Family Kingdom Amusement Park facts for kids
Family Kingdom Amusement Park
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| Location | 300 Ocean Blvd Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577, United States |
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| Coordinates | 33°40′54″N 78°53′35″W / 33.68167°N 78.89306°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1966 |
| Operating season | Early April through Early October |
| Area | 13 acres (5.3 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 37 |
| Roller coasters | 3 |
Family Kingdom Amusement Park is a fun seaside amusement park located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. You can find it right on Ocean Boulevard, in the heart of the city. This park has 37 exciting rides for everyone, from little kids to adults. There are thrill rides, family rides, and even go-karts!
In 2008, TripAdvisor said Family Kingdom was one of the top five amusement parks outside of Orlando. It has been open for over 40 years, offering lots of fun. The park is special because it's one of the few places in the U.S. where you don't pay to enter. You only pay for the rides you want to go on. You can buy individual tickets or a wristband for unlimited rides all day.
The park also offers free entertainment. You might see clowns, magicians, jugglers, or even people on stilts! They also have face painters and balloon artists. Family Kingdom is about 13 acres in size. It sits on both sides of a historic natural stream called Withers Swash. This is where the stream meets the beach and the ocean.
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Exciting Rides at Family Kingdom
Family Kingdom Amusement Park has many popular rides. These include a classic wooden roller coaster and a giant Ferris wheel. There are also fun dark rides and water rides.
The Swamp Fox Wooden Roller Coaster
One of the most famous rides is the Swamp Fox wooden roller coaster. It's a big figure-eight coaster that is 2,400 feet long. This coaster is one of only 122 wooden roller coasters still running in North America.
About.com even ranked the Swamp Fox as one of the top 10 most underrated roller coasters. In 2016, the American Coaster Enthusiasts celebrated its 50th birthday with a special marker. The city also named it a historic structure in 2017.
Other Popular Rides
Besides the Swamp Fox, other well-known rides include the O.D. Hopkins Log Flume. There's also the Great Pistolero Round-up, which is a unique laser target shooting ride.
The "Giant Wheel" is another signature ride. This huge Ferris wheel takes riders over 100 feet high. From the top, you get amazing views of Myrtle Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. For 19 years, until 2011, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in South Carolina.
Park History and Fun Facts
Family Kingdom Amusement Park has a rich history. It started out with a different name and has grown over the years. Many interesting things have happened at the park.
How the Park Started
The park first opened in 1966 under the name Grand Strand Amusement Park. In 1992, the Ammons family bought the park. They changed its name to "Family Kingdom Amusement Park." The Ammons family has helped make Myrtle Beach a popular family vacation spot for over 50 years.
Special Features and Appearances
The Pistolero Round-up ride was the first of its kind made by Sally Corporation. It first opened at Family Kingdom before going to other places. The park also has a classic carousel that was built in 1930. Its horses were made from the original molds!
Famous Country music star Kenny Chesney even filmed part of his "Anything but Mine" music video at Family Kingdom in 2005.
Splashes Oceanfront Water Park
| Splashes Oceanfront Water Park | |
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| Location | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States |
| Operating season | Generally Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend |
| Status | {{{status}}} |
Splashes Oceanfront Water Park is a fun water park right in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It used to be called Wild Rapids. This park is two acres big and has 500 feet of oceanfront views. It's located across Ocean Boulevard from Family Kingdom Amusement Park.
Water Park Attractions
Splashes has 18 different attractions to enjoy. You can float along a lazy river with waterfalls. There are also water flumes and eight slides just for kids.
The park has two enclosed body waterslides and two speed slides for thrill-seekers. You can also try two open flume slides and another enclosed flume slide. The children's area has splash pools, eight kiddie slides, and a play pool with a multi-tiered waterfall.
Water Park History
The water park first opened in 1977 as "Wild Rapids." In 1997, Family Kingdom Amusement Park bought it. They added more water attractions and renamed it "Family Kingdom Water Park." Then, in 2013, the water park got its current name, "Splashes Oceanfront Water Park."
