Adventure Landing facts for kids
Adventure Landing is a fun group of amusement parks found in different states like Florida, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. The very first park opened its doors in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, back in 1995. It was a big hit, and because of its success, many more Adventure Landing parks were built!
Adventure Landing also helps manage and run other family fun centers across the United States. In total, Adventure Landing operates 11 amusement parks nationwide.
Adventure Landing - Come play with us!
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| Industry | Amusement |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Hank Woodburn |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville Beach, Florida |
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Number of locations
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11 |
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Key people
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Hank Woodburn (founder & president) |
| Parent | Adventure Entertainment Company (1995-2002) Adventure Landing LLC (2002-2004) Adventure Holdings, LLC (2004-present) |
Contents
History of Adventure Landing
Before Adventure Landing started, its founder, Hank Woodburn, worked for 24 years with Putt-Putt Golf Courses. He was great at updating their locations with new and exciting features.
In 1994, Mr. Woodburn added cool things like go-karts, batting cages, and arcades to the Putt-Putt locations in Jacksonville, Florida.
That same year, he bought land in Jacksonville Beach to open a brand new park. This park became the first Adventure Landing, opening in 1995.
The first Adventure Landing was built on a large piece of land, about 18 acres. It cost $5 million to build and even included a waterpark. The main building had a video arcade, laser tag, a snack bar, and places to get prizes. Outside, there was miniature golf, batting cages, a go-kart track, and the water park.
Over the years, the company changed hands a few times. In 1998, it was sold to Randy Levinson. Later, in 2004, Hank Woodburn bought Adventure Landing back.
In 2010, Adventure Holdings, the company that owned Adventure Landing, also bought All Star Adventures & All Star Sports in Wichita.
In April 2011, a company called National Retail Properties bought five Adventure Landing locations. However, Adventure Holdings continued to run these parks.
In 2012, Adventure Landing bought The Beach Waterpark in Mason, Ohio. It reopened in May 2013 as The Beach at Adventure Landing.
In December 2019, the company faced some financial challenges.
In March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parks had to close for a few months. They later reopened with new safety rules, like cleaning high-touch areas often.
The Adventure Landing location on Blanding Boulevard in Jacksonville closed in Summer 2021. It had been open for 24 years. The land was bought to build a parking lot for Amazon.
The Adventure Landing park in Jacksonville Beach was sold in 2021. Plans were made to build apartments there. The park was expected to close in October 2021, but its closing date was delayed several times. It finally stayed open until the end of September 2023. The former owner announced they were looking for a new place in Jacksonville to build a bigger park.
How Adventure Landing Works
You don't need to pay to enter the amusement parks. You just pay for each attraction you want to try. The water park is open only during certain seasons and requires a ticket to get in. Not all parks have every feature.
All Adventure Landing parks have miniature golf and an arcade. Most locations also have go-karts, laser tag, and batting cages. Some parks have special rides, like the Wacky Worm Rollercoaster at the Jacksonville Beach location. They also offer special deals for large groups and parties.
Amusement Park Features
- Adventure Speedway Go-Karts: A long track where you can race. Your race results are shown on a big board.
- Batting Cages: You can choose to hit hardball or softball. The machines can throw balls up to 70 miles per hour!
- Bumper Boats: These are like bumper cars, but they float on a pond! Each boat has a squirt gun for extra fun.
- Frog Hopper: A gentle bouncing ride perfect for younger kids.
- Laser Tag: The "Area 51" course has two levels and a maze. It's played in dim light with flashing lights and sound effects. You get a printout of your score at the end.
- Max Flight: This is a roller coaster simulator that can spin you around 360 degrees!
- Miniature Golf: Two 18-hole mini-golf courses that are fun for everyone, no matter your skill level.
- Sweet Adventures: An old-fashioned candy shop where you can find all sorts of treats.
- Teddy Bear Factory: You can create your own stuffed animal here!
- Wacky Worm Roller Coaster: A fun roller coaster designed for young children and their parents.
- Video Arcade: All parks have an arcade with up to 100 different games. You use tokens to play, and many games give out tickets that you can trade for prizes.
- Snack Bar: A place to grab pizza, drinks, and other snacks.
Formerly available
- Wow Factory: This was a huge, three-story play area with 9,000 foam balls to climb in. It had cannons and geysers that kept the balls moving!
Shipwreck Island Waterpark
Shipwreck Island is the waterpark located right next to Adventure Landing in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. It was built in 1995 and opened a few months after the amusement park.
Water Park Features
- Typhoon Lagoon: A huge wave pool that creates waves up to 3-4 feet high.
- Lil’ St. John’s River: A long, relaxing lazy river that's 720 feet long.
- Hydro Halfpipe: A water ride that's like a skateboarding half-pipe, but with water!
- Eye of the Storm: A 40-foot wide bowl that spins you around like a whirlpool.
- Splash Cove: A special play area designed for toddlers.
- Rage: An uphill water coaster that can reach speeds of up to 18 miles per hour!
- Undertow: A 400-foot long double-raft flume ride that goes up to 23 miles per hour.
- Cabana rentals: You can rent private shaded areas to relax.
Formerly available
- Pirate Play: This was a 62-foot pirate ship with water cannons, slides, and waterfalls.
Jacksonville Beach Location
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| Location | 1944 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach, Florida |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°17′13″N 81°24′45″W / 30.286955°N 81.412369°W |
| Opened | 1995 |
| Slogan | Adventure Landing - Come play with us! |
| Operating season | Year round |
| Area | 4 acres (16,000 m2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 15 |
| Website | Adventure Landing Jacksonville Beach website |
In June 2021, it was announced that the Jacksonville Beach park would close. This was because the land owner decided to build apartments and a parking lot there. The park continued to operate longer than expected, staying open until the end of September 2023. Adventure Landing plans to rebuild a new, larger water park in a different area of Jacksonville.
Adventure Landing Locations
- Florida: Jacksonville Beach, St. Augustine
- New York: Buffalo, Tonawanda
- North Carolina: Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Gastonia
- Texas: Dallas
Other Locations
- Ohio: Magic Mountain Fun Center East in Columbus
- Missouri: Cool Crest Family Fun Center in Independence
- Kansas: All Star Sports Entertainment & All Star Adventures in Wichita (These were bought in 2010).
Former Locations
- Florida: Jacksonville (Blanding Boulevard), Daytona Beach (closed in 2002; now Daytona Lagoon)
- North Carolina: Charlotte (closed in 2020)
- New York: Greece, Wheatfield
- Ohio: The Beach at Adventure Landing in Mason, Magic Mountain Fun Center in Columbus
- Texas: Amazing Jake's Food & Fun in Plano
