Wild Waves theme park welcomes a new general manager and a vibrant look this season.
This summer, guests will notice some changes around the amusement park. Several capital improvement projects, mostly taking place on the water-themed side of the park, are in the works. Steve Honeycutt, Wild Waves’ new general manager, hopes to offer guests more than just freshly-painted water slides and heated pools this season. Guest services tops his list of priorities.
“We’ve got a lot of capital projects we’re doing to exceed our customers’ expectations,” Honeycutt said.
Honeycutt joined the Federal Way team this past January. He came here from Valdosta, Ga., where he managed Wild Adventures Water and Theme Park. Honeycutt sees Wild Waves as an exciting challenge. His list of needed improvements began the first day he visited the park, he said. It has grown since.
“I want the guests to be able to walk in and go ‘wow,’” he said.
Possibly the most anticipated change is heated pools, Honeycutt said. Every body of water where guests frolic will be heated, he said. With a season that only lasts 111 days, the park must do all it can to make visitors feel welcome, even on the drearier days.
Another big change will be in the park’s ambiance. Staff is applying a fresh coat of paint to several attractions, buildings and even garbage cans. Wild Thing, the twisting and plummeting roller coaster, is being overhauled. The dingy lime green color is being replaced with banana yellow and ocean-like blue. The Zooma Falls rafting ride will shed its fading orange color for a yet-to-be-determined hue. The purple and teal Konga River tube slides will be pressure washed, restoring their clean appearance.
“The big thing is to be bright and cheerful,” Honeycutt said. “Dull colors just don’t do a lot to put you in a better mood.”
Also new this season to the bustling park are seven permanently located cabanas. The huts will hug the shore of the wave pool. Guests will be charged a fee to rent the cabanas, but will get privacy and first-rate service, Honeycutt said. The cabanas seat four comfortably. Lounge chairs, a locker and concierge service will be included.
“We’re going to treat (cabana guests) like gold, pamper them as much as we can,” Honeycutt said.
The park will see several smaller improvements, including:
• A new wave pool backdrop will offer a beach-like feel.
• The waterfall at the wave pool will be repainted.
• The turnstile exit will be replaced with an exit building.
• Restored/new signs and banners.
• The game area will feature a more open layout, free of large tents.
• A refurbished Hook’s Lagoon.
• Replacing chain-link fencing with wood fencing over time.
• A new Icee machine on the side of the park with amusement rides.
Job fair
To prepare for the upcoming season, Wild Waves will hold a job fair on April 10. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m. The park employs approximately 1,000 individuals between its summer and Halloween FrightFest seasons. Around 400 new hires will be needed for the summer season, Honeycutt said.
“We think on April 10, we’re going to be extremely, extremely busy,” he said.
Permanent staff at the amusement park is looking for individuals who are outgoing and have outstanding customer service skills, he said. Individuals with a variety of skill levels and educational backgrounds are anticipated, given the economy, Honeycutt said.
The park opens at 10 a.m. May 15 for weekends at the amusement park side. The water park opens for weekends at 10 a.m. May 29. The park will be open seven days a week beginning June 16. It will close briefly in September and reopen in October for FrightFest.
“I’m like a kid at Christmas. I’m so excited when the guests start coming in,” Honeycutt said.
Learn more
Interested employee candidates should visit PARCJobs.com to learn more about available Wild Waves positions and to apply directly online. Online applications must be completed by April 9 in order to pre-register for an interview at the Job Fair.
Visit the park’s Web site at www.wildwaves.com to learn more about the amusement park and season passes. Passes are now on sale for $59.99. Beginning April 18, prices will increase to $69.99.
