Wild Waves Theme Park

Wild Waves Theme Park
Location 36201 Enchanted Parkway S, Federal Way, Washington
Website http://www.wildwaves.com
Owner CNL Income Properties
Operated By Norpoint entertainment
Opened 1977
Previous names Enchanted Village

Wild Waves and Enchanted Village Enchanted Parks

Operating season May to October
Area 70 + acres
Rides 43 total
  • 4 roller coasters
  • 14 water rides

Wild Waves Theme Park is an amusement park in Federal Way, Washington. Opened in 1977[1], the park is a popular summer destination in the Pacific Northwest and is the largest of its kind in the area.

Contents

History

The Enchanted Village theme park was first opened in 1977 by Byron Betts. The initial 12-acre (49,000 m2) park site held only a half-dozen rides. In 1984, Wild Waves Waterpark was built adjacent to Enchanted Village[2]; the combined amusement complex became known as Enchanted Parks. In 1991 co-owners Michael Moodenbaugh and Jeff Stock paid $8 million for Enchanted Parks. In 1993 Michael Moodenbaugh traded his share of Enchanted Parks, Inc for shares in their jointly owned amusement park in Amherstburg, Ontario Canada called Boblo Island Amusement Park, Inc. In 1993 Jeff Stock purchased several rides from Boblo Island. Jeff Stock then sold his shares of Enchanted Parks, Inc in late 2000 to Six Flags for $19.3 million.[3] In 2000 the park had grown to over 70 acres (280,000 m2), with more than 20 rides, and was the Northwest's largest waterpark.[1] In 2002 and 2003, major expansion took place, with the addition of several new attractions, many manufacturered by Zamperla and S&S Power. Also in 2002, approximately 1000 seasonal workers were employed for positions as rides operators and food service workers. Many of these seasonal workers are also students of local high schools. [4]

In April 2007, Six Flags sold the park to Orlando-based real estate investment trust CNL Income Properties (which leases the park to PARC Management).[5]

On January 25 Parc Management had defaulted on its lease with CNL for wild waves and a majority of it other parks and the new Management company of Norpoint entertainment (owned by previous owner Jeff Stock) took over and is making many changes to the park including adding a new water ride for the 2011 season.

As of the CNL Income Properties acquisition, the park was renamed Wild Waves Theme Park. Under new ownership, the park has also since adopted a new logo. Other parks owned by CNL Income Properties include Darien Lake Theme Park Resort in western New York, Elitch Gardens, Frontier City, SplashTown Waterpark, White Water Bay, and Waterworld Concord, all of which were sold in a $312 million purchase from Six Flags[6].

Rides

"Thrill Rides"

"Family Rides"

"Kid's Rides"

"Water Rides"

Carnival games

C/B Ian L.

References

  1. ^ a b Washington State's Enchanted Parks Announces Plans to Add Two World-Class Roller Coasters by 2003. PR Newswire. 5 October 2000.
  2. ^ ThrillNetwork.com - Wild Waves/Enchanted Village page
  3. ^ Six Flags buys Enchanted Parks. Associated Press Newswires. 8 December 2000.
  4. ^ Six Flags to Add 10 New Rides at Federal Way, Wash., Amusement Park. KRTBN Knight-Ridder Tribune Business News: Tacoma News Tribune. 22 February 2002
  5. ^ Sound, Puget (9 April 2007). "Florida REIT buys Wild Waves in seven-park deal". Seattle.Bizjournals.com, 3 May 2007. http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/04/09/daily3.html?surround=lfn. 
  6. ^ "CNL Income Properties Purchase". TheRealEstateBloggers.com, 3 May 2007. http://www.therealestatebloggers.com/2007/04/10/6-former-six-flags-parks-sold-to-cnl-income-properties-reit/. 

External links