Hawaiian Falls
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Hawaiian Falls is a small waterpark located in Garland, Texas. The park is the first Hawaiian Falls Waterpark in the Hawaiian Falls Waterpark chain and officially opened on Sunday, May 25, 2003. The waterpark sits on roughly 6 acres adjacent to the Spring Creek Forest Preserve and is visible from the George Bush turnpike. It consists of about nine attractions: six water slides, a lazy river, an interactive water treehouse, and an activity pool, as well as a few food stands. The park was built for roughly $5.5 million by David Busch of Horizon Family Inc., now Hawaiian Falls Waterparks.
Since its opening, Hawaiian Falls has expanded its Garland park as well as added two additional parks: Hawaiian Falls in The Colony, Texas in 2004 and Bahama Beach in Dallas, Texas in 2005.
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[edit] History
Ground broke for Hawaiian Falls Adventure Park on Wednesday, December 18, 2002. The 6 acres waterpark was being built by Horizon Family Inc, a California based company that has worked with other waterpark properties in a few states including Hawaiian Falls' sister park Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The park was to be aimed for families within a 15 mile radius of the park with a ticket price around $10. The City of Garland City Council and the Parks and Recreation Board helped provide the land on which the waterpark was to be built.
Construction for Hawaiian Falls began in January of 2003. The park was rushed to be completed in time for the Saturday, May 24,2003 grand opening due to a rainy Spring. In fact, the park closed on its grand opening on May 24th due to rainy weather which washed mud into many of the attractions.
The park opened for its first full day on Sunday, May 24th, 2003 with two body slides, two tube slides, one racing slide, a lazy river, a halfpipe slide, a cafe, a small gift shop, and changing rooms. Admission on opening day was $12.99 plus tax for adults, $7.99 plus tax for children under 48 inches, and free for children under 3 years of age. Hours for the first season consisted of Monday through Saturday 10:30am to 6:00pm and Sundays were from Noon to 6:00pm. The park also offered free parking, free life jackets, free inner tubes, but did not allow outside food or drinks. The 2003 season ended on Monday, September 8, 2003.
In 2004, Hawaiian Falls expanded by adding Splashwater Harbor, an activity pool which opened in mid-June. Hawaiian Falls The Colony made its debut on Memorial Day weekend. The park also changed its policy and allowed outside food and drinks into the park. Prices in 2004 were $14.99 plus tax for adults, $7.99 plus tax for children under 48 inches, 3 and under were free, seniors 60 and older were $7.99 plus tax, and spectators were $7.99 plus a deposit & tax. The 2004 season lasted from Thursday, May 20 through September 6. Unfortunatly, June 2004 was the wettest month on record for the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex which only allowed for the park to be open for half of the month of June. In September, Horizon Family Inc. joined up with Herschend Family Entertainment in a limited partnership.
Hawaiian Falls opened for the 2005 season on Friday, May 20th under new management with the motto of "Bringing Families Closer Together". Ticket prices remained unchanged from 2004, but operating hours were expanded to consist of Noon to 7pm on Sundays; 10:30am to 6:00pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Saturdays; and 10:30am to 7:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Bahama Beach another waterpark in the chain opened this season. The park also introduced Private Cabanas this season which offered private shadded areas to guests for an additional fee.
In 2006, David Busch bought back the Hawaiian Falls chain and split from Herschend Family Entertainment to form Hawaiian Falls Waterparks which included the three waterparks in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The season opened on Friday, May 26. Ticket prices remained the same while operating hours changed again to be Sundays Noon to 7pm; Saturdays 10:30am to 6:00pm; Weekdays 10:30am to 7:00pm. The park also introduced the VeggieTales characters Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber to its guests this season by offering meet and greet sessions. 2006 also introduced online ticket sales for the park chain. The season ended on Monday, September 4.
Currently, Hawaiian Falls plans to expand the park by adding a wave pool in 2007.
[edit] Attractions
Hawaiian Falls Waterpark consists of nine attractions: two body slides, two tube slides, one racing slide, an interactive children's water treehouse, a halfpipe slide, and an activity pool. The park also has a cafe, changing rooms, picnic pavilions, and a small gift shop.
The Flyin' Hawaiian is a yellow 60 foot tall body slide in the Waimea Bay water slide tower complex. The slide travls down a two bump path into a narrow splash area below. The water depth at the bottom is 6 inches. Children under 48 inches are not permitted to ride. The slide is for single riders only. Guests may not wear water shoes, glasses, or inproper swimwear down the slide. Guests slide by crossing their arms and legs on their back.
The Waikiki Wipeout is a yellow 60 foot tall body slide in the Waimea Bay water slide tower complex. The slide travels first through an enclosed straight tube before plummiting at a steep angle in an open tube into a narrow splash area below. The water depth at the bottom is 6 inches. Children under 48 inches are not permitted to ride. The slide is for single riders only. Guests may not wear water shoes, glasses, or inproper swimwear down the slide. Guests slide by crossing their arms and legs on their back.
Pipeline is the two tube slides (one blue and one green) in the Waimea Bay water slide tower complex. Pipeline: Monsoon is an entirely enclosed blue tube slide which features twists and turns and splashes into a catch pool at the bottom. Pipeline: Typhoon is a partially enclosed, partically open tube green tube slide which also features twists and turns which end in the catch pool below. Guests can choose to ride in two-person or single-rider inner tubes. The water depth is approximately 3 feet 6 inches. Children under 48 inches are not permitted to ride. Guests may not wear water shoes, glasses, or inproper swimwear down the slide.
Keiki Cove is an interactive children's water treehouse filled with fountains, slides, climbing nets, water jets, and a giant bucket that drops gallons of water every few minutes. This attraction is only for guests under 54 inches and their guardians. Horseplay is prohibited.
The Pineapple Express is a red and orange 4 lane downhill racing slide. Guests travel down a two bump slide side by side on mats into narrow splash lanes. Each mat can only hold one rider. Children under 42 inches are not permitted to ride. Guests may not wear water shoes, glasses, or inproper swimwear down the slide.
The Kona Kooler Adventure River is a circular pathed river with zero entry level beach that contains a current that pushes guests along. There is also a portion of the river that contains waves, thus making it an adventure river. The water depth is approximately 3 feet Small children should be accompanied by an adult. Guests can only use single rider inner tubes and must enter and exit from specific points.
The Hawaiian Half Pipe is a while u-shaped slide patterned after a skateboard or snowboard halfpipe. Riders use single or two-person inner tubes. Each inner tube travels down a steep slope before quickly rushing up the opposite side of the slide. The inner tube repeats the motion back and forth before splashing in the shallow water in the bottom of the halfpipe. Children under 42 inches are not permitted to ride. The water depth is only 6 inches. Guests may not wear water shoes, glasses, or inproper swimwear down the slide.
Splashwater Harbor is an activity pool the contains water falls, a log cross, and a zero entry level beach area. Small children should be accompanied by an adult. The water depth varies, but has a maximum depth of 4 feet.
Pineapple Pete's Island Cafe is a small cafe located in the park that serves a variety of food choices including hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, pizza, nachoes, soft drinks, and other snacks. This stand also sometimes serves smoothies from the Smoothie Shack on the side.
Island Trader's Gift Shop is a small gift shop that rents lockers and sells drinks, candy, ice cream, sun block, Big Squirt® water toy that squirts 30 feet, and a few other items.
[edit] Re-Entry, Raincheck, Refund, & Thunderstorm Policies
Guests may re-enter the park as long as they receive a handstamp upon exiting.
Hawaiian Falls does not give refunds. All tickets are non-refundable including online sales.
Hawaiian Falls will issue rainchecks if dangerous weather moves into the area and either poses a threat to all guests or does not leave the area after a given amount of time. The park will temporarily close its attractions if inclement weather moves into the area. Lighting will close all attractions for 20 minutes for each strike. Hawaiian Falls will not issue rainchecks if the park's attraction are temporarily closed. If the weather proceeds to worsen or does not let up for more than 45 minutes, the park management reserves the right to shut down the park for the rest of the day. Guests with valid receipts only will receive rainchecks.
Tickets must be used before they expire. Expired tickets can not be refunded or used after the expiration date.
[edit] Employement
Hawaiian Falls hires around 150 employees for each season, most being high school and college students. Employees are known as Ambassadors and can work in a variety of departments including water safety, food & beverage, retail, maintenance, front gate, group & birthday, cash control, or administration. Hawaiian Falls annually hires people by hosting a job fair in mid-March prior to each season at Webb Middle School located close to the park. All employees must be at least 16 years or older.
