006. The celebration will feature the introduction of “Shaka Zulu River Adventure,” a hair-raising log flume trek through the African Pridelands. Other festivities include two new events, “Taste of the South” and “Celebrate America,” along with a huge birthday bash over Memorial Day Weekend and a new 50’s-style daily show. Plus, you don’t want to miss the 2006 concert season, high-lighted with a concert by Alan Jackson. Guests will be able to enjoy every minute of the anniversary with the all-new Platinum Passport, an upgraded version of the Passport 2006.

The African Pridelands will be home to a thrilling new ride when “Shaka Zulu River Adventure” makes its debut, sending passengers on a heart-pounding plunge through the continent’s darkest depths. Seated in a narrow canoe, guests will navigate dips and dives, splashing through a winding river full of unexpected curves and chilling surprises before careening headfirst into a raging gorge. Look to get caught up this river without a paddle in summer of 2006.

The festivities start well before the summer, though, as the 10th anniversary celebration gets kicked off this November with exciting new options for the season pass. Guests will be able to enjoy all of the 10th Anniversary activities, as well as the 70th Anniversary of Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in Winter Haven, Florida with the Passport 2006 and all-new Platinum Passport. The price of the Passport 2006 has not changed at all from 2005; it’s still just $64.95 and includes admission to both parks through December 31, 2006 with no blackout dates; entrance to both Splash Island water park locations; access to more than 100 all-star concerts, appearances and special events; as well as regular Passholder mailers, a coupon book full of more than $500 in savings and special sneak preview events.

The all-new Platinum Passport increases your savings with all the great perks of the Passport 2006, plus free parking at both parks; free go-kart rides, Adventure Golf and Geronimo Skycoaster rides at Wild Adventures; free daytime excursions and discounted dinner cruises on the Cypress Belle; 10% discounts on meals, merchandise, Regular admission to “bring a friend” and season reserve seats for the 2006 concert series; as well as exciting V.I.P. concert functions, including chances to win meet & greet opportunities at selected concerts and a “Platinum Passholder” reception area. The one-year version of the Platinum Passport is just $129.95 and the two-year version is $239.95, creating a pass of extraordinary value for the same price as the regular pass with far fewer features at many other theme parks.

November also hails the start of the holiday season, as “Christmas Wonderland” blankets the park with the sights, sounds and scents of the season, starting November 18th. The event runs through December 30th, so make sure to enjoy the dazzling lights and displays, heart-warming holiday shows and special concerts.

End the year with a bang, as Wild Adventures welcomes in 2006 with special park hours and a huge 3-D laser and fireworks show. Get ready to count down the last seconds of 2005 with all your family and friends during a special night of extended ride hours.

We blanket the park with snow in January especially for “Snow Days,” our frosty winter-fun fest. Experience skating, sledding and other snow play, as well as even more activities and an ice-skating “boot camp.” The month also sees the kick-off of an exciting concert season, featuring a great show in May by one of country’s biggest superstars, Alan Jackson. Look for other shows from stars like the red-hot group Van Zant; the annual Winter Jam Tour featuring the Newsboys, Newsong, tobyMac, Zoegirl, Hawk Neslon and more; the “Here’s Your Sign” comedy of Bill Engvall; and country legends Merle Haggard, Travis Tritt and George Jones. More concerts are added to the line-up all the time, so check our website at www.wildadventures.net for an updated list.

Wild Adventures features a number of dazzling daily shows as part of the park’s entertainment and the line-up gets a new look in 2006. “Shake, Rattle & Roll” dances its way onstage March 17th, recalling the nostalgic feel of the 50’s, with numbers like “Rock Around the Clock,” “Hand Jivin’” and the title song “Shake, Rattle & Roll” amongst the numbers performed. Look for plenty of poodle skirts and leather jackets in this show.

Wild Adventures is also expanding its special events line-up to include new fun festivals this year. “Taste of the South” will open April 14th with six weekends of favorite Southern flavors and other food fun. Look for “Southern Fried,” “Grillin’ & Chillin’” and “That’s Smokin”’ themed weekends, among others, as the event runs through May 21st.

The park is hosting a 10th Birthday Bash over Memorial Day weekend, complete with cake and party favors. Other birthday surprises include the grand opening of “Shaka Zulu River Adventure” and a special concert by Georgia native Travis Tritt.

“Celebrate America” opens June 23rd with shows, a parade and a special patriotic 3-D laser and fireworks show. This red, white and blue tribute to America will invoke a patriotic spirit in park-goers through July 30th. August and September will see the return of the popular “Kidzpalooza” festival, complete with children’s shows, character appearances and plenty of exciting arts & crafts for the little ones. “Phobia” haunts the park in October, complete with haunted houses, the “Black Forest,” “Terror Train,” “Scare Zones” and “Friendly Frights,” our activities for the little ghosts and goblins.

November of 2006 will herald an all-new seasonal event, “An Old-Fashioned Christmas,” which will hearken back to times of simpler holiday joys. The park will be a haven from the hustle and bustle of the season, with all the sights, sounds and scents of Christmas past.

All the year’s events are part of the park’s continued effort to provide safe, enjoyable, affordable family fun. It is this formula that has allowed Wild Adventures to enjoy a decade of success. Transforming itself from a simple petting zoo, Wild Adventures emerged as a full-fledged theme park in 1996, when the decision was made to expand the property significantly with exotic animals, playgrounds and entertainment venues. Rides were offered on a limited basis later that year, as well as free concerts with park admission and were wildly popular. The following spring, both the amusement rides and concerts were permanently added to the park and the name was change from Liberty Farms Animal Park to Wild Adventures Theme Park. Finding a very welcoming audience, the park grew at a phenomenal rate, with the gate counting rising almost exponentially from just over 96 thousand in 1996 to more than a million by 2001. In 2002, the park debuted on the list of the Top 50 amusement parks in North America and has steadily risen through the ranks of corporate giants such as Disney, Six Flags and Universal each year, an almost unheard-of accomplishment for a privately owned establishment. Wild Adventures is home to more than 100 rides and attractions, including 9 coasters; Splash Island water park; more than 500 wild animals; a variety of entertaining daily shows and more than 50 concerts, appearances and special events each year. The park is on track to host more than 1.5 million visitors in 2005 and is projected to entertain more than 1.7 million guests in 2006.

Via Press Release