Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first theme park designed and built for people with special needs, has announced its largest expansion to date for the 2024 season.
The park in San Antonio, Texas is spending $6 million on new attractions, including a 4D cinema, a passenger boat ride, a zip line attraction called Rocket’s Sky Flight Adventure, and a wheelchair-accessible ride named Jette’s Magic Bikes,
“Thus far, Morgan’s Wonderland has welcomed 2.7 million guests from all 50 states and more than 120 other countries,” said Gordon Hartman, who created the park alongside his wife Maggie for their daughter Morgan, who was born with profound physical and cognitive challenges.
“It’s now time to refresh and add new elements that will constitute our largest expansion since we opened in 2010.”
The new 4D cinema will be located in the park’s ‘Sensory Village’. “We believe the manufacturer from Canada is the only company that’s able to provide a platform with unique features necessary for riders in wheelchairs to have the same roller coaster-type experience as typical riders,” said Richard Pretlow, park president.
The passenger boat ride will take guests across the eight-acre ‘catch and release’ fishing lake. “All passengers, including guests in wheelchairs, will board the covered boat from a newly-constructed pier and dock adjacent to the Pirate Island playscape, then enjoy a smooth cruise around the lake,” said Pretlow.
Rocket’s Sky Flight Adventure is being manufactured for the park by a Utah-based company and will be able to accommodate riders with disabilities and special needs, Pretlow said.
Ultra-accessible theme park
Jette’s Wonder Bikes, he added, is “designed by an internationally-known Italian company”. It will feature six cars that fly in a circular pattern, and guests will be able to use pedals or hand cranks to make them go up and down.
“We’ve worked closely with the manufacturers to make sure our new attractions are in sync with the rest of our ultra-accessible, fully-inclusive park,” Pretlow said.
“We believe guests of all abilities will enjoy them as we pursue our mission of inclusion – bringing together those with and without special needs for fun and a better understanding of one another in a colorful, upbeat, non-judgmental environment.”
Morgan’s Wonderland will close after the ‘More Delightful Than Frightful’ Halloween event on 31 October to start four months of construction. The park will reopen in February.
Images courtesy of Morgan’s Wonderland
