Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia, is a theme park, water park and animal park, all wrapped into one. My family was invited to visit the park earlier this summer during our two week trek across south Georgia, and recently I shared our fun and photos from the Splash Island portion of the park. Today I’m sharing the second part our visit, the rides and wild animals!
After spending a few hours in the water fun area, we dried off and grabbed a bite to eat, then went to check out all the rides and animal attractions. There were virtually no lines for any of the rides, so we were able to do tons of stuff in just a few hours.
Nikoletta and I hopped on the Falcon Flyer, a flying scooter ride that take riders to soaring heights overlooking the central lake in the park. It’s a non-thrill ride that is great for little ones that don’t want to go too terribly fast, and the view is wonderful!
We all love swing rides, and the Yo-Yo did not disappoint. Not only do the swings go up and out, they also gently go up and down as they swing around. It’s a 2.5 minute ride, and a great way to relax and enjoy the breeze during the warm south Georgia days! Don’t forget to take off your shoes if they slip on, because they’ll probably fall off during the ride! 🙂
The Frog Hopper takes you on an up and down ride that reminds me of being gently tossed in the air by my Dad as a child. There is a ride similar to it at our huge county fair and the kids always rush right over because it’s one of their favorites. While it’s more of a ride for children, adults are welcome to join in the fun. Just know that the seats may be a little snug if you’re blessed in the booty department!
The Ant Farm Express is a mini roller coaster that is perfect for the little ones that may be nervous about the larger rides. We rode several times in a row (with no wait!) and the kids just laughed and laughed the whole time. They would have probably been happy to keep riding that ride all afternoon!
Wacky Wheels is similar to the traditional whirling teacup rides I’ve ridden at other parks, but the cars are literally little cars that you can spin around in. This picture is one of my favorites, the younger two girls really enjoyed trying to see how fast they could get the car to spin!
In between rides, we stopped to enjoy the lake in the center of the park, and happened to see this young alligator! It swam right up to the dock and we watched quietly while it waited for a fish and then grabbed it for lunch. The kids are still talking about it weeks later!
While we were fixed on the alligator in the lake, we almost missed the Safari Train right behind us. Luckily, we realized before it was too late, and hurried over to climb on board. The 10 minute ride transports you halfway around the world to see exotic animals such as antelope, zebras, giraffe, elephants, elk, water buffalo and more. The driver shares all sort of cool facts about the animals as you go along, and makes quite a few funny jokes too!
For families with little ones that are too small for the bigger rides, or maybe just need a few minutes to run around and use up some of their never ending supply of energy, there is an onsite playground called Critter Crawl they can enjoy. It even has a cover so they can play in the shade, and get out of the hot sun for a bit!
There are so many other rides I didn’t get pictures of, since we let the older kids go off together to ride the more exciting thrill rides that the smaller ones weren’t quite tall enough for. Here’s a few of their favorites, pictures courtesy of the Wild Adventures website.
The Rattler swings and slings riders more than six stories in the air through 240 degrees of motion. You face outward the entire ride so everyone gets a great view no matter where they are sitting!
For thrill seekers, the TailSpin is a rocking and spinning ride on a half-pipe that you definitely don’t want to miss. It takes riders more than four stories high while facing outward on a motorcycle-like seat. Eight year old Nathaniel was so excited about this one, and spent the first time on the ride screaming to get off, lol. Then as soon as it was over, he begged and pleaded to go again! He got back on with his siblings and they rode three times in a row, and said it was one of their favorites of the afternoon.
Swamp Thing is a roller coaster with an overhead track that leaves your legs loose, so be sure to secure your shoes so you don’t lose them! It may not have any crazy loops, but it does send riders on a dip toward a family of hungry alligators!
Be sure to check the live show schedule, because you won’t want to miss the Tigers of India show! These beautiful cats love to play and have fun, and someone in your family may be chosen to help out with some tricks!
We had so much fun during our visit to Wild Adventures, and I was very pleased with the number of rides we were able to experience with practically no wait time at all. For more pictures of our fun, check out the Wild Adventures album on my Facebook page.
Don’t miss the first part of this review where I shared all of our water fun at Splash Island!
My family was given complimentary passes to facilitate this review, but as always, all opinions expressed are my own.
