Wild Adventures

Wild Adventures (known previously as Liberty Farms) is a zoological theme park in Clyattville, Georgia. It is located 5 mi south of Valdosta, Georgia, United States. The estate is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and has been managed by Jon Vigue since October 2020. The park features rides and attractions including six roller coasters, exotic animals, and shows. Wild Adventures features Splash Island water park and concerts from country, pop, rock, Christian, and oldies superstars.

History
Kent Buescher, the founder of Wild Adventures and his wife Dawn, started the park on a plot of farmland outside of Valdosta, Georgia in 1996 for around $10 million. Wild Adventures started out as a small petting zoo known as Liberty Farms D&L. The park hosts six roller coasters and numerous flat rides. The rides were initially added to the park in 1998 and it has since rapidly grown. Splash Island, the park's water park, opened in 2003 as the park's largest expansion which includes several water slides and attractions.

In 2004, the Adventure Park Group purchased Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida, a company which was privately held by Buescher. Expansion slowed down for the park following the Cypress Gardens purchase. In 2005, Gauntlet was added, which is an S&S Power Screamin' Swing complex. For the park's 10th anniversary in 2006, the park announced their intent to add the Shaka Zulu River Adventure log flume, relocated from the defunct Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City Beach Florida. The ride was delayed due to engineering problems, and never opened to the public.

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 operational. 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 financial woes, including $25 million in debt, were exacerbated by hurricanes in 2004 (Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Jeanne) damaging Cypress Gardens. The Ledger reported that Herschend Family Entertainment had purchased Wild Adventures for $34.4 million.

Upon Herschend taking over the park, they removed the Gauntlet and stated that they do not plan on opening the Shaka Zulu River Adventure log flume ride. However, Herschend did open The Rattler, on March 21 2008. It is a Huss Frisbee 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 American post-apocalyptic zombie comedy Zombieland amusement park scenes were filmed at Wild Adventures.

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. Gold Rush and Mystery Maze were removed. Bug Out was renamed Go Bananas. The S&S Doubleshot was renamed Firecracker. Two new rides, Tail Spin and Wacky Wheels, were added before the 2013 season; in 2015 Jungle Rumble, a flat ride, was added.

Before the 2019 season, Fiesta Express was moved out of storage and became Swampwater Snake in a new children themed area Discovery Outpost, the S&S Doubleshot was renamed Blazer Blast off. After the 2019 season, Viking Voyage 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. In early 2021 it was announced that the park's CCI wooden coaster Cheetah would be retired after closure in the 2020 season, as were the park's go-karts and mini-golf course.

For the 2022 season, the Falcon Flyers was renamed the American Flyers and received a patriotic paint job. Brews and Bites, a restaurant, started selling alcoholic beverages - also new covered seating and live concert area were added to it. At the end of the season, the Yo-Yo ride had been removed from the park. In 2023, the Go Bananas roller coaster was renamed to Marsh Mayhem. Sidewinder flat ride was renamed Sandstorm Chaser and moved to the new Oasis Outpost themed area of the park.

Sections
In 2019 the park built Discovery Outpost, a new children's section, with all rides in the area being recycled, and many rides being repainted and renovated to match the theme of the area. Oasis Outpost was added for the 2023 season with 2 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 Pridelands, and Wild West.

Splash Island Water Park
Splash Island is a Polynesian themed water park and is free with admission into Wild Adventures. It takes up 27 acre of the 166 acre park with seven rides, and five shops. It is frequently the most crowded area of the park. Splash Island first opened in 2003 being 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 center. In 2008, Wild Adventures announced that Splash Island would undergo a $4 million renovation turning 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 25000 sqft 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 inter-twined slides built in 2003


 * Kona Cliffs
 * A giant, "Family Sized" speed slide with three drops built in 2011


 * Paradise River
 * A relaxing "lazy river" 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

Annual events

 * Boy Scouts Day
 * Girl Scouts Day
 * Great Pumpkin LuniNights and Pumpkin Spice Festival - Halloween themed event with several attractions, Terror in the Wild is currently discontinued and it was replaced by one of these seasonal Fall events such as this one.
 * Wild Adventures Christmas - Christmas themed event.