Wild Adventures breaks ground for Oasis Outpost
Sep. 13—VALDOSTA — Summer always leaves South Georgia, but the heat rarely does, which is why Wild Adventures has broken ground on its Oasis Outpost area.
According to Jon Vigue, Wild Adventures vice president and general manager, the Oasis Outpost will serve as a spot for park goers to beat the heat during their time at the park in the form of shady spaces and ice cold drinks and flatbreads served by a new restaurant, Paradise Pizza, as well as a navigation area where children can view an exhibit which showcases tortoises in their natural environment.
The area is set to debut during the 2023 season.
"The sound of bubbling spring waters will draw park goers deeper into the Oasis Outpost as they are welcomed by a refreshing area to cool off at the Misty Springs subzone. The play area will feature towering misty posts and splash pads. The area will also feature two stay-and-play zones and plenty of shade and seating areas available for parents to rest while kids explore," he said.
"Oasis Outpost is one of the largest projects we have taken on in recent years and will fundamentally change the look and feel of a large portion of our park. It will serve as a hallmark of adventures we continue to invest in our community."
Skylar Mueller, Valdosta-Lowndes County Tourism Authority marketing manager, spoke first at the press conference and said guests will have much more to look forward to when planning their next trip to Wild Adventures and Valdosta.
"Wild Adventures plays a pivotal role in tourism for Valdosta and the county. The tourism authority is really excited to see all of the new things to come," she said.
Valdosta City Manager Mark Barber followed Mueller's remarks and commended Vigue and the Wild Adventures staff for their work to make the new area a reality.
"I'm always excited to come to Wild Adventures. Whether as a concert-goer or just out here with my grandchildren making some great memories with my family. ... I'm happy to celebrate another expansion of Wild Adventures. It's truly amazing, especially with what has been going on the last few years. We still have a theme park that is trying to stay relevant in the market and has done so successfully," he said.
State Rep. Dexter Sharper, District 177, also made an appearance at the groundbreaking and said in an interview with The Valdosta Daily Times that the move is proof that Wild Adventures is "paying attention to who utilizes the park."
"I am excited about the Wild Adventures Oasis Outpost expansion. I feel the parents appreciate the concept and the kids will love it. It's great to have Wild Adventures as a community partner under the leadership of Jon Vigue. They constantly and consistently meet the entertainment needs of our communities in and out of state," he said.
Adam Floyd, Wild Adventures media communications manager, said the theme park is always seeking to improve families' experiences year after year, and that improvement comes in the form of investments made in the park's attractions and deals, such as Ohana Bay in 2017, Discovery Outpost and the Pre-K Free Kid's Season Pass in 2019 and Liberty Farms Petting Zoo for the 25th anniversary in 2021.
"When you spend time at Wild Adventures, when you spend time with the team that keeps this park beautiful and running smoothly, you hear a lot about creating memories. You heard Mark (Barber) talk about that a few minutes ago. Creating memories worth repeating is the heart of what we do; it's our mission here at Wild Adventures," he said.
"In order to fulfill that mission, our teams are constantly working to create new and innovative ways to introduce our park to more families and to ensure family and friends throughout the region return time and time again. ... We constantly strive to deliver the most fun for the best value."
In the meantime, Wild Adventures will kick off its Pumpkin Spice Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights from Sept. 23 through Oct. 30, serving bites like pumpkin spice pretzels with pumpkin fluff and sips like pumpkin spice iced coffee along with glow in the dark pumpkins lighting up the park at night.
For more information on the Oasis Outpost area, hours and events, call (229) 219-7080, or visit wildadventures.com.
