Wild Adventures kicks off its 2015 season | PHOTO GALLERY

VALDOSTA — With 700 employees and an annual payroll of $6 million, the Wild Adventures Theme Park that exists here today only vaguely resembles the petting zoo Kent Buescher opened in rural Lowndes County in 1996.

With dozens of thrill rides — for adults and kids — exciting games, more than 300 domestic and exotic animals, a concert series featuring some of the biggest names in entertainment, a full-on water park, regular special shows, and treats made especially to beat the Georgia summer heat, Wild Adventures has become one of the premier tourist destinations in the South, attracting more than 600,000 visitors last year.

Call it the little petting zoo that could.

Mobile users can view the photo gallery here.

Wild Adventures officially kicked off its 2015 season March 14, allowing guests to experience its new Jungle Rumble thrill ride, to get up-close-and-personal with the stars of its interactive squirrel monkey exhibit, and to bang on the Rumble Drums nestled into the new jungle-themed play area. These and other improvements are part of a $1 million-plus redevelopment that will thrill regular season pass-holders and newcomers alike as they visit during what promises to be an exciting 2015 season at the theme park.

“We understand that change is very important, and we always challenge ourselves to make things at Wild Adventures better, more fun,” park General Manager Molly Deese said during the grand re-opening celebration. “We always want to make our product fresh in five areas: new rides, new shows, new animals, new concerts, new food. We’re five-for-five this year.”

A group from the Rulers Youth Ministry team out of Jacksonville, Fla., broke into an impromptu dance/call-and-response performance while waiting to climb aboard the Jungle Rumble during the March 14 celebration.

“We’re having so much fun,” Rulers team member James Terrell, 17, said. “This is the kind of trip that brings us all closer together.”

Park Public Relations Manager Laurie Windham, a transplanted Florida Gator who has been at Wild Adventures for a little more than a year, was everywhere during the opening, making sure that dignitaries such as Valdosta Mayor John Gayle and Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter enjoyed their visit, pounding on the Rumble Drums with visitors like 11-year-old Dylan Dominey of Ashburn, showing off some of the park’s improvements to a visitor.

“This place has always been magical for my daughter, Savanna, and me,” Windham said. “I literally can’t wait to get up and go to work every morning. Savanna’s in college now, but while she was growing up we had season passes every year. Like all of our season pass holders, you become a part of the family at Wild Adventures.”

While the Jungle Rumble ride was the talk of Wild Adventures on opening day, Windham pointed out a number of improvements that will add fun to park-goers’ experience this year. New signage, fresh paint and more benches in shaded areas will give patrons additional opportunities to take breaks out of the summer heat. A troop of 10 West African green monkeys and four yellow iguanas, each between 3 and 4 feet long, join the squirrel monkeys as the latest additions to the more than 300 animals who call Wild Adventures home.

New shows, including the reptile stars of Swamp Tales, a little bit of science mixed with a whole lot of fun in Y’all Tube, and Aaron Radatz’s magic/comedy mash-up, join such park favorites as Bluegrass & Barbecue, the Take the Stage talent contest and the April 4 Ostrich Egg Hunt during the season.

Deese, who “grew up in the theme park business,” coming to Wild Adventures after a seven-year tenure at Carowinds Amusement Park in Charlotte, N.C., said Wild Adventures has an advantage over most such destinations.

“We use the hashtag ‘#funatheart,’ and that’s something the people here truly embody,” the park GM said. “More than any place I’ve ever seen, this is a community park; everyone involved works as one team to make it better. You feel it at the park, and you feel it when you go into the community. Everyone’s invested. There’s a true partnership at Wild Adventures.

“The park is important to our community because it provides jobs and plays a huge part in our region’s economic development. The community gives to us, and we give back to our community.”

In addition to the improvements — visual and behind the scenes — at Wild Adventures, staff worked hard to put together a diverse concert series that includes plenty for fans of all kinds of music. Scheduled to perform are World Class Rockers (former members of Journey, Boston, Santana, Steppenwolf and Lynyrd Skynyrd, on March 28), Gavin DeGraw (April 11), Thousand Foot Krutch and Flyleaf (April 18), Jerrod Niemann (May 2), Foreigner (May 9), Shawn Mendes and Kingsland Road (May 23), Justin Moore (May 30), Casting Crowns (June 6), Lecrae, Trip Lee and DJ Promote (June 20), Eli Young Band (June 27), Tamela Mann (July 11), Jennifer Nettles (July 18) and Skillet (Aug. 8).

The park will be open today; March 26-31; April 1-4, 9-12, 17-19, 24-26; and May 1-3, 7-10 and 14-17 before opening seven days a week starting May 21. Wild Adventures is open every day in June and July, then on Aug. 1-3, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30; Sept. 5-7, 12-13, 19-20, 24-27; Oct. 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 30-31, and Nov. 27-29.

Every Friday evening in June and July, the park will host Splash Island Nights with a DJ and special treats for young patrons.

Wild Adventures 2015 season passes are currently on sale for $15 off regular price and are available online at WildAdventures.com, at the park or by calling (229) 219-7080.