JOURNEY TO THE PAST

Wild Adventures Theme Park- Valdosta, GA

Wild Adventures dates back to 1991, when Kent Buescher and his wife Dawn bought a 100-acre horse farm just outside of Valdosta, Georgia off Interstate 75. The original plan called for a few horses and weekend relaxation but no one could have guessed what was about to happen. A birthday prank netted the Bueschers a goat, the first of what quickly became a petting zoo menagerie. An additional 70 acres adjacent to the property was purchased the following year and added more animals to the collection.

It was at this point that the family decided to share their love of animals with the public and created a petting zoo, which became a favorite field trip destination for local schools. Local businesses began calling, asking for conference space and in 1994, Liberty Farms & Conference Center, Inc. was created to accommodate business meetings.

The transformation of the property to a full-fledged theme park began in 1996, when a decision was made to expand the property significantly with the addition of exotic animals, playgrounds and entertainment venues. Liberty Farms Animal Park opened Memorial Day weekend with great success. Free concerts with park admission were offered in the fall of that year, along with a limited run of amusement park rides. Based upon consumer reaction, the park made rides and concerts a permanent part of the mix in 1997 and changed its name to Wild Adventures Theme Park to reflect the expansion.
Adhering to a policy of providing affordable family-oriented entertainment, the park grew at a phenomenal rate, from just over 96 thousand visitors in 1996 to more than 1.375 million in 2003. In 2002, the park was listed as one of the Top 50 amusement parks in North America and remains on the list to this day. Visitors come from all over the country, but the majority of guests reside within a 250-mile radius.

Since 1997, the attraction offering has grown tremendously, creating the largest variety of rides of any park in the south. In 2002, a $50-million expansion plan was put into action, creating in essence a “super park,” offering five different park experiences behind one gate. The rides, animals and entertainment were already in place, but the plan called for the addition of a family adventure area, including go-karts, adventure golf and other challenge attractions. The fifth element, Splash Island Water Park, which opened in 2003, continues to be a huge success.

JOURNEY TO THE FUTURE

In September 2007, Wild Adventures Theme Park was purchased by Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation (HFE). HFE originated as the Silver Dollar City, taking root in 1950, when Hugo and Mary Herscshend acquired a long-term lease on Marvel Cave near Branson, Missouri. They brought their teenaged sons, Jack and Peter, from the Chicago area to operate the attraction. Hugo and Mary bought additional land surrounding the cave and began building the cave’s business. Hugo died in 1955, and Peter left college for a year to help Mary operate the cave. When Jack was released from the Marines in 1956 and returned to help, Peter completed college and then entered the Army. In 1960, the Herschends and 17 staff members opened a small 1880s themed village on the cave’s grounds as a diversion for people waiting to take a cave tour. There was no advertising budget but press agent Don Richardson conceived the idea of giving silver dollars as change. The coins attracted attention and Silver Dollar City benefited greatly from the word-of-mouth advertising. Silver Dollar City added craftsmen and attractions, and Peter Herschend returned from the Army to throw his considerable energy into the business. The first year, Silver Dollar City drew 125,000 visitors, four times the number that toured the cave. The Herschends discovered that they were now in the theme park business. Jack showed the skills of an operational genius as Peter’s natural talent for public relations developed. Under Mary’s direction, the park added rides and crafts. From humble beginnings of a small theme park built atop an Ozarks cave in 1960, HFE now owns, operates or partners in 18 properties in 7 states. Our businesses include:

Theme Parks
Celebration City (Branson, MO) – A nighttime family ride park. Great moments in the 20th century.
Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN) – A partnership with Dolly Parton. A Smoky Mountain Adventure Park. Four Seasonal Festivals.
Silver Dollar City (Branson, MO) – A Spirit of America Adventure Park. Crafts and artisans are our celebrities. Five seasonal festivals.
Wild Adventures (Valdosta, GA) – Family entertainment combining the best variety of shows, animal exhibits, rides and events.

Regional Entertainment Destinations
Stone Mountain Park (Atlanta, GA) – An entertainment destination and resort. Home of the world’s largest monolith carving. Resort hotels, attractions, events and a nighttime laser spectacular. Georgia’s #1 Attraction
Dollywood’s Splash Country (Pigeon Forge, TN) – Appalachian Themed Water Park. Largest Water Park in TN.
White Water (Branson, MO) – Herschend Family’s first water park. Tropical themed water attraction.

Dining Attractions
Dixie Stampede Dinner Attractions (Branson, MO; Myrtle Beach, SC; Pigeon Forge, TN) – A partnership with Dolly Parton.
Showboat Branson Belle (Branson, MO) – A 700-seat paddlewheeler that features elegant dining, Broadway-style shows, and a beautiful cruise on Table Rock Lake. America’s Largest Ship on a land-locked lake.

Sightseeing Attractions
Ride the Ducks (Branson, MO; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA & Seattle, WA (licensee)) – Amphibious tour vehicle providing entertaining stories of regional destinations.

Learn more about any of our properties by logging on to hfecorp.com