In business for 60 years and a local favorite hot spot, Enchanted Forest Water Safari has been recognized by The Travel Channel as one of the top water parks in the country.
“We strive and try hard every year to provide safe, clean, family fun,” Katie Wojdyla, Co-Owner and Marketing Manager of the water park told Time Warner Cable News. “Getting an accolade for a park in Upstate New York, one of the top parks in the country, is very rewarding to us.”
Interestingly, Water Safari did not start out as a water park – when the park came to life in the 1950s it opened as “Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks.” The theme of the park revolved around storybooks and fairy tales – mechanical rides were not even in the picture yet.
When the park was purchased by the Noonan family in 1984 they created a new theme and changed the name to Enchanted Forest Water Safari.
Now the park has 32 water rides, ranging from relaxing tube rides to serious water slides. Guests can enjoy a tube ride through the jungle with “Amazon,” get a little more hardcore with tubing down a mountain with “Raging Rapids,” or you could give the ultimate water park ride a try – Killermanjaro.
Killermanjaro involves a whopping 280 foot drop as you race to the bottom at speeds reaching 30 miles per hour. Park-goer Marina Acosta-Saucedo almost didn’t go through with the daring ride when visiting from California.
“I didn’t want to do it and this little kid that’s like half my size was like, ‘Oh, I do this 20 times in one visit,'” she told Time Warner Cable News. “I was like, ‘Come’on, it’s just a slide. Just go.’ So I did it and yeah, I loved it.”
According to Wojdyla, the focus of Water Safari is to take care of guests, make their trip memorable, and keep bringing them back for more fun.
In addition to the water rides, the park offers plenty of dry rides as well, including a circus show, a train ride, and a skyride.
New this year, cabanas are available for rent. The neighboring campground offers “Stay and Play” packages.
The park is located in Old Forge and is open until September 5th – be sure to pick a hot day to get out there and experience what makes this local water park a national treasure.
Sources:
- Time Warner Cable News: Enchanted Forest Water Safari Named Top US Water Park by Travel Channel
