Enchanted Forest Water Safari

Enchanted Forest Water Safari is a combined amusement park and water park in Old Forge, New York, in the Adirondack region of the United States. The attraction began in 1956 as The Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks, founded by A. Richard Cohen, a local hardware-store owner who was also involved in Adirondack development projects. The original park occupied approximately 35 acres of former swampland, employed 35 people, and combined fairy-tale scenery, family entertainment, and a miniature railway. Admission at opening was one dollar for adults and 25 cents for children. The park’s original identity was built around children’s stories and nursery-rhyme settings. Its development was informed by research undertaken by Cohen’s wife and daughter, who visited amusement parks around the country to study their operation and design. Artist Russell Patterson produced concept watercolors and contributed to the visual treatment of the fairy-tale buildings. The Enchanted Forest Express was the only mechanical ride at opening, but the amusement offering expanded during the 1960s as additional rides were introduced. A major strategic shift toward water-based recreation began in the 1980s. The park added Wild Waters, a pair of large slides, in 1984, followed by Raging Rapids and the Tadpole Hole children’s water area in 1986. After this expansion, the attraction adopted the name Enchanted Forest Water Safari in 1988. Water attractions subsequently became the park’s defining product category, while traditional amusement rides, circus performances, themed environments, animal encounters, arcades, and family activities remained part of the broader experience. The Cohen family sold the park to the Noonan family in 1977. In 1999, the Adirondack Expedition expansion added eight water rides and the Sawmill children’s play area, further enlarging the park’s water-park identity. The site eventually grew to approximately 60 acres. Its present offering includes family raft and tube rides, enclosed body slides, children’s play zones, pools, a wave pool, lazy rivers, traditional amusement rides, and seasonal live entertainment. Adjacent facilities include Calypso’s Cove, a smaller entertainment area with activities such as go-karts, mini-golf, batting cages, climbing, an arcade, bumper boats, and a zip line, as well as Adirondack-style cabins and RV camping. The park is operated under the Enchanted Parks name. Reference material also reports a March 2024 sale involving the park and adjacent lodging and camping properties to Florida-based Innovative Attractions Management for an undisclosed amount, while other reference descriptions identify EPR Properties as the owner. Because the available material does not fully reconcile those ownership and operating relationships, the current legal owner is left unspecified here. The attraction remains an active seasonal destination focused on family tourism, water rides, amusement rides, and Adirondack vacation travel.

Enchanted Forest Water Safari opened in 1956 under the name The Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks. Its founder, A. Richard Cohen, was a hardware-store owner and an Adirondack development official associated with the development of ski centers on Whiteface and Gore mountains. He established the attraction on approximately 35 acres of swampland in Old Forge. The opening operation employed 35 people and charged one dollar for adults and 25 cents for children. Cohen conceived the original attraction as a family-oriented fairy-tale environment rather than as a conventional thrill-ride park. The visual and operating concept drew on research by his wife and daughter, who visited amusement parks across the country. Russell Patterson prepared concept watercolor paintings and contributed to the design of the themed fairy-tale houses. The original site featured a large circus tent, nursery-rhyme settings, storybook buildings, and the Enchanted Forest Express miniature railway. The train was the only mechanical ride when the park opened. The ride inventory expanded during the 1960s. In 1977, Cohen sold the park to the Noonan family. Water attractions became increasingly important in the following decade. Wild Waters, consisting of two approximately 350-foot slides, opened in 1984. Raging Rapids and the Tadpole Hole children’s water area followed in 1986. The growing emphasis on aquatic attractions led to the name change to Enchanted Forest Water Safari in 1988. The park continued to combine amusement rides and storybook theming with water-based attractions. In 1999, the Adirondack Expedition expansion added eight water rides and the Sawmill children’s play area. The property expanded from its original 35 acres to approximately 60 acres. Subsequent attractions included themed tube rides, enclosed and open slides, children’s splash areas, a wave pool, lazy rivers, and family activity zones. Several later additions were announced or constructed in groups, including Killermanjaro’s Revenge, Mamba Strike, and Serengeti Stampede, which were added in 2020 but did not open until June 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The attraction’s current operating model extends beyond rides. The main park includes seasonal circus performances, a petting zoo, a small museum, video-game arcades, and midway-style games. Calypso’s Cove, an adjoining entertainment area, provides activities such as go-karts, mini-golf, batting cages, rock climbing, bumper boats, a zip line, and arcade entertainment. Adjacent camping facilities offer Adirondack-style cabins, RV sites, a pond with rowboats and pedal boats, recreation rooms, and shower and restroom facilities. A white arch associated with the 1964 New York World’s Fair was brought to Old Forge in 1967 and installed at the park in 1968. The park also maintains a circus-oriented area for performances including acrobatics and animal shows. Reference material identifies Enchanted Parks as the operating organization. It also reports a March 2024 sale of the park and adjacent hotel and campground to Innovative Attractions Management, while separately identifying EPR Properties as the owner. Since those descriptions do not establish a single uncontested current ownership structure, ownership is recorded as unresolved. The park remains an active seasonal attraction serving regional and vacation visitors to the Adirondacks.

1. 2024Reported sale to Innovative Attractions Management

   Reference material reports the sale of the park and adjacent hotel and campground to Innovative Attractions Management for an undisclosed amount.

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2. 2021Delayed water attractions open

   The three attractions added in 2020 open to visitors in June after the COVID-19-related delay.

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3. 2020Three new water attractions added

   Killermanjaro’s Revenge, Mamba Strike, and Serengeti Stampede are added, although their public opening is delayed until 2021.

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4. 2002The Shadow replaces Wild Waters

   The enclosed The Shadow slides replace the earlier Wild Waters attraction.

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5. 1999Adirondack Expedition expansion

   The park adds eight water rides and the Sawmill children’s play area in a major expansion.

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6. 1988Name changes to Enchanted Forest Water Safari

   Following its major water-park expansion, the attraction adopts its current name.

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7. 1986Raging Rapids and Tadpole Hole added

   The park introduces the Raging Rapids slide and the Tadpole Hole children’s water area.

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8. 1984Wild Waters opens

   The park adds two approximately 350-foot water slides, marking an important expansion of its aquatic offering.

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9. 1977Park sold to the Noonan family

   A. Richard Cohen sells the attraction to the Noonan family.

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10. 1968White Arch installed at the park

    A white arch originally used at the 1964 New York World’s Fair is installed at the park after being brought to Old Forge the previous year.

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11. 1960Mechanical-ride program expands

    Additional amusement rides begin to be introduced during the 1960s, expanding the park beyond its original miniature railway.

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12. 1956Park opens as The Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks

    A. Richard Cohen opens the attraction on approximately 35 acres in Old Forge, with fairy-tale theming, a circus tent, storybook houses, and the Enchanted Forest Express.

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A family-oriented Adirondack destination combining a large seasonal water park with traditional amusement rides, themed environments, live entertainment, and adjacent lodging and recreation.

• Water Safari water parkWater park1956

  The main water-park operation includes family tube rides, enclosed and open body slides, children’s splash areas, a lazy river, themed pools, and a quarter-acre wave pool. Notable attractions include Amazon, Black River, Bombay Blasters, Cascade Falls, Curse of the Silverback, Raging Rapids, Rondaxe Run, Safari River Expedition, The Shadow, Lake Nakura, and Tidal Wave Pool.

• Traditional amusement ridesAmusement rides1956

  The dry-ride collection complements the water park with family and classic amusement attractions. It includes boats, bumper cars, a carousel, the Enchanted Forest Express miniature railway, a Ferris wheel, Flivver Cars, helicopters, Rock-o-planes, Round-Up, Scrambler, Sky Ride, and Tilt-a-Whirl.

• Children’s play areasFamily recreation1986

  Children’s attractions include Kid Wash, Pygmy Pond, Sawmill, and other low-intensity water and play features. These areas use shallow water, small slides, climbing structures, spray effects, and family-oriented themes to serve younger visitors.

• Calypso’s CoveEntertainment center

  Calypso’s Cove is an adjoining entertainment area offering activities beyond the main water park, including an arcade, go-karts, rock climbing, mini-golf, batting cages, bumper boats, and a zip line.

• Campgrounds and cabinsHospitality

  Adjacent accommodation facilities include Adirondack-style cabins, RV accommodations, a pond with rowboats and pedal boats, recreation rooms, and shower and restroom facilities.

• Paul Bunyan’s Log HaulAmusement ride2026

  Paul Bunyan’s Log Haul is identified in the reference material as a spinning coaster associated with a 2026 addition to the amusement-ride lineup.

• 2024Reported sale of park and adjacent propertiesM&A

  The park operated alongside related lodging and camping properties in Old Forge.

  What changed. Reference material reports that the park, an adjacent hotel, and a campground were sold to Florida-based Innovative Attractions Management.

  Aftermath. The transaction value was not disclosed, and the available references do not clearly reconcile the buyer’s role with the separate identification of EPR Properties as owner.

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• 2020Addition of three major water slidesProduct launch

  The park sought to add new water attractions during the 2020 season.

  What changed. Killermanjaro’s Revenge, Mamba Strike, and Serengeti Stampede were added to the attraction inventory.

  Aftermath. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed their visitor opening until June 2021.

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• 1999Adirondack Expedition expansionOther

  The park continued to develop its water-based offering after the successful 1980s slide additions.

  What changed. Eight water rides and the Sawmill children’s play area were added.

  Aftermath. The expansion strengthened the attraction’s position as a combined amusement and water park.

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• 1988Rebrand toward a water-park identityStrategy

  The attraction had expanded its water offerings with Wild Waters, Raging Rapids, and the Tadpole Hole area.

  What changed. The park changed its name from The Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks to Enchanted Forest Water Safari.

  Aftermath. The new name emphasized the water-park component while retaining the established Enchanted Forest identity.

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• 2024Enchanted Forest Water Safari and adjacent hospitality properties reportedly sold

  Reference material reports that the park, an adjacent hotel, and a campground were sold in March 2024 to Florida-based Innovative Attractions Management. The transaction value was not disclosed.

  M&A
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• 2021Three major water slides opened after pandemic delay

  Killermanjaro’s Revenge, Mamba Strike, and Serengeti Stampede were introduced in 2020 but opened to visitors in June 2021 after their debut was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

  Product launchOther
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• 2021Fatal medical emergency reported at the park

  On July 18, 2021, a 23-year-old woman suffered an asthma attack that led to cardiac arrest after climbing an incline and riding a water slide. The reference material describes the incident as fatal.

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• 2017Parking-lot public-lewdness arrests

  Police responded to a report involving a couple in a vehicle in the park’s parking lot. Both individuals were ticketed for public lewdness; one person also faced additional charges related to resisting arrest, harassment, and disorderly conduct.

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• 2013Off-season break-in and property damage

  Two volunteer firefighters were arrested after allegedly entering the closed park without authorization, taking food, damaging arcade equipment and an animated band, and defacing the premises.

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1. Enchanted Forest Water Safari
2. Official Enchanted Forest Water Safari website