The Fort Worth Zoo is ranked number four by USA Today’s 10 Best Zoos across the nation. With approximately 1 million annual visitors, they still noted a decline in ticket sales during the summer due to the sweltering heat. In response, the zoo started searching for an innovative way to boost summer sales while honoring their mission of conservation, education, and entertainment.
They identified a splash pad as a fun way for guests to stay cool while enjoying the zoo atmosphere. Water Odyssey by Fountain People, a PlayCore company, was able to help bring their idea to life in a themed, exciting way that met all their objectives.
A safari-themed splash pad was an obvious design choice to compliment the zoo environment. Water Odyssey filled the 14,000 square-foot space with a variety of water features, including 10 custom animal-themed water features. A 30-foot giraffe mother and baby anchored the space, which also featured a themed climbing structure consisting of slides, tipping buckets, and spray elements. Lastly, a large “water dump” was added to provide participants with a 300-gallon, 360 degree splash every five minutes, offering anticipation and discovery elements to the park. The zoo was thrilled to exceeded their goal of increasing summertime attendees. The splash pad is a huge success, and contributes greatly to the comfort of summer visitors
