Family Kingdom Amusement Park

Family Kingdom Amusement Park is a seaside amusement park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Located on Ocean Boulevard, in the heart of Myrtle Beach, the amusement park has 37 rides for adults and children of all ages, including thrill rides, family rides, kiddie rides and go karts. In 2008 TripAdvisor ranked it at number five on its list of the top 10 amusement parks outside Orlando.[1]

Family Kingdom Amusement Park
Family Kingdom Amusement Park
Location300 Ocean Blvd
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577, United States
Coordinates33°40′54″N 78°53′35″W
Opened1966
Operating seasonEarly April through Early October
Area13 acres (5.3 ha)
Attractions
Total37
Roller coasters3
Websitewww.familykingdomfun.com
StatusOperating

In business for more than 40 years, the park has the 2,400 foot, figure eight Swamp Fox wooden roller coaster, which is one of only 122 wooden roller coasters operating in North America[2] and ranked number 10 on About.com's list of the top 10 most underrated roller coasters in North America.[3] In 2016, American Coaster Enthusiasts marked the 50th anniversary of the Swamp Fox by adding a historical marker.[4] The Swamp Fox was also declared a historic structure by the city in March 2017.[5]

Other signature rides include O.D. Hopkins Log Flume, Great Pistolero Round-up and the Giant Wheel.

Family Kingdom's "Giant Wheel" has round open gondolas that take riders to a height of more than 100 feet where they get a panoramic view of Myrtle Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. For 19 years, until 2011, it reigned as the highest Ferris wheel in the state[6]

Family Kingdom is one of the few remaining free-admission parks in the U.S.[7] There is no admission price to enter the open park. Ride tickets can be purchased independently. Wristbands that entitle patrons to ride all day are available. The park provides free entertainment such as clowns, magicians, jugglers, stilt walkers, face painters and balloon sculptors. Family Kingdom Amusement Park is located on both banks of historic Withers Swash. The swash is a point where a natural stream meets the beach and ocean, and through which tides flow. Much of the surrounding area was part of a 66,000-acre king's grant to Robert Francis Withers in the early 1700s, who operated it as an indigo plantation overlooking the swash.

Family Kingdom Amusement Park is approximately 13 acres.[8]

History

Family Kingdom Amusement Park opened as Grand Strand Amusement Park in 1966. In 1992, it was rechristened “Family Kingdom Amusement Park” after being purchased by the Ammons family, owners of the landmark Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort. For more than 50 years, the Ammons family has played a prominent role in the development of Myrtle Beach as a nationally known, family vacation destination.[9]

Country music star Kenny Chesney shot part of his "Anything but Mine" music video at Family Kingdom in 2005.[10]

The Pistolero Round-up, a laser target shooting “dark ride”, was the first of its kind produced by the American ride manufacturer Sally Corporation, and made its international debut at Family Kingdom.[11] The park has a classic carousel built in 1930 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC #87), with horses cast from the manufacturer’s original molds.[12][13]

Splashes Oceanfront Water Park
Splashes Oceanfront Water Park
LocationMyrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
Operating seasonGenerally Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend
Websitewww.familykingdomfun.com
An area of Splashes Oceanfront Water Park

Splashes Oceanfront Water Park, originally known as Wild Rapids, is a water park attraction in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A two-acre facility with 500 feet of Atlantic Ocean frontage, it is located across Ocean Boulevard from Family Kingdom Amusement Park.[14]

The park's attractions include a lazy river with waterfalls, water flumes,[15] and eight kiddie slides.[16] In 2007, TripAdvisor named Family Kingdom and Splashes number five on its list of the top 10 amusement parks outside Orlando.[17]

The park is located at 300 South Ocean Boulevard. It has 18 attractions, including two enclosed body waterslides, two speed slides, two open flume slides, and an enclosed flume slide; a children’s area that includes splash pools, eight kiddie slides, two rain trees, and a play pool with a multi-tiered waterfall.

History

The park first opened under the name "Wild Rapids" in 1977.[18] In 1997, Family Kingdom Amusement Park purchased the water park, expanded the water attractions, and renamed it "Family Kingdom Water Park". In 2013, the water park was renamed "Splashes Oceanfront Water Park".

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References
  1. "TripAdvisor Announces Top 10 Amusement Parks Outside Orlando". Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  2. "Wooden Coaster Percentage". Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  3. "Top 10 Most Underrated Roller Coasters in North America". About.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  4. Donovan, Jennifer (April 25, 2016). "Roller Coaster enthusiasts honor Family Kingdom coaster as landmark". The Sun News.
  5. Johnson, Chloe (March 28, 2017). "A favorite Myrtle Beach thrill ride just became an historic structure". The Sun News. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  6. Wickprest, W. R. "Biggest Farris Wheel in South Carolina is in Myrtle Beach at Family Kingdom Amusement Park". Yahoo! Voices. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  7. Levine, Arthur. "Free Theme Parks". ThemeParks.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  8. "Family Kingdom Fast Facts" (PDF). Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  9. "Family Kingdom Background" (PDF). Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 7, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  10. Anything but Mine
  11. "Family Kingdom Amusement Park Rides" (PDF). Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 23, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  12. Gardner, Richard A. "Philadelphia Toboggan Co. Carousel History; 1904-1941". CarouselNews.com. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  13. http://www.carouselnews.com/New-Carousel-News/PTC/Philadelphia-Toboggan-Co.-Carousel-History-1904-1941.html
  14. "Family Kingdom Amusement Park". Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2014-01-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-26. Retrieved 2014-01-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. Ferencsik, Brooke. "TripAdvisor Announces Top 10 Amusement Parks Outside Orlando". TripAdvisor. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  18. "Myrtle Beach Family Kingdom Amusement Park". HTOMC.dns2go.com. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
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